Guido Palau was sitting in an airport lounge in Miami, on his solution to New York. Kaia Gerber was sitting in a automobile in Los Angeles, on her solution to the airport.
“That is precisely what our life is like,” Mr. Palau mentioned on their group name. “Story of our life,” Ms. Gerber echoed.
Nonetheless, on the finish of 2022, they discovered a time off to “play collectively,” Mr. Palau mentioned.
He made some wigs. Ms. Gerber modeled them. Mr. Palau and his assistants filmed her on their iPhones, then took screenshots from their movies. These screenshots turned photographs in Mr. Palau’s newest guide, “Hidden Identities,” to be launched on Could 4 by Concept.
“We dwell in a world the place so most of the photographs we’re seeing are high-definition and curated,” Ms. Gerber mentioned — not like the pixelated and blurry photographs of “Hidden Identities,” which Mr. Palau has described as banal and amateurish.
“Not being valuable about it created a way of inventive freedom,” she mentioned.
Ms. Gerber, 22, is a mannequin and actress. She has starred in campaigns for Alaïa and Celine, in addition to comedies just like the Apple TV+ collection “Palm Royale” and the lesbian teen romp “Bottoms.” She has a guide membership and an off-duty model that has been described variously as “sizzling woman librarian” and “granny stylish.”
Mr. Palau, 62, is a prolific hairstylist, recognized for his unconventional however influential work, starting with George Michael’s “Freedom ’90” video, which starred Ms. Gerber’s mom, Cindy Crawford. Later he formed photographs of the “anti-supermodel” Kate Moss; of Lee Alexander McQueen’s rebellious runways; of, extra just lately, the Miu Miu woman, together with her windswept, intentionally frizzy hair.
“I like to search out all of the nuances in hair,” mentioned Mr. Palau, who first labored with Ms. Gerber in 2015, when she was 13. “And for Kaia to choose up on these issues and act them out.”
Within the edited interview beneath, Mr. Palau and Ms. Gerber mentioned their collaboration — its previous, current and future. (Earlier than she hung up, Ms. Gerber reminded Mr. Palau that they nonetheless needed to focus on her hair for the Met Gala.)
When did you first work collectively?
Guido Palau It was Italian Vogue with Steven Meisel, after which I did one thing for Interview journal. Do you keep in mind that story, the place I did the actually huge hair on you?
Kaia Gerber Sure. What I believe is actually particular about Guido — that I haven’t actually seen in anybody else — is what he’s able to creating on set. You’ll stroll off set and be like, how did he try this with simply his palms and a few bobby pins?
GP Kaia is available in and she or he’s Kaia. After which she walks out and she or he’s someone we’ve created.
How precisely do you employ hair to get into character?
KG After I’m taking part in characters, the extra particular it’s and the extra far-off it’s from who I really am, the better it’s to rework. That every one comes from the visuals. And hair is such a giant a part of that.
GP Hair is such a giant indicator of who you might be. That’s what actually pursuits me about it. Many photographers have mentioned to me that with out the hair being proper, it’s very laborious to take the best image since you don’t actually know who you’re photographing.
For each coiffure Kaia wears, is {that a} completely distinct, made-up character? Or is it at all times the identical individual (Kaia), simply embodying barely completely different roles?
KG Every new wig modified my mannerisms and my essence, and I actually tried to specific all these completely different components of myself. I don’t assume any of them are made-up components. I don’t assume any characters are actually made up — they spotlight completely different variations of who we’re.
GP I wouldn’t name this a guide. I like the concept of it as a doc of someone’s personas. I believe all of us have these personas inside us that we’d wish to act out.
We don’t actually know who individuals are. We simply understand them by the best way they current themselves.
For the people who find themselves this “doc,” what impact do you hope the pixelation of those photographs can have?
GP Possibly they’ll assume it’s some old-school, late ’70s, early ’80s, B-movie-still sort of factor. It feels punk in a broad sense, like rebellious, anarchic, a bit disruptive.
KG We’re seeing folks begin to gravitate again towards issues like vinyl, although we don’t have to hearken to vinyl anymore, or capturing on movie when now we have entry to digital. All of us are usually drawn towards the nostalgic.
Is there an image within the guide that was significantly memorable for you?
GP My favourite one appears just like the hair is from a country-western singer. She feels very harmless, however the hair may be very un-innocent and the nails are very un-innocent and the make-up may be very un-innocent. I just like the juxtaposition.
KG Oftentimes it may be laborious for me to — folks won’t imagine this — take a look at photographs of myself. What I like about this guide is that I actually simply see the characters.
