Chronicling his daily endeavours, from crowded event openings to strangers on the New York City subway, Darcel Disappoints is casting a single cynical eye over all things fashion, art, music and culture for the second time at Parisian concept store colette.
Shaking off his gloomy outlook especially for colette’s 15th anniversary, the egg-shaped cyclops is taking over the store with 150 eye-popping portraits of contributors to the creative community including Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour and Steve Jobs. Sarah, the proprietor of colette, and Craig Redman, the Australian-born artist and creator of Darcel Disappoints, have sifted through 15 years worth of archive and chosen designers, artists and musicians from the cream-of-the-crop to transform into the simple but bright and entirely endearing characters. i-D online tracked down Craig in one of his solitary moments to ask him about Darcel, colette and his most recent disappointments.
When/ how did you meet Sarah? Sarah discovered the blog early on and has been a brilliant supporter ever since. It’s thanks to her that I’ve been able to do a lot of what I’ve done. We get to collaborate all the time on everything from products (like skateboards to candies), to pop-up stores with Chanel, to this new exhibition during Paris Fashion Week.
Why did you decide to move from Australia to New York? I was drunk one night and entered the Green Card Lottery online, a year later I received a package saying I’d won. Even though I barely remembered entering I took it as a sign to flee while I could.
When did you start ‘Darcel Disappoints’ and what prompted the series? I started Darcel when I first moved to New York as a way to remember all the seemly profound (it’s only later you realise how dumb they are) observations you have when you move to a new place. My literacy skills are shocking so I thought it should probably be an illustrated blog rather than a written one.
How do your subjects react to their portraits? Most people think it’s great, I’m yet to have anyone throw gasoline in my face but I’m sure it’s on its way.
Is Darcel inspired by your own everyday life? Everything Darcel does I do, though he probably reacts to it in a slightly more dramatic way.
How would you describe your graphic style? Deceptively simple.
What was your last blog post? It was during New York Fashion Week. I’ve been doing my ‘Faces of Fashion Week’ series which is always fun. I do a new series each cycle, it’s kind of where the idea for the show at colette started.
Who would your dream collaborator be? Crazy Frog, I’ve been desperately trying to set up a collaboration for years.
Darcel Disappoints runs at colette, 213 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris until 31st March 2012.
darceldisappoints.com
colette.fr
Text: Felicity Kinsella
