Interview with make-up artist and creative director of Dior Beauté Peter Philips
Wat does pure beauty mean to you?
Peter Philips: “Pure beauty in images comes from composition and balance, which each onlooker will translate for him or herself. What might be beautiful for one, isn’t necessarily beautiful for another. Pure beauty in people comes from within, nothing more, nothing less.”
What is the name/title of the submitted work?
“This shot is part of a beauty and fashion story for VOGUE Germany, June 2019 issue.”
Who collaborated in creating the submitted work?
Editor and stylist: Christiane Arp
Hair: Joseph Pujalte
Manicure: Elsa Deslandes
Photography: Pierre Debusschere
Make-up by Peter Philips
What is the inspiration and story behind the submitted work?
“This story is inspired by the work of Alexej von Jawlensky. He was one of Karl Lagerfeld’s favourites painters. With Karl we often spoke about doing a story inspired on Jawlensky’s work. Unfortunately we never came to doing it, so Christiane Arp proposed to shoot this story, as a tribute to both Karl and Jawlensky. Pierre’s light and camera movements make some of the shots look like genuine paintings.”
Can you describe the creative process that inspires you to create Beauty?
“It’s different every time. The model I work on can be the main source of inspiration, or the photographer, designer, stylist,… can be a source of inspiration. It can be something I read, I heard, I’ve seen,…! A book, a film, a flower or a fish, a sculpture, a dream,…”
Do you have any examples of how Beauty can arise from moments of crisis?
“Pablo Picasso’s Guernica is a work of beauty that expresses all the emotions that come with war and revolution. Without glorifying it, it provokes admiration.”
What are your hopes for humanity in a post COVID-19 world?
“At some moments, Covid-19 seems one of the lesser problems we’re facing. All I hope is for a better future for everyone, equality and a clean planet.”
Peter Philips: “Pure beauty in people comes from within, nothing more, nothing less.”