Most people don’t understand the sheer amount of work that goes into an interview, much less the amount of work that goes into a good interview. Anyone can ask a subject standard questions, but it takes a special type of person to really turn those questions into a narrative that even those who may have never heard of the subject will want to read.
Well, that’s exactly what makes master storyteller and interviewer, Alain Elkann, so legendary. Haven’t heard of him? Don’t fret, you’ve heard of the people he’s interviewed and have likely read many of his pieces, considering he's been published in just about every major publication and has had a 25-year career that spans over 30 books and 10 languages.
Last week, Alain sat down with iconic designer Diane von Furstenberg and Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait (both of whom he’s interviewed in the past) to debut his book Alain Elkann Interviews, published by Assouline, to a crowd that included luminaries from the worlds of art, fashion, and beyond. Unique to the event, however, is that both DVF and Mr. Micklethwait took the opportunity to turn the tables on Mr. Elkann and put him in the subject's seat.
The book includes interviews with some of the world's most well-known and respected figures (we personally loved the interview with current Raf Simons/Calvin Klein muse Sterling Ruby) so there is, without a shadow of a doubt, the perfect piece for everyone.
[Photos courtesy Assouline]