Malika Favre’s “Composed”

This September, after more than a year on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic, the stylish set returned to the city for Fashion Week, ornamenting the streets like so many birds of paradise. We recently talked to the artist Malika Favre about her new cover for the Fall Style & Design Issue and her search for balance and poise in her artistic process.

What inspired this image? Were you referencing Rodin’s “The Thinker”?

It wasn’t a direct reference, but I have always loved “The Thinker.” With this image, I wanted to contrast the movement of the dress with a very calm pose to create a sense of balance and strength.

How do you know when an image is done?

It is a magical moment. I pared down and refined this piece line by line, curve by curve, until I felt that there was nothing more to add. There is such beauty in simplicity.

Your style is so distinctive. Did you always have that? Are there any older pieces from your œuvre that make you cringe now?

I think that my sensibility for shapes, colors, and geometry was always there, but my eye had to mature. It took me twenty-five years to find my style and another ten to refine it. Of course, there are some pieces from the beginning that make me cringe slightly now, but mostly I look at them with tenderness—without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Did your way of dressing change at all during lockdown?

Not that much. I have always been a fashion lover and I have an incredible wardrobe, but the truth is that I work in pajamas most days. This was true even before the pandemic. I like to dress up mainly for big occasions: a party, an opening, a romantic dinner, and when I am away on holiday.

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