[10-09-2020] Elle France interview

[Aragorn97]

Here is the interview.

And for future reference:
The interview took place in occasion of her new collaboration with KVD Vegan Beauty, a make-up brand. She talked about the partnership, but also about herself: how she considers her body, her tattoos and generally how you should accept and be yourself.

Elle. You signed a collaboration with KVD Vegan Beauty which takes the name of your hit "Lolita for life", why have you accepted?

Alizee. I agreed for several reasons. The very first is because KVD Vegan Beauty is a brand that I knew and liked, especially for what it represents. Then, it's really a real nod to my song and I found it nice for the 20 years of "Moi... Lolita" to collaborate with the brand. It's a great way to celebrate this anniversary.

Elle. How did the meeting with the brand go?

Alizee. It was the brand that contacted my agent. When I was told about this partnership I was really excited right away. I am offered a lot of collaborations but you have to be careful not to do anything and everything. There, I was seduced.

Elle. What is your favourite product from KVD Vegan Beauty's Lolita collection?

Alizee. The palette is really nice. I, in everyday life, do very little make-up because I either don't have time or I give dance classes. I prefer a pretty natural look. But of course, when I do dance shows I need a little more makeup so I can use the palette. I also make up a lot of our students with Grégoire when we do the French championships or competitions, I always have makeup with me. With this palette, I can create a little different looks and play on the shades.

Elle. What does Alizée's beauty routine look like in the morning?

Alizee. In the morning, the first thing I do is to pass the micellar water on my face. It's the only thing that makes me not have too oily skin. I also moisturize my skin a lot. I always had very dry skin, even when I was small, so my mother advised me to put moisturizer. Otherwise, in the winter I put a foundation a little more covering that is still light. In the summer, I don't wear it at all, I'm tanned so I just put on a veil of sun powder. Then the essential things, even when I don't have time, are blush and mascara. Mascara is really the makeup I've been using since I was 13, I think. I tried it in all brands, with all the different brushes ... KVD Vegan Beauty's "Go Big or Go Home" is one of the best mascaras. It's really cool because there's no need to pass it several times and it makes volume as I like. And then in the KVD Vegan Beauty there is no beeswax, since it is a vegan brand. It's still crazy, we're not really aware of what's in the other products.

Elle. Your image and look have always been an important part of ''the character of Alizée''. From a young woman mutineer to a tattooed dancer, is it important for you to be able to assert her personality through beauty?

Alizee. It's true that in our society today, it's complicated to be able to differentiate our look. When I was young, I bought magazines and collected advertising campaigns for major perfume brands. I remember Karen Mulder, who was my idol when I was in elementary school, she was doing the Céline campaign and I was cutting out the pages, I was doing binders... I used to do that with every magazine. That was my references for hair, for makeup. Today, you have access to anything and everything, so you have to be careful and stay yourself while cultivating your personality. I am the same person as when I was 15 years old and no tattoo. Today I have 36 and lots of tattoos. It's just the evolution of my personality. What I wanted to do at times in relation to makeup, in relation to hair, compared to fashion it was in tune with myself. You have to stay true to yourself, evolving with your time, of course.

Elle. What's your favorite tattoo?

Alizee. It is true that I have quite a few, to choose only one would be complicated. I really like a drawing made by a friend, a blogger who makes manga, called Tokyobanhbao. I had contacted her without saying who I was, it was at the time of MySpace. I sent her a picture of my daughter, she was 3 years old, with her softie, her dress, her shoes... And she had drawn it for me and then I got it tattooed. I think it's still one of my favorites because for now it's really very personal.

Elle. You are a mother of two young girls, what precepts of beauty and self-acceptance do you teach them?

Alizee. Well the little one she's 10 months old, so for now it's going to be complicated [laughs]. But the tall one who is 15 years old (Annily, ed.), I push her to be well in her skin. After... as a teenager, it's complicated. You have to deal with the things you love at home but also with things you don't like. To build your confidence, you can showcase your strengths. But the most important thing is to remain yourself because others are already taken. You don't have to go too fast too, because she's 15 and a half and there's a lot she'd like to do or put on, but she'll have plenty of time to do that. Everything in its time. Because there's no point in burning the steps, whether it's in makeup, fashion, etc.

Elle. We know your commitment to the animal cause, why is it necessary today for cosmetic brands to become raw-free and vegan?

Alizee. When I was a teenager, I wasn't aware of that at all. We talked less about it, we didn't realize all this: products tested on animals, fur etc. Now we know, especially thanks to the internet, we have access to all the information, we are aware of the mistreatment of animals... If you can avoid participating, it's better. I am also one of the people who are followed on social networks, so if out of the 700,000 people there are 10,000 who do not use products tested on animals or containing animal traces, that is good enough. It is by setting an example that we are moving forward. That's always been the case. When I started singing, the first thing Mylene said to me was, "Compared to what you're going to say, what you're going to do, there will be plenty of people who want to do what you do. So try to be careful, not to say nonsense, because you will be the example for many people." And now with social media it's going on. I'm not saying it's going to change the world, but little by little it can make things happen. And most importantly, if KVD Vegan Beauty does, other brands can do it too.

Elle. You have decided to embark on a new adventure since 2017 with your husband Grégoire Lyonnet: that of dance. How can dance help you love your body and accept your identity?

Alizee. Before doing "Dancing with the Stars," I wasn't more comfortable with my body than that. When I was 15 years old yes, but after we take years, I had a baby, I had kilos coming, going away... I didn't necessarily have the body of my 15 years. And the fact that I danced, having Grégoire as a partner during the show, helped me a lot. Just because you're not thin doesn't mean you don't have a beautiful body. But it's hard to grasp when you're young. I feel that the older you get, the more you realize that finally it's better to be good in your body. Dance is a way to let go. You feel good when you dance, it allows you to forget. I don't know if it's the music, I don't really have an explanation for that... After that, it could be in a whole different area too. Me, it's dance but it can very well be karate! You just have to do something you love and let go.

Elle. Who are your beauty icons?

Alizee. For me, the number one icon is Natalie Portman. I've always loved her, whether in her films or her perfume campaigns... It is a natural beauty, whether it is very make-up or on the contrary without makeup. I think a lot of people agree on that.

Elle. What about Mylene Farmer?

Alizee. Ha Mylene Farmer, it seems obvious! [laughs] There is not even a debate.

Elle. Twenty years already! Yet "Moi... Lolita" didn't take a wrinkle and propelled you to the status of icon. How do you explain this almost untouched craze for song?

Alizee. It is difficult to have an explanation. Because if we had an explanation, it means that we would have the recipe for success and apply it for everything we do. So I don't have an explanation. I think it's a mixture of things: a melody, lyrics, a meeting between three people (Alizée, Mylène Farmer and her producer Laurent Boutonnat). It's the magic of the moment, actually. It was also a few years ago, at a time when there was room for that as well. Today, my daughter listens to songs, and a fortnight later, she tells me that they are outdated... It's a little old to say that, but twenty years ago we released a song, we had the place and the possibility to install something. Today, it seems more complicated. But I think if it came out today, it would walk just as much because it is timeless this song.

Elle. Can you be a feminist and one lolita at a time?

Alizee. "Moi... Lolita" was like a film role. I think so. You can play roles, and be someone else on the outside. As long as you stay true to yourself. You can be a lolita at 15 and a feminist at 30. There is no rule, life is made up of encounters and moments, we change our minds, we come back on opinions... So I think so, it's possible.

Elle. Your fans are still very numerous and dream of knowing only one thing: can we expect a return of Alizée to the studio soon?

Alizee. So, soon no! [Laughs] Finally, this is not expected in the near future. I have no prediction about my future in the song. In fact, it is not the desire that's gone, but what I was doing 20 years ago, it would seem so complicated to do it now. It kicks me less to do this because suddenly I found a direction that I really like very much, it's dance, it's teaching, it's also enjoying my family... If I had continued, could I have had the family life I have now? I don't know, it was hard to reconcile the two, even if I tried. I don't want to make a choice so for now I continue what I do and if the opportunity arises at a time when I feel ready, then I will. I've always done things when it happened, as a favorite. I'm not saying it's closed and I'll never sing again! Never say never, I leave time to time.