Maripol
Encyclopedia
Maripol was brought up in France
before moving to New York
, USA
in 1976. She is an artist, film producer, fashion designer and stylist who has had an influence on the looks of many influential artists, including Grace Jones
, Deborah Harry
, and Madonna
. Maripol is also a Polaroid artist photographer who has exhibited her photos in art galleries all over the world. Her photographic work is being collected by museums. In 2006, Maripol had a new book of her life's photography published.
Maripol is best known for designing for and styling pop singer Madonna
during the Madonna
and Like a Virgin
albums in the mid-1980s. Maripol's trademark black rubber bracelets, jewellery
and crucifix
es became as iconic as Madonna herself in these early years.
In the early 1980s, Maripol was the art director for hip Italian boutique Fiorucci
. By the mid-80s, Maripol had achieved some success with her own shop, Maripolitan, in the NoHo
area of New York
. She also made a line of official Madonna jewellery and accessories for the Like a Virgin tour.
At the same time she directed documentary films, such as "Crack is whack" on 1980s artist Keith Haring
.
She has also worked as a film producer, most notably on the post-production of Downtown 81
, a film starring artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
and featuring Blondie
lead singer Deborah Harry
, and with musical interludes by many New York No Wave
bands. The movie, directed by then partner Edo Bertoglio
and written and produced by Glenn O'Brien
, was filmed in 1980-81 as New York Beat. However, it was not until the late 1990's that the film was edited and released (as Downtown 81). O'Brien and Executive Producer Michael Zilkha enlisted Maripol to work on post-production to complete the film before its 2000 release, and debut at the Director's Fortnight at Cannes.
She has been the art director on music videos for Cher
, D’Angelo, Elton John
, and Luther Vandross
.
In February 2010, Maripol had a collection of jewelry and tee shirts in the Marc by Marc Jacobs stores, inspired by the jewelry she created in the 80s.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
before moving to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1976. She is an artist, film producer, fashion designer and stylist who has had an influence on the looks of many influential artists, including Grace Jones
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
, Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Maripol is also a Polaroid artist photographer who has exhibited her photos in art galleries all over the world. Her photographic work is being collected by museums. In 2006, Maripol had a new book of her life's photography published.
Maripol is best known for designing for and styling pop singer Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
during the Madonna
Madonna (Madonna album)
Madonna is the self-titled debut album of American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on July 27, 1983 by Sire Records. The album was re-released in 1985 for the European market and re-packaged as Madonna – The First Album...
and Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 12, 1984 by Sire Records. It was re-released worldwide in 1985, with the inclusion of the bonus track "Into the Groove". In 2001, Warner Bros. Records released a remastered version with two bonus...
albums in the mid-1980s. Maripol's trademark black rubber bracelets, jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
and crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
es became as iconic as Madonna herself in these early years.
In the early 1980s, Maripol was the art director for hip Italian boutique Fiorucci
Fiorucci
Fiorucci is an Italian fashion label founded by Elio Fiorucci in 1967. The first shop exposed Milan to the styles of Swinging London and American classics such as the T-shirt and jeans. By the late 1970s and early 1980s this would be reversed, and the New York store would become famous for the...
. By the mid-80s, Maripol had achieved some success with her own shop, Maripolitan, in the NoHo
NoHo
NoHo, for North of Houston Street is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, roughly bounded by Houston Street on the south, The Bowery on the east, Astor Place on the north, and Broadway on the west. NoHo is wedged between Greenwich Village, west of Broadway, and the East Village...
area of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She also made a line of official Madonna jewellery and accessories for the Like a Virgin tour.
At the same time she directed documentary films, such as "Crack is whack" on 1980s artist Keith Haring
Keith Haring
Keith Haring was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s.-Early life:...
.
She has also worked as a film producer, most notably on the post-production of Downtown 81
Downtown 81
Downtown 81 is a film that was shot in 1980-1981.This film, directed by Edo Bertoglio, written and produced by Glenn O'Brien with post-production in 1999-2000 by Maripol, is a rare real-life snapshot of ultra-hip subculture of post-punk era Manhattan...
, a film starring artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist. His career in art began as a graffiti artist in New York City in the late 1970s, and in the 1980s produced Neo-expressionist painting.-Early life:...
and featuring Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
lead singer Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, and with musical interludes by many New York No Wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
bands. The movie, directed by then partner Edo Bertoglio
Edo Bertoglio
Edo Bertoglio is a Swiss photographer and film director. He is the director of Downtown 81.-Life and work:Edo Bertoglio received his degree in film directing and editing at the Conservatoire Libre du Cinema Francais in Paris in 1975...
and written and produced by Glenn O'Brien
Glenn O'Brien
Glenn O'Brien is primarily a writer, largely on the subjects of art, music and fashion. He's featured as "The Style Guy" at GQ magazine, and has published a book with that title....
, was filmed in 1980-81 as New York Beat. However, it was not until the late 1990's that the film was edited and released (as Downtown 81). O'Brien and Executive Producer Michael Zilkha enlisted Maripol to work on post-production to complete the film before its 2000 release, and debut at the Director's Fortnight at Cannes.
She has been the art director on music videos for Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, D’Angelo, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, and Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
.
In February 2010, Maripol had a collection of jewelry and tee shirts in the Marc by Marc Jacobs stores, inspired by the jewelry she created in the 80s.
Books
- New York Beat: Jean-Michel Basquiat in Downtown 81, Petit Grand Publishing 2001 ISBN 978-4939102226
- Maripolarama, powerHouse BooksPowerHouse bookspowerHouse Books is an independent publisher of art and photography books founded in 1995 by Daniel Power, and is located near the Brooklyn waterfront of DUMBO in The powerHouse Arena...
, November 2005 ISBN 978-1576872727 - Maripol: Little Red Riding Hood, Damiani, September 2010 ISBN 978-8862081368