In Isabel Marant’s defense, the dishcloths were probably pretty nice in her native France. Such was Marant’s justification to LOVE anyway for having literally fashioned her first Malcolm McLaren-inspired pieces out of rags in the mid-80s. Today, Marant’s label boasts a cult following, even if the self-described “anti-consumerist” designer claims to dislike the industry she’s in. “I never think about the fashion people. They are not my concern,” Marant explains matter-of-factly. The standoffishness extends to her own website, which she’s visited just once, as well as to shopping online. And forget about buxom, big-lipped beauties—or even well-known ones. “I hate famous women. My ideal woman is Serge Gainsbourg,” Marant says, adding, “not that he was a woman.”
