There are many reasons for you to hate Fabien Baron (especially if you’re the jealous type). Here are seven of them:
He’s French, which means, among other things, his accent is way sexier than yours.
He’s spent more than his fair share of time in the company of supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Kate Moss.
He gets all of his Calvin Klein undies for free.
Ditto any swag from his other clients: Dior, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, or Armani.
When he tired of just designing magazines, magazines went and made him their editor-in-chief.
He was intimately involved in the making of Madonna’s notorious book, Sex. How intimately? We were afraid to ask.
Also? Vanity Fair called him “the most sought-after creative director in the world.”
With our pity party concluded, we admit “hate” was probably the wrong word, because after spending time talking to him, it’s easy to see why Baron has been able to live the kind of life many magazine creatives dream of—and why he’s been so incredibly successful.
His enthusiasm is contagious. It’s actually his superpower. And it’s a lesson for all of us. When you get next-level excited, as Baron does when he can see the possibilities in a project, his passion infects everybody in the room.
And then, when you learn that Baron believes he’s doing what he was put on this earth to do, and claims that he would do it all for free. You’ve kind of got to believe him.
I never, ever worried about money. I never took a job because of the money. Because I think integrity is very important. I think, like believing that you have a path and that you’re going to follow that path and you’re going to stay on that path and that you’re going to stick to that. And that’s what I’m trying to do.
Fabien Baron
Read the full episode transcript here.
Print Is Dead (Long Live Print!) is a podcast about magazines and the people who made (and make) them. Magazines that combined thought-provoking attitudes and values with a distinctive look and feel, and cast a long and powerful shadow on American culture and public discourse. Hear stories and learn lessons from legendary designers, editors, writers, publishers, photographers, illustrators, photo editors, and more—stories and lessons that capture a magical history of innovation and inspiration, and that point the way forward. We’ll go deep into the lives and careers of this astonishingly talented group of creators, and tease out what these giants—past and present—have to teach the next generation of creators.
If you’re in the magazine business—if you’re in any business focused on content creation—this podcast is for you.
This episode is made possible by PIDLLP sponsors Commercial Type, Mountain Gazette, and Freeport Press.
The team behind Print is Dead (Long Live Print!) also produces The Full Bleed, a podcast about the future of magazines and the magazines of the future.