Egoïste
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS EGOISTE... AND MANY LARGE FORMAT, MULTIPLE COVER, HIGH-END, LUXURY, LIFESTYLE MAGAZINES FOLLOWED THEREAFTER.
This is the cover of the second ever issue of Egoïste
published in December 1977. Helmut Newton photographed Mick Jagger as a favour to the magazine's young publisher Nicole Wisniak, when she was still living at home with her parents. We have a complete run of Egoïste
at IDEA Books this week. They are all amazing. But the first five issues - shown in detail here - are five times wow! We have never seen them before.
This is the fashion shoot in the first issue of Egoïste. It is photographed by Philippe Morillon, the beyond talented graphic artist who worked extensively on Façade
, contributed one of the best Interview
covers, and was responsible for the ever so brilliant book Ultra Lux, a copy of which is in Dover Street Market this week.
This is the cover of issue No.6. It's the second Helmut Newton cover and marks a turning point for Egoïste. The magazine made a transition from being about the time (Paris in the late 70s) to being timeless. Egoïste
more or less invented the concept of fashion magazine as fashion accessory and throughout the 80s and 90s the latest issue would always be the final touch in any Andrée Putman styled Paris apartment.
This is Baron Roger de Cabrol. The coolest looking person in Egoiste
no.2
and therefore the whole of France in 1977. A close inspection will reveal a David Essex style earring but he certainly wears it well. The Baron is the Beaux of the Beaux et Belles section. Pop singer Patricia Botton was the belle. These early Egoiste
really mix it up when it comes to high society and celebrity, literary grandeur and plastic punks.
The party pictures are legendary. . The text reads: "Brooke Shields est si mignonne mais hélas elle n'a que treize ans" - Brooke Shields is cute but, alas, she is only thirteen years old. Captions written by Serge Gainsbourg perhaps.
We just can't get over how good the first five issues are. We are actually in awe of one particular double page in the first issue. Titled 'L'Autre Chemise', it is a visual report on men's shirts with the chemises borrowed from stylish men and photographed in close up detail. There is a Hilditch and Key number from Karl Lagerfeld's wardrobe and a Turnbull and Asser formal shirt from another Baron... Alexis de Rede!