ALEXA NDRA RICHA RDS. Social Life, vol. VI issue 1

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1 30 ALEXA NDRA RICHA RDS photographed in montauk by a lexis d ahan, styled by m addy s impson, hair by g uy- l aurent, make- up by s ara g lick. full credits p.42

2 33 Jacket by A ndy & d ebb, gloves by L A Cr A sia, ear rings by e ric son beamon. ALEXANDRA RICHARDS by Devorah Rose Near the Montauk lighthouse, the starlet sits in her movie trailer, looking straight into yet somehow beyond the florescent-lit mirror: honeyed tendrils bobby-pinned, fresh face powered to perfection, right hand gently held by the make-up artist who is polishing her nails. A dressing room has been set up and an array of vintage gloves carefully wait next to monochrome silk chiffon scarves, glittering vintage baubles, neat pebble-sized pearls, and a selection of waist-hugging full skirts, ladylike sweater sets, and understated evening dresses that seem almost hand selected by Edith Head herself. This pre-set feels so pitch perfect that I half expect Frank Sinatra to poke his head in and smile at Grace Kelly. But today s princess is another kind of royalty, she is a true celebrity blue blood. The daughter of legendary rockstar Keith Richards and uber model Patti Henson, Alexandra Richards seems poised to live a life at the forefront, full of flashing lights and notable soirees. Yet Alexandra is unstirred by these things; rather than fuss over events, she spins at fetes as well as city hotspots, works on her art, models, and spends the little time off she has with those close to her. The makeup artist blows on her nails. The hairstylist begins to take out the bobby pins. The first look, a pristine white halter coupled with a cinched high-waisted full skirt conveys a wholesome beauty. Outside, a clean cerulean sky helps create the image of a perfect Hamptons day but the problem is it s just not that. The cold air is peaked by sweeping winds off the nearby shore. Alexandra doesn t complain. In kitten heels, she walks over to the classic 1957 Mercedes roadster gleaming near the lighthouse. After the hairstylist does the mandatory onceover, Alexandra looks brightly into the photographer s lens. There are six hours of sand, sea, and on-the-road shots. Afterwards, Alexandra, her hair now down in more of a Veronica Lake undulating mane, has changed back into sneakers, ripped jeans, and a shirt that reads: Who The Fuck Is Mick Jagger? Earlier, when she stopped by a deli to pick up coffee, the cashier had vehemently defended Mick by letting Alexandra know that, Mick Jagger is a customer here. A wonderful customer. The woman didn t get it. And that s the thing about Alexandra, whose friends refer to her as Alex. Unless you take the time to get to know her, it s hard to grasp how centered and unassuming she truly is. Thankfully, I had the chance to sit down with her and probe.

3 34 You ve been described as a model, painter, and DJ what do you identify with most? Art has always been my first passion, my music is a huge source of inspiration for me, and the modeling allows me to travel see new places and meet new people. It s nice to have a lot of things going on at once. I don t like to sit still. It doesn t get boring so I can t complain. How do you define inspiration? It s everywhere really. You can find it in anyone or anything. It just depends on how it makes me feel. I like to take a lot of photos and that helps me record and get ideas for new projects. What role does music play in your life? It s a huge part of my life. What are your earliest memories of music perhaps a specific childhood story? Music has always been in the house, being played morning, noon and night so I don t really have a very first memory of music. But I do recall reggae being a big factor in my life, when my family and I used to live down in Jamaica when I was younger. Who are your biggest musical influences? Etta James, Billie Holiday, Slash from Guns N Roses, Lee Scratch Perry, The Kinks, Pete Doherty, Papa ( The Rolling Stones ), Steel Pulse, Gregory Isaacs, Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, The Ramones, Velvet Underground, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Robert Johnson, Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Kate Bush, Crystal Castles, Althea and Donna, Peter Tosh, Nina Simone, Seu Jorge, Jimi Hendrix, The Clash, Warren Zevon, Prince, Danzig, Sam Cooke, Brenton Wood, Marvin Gaye, Nancy Sinatra, and Al Green. It s nice to have a lot of things going on at once. I don t like to sit still. With back-to-back DJ gigs almost every night of the week how to you do it without getting burned out? Do you ever get time to relax? I try to keep a balance in my life it s hard to juggle but I make room. I find relaxing with my friends and family is the key to a stress-free mind and a long hot bath. Does music play a part in your artwork? Yes, I just had my first art show at the Mina gallery in New York City. All the works are large scale painted portraits of my favorite musicians. From Nina Simone to Jimi Hendrix. How would you describe your art and what inspires you? I like painting and drawing portraits. I find it challenging and that s why I like to do it. I guess my artwork speaks for itself. I just started working with other materials, like clay and sand, besides acrylic, which is what I usually use. Evolving as an artist is very important, or at least it is for me. I love looking back on some of my older work, Dress by y igal AzroueL, Scarf: vintage Nina Ricci from a selection at W h A t goes A round C omes A round, New York

4 36 37 Wow, what was I thinking? or just, Mmm, that could be a good idea. You travel a lot. Where do the Hamptons rank on your list of places to go? I love to move around but summertime in the Hamptons is always lovely. Just a nice quick trip out of the city is always nice. Connecticut is more of a home and calls to me for a weekend summer getaway as well, so I guess they are tied! What is your average day like in the Hamptons? I only visit every so often, so it mostly consists of sitting on the beach and fun BBQ s. The idea of a rockstar marrying a top model has become as iconic in the popular consciousness as the story of Cinderella. Growing up, were you aware that your mother was a top model and your father a rockstar? No, I was never really conscious of who they were to the world. I grew up knowing them as mom and dad. No rockstar boytoys in my life at the moment. Are there any rockstars in your life at the moment or do you stay away from the quintessential bad boys? Haha thanks, that s too funny. No rockstar boy-toys in my life at the moment. What do you look for in guy? Smart, driven boys who respect their mamas. Do you feel that celebrity plays a role in your life? Not at all, not even close. I cherish my privacy with family and friends. I like to take a lot of photos and that helps me record and get ideas for new projects. What are your thoughts on celebrity culture? Andy Warhol was right - everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame now. It s not a concept I really understand or really want for myself. I would just hope to get to do what I love and, if people like it, that s great. By this point, you must have a method of dealing with hangers-on. What do you do when you realize someone isn t genuine? Still practicing politeness, it s always been key in my life. I try to look for the best in people but if their intentions are not good, I simply walk away. Where do you see yourself in ten years? I hate this question. Top and skirt by t A da shi shoji. Bracelet by e ric kson beamon, Sunglasses by k subi. Earrings by L Auren ralph LAuren. Alexandra s own ballerinas Well, are there any projects that you are working on now that we can look forward to seeing in the near future? I just had my first show, so for now I m just keeping it easy with modeling and DJing. I m working and playing around with a few projects, hopefully done by summer. So keep an eye out and you will see!

5 38 Dress by Monique Lhuillier Photographed by Alexis Dahan, styled by Maddy Simpson assisted by Tre Knight, hair by Guy- Laurent at Warren Tricomi, make-up by Sara Glick for Bare Escentuals at ar tmixbeauty.com. Alexandra was driving a 1957 Mercedes 300SL Roadster thanks to American Concours Foundation and Xavier Maignan. Also thanks to Derek at Wilhelmina, Mark at MohoVip, and LTI New York