July 30, 2017 |
Chances are you’ve probably haven’t heard of Nathalie Dufour, but you will definitely have heard of ANDAM, or to use its full name, Association Nationale de Développement des Arts de la Mode. It’s one of the fashion industry’s most prestigious organisations and prize funds, which she founded in 1989 with the help of Pierre Bergé. That first year the main prize was awarded to one Martin Margiela and, over the years, the baton has been passed to, among others, Anthony Vaccarello, Jeremy Scott and Johanna Senyk of Wanda Nylon. Needless to say, her eye for spotting talent is pretty much unrivalled.
Natalie Dembinska: What do you know about?
Nathalie Dufour: “Fashion, design, contemporary art.”
ND: Why do you do what you do?
ND:“Creativity is my passion.”
ND: How did you get your start in fashion?
ND: “In Paris young fashion brands were emerging and I wanted to celebrate and mentor this creativity.”
ND: What inspired you to start up the ANDAM Fashion Awards?
ND: “The new designers showing during fashion week in the early 1990s, such as Martin Margiela. I decided to celebrate and help this new generation.”
ND: How important is it to nurture talent?
ND: “It is essential.”
ND: What do you look for in a designer?
ND: “Energy.”
ND: If you weren’t you, who or what would you be?
ND: “A headhunter for young talent.”
ND: How did you and Johanna meet? What was your first impression?
ND: “I met her in her atelier. I was impressed by her wonderful and feminine energy and her business vision.”
ND: Do you have a favourite memory of her?
ND: “Her smile, her enthusiasm, her happiness when she won the ANDAM Fashion Awards’ main prize.”
ND: Any career highlights?
ND: “Lots. During the last ANDAM ceremony Mr Pierre Bergé made me Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.”
ND: Tell me something about yourself.
ND: “I am super-proud of my kids.”
ND: What do you think about when you’re working?
ND: “That dreams have to become reality.”
ND: What’s next? What do you have planned?
ND: “The creation of a new award for ANDAM – the fashion tech innovation prize.”
Photographer Christian Borth
Taken from 10 People To Meet in the latest issue of 10 Magazine, ANGELS PLEASURE FLUID, on newsstands now.
