Originally posted by Fashion Wire Daily NY August 12@ 2003
Visionaire Minds the Gap
By Karin Nelson
Contrary to the general consensus that Madonna had lost her avant-garde edge in modeling for the Gap, it now appears the old gal is -- as she always has been -- several steps ahead of the pack stylistically. And the proof is in the latest edition of Visionaire, the semi-holy publication for the art and fashion crowd, which arrives in boutiques and bookstores next month enclosed in an orange corduroy Gap bag.
"I think the Gap is totally cool," coos Visionaire co-founder and creative director Cecilia Dean. "And I think the marriage between us and them is great. The fact that people view us as such opposites is what makes it even more intriguing."
Yet, with regards to the 41st edition of the book, a global exploration entitled "WORLD," Dean argues that the two really aren't that dissimilar. "The message of the Gap -- that's it's broad, open, democratic -- fits perfectly with what we're doing."
After several limited artist/view editions of Visionaire (the last issue was an exploration of roses by photographer David Sims), the folks behind the publication decided it was time to think a little more broadly. "There was just a general desire to reach out to the rest of the world," tells Dean.
Visionaire 41 WORLD began as an inter-office chain email, asking the staff -- which included several international interns -- to email images of what life was like in their respective parts of the world. Four months later, and a mailbox full of nearly 3,000 photos from across the globe, the whittled down result is a 200-page tome replete with images from 120 cities and 53 countries from over 150 contributors, including a 15-year-old from upstate New York. Joining the pack are artists from Ecuador and Norway, and such famous names as Mario Sorrenti, Craig McDean, Sam Taylor-Wood, Jenny Holzer, Raf Simons, Hedi Slimane, David Byrne, and Baz Luhrmann.
"The best part about the project was that we met a ton of young, talented artists who we intend to stay in touch with," adds Dean.
The next step was a request to Gap accessories designer Emma Hill to create the perfect, exclusively designed package for the publication. "It's going to be really weird, though, when people walk into Rizzoli and wonder what an orange Gap bag is randomly doing in the art book section," muses Dean.
The 4,000 copies of WORLD will retail next month for $175 in Gap flagship stores, Rizzoli bookstores, the MOMA Design store, and Colette in Paris.
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I'm thrilled that it's offered so inexpensive. 
yes indeed.....are there any photos of the children sitting at there power sergers? yikes.
