Claire Boucher – “c” is the key

Claire Boucher – singer, style icon and visual artist started as a fantasy project. Formerly known as Grimes, now known as “c” (yes, this is the correct spelling), but also as the controversial girlfriend of the billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk, and mother of their first child. A female visionary, a controversy, or a high-fashion sci-fi experiment? Depends on who’s asking…

The full package?

Her music is a soulful electro-dance with frenetic pop sounds. It’s like a mirror of her wardrobe – mix of energy and curiosity. “She could be wearing a designer dress with military boots, and it would look like it fits”, said John Londono, a Montreal-based photographer who has shot lady Boucher and directed one of her videos. Defining her style is a challenge for the brain and soul. Her vibe is unique – “punk rock fairy princess on acid”.

“Fashion can be a really powerful tool, but it’s also a place where you can be totally humiliated and have your power taken from you” – says Boucher. That’s not relevant to this lady. Trendsetters compare her with Björk. In one video she turned into Marie Antoinette, accidentally stopping by a techno party. This is only one point of view. “Fashion is one of the main ways of self-expression, it is your physical essence. To be fashionable is a promise, to be unfashionable is also a promise” – “c” says. She “promised” herself to fashion gurus as Karl Lagerfeld, Hedi Slimane, Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang, Stella McCartney… Claire Boucher has worked together with Hedi Slimane on a capsule collection of illustrated “love poster” (from 70-s T-shirts) for Saint Laurent.

Fashion meets art

Boucher starred in the advertisement for adidas and Stella McCartney collaboration, too. McCartney says that Grimes or “c” is “the perfect embodiment of adidas x Stella McCartney core values”. For Jeremy Scott and adidas, Clear dresses teddy bear – plastered pants and shoes. At one of the Chanel couture shows she appeared in an outfit that was more than curious – a white mini dress, an embroidered vest and massive jewellery – black bezel with rose. Once she was seen at the front row of Vuitton’s show with short leopard Vuitton, double bouffant buns kitted out in crystals. We could see her starring in the charity advertising campaign of Alexander Wang, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of his fashion brand. A few years later, Grimes became the heroine of the unique Rodarte campaign with Kirsten Dunst, Kim Gordon, Miranda Julia and other famous women.

Nowadays Claire Boucher is turning to conceptual art. She is selling drawings, prints, photographs made by her over the last decade in a show “Selling Out”.

What will happen with her music career? “I wanna retire from touring. I wanna do a hologram tour. Why do we keep doing them for dead artists instead of living ones who have stage fright?”
Does she still get stage fright, this far into her career or is this all a stunt? Depends on who’s asking…