Olivier Zahm

Olivier Zahm
Zahm in Paris (1979)
Born (1963-09-25) 25 September 1963 (age 60)
Paris, France
NationalityFrench
EducationPanthéon-Sorbonne University
Occupation(s)Magazine editor, photographer, art critic, writer, fashion journalist Creator of “la communauté des amants”
Years active1985–present
Known forEditor-in-chief and co-founder of Purple Magazine
Websitepurple.fr

Olivier Zahm (born 25 September 1963) is a French magazine editor, art critic, art director, curator, writer, and photographer[1][2][3] He is the co-founder, owner, and current editor-in-chief of the bi-annual art and fashion magazine Purple.[4] In addition to his innovative print publishing, he is a recognized pioneering cultural influence at the dawn of the electronic era during the Digital Revolution. His early blogs[5] garnered notoriety, and featured highly stylized photographs taken by him, that took his audience on daily tours of his fantasyland populated by the artists, intellectuals, designers, filmmakers, socialites, models and celebrities who regularly appeared in his magazine.[6][7][8] His aesthetic has been described as anti-fashion, counterculture, and unfettered by the constraints of the mainstream publishing world.[9] His online activity served as an early electronic precursor to popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. His magazine remains one of the only independent and privately owned publications of its kind.[10] Created in the beginning of the 1990s – it still remains a major reference for other alternative magazines today.[11][12]

  1. ^ Morgan, Spencer. "Publisher in the Warhol Mold". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. ^ Swanson, Carl. "A French Fashion Editor on the Difference Between Paris, New York, and L.A." The Cut. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Purple Diary". Purple. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Olivier Zahm, dandy à louer". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Purple Diary". Purple. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  6. ^ "The Man and the Brand: Olivier Zahm – Interview Magazine". Interview. 10 March 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  7. ^ "Purple Night". Purple. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  8. ^ "purple reign: #tbt to 2010, when i-D met olivier zahm". I-d. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Olivier Zahm | Semi Permanent". Semi Permanent. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Olivier Zahm: Le Provocateur". PAPER. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Purple's Editor-In-Chief Olivier Zahm accuses Muse Magazine of Shameless Copying!". by Styling Amsterdam. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Olivier Zahm Accuses Muse Magazine of Copying Purple". The Cut. Retrieved 23 September 2018.