Fashion People: Episode Summary – "How to Not Get (Work) Divorced"

Release Date: May 2, 2025

In this engaging episode of Fashion People, host Lauren Sherman delves deep into the creative minds behind MM Paris, co-founded by Matthias Augustiniak and Michael Omzalag. The conversation explores their extensive work in the fashion and art industries, including their collaborations with iconic figures like Björk and their recent appointment as Creative Directors for Harper's Bazaar Italia. This episode uncovers the intricate dynamics of long-term creative partnerships and offers insights into navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the fashion world.

Introduction

Lauren Sherman opens the episode by introducing Matthias Augustiniak and Michael Omzalag, co-founders of the art and design practice MM Paris. She highlights their significant contributions to visual culture over the past three decades and sets the stage for an in-depth discussion about their latest projects and industry observations.

MM Paris: Crafting Cultural Utopias

Matthias and Michael describe MM Paris as a versatile platform that allows them to engage in diverse creative roles—from graphic design and art direction to photography and typography. They emphasize their goal of shaping culture in a way that transcends economic fluctuations, ensuring that their creative outputs endure over time.

Michael Omzalag [06:55]: "It's the idea of building a platform that allows us to craft, think, or improvise many different projects... how do you shape culture and how do you create or put culture in motion so it goes through time and is not destroyed by economy."

Innovative Projects: Show in the Box and Beyond

One of the standout projects discussed is the Show in the Box for Loewe, conceptualized during the pandemic lockdowns. This initiative exemplifies how MM Paris integrates analog techniques to preserve and present fashion in a tangible, enduring format.

Matthias Augustiniak [09:12]: "The show in the box... condense a lot of things from different origins just to speak about the album in a way that is not literal."

They also recount their collaboration with Stanley Kubrick on the book The Greatest Movie Never Made, which later influenced Steven Spielberg to adapt Kubrick's research into a TV series. These projects illustrate their commitment to creating lasting cultural artifacts.

The Role of Magazines in Cultural Commentary

The conversation shifts to the evolving role of magazines in disseminating culture. Matthias and Michael advocate for magazines as time capsules that capture and preserve cultural moments in a way that digital media cannot. They argue that magazines offer a unique tactile experience and a slower, more deliberate pace of content consumption.

Michael Omzalag [48:24]: "A magazine is a platform or a hub... a way to consume information or to consume culture in a very special way."

Navigating the Flattening of Culture in the Digital Age

Addressing the challenges of maintaining depth in an era dominated by instantaneous digital content, the duo discusses strategies to combat the flattening of culture. They emphasize the importance of creating autonomous objects and narratives that encourage curiosity and deeper engagement.

Michael Omzalag [58:58]: "An antidote to the flattening is just to... believe in yourself... understanding that the complexity of what's happening is the beauty of this."

Sustaining a Long-term Creative Partnership

One of the episode's central themes is the longevity of Matthias and Michael's collaboration. They liken their partnership to a basketball team, where each member plays multiple roles and contributes actively to the creative process. Their ability to communicate openly and embrace the complexity of working together has been key to their sustained success.

Michael Omzalag [63:46]: "Things are not easy... how you make things go past the complexity, to enjoy that... it becomes like a pleasure."

Insights on the Fashion Industry's Evolution

Matthias and Michael reflect on the transformation of the fashion industry from being an ancillary aspect of culture to a dominant influence on pop culture. They discuss the shift from designers running their own houses to the rise of creative directors shaping major fashion brands, highlighting how these changes have impacted creative collaborations and cultural production.

Matthias Augustiniak [41:30]: "We came back on the building of MM Paris, to put in dialogue things that had nothing to do together at first... creating new networks of creative production."

Conclusion

Lauren Sherman wraps up the episode by acknowledging the depth and complexity of Matthias and Michael's work. Their dedication to fostering enduring cultural narratives and maintaining a dynamic creative partnership provides valuable lessons for anyone navigating the intersecting worlds of fashion, art, and media.

Notable Quotes

• Matthias Augustiniak [06:55]: "It's the idea of building a platform that allows us to craft, think, or improvise many different projects."

• Michael Omzalag [09:26]: "We were able to invent our working ways... to create or put culture in motion so it goes through time."

• Matthias Augustiniak [18:54]: "The fact that we are two people together helps to already create something that's more polyphonic."

• Michael Omzalag [48:24]: "A magazine is a platform or a hub... a way to consume information or to consume culture in a very special way."

• Michael Omzalag [63:46]: "It's about how you make things go past the complexity, to enjoy that... it becomes like a pleasure."

This episode of Fashion People offers a profound exploration of how sustained creative partnerships and innovative projects can shape and preserve culture within the dynamic fashion industry. Matthias Augustiniak and Michael Omzalag provide listeners with valuable insights into maintaining artistic integrity and fostering meaningful collaborations in a rapidly changing world.