NYC, USA–On Saturday, March 1st, hundreds of makeup junkies flocked to Macy’s on Herald Square to sneak a peek at MAC’s new collection that transformed France’s Fafinettes into sexy little vixens. Fafi, the underground queen of graffiti, unleashed Monoka, Eriko, and Ermine - the three neon haired, cleavage busting, striped-legging wearing muses behind the Toronto-based makeup line. MAC, once a hidden secret inside Hollywood’s elite, is now a smash hit among women wanting the glamorous, airbrushed look made famous by their favorite stars. Style icons, such as Dita Von Teese, Christina Aguilera, and Blondie, have all openly admitted to adding MAC Cosmetics to their beauty regimen. Thanks to Fafi, women are now becoming tres chic with Angelina Jolie-esque Not So Innocent lips, Smoldering eyes, and Booming nails. Ooh la la!

Fafi a makeup trendsetter, was an artist from the South of France who merely wanted to experiment and have some fun. With her hip pin-up meets kinky influences, Fafi became one of the first artists who dared to defy the stereotypes of French women. Her animations became a worldwide sensation in Europe and Japan. After two book deals and numerous collaborations with well-known companies, such as Coca-Cola and Adidas, Fafi became a mother and moved to Paris in 2007. Before she became an international sensation, I had the privilege of interviewing Fafi in 2001 and thus gained an early insight into her many ambitions and why this Madonna of the art world will continue to reinvent herself.

Let’s travel back all the way to your childhood in France. What were your inspirations that motivated you to move on with your choice of being a designer? Were your parents supportive of your decision?
F: I grew up in Toulouse, in the south of France. At first, I wasn’t a designer and still not. I am above all a painter of the streets.  I wanted to have a single activity that suits me. I always loved strange and special things.  At first, my parents didn’t support me, so I had to go outside and paint at night. They couldn’t imagine that one day, I would live and be happy with my art.

France happens to be well-known for its fashion and culture, which is admired in publications such as Vogue. What did your hometown offer in the way of opportunities which you could transcend into the art world?
F: My hometown didn’t help me at all. They erased my paintings because a few people didn’t like them. I had to do it by myself.

You claim that you used to go out and paint, without the consent of your parents. Who gave you the inspiration to move on behind your parents’ back?
F: I was doing a lot of illegal walls at that time and my mother is very anxious. I just didn’t want her to be depressed. I think parents don’t have to know everything. I think they have their private lives too. I am not into the concept of parents-friends.

You didn’t start taking your art seriously until 1994, when you underwent “the baby years” correct? What did you do with yourself and your creative juices prior to 1994? What caused “the baby years” to occur?
F: Before painting in the streets, I drew a lot by myself, and I was doing some cartoons with my boys’ schoolmates. At that time, my characters really looked like the ones I do now. But to start painting on walls, I think I really needed to find more simple forms and shapes. This is why I called this part “baby”. It was the beginning.

In your “Big Green Nose Epoe” you spoke about making “ugly” girls “beautiful.” Do you believe this is something that can be applied to everyday life?
F: I think beauty is all in the attitude.  I know some girls who aren’t very pretty, but they’re so funny and have high self-esteems. They make big efforts to get dressed in very special feminine clothes that you had to finally see them.

I noticed that all your artwork consists of females. Why is this so?
F: I am a girl, and my girlfriends inspired me so much. I love boys, but, sorry, they are not very funny and kinky to draw!

Describe your summer clothing collection. Where can we purchase your products?
F: It’s a very girlie collection, with miniskirts, satin and embroideries, very pink and cute. It’s a little bit of 80’s with bat-tops. I propose bags, too, in vinyl. I will sell them in NYC, LA, and on my website.

The name “Tilt” is constantly mentioned on your website. Who is he? And please explain those Pamela Anderson photos.
F: Tilt is a graffiti-artist, my fiancé and my Pygmalion, yes, I can say that. We are always together, traveling, and painting. I know that some couples have very different interests, but I could not do that. The pictures with Pamela are a joke. Two months ago, we went to LA and we didn‘t see any stars. Tilt, who was very disappointed, showed bad fake photos to everyone.

Please tell us what you have in store for the future.
F: I only do one collection per year. My best friend “Blaze” is the artistic director, and I take care of the drawings. He has a lot of ideas and knows fashion very well. We’ve known each other for 13 years. Next year, he wants us to print on silk and make sweat shirts. We still want to make accessories, such as bags, for next year.

What advice can you give to young people who aspire to follow the same career path as yourself?
F: I would encourage them to listen to their heart and follow their deep instincts. And to have a bad sense of humor.
 
To learn more about Fafi, please visit her websites at:
http://www.fafi.net
http://www.maccosmetics.com/fafi/fafi.tmpl

Filed under: Beauty & Make-Up