In light of this past season’s collaboration with Gerard Malanga, Adam Kimmel’s decision to hire Jim Krantz, who used to shoot for Marlboro (as in the cigarette), is hardly surprising.  Kimmel sent Krantz down to the same Utah ranch he had used to photograph the Marlboro Man ads to shoot artist (and Kimmel regular) Dan Colen along with some local ranch-hands, in what will doubtless be seen, all intentions aside, as a nod to Richard Prince (whose Cowboys series was itself, at least superficially, composed of Marlboro ads without — that is, ‘cropped-off’ — the Marlboro name).  The final product is a highly-stylized affair, to be sure, and in stark contrast to the typically raw and Beat-y and nearly personal look-books shot by Kimmel’s brother Alexei Hay; but I have to admit, with the above as evidence, that it works — quite well actually — and it’s a sure sign as any that Adam Kimmel will continue to be a designer whose collections (and respective lookbooks) are to be anxiously looked-forward to in the seasons that follow.

Jim Krantz’s photographs will be on display at Galerie Yvon Lambert in Paris (108 rue Vieille du Temple) alongside a video display by Meredith Danluck.