Not many have had such a big impact as Hedi Slimane in more than one creative discipline. He was considered the most influential menswear designer when working at Dior Homme and since leaving the brand, has build an impressive career as a photographer, being featured in every single reputable magazine that is out there.

This week Hedi Slimane opened his first West Coast solo exhibition – California Song at MoCA Los Angeles.

“This exhibition is dedicated to Slimane’s California period, which began with the Frenchman’s visit in 2007. The black-and-whites are heavy on contrast, and oily, saturated blacks that absorb as much light from the environment as possible. The subjects are seemingly dispassionate and frozen in ordinary moments, exuding visceral and honest presentations of their humanity. Some of the personalities documented include Ariel Pink, Beck, Ruscha, Gore Vidal, Sky Ferreira, and one of my favorite series of his to-date is that of Frances Bean Cobain.

A big part of the experience is the sound of No Age. Dean Spunt and Randy Randall have fast become the darlings of the local music cool crowd and professed ambient sounds live in the space as observers looked on.”

Photography: The Hundreds

Take a further look at Hedi Slimane’s ‘California Song’ exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, which runs until January 22nd, 2012, after the jump.

The much anticipated Garage Magazine will release its first issue for Fall/Winter 2011. Named after the art space that founder Dasha Zhukova opened in 2008 in Moscow, nobody really knows what to expect from the fashion/art magazine, yet expectations are certainly high. The art director of German 032c magazine is also the new art director of Garage magazine and the three covers for the first issue, only hint at the high profile talent that the magazine managed to bring together for its first issue.

Artist Dinos Chapman worked with photographer Nick Knight, Hedi Slimane photographed a naked model (Shauna Taylor) having a Damien Hirst butterfly tattoo on her crotch, which is covered by a removable Damien Hirst butterfly sticker on the cover. And last but not least Richard Prince also created an artwork for the a third cover. A launch of the magazine is expected during New York Fashion Week 2011, early September.

Check out all three covers after the jump.

Hedi Slimane pays tribute to the late UK singer Amy Winehouse, who passed away last week at age 27. Known for her drug abuse for many years, the world has lost a great artist once again much too early. With a series of black and white photos, photographer Hedi Slimane gives us a beautiful last look at the singer.

Hedi Slimane photographed Anja Rubik for the latest issue of V Magazine, the Transformation issue. Styled by Melanie Ward, Anja wears a series of glam rock looks from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent and Isabel Marant. The outcome in stunning, and as you can see above, Hedi even shot a few photos in color.. something rarely seen from the designer turned photographer.

More images follow after the click.

Selectism has another look at the forthcoming Hedi Slimane coffee table book set, Anthology of a Decade. As they mentioned earlier, “As Hedi Slimane: Anthology of a Decade reveals, Slimane’s photographs, which traverse the music scene, the New York art scene, street fashion and haute couture, are as fresh as his groundbreaking work in fashion. Drawing on photographs taken throughout the past decade, this volume records Slimane’s early years in the fashion industry, before, during and after his tenures at Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior.” The four volume anthology arrives July 31, 2011.

Available from Amazon.

For the new Man About Town Issue 8 Spring/Summer 2011, Hedi Slimane shot model Agyness Deyn. The black and white shoot is in a sense masculine, yet very sexy and that is exactly what we like about it. The look is 100% Hedi Slimane and very similar to what we are used to see from the fashion designer turned photographer.

Check out the entire spread after the jump.

A beautiful editorial comes in the new V Magazine Issue 70. Entitled “Gisele Unzipped”, super model Gisele Bundchen was photographed by Hedi Slimane for the magazine. Of course the designer turned photographer shot everything in black/white, just like we are used to see from him. Not only the pictures turned out beautiful, but we also like a lot the styling.

Check out the entire spread after the jump.

After recently releasing the impressive 4-cover Claudia Schiffer issue, shot by Karl Lagerfeld, the new Stern FOTOGRAFIE Portfolio No. 62 showcases the works of Hedi Slimane, bringing an impressive overview of the works of the fashion designer turned photographer to the table.

“Known for his original vision, Hedi Slimane brings a simple, spare grace to the worlds of photography and fashion. Alternating melancholy and hope, Slimane’s images are composed with great precision. The classical lighting and compositions are paired with dark, intriguing narratives. Influenced by many genres, Slimane’s vision is fresh and tinged by a romantic sensibility. As with his work as creative director at Dior Homme, his masterly photographs are superbly crafted and sublime.

Slimane finds inspiration in the diverse realms of pop culture, nature, history—and the human form. This varied collection is sure to inspire. His subjects include Pete Doherty, Kate Moss and Lady Gaga—to mention a few.”

The issue will soon be released via teNeues.

Via Artschoolvets.

Today we can show you the full film, I Love USA, that Hedi Slimane created for TheCorner.com. Enjoy!

Designer/photographer Hedi Slimane turns his camera lens towards the iconic Rolls Royce, while Beck records the car engine for Dazed Digital.

“He might have been far too young to drive one, but Hedi Slimane’s obsession with the affluent car make Rolls Royce started when the photographer was only six years old. Sketching the car over and over in his note pad, little did young Slimane know that the car epitomises everything he would later on in life be known for, both as a fashion designer and as a photographer; pure luxury, explicit shapes and superior quality. Whether documenting London’s rock scene for a photo book, or rewriting the the rules of menswear as Creative Director of Dior Homme, Slimane has always brought those exact qualities to his work. Add to that his adolescent Rolls Royce fascination – which resulted in the purchase of two ‘Triple Black’ RR models – and the photographic collaboration between the two was just a question of time. Here, and on Nowness, we bring you the evidence of Hedi Slimane’s life long love affair with Rolls Royce. His attention to detail and way of transforming ordinary car details into objects of desire is not only a testament to his skills as a photographer, but also shows that it is difficult to make a Rolls Royce car look bad…”

Click here to hear Beck’s Rolls Royce engine recording. More photos follow.