Charlotte Collard
Charlotte Collard has one of the best fashion blogs out there and has been a model for over 10 years now, with Ford in New York where highlights of her career were shooting with the likes of Arthur Elgort, Michel Comte, Walter Chin and Jean Baptiste Mondino for magazines like Vogue, Numero, GQ, Marie Claire, Glamour, and Elle.
She has walked the runways for Oscar de la Renta, Krizia, Trussardi, Ralph Lauren, Armani and many more which was the most exhausting part of her career and yet the most exciting. She worked on the most sought out beauty campaigns such as L’Oreal and Revlon. She later decided to study gemology at the GIA in Florence, Italy, since she always wanted to work in luxury. She realized that many luxury brands were starting their own jewelry collections so she wanted to study stones and be able to consult on them. "Igot so into looking inside the stones, they have so much to show you, it was an amazing experience that I really miss today. Looking inside a stone and trying to analyze every inclusion and find out if it’s a natural, a treated, a synthetic or an imitation. It was just amazing!"
She recently started her own company “Luxury4Good” as Fashion and Jewelry Consultant and writes daily for her ultra cool fashion blog
http://www.charlottecollard.canablog.com
Inspirations and most important influences?
Artists from the contemporary art world are for me a huge source of inspiration!
Especially artists like Damien Hirst, Jean-Baptiste Basquiat, Mark Rothko, Fontana, Louise Bourgeois and many many more. Another thing that really influences me is photography! My dream when I was little was to become a MAGNUM photographer( I actually studied photography by myself and was shooting around with my 35mm Contax camera, it is for me the best way to express myself and be in my own world and shooting with films has so much more to give you...You have to pay attention to every single shot and can not retouch it) but I quickly realize that being a part of that world was a lot about being by ourselves and I have to say that I had a bit enough of that kind of lifestyle...As a model, you spend the most of your time alone.
Who are your fashion icons?
I wouldn’t say that I have a particular fashion icon in my head but I consider designers and photographers or models that can always innovate or be ahead of everybody and keep their own personality as fashion icons.
Tell us about your blog
Moving to Zurich, a city where I couldn’t speak the language, where fashion is not the main concern was for me, a bit frustrating. I have to say that I was desperate looking around the city when you lived in New York, Paris, Milan and you are used to such a style and meet so many different people in the street. So I was trying to find a way to keep living in this world even if I couldn’t take my inspirations from walking in the street. It is thanks to a friend of mine who moved to Zurich recently that told me to start a blog. It is today my everyday job! I really found a way to combine all my passions together. Fashion, Jewelry and photography by taking pictures of people in the street wherever I travel to. It is so amazing. I never stop thinking when I travel and walk around in other countries. Looking for people with a certain style to photograph, looking for new designer to talk about or luxury and trendy stores to share with my readers. It is just magic to be able to work for your passion.
What would be a dream project?
I have many dreams...But I’ve heard that if you share your dreams, it usually never happens JOKING!! I will share with you my dreams... I would love to be in the other side of fashion (and it is actually happening!!!!!), being invited to comment fashion shows, writing for magazines ( Having a page or a column) and share all my thoughts and also consult for luxury multi brands stores, fashion designers or even for privates which I am already doing today
Favorite part of New York?
I love the upper east side for being so clean and structured ;) but then I love the Greenwich village for it’s intimacy and the trees along the streets. It is such a charming and romantic neighborhood. The lower east side is also a place that I really like because you can find small hidden boutiques or restaurants and I love to look around to try to find THE little place to hide and relax.
Favorite websites
Your website of course ( just another reason why we love Charlotte so much)!
Favorite fashion designers?
Mmmm.. I have many but this season my heart goes for :
Martin Margiela, Paula Thomas for Thomas Wylde,
Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, Albert Elbaz for Lanvin, Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga,
Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Philip Lim, Eric Owens, Christopher Kane,
Haider Ackermann, Peter Dundas for Emilio Pucci, Thakoon Panichgul for Thakoon,
Andreas Melbostad for PHI and Dries Van Noten.
Challenges about what you do?
Always trying to find new designers that have a certain style that are also professional by having an updated website, good photo shoots with professional models and a nice campaign for the clothes. Having been a part of the industry for 10 years now, I can, today, recognize the quality of a picture, a campaign and the type of models these designers work with. Another thing is trying to catch people on the street with a great look and asking them if you can take a picture of them. Usually I always get a positive reaction but sometimes they can be extremely uncomfortable in front of a camera.
Your favorite quote?
What goes around comes around...
Anything else you d’ like to share with us?
Today, with what’s going on in the world...my only advice is that the only way one can be happy in their professional career is to work on something that one is passionate about.
Don’t think about the money, we all know: “money doesn’t buy happiness”. Of course it is for all of us a need but you need to take the time to find what you are passionate about and when you find your dream job, be patient and hold on to it because success is about experience and the longer it takes to build a career the stronger the base will be and the longer you will stay on top.
And never forget your goals and your personal life because family and friends are much more important than a career.
