Patti Smith – Horses 1975, photo by Robert Mapplethorpe

“But besides Fashion Week, what’s going on in Milan right now? I feel a kind of electricity in the air and it energizes me… I was in New York a few days ago and I was totally drained. Now I feel completely recharged.”
The encounter with Patti Smith begins with this unexpected question. Defining Smith as a rock icon would be decidedly simplistic: in the course of her career, the American artist has made a continual and profound contribution in the realms of art, photography, and poetry.

She’s in Milan for the presentation of “Dream Of Life”, the beautiful biographical film directed by the photographer Steven Sebring.
Patti Smith is in splendid form, with tight blue jeans, a black-and-white striped shirt, an oversized black jacket and suede boots that wrap around her feet. Hers is an elegance that only appears shabby, and this has been her signature look since the beginning of her career.
The cover photograph of her first album, “Horses”, was taken by her friend Robert Mapplethorpe and Smith’s image has become ingrained in the collective imagination: a young woman with an androgynous appeal, dressed in a white shirt and a black jacket, her shoulders squared and her gaze fixed at the lens with an almost defiant air. Many people were captivated by her look even before hearing her music. Among those who loved her at first sight was the Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester, who recalls: “I was sixteen when I saw ‘Horses’ in the window of a record shop. I had no idea what kind of music Patti made, but I was completely fascinated by the album cover and I bought it. It was a revelation: as the songs went on, I began to feel like Patti Smith was someone I’d always known. And I told myself, ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to meet this woman,’ which I actually managed to do.”

Buy the book PATTI SMITH – LAND 250

Ann Demeulemeester in YOOX.COM

Ann Demeulemeester in thecorner.com

1. Patti, Steven Sebring, the director of “Dream of Life”, comes from the world of fashion photography; how was working with him?
I met him through Michael Stipe. “Dream Of Life” is the result of 15 years’ of work, during which Steven followed me everywhere. After spending so much time together, today he feels like a brother to me.

2. Given the quantity of material you shot, was it difficult to choose which scenes to include?
That was entirely Steven’s job. I limited myself to the role of the actress…I’m like Anna Magnani in this movie! (laughs heartily)

3. The movie describes your public image very well, but it also looks into your private life. Was your privacy ever a concern?
I’m concerned about the privacy of my children. It’s not an issue when it comes to myself. I’m a simple person who enjoys communicating directly with others. The ‘rock star’ status doesn’t apply to me.

4. The dream of utopia was an incredibly popular ideal when you began your career in the 1970s …And today?
What I consider important is communicating with people, giving out positive energy and values. I became famous in 1979, but something in my life didn’t feel right. In 1996 when I came back on the scene, I was a different person. I had recently lost Fred and it was a difficult, painful period. But I wasn’t scared. And today I’m back again.

Listen and download “Horses” on iTunes

Gloria
Redondo Beach
Birdland
Free Money
Kimberly
Break It Up
Land
Elegie
My Generation