INTERIOR DESIGNER STEPHEN ALESCH

After designing film sets for the best part of a decade, Stephen Alesch and his partner in life and work, Robin Standefer, were given an opportunity too good to refuse. The actor and film director Ben Stiller admired their work on Duplex so much that he commissioned the pair to transform his Los Angeles residence, and triple its size. Two years later Stephen and Robin had well and truly retired from film work and were concentrating on the commissions that followed from a range of high-profile clients, including Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow. Since then their design business, Roman and Williams, which they established in 2002, has gone on to transform some of the leading hotels in New York and beyond. The Ace Hotel, The Standard, The Vicerory and the Highline Hotel are just some of the places that have been given Stephen and Robin's experiential treatment. 

Which five words best describe you? Crazy, silly, odd, spazzy and fussy.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I applied for a job as a draftsman for a solo architect when I was 18. I became his right-hand man. I had no experience except for high school drafting and some construction experience. After 10 years of that, I went to work in the film industry as a set designer, then after 10 years of that started my own design firm with my wife Robin. 

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Behind every professional, formally educated "expert" is just a normal man or woman with a few tidbits of jargon and knowledgeability - that just about anyone with good common sense could do themselves. In fact, it’s relatively easy to do it even better. 

What’s your proudest career achievement? Designing and completing construction of our 30-storey Viceroy Hotel on 57th Street in New York City. 

What’s been your best decision? Never bothering to learn CAD and continuing to draft by hand. 

Who inspires you? Otto Wagner, Hendrik Berlage, HH Richardson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Bertram Goodhue... Dead dudes.

What are you passionate about? Architecture, drafting, plants, waves, suits, science, electricity, construction, mechanics.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Frank Lloyd Wright.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? Design a university of non-design studies, a beautiful campus of simple buildings, workshops and housing. 

What are you reading? Ben Franklin's biography by H.W. Brands and The look of architecture by Witold Rybczynski.

images courtesy of roman and williams; portrait via scoutmag.com

ARTIST HOLLY COULIS

There are not many overnight success stories in the art world. It is a vocation that is perhaps best suited to constancy and consistency. “It seems like a slow and steady life to me,” says Holly Coulis, a Canadian artist who has called Brooklyn, New York, home since 1999. “That may be the way it is for many artists: spending time in the studio, making your work, meeting other artists over the years, finding people along the way who are interested in what you are doing.” There is recognition, though. Holly has exhibited in New York, Los Angeles and Detroit, as well as Canada and Switzerland. She also teaches and is part of non-profit gallery 106 Green.

Which five words best describe you? That's a difficult question. It really depends on how I am feeling at any given moment. Maybe stubborn, curious, intuitive, insightful, and I'll go with funny. I laugh at my own jokes all the time.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? Well, I suppose it begins and ends with dedication to my studio practice. It's been years of showing up. I just keep showing up. And finding new ways to be involved with painting and with art in general. It seems like a constant conversation with myself about how to keep my work interesting to me. Spending as much time as possible looking at other people's paintings helps a lot.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Life is short and also long. It's important to try to stay captivated by the world.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Honestly, it was when I taught my first beginners’ painting class. It was very nerve-racking and I felt that I had nothing to offer these young artists. By the end of the semester, they had all grown as painters and artists. Also, being a part of 106 Green, a non-profit gallery started by Mitchell Wright and Ridley Howard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We've shown a lot of artists' work and asked artists to curate shows there. It always feels like a real place for art and artists.

What’s been your best decision? To move to New York. To marry my husband.

Who inspires you? People who are dedicated to their vision and keep making/writing/doing what they love. And people who manage to keep the life in their eyes.

What are you passionate about? Music, painting, film, stories, humour, food.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Jacques Pépin. He seems hilarious and sweet, and I've seen him make a beautiful omelette on TV. There are other people who I really admire or am inspired by, but Jacques Pépin is someone I would actually like to sit down with. Preferably in a kitchen. Over some food.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I'd like to write something good. And learn to play the piano.

What are you reading? I'm in the middle of Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh. 

images courtesy of holly coulis

COSTUME DESIGNER CHRISTIAN JOY

The world of Christian Joy is reminiscent of old school New York in many ways. She creates costumes with a wink to how the punk movement attacked their clothes: with scissors and safety pins, even glue and paint, rather than a needle and thread. Christian also has the same underground vibe to her work. She revels in creating fanastical costumes that aren't about finding a market but rather embracing the here and now. This is most evident with her greatest output of work - for Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They met in 2001, shortly after Christian moved to Brooklyn, and since then the costume designer has had her creations exhibited in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and collaborated with Top Shop on three limited-edition collections. More recently she’s released a range of art prints and ready-to-wear clothing and accessories. A keen collaborator, Christian created the series of images above with fellow New Yorkers, photographers ioulex.

Which five words best describe you? Obsessive, optimistic, funny, creative, curious.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I began making clothes about a year after I moved to NY. I was inspired by the NY punk scene and how everyone created art and music without really knowing how. I decided to follow the same methods and began to teach myself fashion design. I began by chopping up tees and then prom dresses. Along the way I met Karen O and it just all took off from there. 

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Not to take yourself too seriously. Go with the flow.  

What’s your proudest career achievement? I'd say having my costumes in an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and also creating Karen's gown for the Oscars. The gown was funny though because it's not the greatest representation of my work. Still it was so exciting and my family were so proud and just over the moon. 

What’s been your best decision? To follow my instinct.  

Who inspires you? A whole cast of nutty characters. Lately I've been so excited about John Cameron Mitchell. I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway and was so thrilled to see this amazing character he created become so huge. The filmmaker, John Waters. I adore him. The artist Sonya Delaunay. I love her vibrant prints. My crazy husband. My mom. 

What are you passionate about? I'm passionate about trying to create new works and ideas. It makes me almost no money but I can't imagine being happy without it.  

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I think Sonya Delaunay. I've been fortunate to meet a lot of people that I really admire so I'll have to say her. 

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I really want to be in the MOMA here in NY.  

What are you reading? The prisoner of heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. I just read two of his other books as well and I'm obsessed.

images courtesy of christian joy and ioulex

PHOTOGRAPHERS JULIA KOTELIANSKY + ALEXANDER KERR

After sitting behind a desk working on advertising jobs in New York, photographers Julia Koteliansky and Alexander Kerr of ioulex decided to get behind the camera. The couple had met in Paris while studying at the Parsons School of Design and continue to travel between the two cities for work. Instead of waiting for the phone to ring, they set out to create work of their own, and a style that has become synonymous with ioulex. Now they shoot for a range of publications including The New Yorker, the New York Times T magazine and M le Monde and have exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design in New York and Colette in Paris. The fashion film “A Mon Seul Désir”, which they created in conjunction with design studio Mogollon, won a Make-Up Forever Beauty Prize at ASVOFF 5.

Which five words best describe you? Collectively, we’re committed, excitable, delusional, thoughtful and complementary.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? It’s hard to separate our life together from our career. We met as second year students at Parsons in Paris, and immediately started working together. After graduating we each worked in advertising in New York for a few years as graphic designers and art directors. Our actual career in photography started when we quit our jobs and got back to collaborating on image-making. It took a while to get any commissioned work, but we persevered and kept on shooting anyway. Our first agents, Josette Lata and Rida Chin, were early champions of our work; their patience and encouragement were instrumental in getting us on track.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Find and follow what you’re truly passionate about, and things will fall into place one way or another.

What’s your proudest career achievement? We were very proud of our first shoot for the New Yorker, a portrait of choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Our families were very excited too.

What’s been your best decision? Leave the studio and all the photo gear behind and go shoot wherever and however you can.

Who inspires you? New York artists and performers - Daniel McDonald, Mx Vivian Bond, Kembra Pfahler.

What are you passionate about? Collaborating with artist friends in various media - costume (Christian Joy), sound (Jason P Grisell and Philippe Bresson), dance (Isabella Boylston). 

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Marcel Duchamp - to meet and to photograph.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? Shoot in Kyoto.

What are you reading? Solaris by Stanislaw Lem.

images courtesy of ioulex