Charlotte Gainsbourg has made a dazzling appearance in Balenciaga’s Fall 2008 ad campaign.
The French singer and actress has the perfect pedigree for the role. She’s the daughter of Hermes muse Jane Birkin, and the best friend of Balenciaga designer Nicolas Ghesquière. But as this beautiful photo shows, Charlotte’s clearly become the face of the handbag giant on her own merits.
“For me, she is one of the most inspiring girls in the world,” Nicolas Ghesquière said in a statement. “She’s really representative of what France is today. She was always so modern in her choices and her way of being. She’s so iconic for me.“
Charlotte takes the mantle from last year’s Balenciaga star, American actress Jennifer Connolly. The choice of actresses over traditional models may puzzle some, but Nicolas says it all makes sense.
“They are used to playing characters and going deeper into the image. There’s definitely a celebrity effect when you shoot an actress. There’s a real frisson,” he explained.
It’s a risk that has paid off. These photographs are nothing short of stunning.
