Colette - The Selby (Paris, France)

The wonderful thing about window shopping at Colette is that its retail environment changes constantly. When I last visited this store to see the Barbie anniversary special, everything was swathed in pink. Since March 30, Colette has been hosting 'The Selby in your Place by Todd Selby' exhibition, which means that once again, shoppers like myself can indulge in ogling special collaboration items related to the exhibit, as well as wander around looking at actual artwork.

To those unfamiliar with Todd Selby's work, here's a brief introduction: back in June 2008 Selby decided to explore the ways one's personal space reflects one's personality by documenting creative people in their creative environment. This mainly involved taking their photos, but also included sketches and a Q&A dedicated to his subjects. The list of people he photographed grew and soon he began posting all of this on his website, which became immensely popular. These days Selby has a pretty large fan base, though there are a fair amount of people who think his work is overrated. Safe to say if you started taking pictures of your buddies, who happen to be Alexander Wang or Erin Wasson, then posted these together with drawings and interviews on your blog, you'll most likely get a bit of attention.

Nevertheless I was curious to see the majority of his collection in person. Unlike most of the previous exhibits, this one took over the entire store, with photos, hand-written notes and illustrations occupying various walls in a montage layout. So you do end up browsing the entire shop area, but as Selby's pieces are grouped according to the person he's documenting, it's still clearly arranged.

Erin Wasson montage

In some cases looking at the pictures or reading something can be a bit tricky though. I found it awkward to stare at the things that were hanging behind the cash desk, so I quickly gave up. The water bar in the basement had a few pieces as well, but if you're not actually dining there, it seems pointless again. So I headed towards the first floor where I was greeted by a mosaic of images and Q&A's dedicated to (amongst others) Erin Wasson that was hanging by the stairs.

I didn't try to photograph everything I saw, as all of it (and more) is available on TheSelby.com, so I would recommend any readers to head there to browse in peace. The first floor gave easier access to Selby's work, which made admiring his documentation while browsing Colette's range of designer clothes more fun. Though I had previously seen a lot of this online, looking at the presentation in person gave it a more organic feel - especially as nothing was framed or laminated, creating the impression everything had just been randomly stuck to the walls.

As usual, the majority of the exhibit could be found towards the back, with the lower of the split levels once again housing the special collaboration shop. Most of these items were either created for the exhibit or are pieces that previously belonged to Selby's subjects.

A rack of clothing included blazers, jeans and tops designed by Abigail & Philip Smiley, tote bags by Olaf Breuning and t-shirts created by the man himself. Other notable finds were a handmade photo book by Cheryl Dunn, a very odd candleholder by Adam Wallacavage and a bronze music tape from Michael Stipe (retailing for 300 EUR - it better have something good on it).

The top floor gave easier access to the remainder of Selby's work, the more popular collages featuring Michael Stipe and Christian Louboutin. All photos can also be ordered as prints in various sizes and a Selby book containing his compositions was available for purchase.

above: Michael Stipe, below: Christian Louboutin

The exhibit definitely made for an interesting visit, so if you're in the area I'd definitely go. Colette is hosting this event until May 2. If you don't get a chance and are new to 'The Selby', you might want to check out his official homepage here. And don't forget: all Selby-related items can also be purchased via the Colette homepage.

(individual images: Colette)

Address: 213 rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 11:00-19:00
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