Man Ray and Jean-Baptiste Mondino

A proponent of the Surrealist and Dada movements, Man Ray would build a prolific body of work as an artist and photographer. In 1926, Man Ray photographed Alice Ernestine Prin, better known as Kiki de Montparnasse, a social fixture of the Parisian bohemian scene of the 20s (and yes, the same Kiki who would later inspire the eponymous, uber-sexy lingerie brand). Representing the surrealist’s affinity for African Art, the photograph features Kiki’s resting head alongside that of a tribal African mask. Years later, the seminal Man Ray photograph would serve as inspiration to a fragrance campaign for Jean Paul Gaultier’s signature Classique. Photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, the ad is currently on display at The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the Brooklyn Museum.


Kiki with African mask by May Ray, 1926.

Jean Paul Gaultier’s Classique Fragrance Campaign by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, 1999

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