Step into the vibrant world of Stéphane Gaboué, a multifaceted artist hailing from the Ivory Coast and now making waves in the fashion scene of Paris. Beyond his lens, Gaboué wears many hats – as a fashion writer, translator, casting director, stylist, and lecturer. In our exclusive interview with @stephanegaboue, we delve into his captivating journey towards becoming a renowned photographer. Bonding over our shared admiration for the cinematic masterpiece “Moonlight,” we embark on a journey through his latest project, “La Balance,” a visual narrative spanning a year across the landscapes of Côte d’Ivoire and France. Join us as we unravel the essence of Gaboué’s artistry and his compelling vision captured through his lens.
Hey, there Stéphane, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Born and raised in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, I moved to France as a teenager. After studying English and German in France, Great Britain, and Austria, I got a post-graduate degree in fashion and communication at the Fashion University in Lyon Then I started my career as a freelance bilingual fashion writer, notably working for French Elle, Fantastic Man, CNN Style, Models.com, VMan, Anthem, WAD,and Behind The Blinds. I am currently a contributing editor at Nataal. I’ve simultaneously worked as a stylist for several magazines, including WAD, Têtu, and Anthem Magazine, where I was the European correspondent in the aughties. I’ve been a lecturer at the fashion university in Lyon since 2010, and I’ve worked as a casting director and model scout since 2014. My client list includes Vivienne Westwood, Bernhard Willhelm, Faith Connexion, and the new French brand Cool TM.
When and why did you start photography?
I took photography lessons from 2013 to 2016 at the Ateliers des Beaux Arts in Paris. Taking these photo lessons with the great photographer Pharoah Marsan has made it possible for me to do photo stories I had been wanting to do for years, but for which I couldn’t find photographers that shared the same vision. Then I started spontaneously taking pictures of the models I scouted. The stylist Edem Dossou sometimes did the styling of my first stories. We still work together. And my editorials have been published since 2015 in such magazines as Vman, Fucking Young, Models.com, Nataal, and Contributor.
Did you receive support from your family and friends when you started off?
It’s funny because although I’m very close to many members of my family, we almost never discuss my work. Same with my friends. I think many of them haven’t seen much of my work, actually. LOL. But they’re all very happy for me.
When you started taking photos, did you always know which direction you wanted your work to go, and have you kept on the same path since?
The thing is, my work is very spontaneous. Sometimes a simple go-see can turn into a photo session. Sometimes I have a clear concept, but even this can change along the way. I work very organically. It’s just about being inspired by the model. And I want photography to always be a pleasure.
Has there been immerse growth in your work since you started ?
Well, I’m not well placed to judge, but I can say that thanks to my photography courses, I’ve finally been able to do stories I had been wanting to do for years, like the “Bold” story, published in King Kong Magazine in 2018, which was inspired by my memories of watching Florence Griffith Joyner with my mother during the 1988 Olympic Games. My work has changed thanks to many opportunities I’ve had to experiment more.
Would you say your technique has changed?
I recently started shooting in a studio, which I had never done before. I’m still experimenting with new things.
A lot of creatives struggle with building an engaged audience, how’s that journey for you ?
I have absolutely no strategy. I just post my work on Instagram, and I am very glad to welcome everyone that enjoys it.
Out of the virtual world and getting into real life how have you been managing your work / distributing it? (Exhibitions ? photobooks?) and how has that been received?
Most of my work is editorials. But I am currently mulling many new projects.
What’s your process of starting a new project?
The project starts as soon as I know who I’m going to photograph. Then I start shooting when I feel like it. Without any pressure.I am hugely inspired by the models I cast, some of whom I have been working with for almost 20 years.Sometimes I devote a whole story to a model, like I did with Maty Ndiaye for Contributor in 2017, but I also like these stories with huge ensemble casts. The weigh-in story featured 18 models.
I generally shoot between Europe and Côte d’Ivoire. I often shoot my stories over very long periods of time, even a year. I shoot very spontaneously. Sometimes a simple go-see can turn into a photo session.
Your latest body of work “La Balance” tell us more about it…
“La Balance”, published this summer in Nataal magazine, is a story inspired by boxing weigh-in sessions, something I had been wanting to do for years. I’ve been a huge fashion magazine and book collector for decades. I like figurative art a lot. Vintage African album covers are true gems. There are countless photographers that I admire , from Steven Meisel to Terry Richardson, through Helmut Newton, DIane Arbus, Robert Mapplethorpe, Bruce Weber, and Jamel Shabbaz. I also like the great portraitists Seydou Keita and Malick Sidibé. And I follow a lot of great young photographers, like Clifford Price King, Kader Diaby, Nuits Balnéaires, Lakin Ogunbanwo, Stephen Tayo. Kyle Weeks, or Karla Hiraldo Voleau.
The “La Balance” editorial project was done over a year. I had wanted to shoot a weigh-in story for years. I love those vintage scales, the boxers surrounded by besuited men , the menacing stares the boxers give each other. I like the whole atmosphere. Mike Tyson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom I find absolutely amazing, were also inspirations. I shot the story between Abidjan and Paris. The cast included 18 models, many of whom were being photographed for the first time ever. Some of my very regular models, like Adama and Florian, were also there. It was actually very important that I do it my way, with no deadline pressure. I would submit it when I’d feel it was ready. Then I sent the pictures to Nataal, which immediately liked them and agreed to publish them. The feedback was very positive. And I’m very grateful to all the people who liked and reposted the images.
Which are your favorite photos (include photo) and why?
It’s actually very difficult to pick favorite pictures, since I like them all. They’re part of my story. But I particularly like the Buddy Double story. It was the first time a big publication had posted my work, and I like the fact that the relationship between the two models is slightly ambiguous, although, for some reason, you can tell that they’re just friends. And working with these two models , together at that, is an incredible experience. We shot the story among the skyscrapers of the Beaugrenelle neighbourhood, and seeing them both walk in those Thom Browne suits was unforgettable. They are extraordinary models. Very open-minded and serious. The Maty story for Contributor magazinewas a big moment for me, notably because I worked with three of my closest collaborators, Aurore, Maty, and Edem. Each of them is incredible to work with. It was also a very spontaneous story. Edem and I did the fittings with Maty, but until the last minute, I didn’t exactly know how I would shoot her. We went out on the street and kind of improvised.After that, Edem and Aurore have started working extensively together, and Maty has had a great career. The Bold story in King Kong magazine was also a moment for me, since it was about a childhood memory. I particularly liked shooting the Grey summer story for Btendance, since it was the first time I had shot in my home country. I loved discovering new models there, and also shooting in a different environment.
Do you have interests in other artistic elements? We noticed your appreciation for the film “Moonlight”
Moonlight is one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen. It is subtle, and visually arresting. The mixture of poetry and eroticism is wondrous. The actors in the movie are men I would actually scout. I’ve been a huge fashion magazine and book collector for decades. I like figurative art a lot. Vintage African album covers are true gems. There are countless photographers that I admire , from Steven Meisel to Terry Richardson, through Helmut Newton, DIane Arbus, Robert Mapplethorpe, Bruce Weber, and Jamel Shabbaz. I also like the great portraitists Seydou Keita and Malick Sidibé. And I follow a lot of great young photographers, like Clifford Price King, Kader Diaby, Nuits Balnéaires, Lakin Ogunbanwo, Stephen Tayo. Kyle Weeks, or Karla Hiraldo Voleau.
You’re also a fashion writer, how did that come about and what has been the experience been like?
Languages, with fashion, are my first loves. I love English. I’m originally a fashion writer. Although French is my mother tongue, I’ve always wanted to write about fashion in English. The works of Suzy Menkès and Cathy Horyn have been huge inspirations. I got the opportunities to do many other things (casting, photography,…), and I seized them.
Are there any African creatives you would like to collaborate with?
Yes, of course. I’m actually mulling some projects.
As a contributing artist, what would you like to see more of as far as photography in Africa?
I would like even more photographers to emerge, and maybe the education system and society in general should encourage more and more and more people to take up photography. If they want to, of course.
What advice would you give upcoming artists?
To follow their instincts, and to do it with passion.