CHIC AMAZON: Isabel Marant is turning female warrior for spring. The French designer has cast model Natasha Poly to appear in a campaign that telegraphs the brand’s more dynamic side. “The inspiration for the spring-summer show was something tribal, but not in the literal sense. And so for the campaign, we wanted to show a very modern and urban girl, but also to get across her savage attitude,” Marant told WWD. Dressed in an oversize, belted jacket, a printed miniskirt and Spartan leather sandals — a must-have next season — Poly is seen playing her bellicose part with humor.
“She’s a warrior, but she’s also fun. It’s not supposed to be so serious,” explained the designer, adding that the whole team was cheering the model on, mimicking gestures to help Poly strike a pose for photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
“Natasha has a lot of different characters and we knew she would play the game. She is also not as [branded] as the other girls,” said Marant, who noted that even the makeup done by Lisa Butler and hair by Didier Malige was “a bit animal too — like a leopard or a lioness.”
The campaign, which is to appear in the February issues of French Vogue, British Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, before breaking in the March issues of Elle US and Interview magazine, comes at a time of strong development for the brand, with forthcoming store openings at the Miami Design District and in San Francisco.