Skating through the suburbs of Paris with David Ledoux

Paul Lemaire is the new face that’s got Paris talking. Looking something akin to a spiritual son of Kurt Cobain, the 24-year-old’s grungey look, peroxide blonde hair and heavily inked skin have already caught the attention of Hedi Slimane who photographed him for Saint Laurent’s AW15 campaign. Since then, he’s been racking up editorial work while keeping up with his various pastimes – “taking photographs, playing guitar, writing poems, skateboarding, drinking with my friends.”

Here, Lemaire is photographed by Paris-based David Ledoux, who shot the Parisian skate kids from Larry Clark’s The Smell of Us for us last year. Ledoux says he was drawn to the model’s duality – how he is simultaneously tough and fragile – which he tried to capture in these photographs and accompanying ‘animated images’ (see below). “I try to let people be themselves in my photos, and not direct them too much,” he says, explaining his approach to portraiture, “I don’t want to feel myself in the image.” 

@davidledoux8x | @paul.lemaire

Models Paul Lemaire @ Rock Men, Lea Rostain @ WM