Behind every design lies a source of inspiration. Be it a person, a place, or an object, our muses fuel our creativity and imagination when it comes to designing a new collection.
Photo by Paul Rousteau
Energetic colors and swaying silhouettes define our new Miss. Doux collection. These design elements were partially influenced by nature, but we also drew inspiration from the French photographer Paul Rousteau. Since starting his career, the talented young creative has charmed the photography, fashion, and art crowds with his enigmatic yet vibrant images. Learn all about our latest muse and his distinctive photography style below!
Redefining Perceptions
At first glance, you may not realize that a Paul Rousteau image is indeed a photograph. The visual artist has become known for his signature blend of fine art, painting, and pictorial references that transcend traditional photography.
Photo by Paul Rousteau
In fact, it’s Paul’s mission to challenge the viewer’s perceptions of photography. He experiments with optical illusions and chromatic aberrations to create complex abstract images. Looking at a Paul Rousteau photo is like viewing the world through an unexpectedly dreamy distorted lens; gently curved figures and shapes blend into a bright background, creating the sensation of a pleasant hallucination.
Going against the grain is second nature to Paul. As a student at the renowned Vevey School of Photography in Switzerland, Paul intentionally built his photography style around making mistakes rather than focusing on technical skills. Unlike most photographers that emphasize realism, Paul has always wanted to share his abstract view of the world through his lens.
Painting Meets Photography
Paul’s work is the definition of being more than meets the eye. His signature gently blurred aesthetic is not just created with the help of an out of focus lens. Paul creates a dreamlike effect by printing out digital images and painting over them to create a perfect blend. Sometimes, he even adds water to emphasize the blurred feel.
Photo by Paul Rousteau
Artistic influences are strong in Paul’s work. Although he enjoys viewing the work of other photographers, his biggest sources of inspiration are abstract artists such as Pierre Bonnard, Picasso, Giotto, Emil Nolde, Fra Angelico, and David Hockney. Paul claims that these visionary artists evoke the strongest emotions within him, and he loves seeing the various ways they interpret the world.
A World Of Colors
According to Paul, “color is everything.” His signature color palette of vivid sunset hues are specially chosen to evoke an emotional response in viewers. Paul has said that these colors best capture the strong emotions that he feels when surrounded by the beauties in the world, and he wants to convey them with his audience.
Photo by Paul Rousteau
Paul’s portfolio now contains an impressive mixture of fashion photography, travel photography, and portraiture, but you can almost always see the underlying connection to nature. Many of his images contain blooming flowers, exotic birds, and sweeping seascapes. Underneath the elaborate distortion, he wants his images to be pleasurable to the eye while stimulating the senses.
Changing The Scene
Currently based in Paris, Paul Rousteau’s striking photography has caught the attention of some of the art and fashion industry’s biggest names. His work has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New Yorker, Dazed & Confused, Marie Claire, The New York Times, and Kinfolk Magazine. He’s also photographed campaigns for luxury fashion giants such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Jacquemus.
His images are a refreshing contrast against the smooth, hyper-realistic photography often featured in mainstream media, which is exactly what Paul is trying to achieve with his beautifully hazy style. He believes that his blurred aesthetic better reflects actual human vision, which is more nuanced than traditional photography portrays.
It’s not just the end result of Paul’s work that stands out in an industry that often idealizes perfection. Rather than planning out a strict mood board and theme for a photo shoot, Paul prefers a serendipitous approach that favors “happy accidents.” While he’ll often have a color palette and mood in mind, he won’t have a defined story planned to ensure the photos feel genuine.
Paul Rousteau & DIDIER DUBOT
With his bold outlook on art and deep love of nature, Paul Rousteau’s work was a natural source of inspiration for the DIDIER DUBOT design team. Our use of vibrant gemstones and swaying chain embellishments in the new Miss. Doux collection mirror the colors and movements captured in Rousteau’s photos.
Like Paul, we hope that our pieces evoke a sense
of reverie and inspire you to be your most authentic self.
Writer: Maria Polansky
