Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/48690
A limited edition "Ballerina" silk scarf M/M (Paris) designed in 2010 in collaboration with Kanye West and George Condo; at right, the "Tree of Signs" sculpture, 2008, designed in collaboration with Gabríela Friðriksdóttir and Björk. "I'm obsessed with the idea of an orchestra," says Augustyniak. "I need different shapes, scales, elements, so that it has the sound of a symphony, you know?" This symphony includes graphic design surrounding actual music— M/M (Paris) did the design, drawing, and live photography for Bjork's most recent album and mobile app, "Biophilia"—and much more. M/M (Paris)'s work is layered, as in the T-shirts the duo designed for Prada, each contain- ing letters from an alphabet designed for the firm. Every letter was a baroque, complex world of twisted objects and references that invited the intense, teasing focus required by poetry. Last fall the partnership paired with artist George Condo to produce the cover art for Kanye West's "My Beautiful Twisted Fantasy" album; this past spring they released silk scarves 92 CULTURED with Condo's images surrounded by hand-drawn ornamental frames and let- tering designed by M/M (Paris). And for invitations to Givenchy's spring/sum- mer runway show, M/M (Paris) put the show details on an envelope 'ticket' that held an ethereal artwork that interpreted Riccardo Tisci's main inspira- tion for the show. It was far from the first time that M/M (Paris) had worked with either Bjork or Tisci; the duo is known for the particularly long working relationships they have with clients that also include Hans Ulrich Obrist, Pierre Huyghe and Phillipe Parreno. Augustyniak views these relationships as ongoing conversations; after all, he says, "What's at the center of human activity is the conversation." If M/M (Paris) is any indication, idealism is far from a lost virtue among today's top French designers.