In Search of Beautiful People

PARIS, July 2, 2006 – Sunday was a light day on the fashion calendar, and by tradition a time for R&R in the French capital. After the all night celebrations that followed France’s big win at the World Cup, most Parisians were taking it easy. It seemed a good time to go out in search of beauty. First I began photographing monuments and gardens, but everybody’s already seen those. So it wasn’t long until my camera lens got redirected towards the boys, those mysterious male models that hit the runways twice a year for the Paris men’s shows.

Before the Paul Smith show began at 5 in the afternoon, the mercury had topped 90°, but a sprinkling of French and Italian models cast for the show found a way to beat the heat by stripping to the waist. When I came upon them they were lounging in the shade of the courtyard at the École des Beaux Arts in small clumps. One discussion soon grew animated when an Italian (so mad he began cursing in English) accused a colleague of having slept with his girl friend. That led to a demonstration of what would happen if the rumor turned out to be true. Let’s hope it isn’t – because that face was far too beautiful to be marred by a black eye.

– Timothy Hagy