Is Olivier Zahm the new Michael Hutchence?

purple diary

Well frockwriter has been musing this very possibility over the course of the past month, as the co-founder and editor of French art/fashion bible PURPLE FASHION magazine has chronicled his, and his high profile fashion cohorts’, FW0910 adventures on the new Purple Diary blog. (One social shot from which, FYI, features Melbourne expat and apparently Stefano Pilati intimate, Louise Neri, the New York-based art critic/Gagosian Gallery director, who interviewed Pilati for the September issue of Interview). The above shot is captioned, “Olivier Zahm forced to wear Milla Jovovich’s Roberto Cavalli dress of at the Principe di Savoia Hotel bar, Milan”. Warning: NSFW


purple diary

First up, there is Zahm's rather uncanny resemblance to the late INXS frontman.

Secondly, as has occurred to frockwriter since July really, with the airing of the first Cobrasnake shots of Oz teenager Tallulah Morton out and about on the Paris party circuit – shots in which Zahm was often seen to be lurking – Zahm does seem to share Hutchence’s playboy penchant for glamorous women. And notably models.

Furthermore, Zahm appears to have more than a passing interest in sexual experimentation.

To wit, a series of shots shared via his blog which were scanned from the 1975 book, Extases (Tchou/Vertigo, Paris), by Ron Raffaelli and Nicole Avril, apparently a gift to Zahm from designer Vincent Darré:


ron raffaelli/nicole avril via purple


Zahm does seem more than a little preoccupied with sex, in his magazine and moreover, his photo diary.


purple fashion magazine via this is the first floor

Here is a photo of Zahm grabbing a woman's ass - a shot he originally proudly displayed at the top of Purple's MySpace page. Although now removed from that page, the shot has since been immortalised elsewhere on the net:


the fashion spot

Just a quick word on one of Zahm's MySpace mates - "Gallermic T Mabuse" - who appears to have even more exotic tastes.

These include a photo of what by anyone's definition would be a naked pre-pubescent child with their legs spread before the camera, as posted to Purple’s MySpace page. Together with the caption:

“Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher”

And apparently left there since May 2008 without so much as a peep from anyone.

Ooh la la, those saucy French.

No idea if Zahm is gifted with any musical talent. But we do look forward to his next postings.

And we'll take one bet that when it comes to young, inexperienced women desperate to get their faces - or asses - in some high profile French fashion editorial, just what you have to do to swing a bit of coverage in PURPLE FASHION magazine.