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High Fashion Meets Haute Réflecture®
No one knows fashion like documentary filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng. His films, Valentino, The Eye Has to Travel, (about Vanity Fair & Vogue's legendary Editor, Diana Vreeland), Dior and I, (following designer Raf Simons as he takes the helm of the famed Parisian house), and now his latest oevre, Halston - about the eponymous iconic American Designer, adored by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Liz Taylor, and Liza Minnelli - have given Tcheng unparalleled insider access to fashion's most hallowed halls and personalities.
Imagine our delight when we learned that Tcheng has been making his own (Reflective) fashion news, dashing around town to interviews and HALSTON screenings in the Vespertine Reflective Unisex Riding Shell!
"Best jacket." - filmmaker Frederic Tcheng, selfie in the Vespertine Reflective Unisex Riding Shell, Cinnabar FlashWe were fortunate to score a few minutes of his time for this Vesper Spotlight Blog Post- check it out below!
And please, fashion/movie fans, bike, walk, run (train, scooter, even drive if you must...!) to see Halston. It's a gripping glamorous ride about a major American talent- by a major French/New Yorker talent (and cyclist)- don't miss it!
Name: Frederic TchengOccupation: Filmmaker
Location: Brooklyn, NYCould you tell us about your process and what inspired you to make "Halston”?What struck me about Halston was the business story. It had all the trappings of a great corporate thriller. And it resonated with me personally. After Dior and I (2015), I was at a point in my career when I wanted to find ways to address the relationship between creative people and the business world. I’ve had experiences with corporations that made me realize how small a person can be versus the bottom line. Financial markets rule the world we live in. And I think in many ways it all started in the 1980s with Reagan’s deregulations and the rise of huge conglomerates. That’s why I was fascinated by Halston’s struggle against the corporation in 1983. I saw all of these forces at play in a very powerful way. You can even see the beginnings of globalism and China’s awakening. So that’s how we approached the story first. Then we discovered his importance as a designer.
Besides making fabulous fashion documentaries, I understand you also ride a bicycle? I ride my bike as much as I can. It’s such a great way to go from place to place in Brooklyn. It’s cheap and efficient.What pair of wheels do you cruise in?I have a very unglamorous bike. It’s kind of a cruiser. But the thing I like about it is the belt drive, and the fact that it has only three gears. Again… efficiency.Why do you bike?I think it’s great for your health as well as you wallet.Which Vespertine item keeps you shining?I have an orange/red jacket with reflective lines (the Reflective Unisex Riding Shell in Cinnabar Flash). I get so many compliments when I wear it. And when night comes, I’m sure that cars will see me riding down the street.
Do you have tips for biking in... (NYC, Paris, or…)?
I try to follow the rules. I know it’s hard when we’re in a hurry, but it’s so much safer for everyone.
There has to be more you want to tell us! Any awkward biking moments? Bike stories/jokes?
I’ve wanted to pee so bad one time that I sped through Brooklyn and almost hit a truck. Knock on wood I’ve never been in an accident. But I know people who have. Be safe.
