The opening photograph of the anthology “Inge Grognard/Ronald Stoops”, published by Ludion at the end of October, sets the tone for over 180 pages illustrating 30 years of pictures produced by make-up artist Inge Grognard and photographer Ronald
The opening photograph of the anthology “Inge Grognard/Ronald Stoops”, published by Ludion at the end of October, sets the tone for over 180 pages illustrating 30 years of pictures produced by make-up artist Inge Grognard and photographer Ronald Stoops. A Maison Martin Margiela house model flanked by her two brothers lets out a scream – an intimate yet extroverted portrait that reflects the duo’s modus operandi. Inge explains: “The scream symbolizes how Ronald and I communicate. To outsiders the way we work together must come across as very harsh. We tend to yell at each other a lot and discussions can easily get out of hand.”
Inge and Ronald’s career, which started on the Antwerp fashion scene in the early 1980s, has given birth to an impressive collective oeuvre. The creative couple were an intrinsic part of the group dynamics that pushed Belgian designers, stylists, photographers and graphic designers forward onto the international fashion scene.
A slightly unsettling aesthetic that hovers between fragile and raw permeates both their non-commercial work and their collaborations with major fashion designers and magazines. Ronald’s lens captures the powerful looks created by Inge’s make-up direction, resulting in a shared visual language that is often abstract and graphic but comes into being spontaneously. Known mostly for their close connection to the Antwerp Six – including Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten – they also work with the second generation of Belgian designers, including A.F. Vandevorst and Raf Simons, and the imprint they’ve left on the imagery of Belgian fashion can’t be overestimated.
One of the most evocative images is a backstage shot at an autumn/winter 1996-1997 Martin Margiela fashion show. In it, a model sports pale peroxide blond locks, blood-red lips and whitened teeth but most striking is the ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect. Deep brown make-up covers half her face, mimicking the shadow cast by the light when wearing a hat. The picture is an example of the couple’s successful professional interaction: Inge’s signature style of using make-up as an unglamorous tool that leaves a stamp on the skin, as photographed by her partner Ronald in the most unexpectedly natural way.
Inge Grognard/ Ronald Stoops is published by Ludion Publishers and available at select bookshops.
