PARIS XVIE - A Film Project By Willy Vanderperre for Dior Homme

Staring Body Holbrook, an American, 6'1, blonde hair, blue eyed model who waltzes around the City of Lights to portray a day in life as a Parisian. A film by WIlly Vanderperre who I remember hearing first last year when I was searching for inspiration for a shoot this time last year. Vanderperre quickly became my favourite photographer and videographer after shooting his previous SS15 campaign and, most recently, this video Paris XVIe for the Winter15 collection. 

XVIE translates to 16 - specifically the 16th arrondissement to Parisians. If Paris is foreign to you, the 16th district is often associated to elegance and general wealth (comparable to the New York City's Upper East Side or London's Kensington and Chelsea). Though not exactly the heart of Paris, you'll find a dense concentration of museums between its wide avenues. Holbrook was found crossing roads at Avenue des Etats-Unis. After dashing along side traffic horns, brushing dirt off the outdoor seating of a café which has window front scribbled with its plat du jour; we are then transported into what is assumed to be Holbrook's apartment where he continues his dance along within white walls and fireplace. Eagle-eyed readers would also notice the floral badges that were placed on Holbrook's white blazer.

The video ends with Holbrook exiting his apartment and ending his night strolling through the bright streets in his tuxedo (again, a highlight from the super-formal Winter collection) with a subtle backdrop that spells out 'supermarché'. In the video and fun GIFs below, you'll also spot Holbrook picking flowers surpassingly as memories for places he's visited, as if a habit of Christian Dior. After all, Paris is 'too real and too beautiful to ever let you forget anything'. All this happens in only one minute's time so keep your eyes pealed and enjoy a dose of Parisian glamour if you miss Paris as much as I do. There's no oh-so-cheesy, 'rolling-down-car-window-while-gushing-at-eiffel-tower' moment because the American Holbrook is portraying is clearly not a tourist.

A true American in Paris strolling in the City of Lights.

To be continued... #tbc