My guest this week is Camille Bidault-Waddington, one of the most original and influential stylists working today.
Born in Normandy, Camille has been part of so many pivotal fashion moments - she modelled for Martin Margiela in the 90s, spent 14 years styling Marc by Marc Jacobs in the early 2000s and worked for The Face, Dazed and Self Service magazines at their inception. Her eye is both distinctive and timeless, the result of a lifelong passion for art, literature and subculture.
Throughout her career, Camille has remained at the top of her game - she’s currently collaborating with Seán McGirr at McQueen, and earlier this year, she released a book. Titled ‘The Office’, it’s a compilation of behind-the-scenes snaps taken from her shoots over the years, featuring photographers like Inez and Vinoodh, Harley Weir and Threads of Conversation alumna Larissa Hofmann. (The book is published by Empire Books, and art directed by Syndicat.)
In this conversation, Camille selects five items of clothing that chart her creative process, her love of ‘weird’, and how coming out as a lesbian has influenced her style. The pieces that accompany her story include a rare Margiela jumper made of army socks, a vintage Chanel couture suit with a forbidden Legion D’Honneur stitched inside, and a pair of the mythical AW10 Balenciaga shoes, created during Nicolas Ghesquière’s tenure at the house.
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The piece that reminds Camille of her childhood…
A vintage Chanel couture suit from 1965/66. The suit was made shortly before Mademoiselle Chanel’s death in 1971, whilst she was still designing at the house. The red stitch on the breast indicates that its original owner had been awarded the Legion D’Honneur, the highest civilian and military decoration in France.
The piece that reminds her of her career…
A grey suit.
The piece that represents a high…
A pair of AW10 heels by Pierre Hardy, who designed accessories for Balenciaga during Nicolas Ghesquière’s 15-year tenure at the house.
The piece that represents a low…
A pink and purple jacket, found at a vintage store in Berlin.
The piece that makes her feel part of something…
A 90s army sock Margiela jumper.
Explore more episodes of the Threads of Conversation podcast - previous guests include Lyas, Alexander Fury, Lydia Pang and Jessica Willis.
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Start your own Thread
What’s the most precious item of clothing in your wardrobe? And if you could own any of Camille’s pieces, which would it be?
