Kaia Gerber Stars in Guido Palau’s Very Pixelated E book of Wigs
Guido Palau was sitting in an airport lounge in Miami, on his strategy to New York. Kaia Gerber was sitting in a automotive in Los Angeles, on her strategy to the airport.
“That is precisely what our life is like,” Mr. Palau stated on their group name. “Story of our life,” Ms. Gerber echoed.
Nonetheless, on the finish of 2022, they discovered a time without work to “play collectively,” Mr. Palau stated.
He made some wigs. Ms. Gerber modeled them. Mr. Palau and his assistants filmed her on their iPhones, then took screenshots from their movies. These screenshots grew to become pictures in Mr. Palau’s newest ebook, “Hidden Identities,” to be launched on Might 4 by Thought.
“We dwell in a world the place so lots of the pictures we’re seeing are high-definition and curated,” Ms. Gerber stated — not like the pixelated and blurry pictures of “Hidden Identities,” which Mr. Palau has described as banal and amateurish.
“Not being treasured about it created a way of inventive freedom,” she stated.
Ms. Gerber, 22, is a mannequin and actress. She has starred in campaigns for Alaïa and Celine, in addition to comedies just like the Apple TV+ collection “Palm Royale” and the lesbian teen romp “Bottoms.” She has a ebook membership and an off-duty type that has been described variously as “scorching woman librarian” and “granny stylish.”
Mr. Palau, 62, is a prolific hairstylist, recognized for his unconventional however influential work, starting with George Michael’s “Freedom ’90” video, which starred Ms. Gerber’s mom, Cindy Crawford. Later he formed pictures of the “anti-supermodel” Kate Moss; of Lee Alexander McQueen’s rebellious runways; of, extra lately, the Miu Miu woman, along with her windswept, intentionally frizzy hair.
“I like to search out all of the nuances in hair,” stated Mr. Palau, who first labored with Ms. Gerber in 2015, when she was 13. “And for Kaia to choose up on these issues and act them out.”
Within the edited interview beneath, Mr. Palau and Ms. Gerber mentioned their collaboration — its previous, current and future. (Earlier than she hung up, Ms. Gerber reminded Mr. Palau that they nonetheless needed to focus on her hair for the Met Gala.)
When did you first work collectively?
Guido Palau It was Italian Vogue with Steven Meisel, after which I did one thing for Interview journal. Do you bear in mind that story, the place I did the actually massive hair on you?
Kaia Gerber Sure. What I believe is actually particular about Guido — that I haven’t actually seen in anybody else — is what he’s able to creating on set. You’ll stroll off set and be like, how did he do this with simply his palms and a few bobby pins?
GP Kaia is available in and she or he’s Kaia. After which she walks out and she or he’s someone we’ve created.
How precisely do you utilize hair to get into character?
KG Once I’m enjoying characters, the extra particular it’s and the extra far-off it’s from who I truly am, the better it’s to rework. That every one comes from the visuals. And hair is such a giant a part of that.
GP Hair is such a giant indicator of who you might be. That’s what actually pursuits me about it. Many photographers have stated to me that with out the hair being proper, it’s very laborious to take the appropriate image since you don’t actually know who you’re photographing.
For each coiffure Kaia wears, is {that a} completely distinct, made-up character? Or is it all the time the identical particular person (Kaia), simply embodying barely completely different roles?
KG Every new wig modified my mannerisms and my essence, and I actually tried to specific all these completely different components of myself. I don’t assume any of them are made-up components. I don’t assume any characters are actually made up — they spotlight completely different variations of who we’re.
GP I wouldn’t name this a ebook. I like the concept of it as a doc of someone’s personas. I believe all of us have these personas inside us that we’d wish to act out.
We don’t actually know who persons are. We simply understand them by the best way they current themselves.
For the people who find themselves taking a look at this “doc,” what impact do you hope the pixelation of those pictures can have?
GP Perhaps they’ll assume it’s some old-school, late ’70s, early ’80s, B-movie-still type of factor. It feels punk in a broad sense, like rebellious, anarchic, a bit disruptive.
KG We’re seeing individuals begin to gravitate again towards issues like vinyl, although we don’t must take heed to vinyl anymore, or capturing on movie when we’ve entry to digital. All of us are usually drawn towards the nostalgic.
Is there an image within the ebook that was notably memorable for you?
GP My favourite one appears just like the hair is from a country-western singer. She feels very harmless, however the hair could be very un-innocent and the nails are very un-innocent and the make-up could be very un-innocent. I just like the juxtaposition.
KG Oftentimes it may be laborious for me to — individuals may not imagine this — take a look at pictures of myself. What I really like about this ebook is that I actually simply see the characters.
