Who is Mélanie Rowell?
I guess the kind of curious and involved girl who always aspired to many things without knowing very much where she was going… Originating from different countries, I was always sensitive to and inspired by the beauty of my travels that made me want to explore further that idea of beauty. Being a musician and fashion lover, my decision of going towards art as a form of beauty showed itself as obvious. I’m now truly passionate about art, in all its forms.

Toulouse! You are so wonderful!?
Moving to Toulouse for my studies, I really fell in love with this city, a vibrant and very charming place. This city is full of unusual corners that never cease to surprise me.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec or Pierre-Auguste Renoir?
I love impressionism. I choose Renoir, because he paints scenes that are more joyful and colorful. His paintings are bright and very pleasant to contemplate (I still admire Toulouse-Lautrec).

The winner takes it all? (Abba)
I guess it is a sad way to express the balance of power in life. Often, the winner takes it all, but the looser isn’t always standing small. While the winner will always want to remain in this position of strength that may be detrimental to him, the looser can choose to evolve by taking another path.

Frédéric Chopin or Erik Satie?
Frédéric Chopin, definitely. Since I’m a pianist, I couldn’t choose the other option. Chopin is my favorite composer.

Glenn Gould or Keith Jarrett?
Keith Jarrett because he’s more an eclectic person. His repertoire is much more varied.

What is the point of visiting a museum nowadays?
Arouse emotions, I guess.

The most beautiful museum in the world?
Unfortunately, I didn’t visit all museums of the world, but there was one in Germany that really left its mark on me. It is called “Pinakothek der Moderne” in Munich.

Your favorite fashion brand?
I couldn’t choose one. My favorite high fashion brand is Maison Martin Margiela. Otherwise, I would say COS, a fashion brand with a minimalist and timeless style.

People will stare. Make it worth their while? (Tom Ford)
It’s about daring to wear clothes that are out of the ordinary, or simply to assume our own style that gives us confidence, and to pass on that assurance to others so their gaze may be directed towards us. That is the power of fashion: simply wear what defines you.

The perfect jacket for Emmanuel Macron?
A leather jacket, for a style more rock’ n’ roll.

The perfect skirt for Angela Merkel?
I don’t know why, but I think that a Scottish skirt would fit her…

Trendy is the last stage before tacky? (Karl Lagerfeld)
Always tracking trends means complying with a kind of redundant routine that everyone adopts and you will get tired of. It is clear: tastes change, like trends change, and then eventually fall into disuse after a while. A genius would be the one who manages to draw from this general trend on the one hand and then, on the other hand, to create something unique that no one has been able to do before.

Do fashion models rightly get a lot of money?
I agree they carry out a tough job full of pressure. They have to submit to requirements that are hard enough to hold. However, it is often a question of luck rather than work beforehand to get such a job. I think there are much harder jobs that would merit higher remuneration.

Stores are never nice to people, they are nice to credit cards? (Pretty Woman Movie)
Stores are nice to people for a specific purpose: to encourage them to buy. That’s what we call the principle of marketing manipulation.

Does makeup give you confidence?
I am someone who loves natural beauty. That’s why I rarely wear makeup. Actually, I suffered from acne during my adolescence, so I used to put some makeup on my skin to hide it. Now, I am glad I have a lot less acne, so I can go out and let my skin breathe.

Is intelligence a part of beauty?
Yes of course, I can’t find someone beautiful if their words are meaningless because that’s what makes a person interesting. A person can have an attractive face, but as soon as they pronounce some words, they can make people run away.

The best way to defeat a writer’s worst enemy: writer’s block?
“Automatic Writing” should be used to solve this blockage. Practiced by the surrealists in the 20th century, it is a kind of improvisation writing in which consciousness does not intervene.

In search of lost time? (Marcel Proust)
Clearly my current mood… These days, I keep thinking that I have wasted too much time doing things I didn’t really like to do, and I want to explore my past even more, focus on everything that defines me concretely, to know who I really am and how to build my future.

The greatest book of all time?
“In search of lost time” by Marcel Proust, if you want to understand the meaning of life. It is the kind of thought-provoking book that moves minds and transforms us.

Silence is golden? (The Tremeleos)
Yes and no. I rather agree with the French expression, saying “Let’s talk little, let’s talk well”.

Your goal in life? A vineyard in Champagne-Ardenne?
My goal in life is to work with a high fashion brand in Paris or Tokyo. But at the same time, I want to carry on traveling to discover beautiful places and cultures. I wish I could stay close to nature and keep finding inspiration in my travels.

_Uwe Buschmann (copy editing Silvia Strauch)