Veruschka Photographed by Paul Rowland

"Fame, I mean, it's like a bubble, in a way. It's like something glittery and it goes and it can be forgotten fast."

Veruschka

Last night Paul at Supreme sent me these Polas he had just shot of that legendary presence called Veruschka. Veruschka (nee Countess Vera von Lehndorff) grew up in East Prussia in a 100-room house on an enormous estate that had been in her family for centuries. Her father, a German army reserve officer and a member of the German Resistance to Adolf Hitler was executed after a failed plot to blow up the Nazi leader. Verushka's modeling career is the definition of iconic ( the decrees of stardom by Diana Vreeland... immortalized by Antonioni in "Blow Up"...dinners with Dali...affairs with Warren Beatty) but it is her post-modeling life that fascinates me . She has truly left any accusation of superficiality and bourgeoise conformity completely behind. I think to allow yourself to look this way without fear or shame, is many ways a very aristocratic gesture. Not aristocratic as in the nostalgic idiocy of "class superiority"...but aristocratic in the idea of transcending a common and banal way of thinking about your life.
As you get older you realize you're not supposed to spend your entire life being one person, or rather one KIND of person. You can have several different faces as time goes by. You can experience the world with a different body. And with a different mentality. That is the wisdom these beautiful Polaroids of Verushka by Paul Rowland brought home to me.

Veruschka Photographed by Paul Rowland

Veruschka Photographed by Paul Rowland

Veruschka Photographed by Paul Rowland