Trending Photo News No. 15: The conviction of Fabien Baron, the man behind the cultural phenomenon that is the Barbie photo book

What will be the biggest hit movie in the world in 2023? It's "Barbie."

The film, in which Margot Robbie plays one of the Barbie dolls who visits the real Los Angeles from Barbieland, the fictional world where Barbie dolls live, boasts visual splendor with its fashion and spectacular sets, but also offers refreshing criticism of current gender issues and lookism, making it an unprecedented success both critically and commercially.

The box office grossed a whopping 202 billion yen! Now, a photo book has been created that recreates the world of Barbie with the help of a first-class team. This luxurious book, entitled "Barbie™: The World Tour" (Rizzoli, 2024), was actually born from the bitter reality of Hollywood, the dream factory.

"It all started with the massive strike by the actors' union in Hollywood last year," says Fabien Baron, the book's art director.

This star art director, who has worked on major campaigns and CI for Calvin Klein, Dior, and Zara, as well as art direction for Italian Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Interview, talks about the tough inner workings of this rich and gorgeous photo book, just like the movie Barbie.

"So many luxury brands had created special costumes for the film, but the strike meant the actors couldn't wear them for global promotion, so this book was born to celebrate the costumes that would otherwise be shelved," Baron said.

Robbie had prepared lavish costumes for the film's promotional tour, but a strike meant she was only able to wear a few outfits, so this book was born as a way to make up for it.

"My stylist, Andrew Mukamal, said to me, 'I have so many costumes left, why don't you make a book?' I said, 'Sure, but the book has to be published soon. If we're going to do it, we need to start now.'"

Baron approached Rizzoli, a major American publisher of art books and photo collections, and quickly secured a publishing deal.

"Due to conflicts with everyone's schedules, we only had three days to shoot. In fact, we had a very small budget. We worked like crazy during those three days. The filming team consisted of just the set designer, photographer Craig McDean, myself, Andrew, and an assistant. We shot and submitted everything to the printer within two weeks, and finished in just two and a half months from the start of planning to submission. It's just like making a magazine!

The only difference from a magazine is that it has a hardcover cover. Andrew brought along a lot of materials, including notes, illustrations, and old photographs, and we decided on the format of the book from there. After looking at them, I suggested that I wanted to create something like a scrapbook. In other words, it should be like Margot Robbie's diary, with collages, photos, words, and notes."

Baron explains why the book was a success.

"Our approach was very experimental and spontaneous. Many of the photographic ideas were improvised on the spot. But we were able to make it happen because we had ample experience.

For example, when we shot the Prada outfits, we incorporated Prada-esque colors to create a Prada vibe. We thought about each detail in every shoot and worked it out. Then, while Margot was changing into her next outfit, we quickly took product shots of her accessories and things like that, just like, bang bang bang."

Another reason for its success, Baron says, is Margot Robbie herself.

"Working with Margot was an amazing experience. She instantly became the character. We had a specific idea on set, and then we had her on set and we could shoot right away. She's a first class professional and such a good actor that she knew exactly what to do.

And she has no fear. I've worked with a lot of actors, but this level is rare. She has the same talent as Nicole Kidman or Cate Blanchett.

Plus, Margot is absolutely gorgeous and always looks amazing in front of the camera. Craig's lighting is always perfect, but she surprised us by saying she never retouches her photos."

When it came to choosing the right photographer for this exciting yet tough shoot, Baron had no choice but to call on British photographer Craig McDean.

"I've known Craig for a long time, so I understand his way of working very well. He's very versatile and open-minded, and can switch his mind very quickly. I'm also an art director, so I wanted a photographer who could work quickly. When you turn the pages of this book, a different world will emerge with each spread. I think it has a unique, rich feel."

Photographer McDean recalls shooting the Barbie photo book:

"I was intrigued by the unique opportunity to work with Fabian, Andrew and Margot. I drew inspiration from my knowledge of fashion and fashion history, both in terms of fashion history and Barbie history."

Baron said he wrote the book with the film's critique of modern-day lookism and fashion obsession in mind.

"In a way, Barbie has long been a symbol of quintessential American style for women. I think both the movie and the book are culturally significant. But the book is more personal, and it's full of images that are less commercial and more intelligent about the subject matter."

Baron previously worked on Madonna's photo book "SEX" (1992), which became a worldwide bestseller, selling millions of copies, and sparked controversy due to its sexual content.

"I think Madonna's 'SEX' photobook had a huge impact on people when it came out. And this Barbie photobook is selling like hotcakes and is on its way to becoming a global cultural phenomenon. So, for me, it's been a great pleasure to have had the opportunity to direct these two photobooks.

At first glance, these two works seem completely different, but they share a high level of aesthetic sensibility. You could say that these two books represent two eras in my career. I'm interested to see whether this book—like Sex—transcends time and will still have profound meaning 20 years from now."

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