The Edition

By: Poppy Malby

Lenny Kravitz is Dom Pérignon’s newly appointed creative director. Not only has he shot the brand’s campaign himself – at an elite private party at his self-designed home in the hills of LA – featuring the likes of his supermodel/actress daughter Zoe Kravitz, he has also been responsible for the design of three limited-edition 75cl bottles of Vintage 2008 (£185) and Rosé Vintage 2006 (£325). Featuring hammered gold on the label, there’s also a candelabra case created for the Vintage 2008 magnum which is clad in a texture inspired by snakeskin (£2,750 for 150cl) and an extraordinary table bar that pulls apart to reveal illuminated bottles of Dom Pérignon, glasses and an ice bucket at the centre (£63,000. At clos19.com). Kravitz is now among such names as Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol and Iris van Herpen, who have all worked with Dom Pérignon, but it is his personal touch in the photographic aspect that has enhanced his contribution – including his own signature on the bottle. Kravitz offers me a glass of DP and a slice of vegan pizza, then we begin the quick fire…

Where were you born?

Brooklyn, New York.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

A musician. Always.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

To be authentic, to be yourself and no one else.

And the worst?

People that try to make you do what other people do, to chase a certain thing, to have success or say, “This is what’s happening now so do that.” Just be yourself.

Who’s the one person dead or alive that you’d like to have dinner with? And why?

Wow. My mother, to have one more anything with her.

Where’s your favourite place on the planet?

The Bahamas. It’s where my mum and my grandmother are from. I live between there and Paris.

What’s on your phone screensaver?

My dad.

What’s currently on your playlist?

I mean, a lot of stuff! Well, my favourite song – my god – that I’ve been listening to is a song by T-Rex called “Planet Queen”.

What are the last three things that you googled?

Oh, I have no idea. I haven’t googled in some days so I don’t know.

What gives you inspiration?

Life.

What does being the creative director of Dom Pérignon involve?

It involves photography. I shot the campaign. Design. I designed the bottle and the box it comes in that turns into a candle holder. There’s film involved. There’s music involved. So creativity. The things that I love doing.

What’s your favourite art gallery in the world and why?

My favourite art gallery? Hmmm, my favourite gallery right now is not an “art gallery”, but a shop in LA called Church. It’s a boutique that sells everything from paintings to jewellery to clothes to accessories. That’s my favourite shop.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why? Someone you haven’t collaborated with before?

Stevie Wonder. We’ve played together. We’ve jammed together, but we’ve never written a song together.

What was it like working with Michael Jackson?

Amazing. He was Michael Jackson for a reason. Incredible. The talent is just beyond.

If you had unlimited Dom Pérignon, how would you celebrate?

When there’s a moment that you feel could be elevated by it. But choose your moments.

If you could visit any artist’s studio, who’s would it be and why?

Got to be Basquiat.

I think mine would be Andy Warhol, to see if he really was as wacko as everyone says. What was the last thing you bought?

The last thing I bought… What was the last thing I bought? Oh! I just bought two chairs in Paris. Vintage.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing you own?

I’ve got these vintage Yves Saint Laurent jeans that are like my favourite jeans. I live in them.

What’s hanging on your walls at home?

Photography by different photographers that I love. Art, I got some Warhols, Basquiat and a bunch of other artists but seeing as we just mentioned those…

What Warhol pieces have you got?

I had four “Muhammed Ali”s and I got a “Mick Jagger” that’s beautiful.

What’s one staple item you think all men should own as a man?

I’m not good at what people “should” have: everybody can have what they want. But I couldn’t live without my jeans.

Who or what is your favourite fictional character?

Fictional? Wow. Oh, when I was a kid… I’ll go back to when I was a kid because I don’t think about that now. It was Batman.

That’s probably the New York in you.

But the “old” Batman. The Sixties one that was on TV. More of a comedy actually.

So what’s next for Lenny Kravitz?

My next big project… an album and a film that go together. A film and a soundtrack.

Based in Paris?

Actually it was! It may get moved to the States, but I’m not sure yet. It was originally set in Paris. How did you know that?

Just wondering because you seem to love Paris, understandably. Well that’s it, cheers Lenny!

You’re welcome. Great outift! [Lenny was in white snakeskin cowboy boots and mine in pale pink.]