HEROES: LINDA EVANGELISTA
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVEN MEISEL
TEXT CARLYNE CERF DE DUDZEELE
"IT WAS LIKE CRYSTAL, LIKE CHAMPAGNE CORKS POPPING," STEVEN MEISEL TOLD VOGUE OF MEETING HIS MUSE. HERE HE SHARES THE DUO'S GREATEST HITS, AND EVANGELISTA TALKS TO FAMED EDITOR CARLYNE CERF DE DUDZEELE
CCD How are you darling?
Linda Evangelista So good!
CCD How is your holiday going?
LE Very good, yes.
CCD So we have to speak about this layout of Steven and you.
LE Yes!
CCD Alors… tell me…
LE I saw the layout! It’s so good.
CCD Yes! It’s so so good. Perfection. So tell me, how did you meet Mr. Meisel?
LE Well I was booked from Paris direct and I flew in for one of those famous American Vogue sittings during the Grace Mirabella days and on those shootings there were always multiple models and I was one of many.
CCD I remember this!
LE That’s right, you were there. And I remember thinking oh gosh I hope he likes me! Because I like his work so much. And you finally got me dressed and to the set and he asked me if I could walk over a mark and hit the mark with a big stride. I said well yeah of course I can! And you guys were all talking my knees and my legs and I was freaking out because I was teased my whole life about my knees and my legs and I thought you were making fun of me but in fact you liked them—
CCD Yes! We loved les jambes du Evangelos!
LE Yeah! And that was the beginning.
CCD I remember this was the first time we worked with Steven.
LE That was my first shoot.
CCD This was one of the best stories ever! The black with the clear lucite jewelry. C’etait sublime!
LE Yes it was very fresh!
CCD And I remember that we finished doing everything on you. Perhaps one or two photos with the others but we did everything else on you! It was one of the best stories ever. And still is perfection! Nothing démodé there at all.
LE And then he started working with me all the time and I just loved working with him because it was so easy. You know he helped me, and photographers they don’t help you sometimes! They throw you on the set sometimes and they say go! I mean—
CCD Me, when I work with girls now I know absolutely if they have passed by the hands of Mr. Meisel or no. If they have passed through him they know what to do, if not they have no idea what to do. And no one has taught them anything. Nothing, just Steven teaches the girls.
LE I know. You can feel so lonely on the set sometimes, and you get there and you can end up making yourself so insecure, but with him he helps you so much. There’s no one I would rather be directed by.
CCD Absolut! And he knows everything. He knows fashion, hair, makeup—everything!
LE Everything! And you feel safe.
CCD Totally. This sitting was the best. Love, love, love! And we still love it. We were speaking about this the other night, and he’s still in love with this story. I must say it was a good one.
LE It was a good one.
CCD We have done so much together! Good times with Mr. Meisel. And we still do.
LE I know. The last one ended in the… the cha-cha-cha… the…
CCD Merde! What is it? Not the tango, not the salsa…
LE No, not salsa… the… oh my god!
CCD The MAMBO!
LE The mambo!
CCD YES! You were marvelous at this!
LE Yes I took Mambo lessons before.
CCD Because you are a pro, my dear Evangelos! I don't know who else would do this.
LE And the fact that we had a live band, I mean… that was so good.
CCD This is why everything is good with you, Steven… we are close! Close. Okay?
LE Okay.
CCD Big kiss darling! When are you back?
LE Oh that’s all we need?
CCD I think so darling! Because the thing is small.
LE Yeah, okay. Well if you think we have a blurb in there I’m happy.
CCD Oh, I think we have. What else, did you want to talk about something else?
LE No, no I’m good.
CCD No I think this is best.
LE Yes.
CCD Okay when are you back, Linda?
LE Sunday.
CCD Okay, call me.
LE What are you doing now?
CCD I still have to work for two stories but after I’m leaving and I don’t know where and I don’t know what so call me when you can so we can meet.
LE Okay, I will call you.
CCD Big kiss darling! Ciao.
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