Daphne Guinness

The Honourable Daphne Guinness
Born	Daphne Diana Joan Susanna Guinness (1967-11-09) 9 November 1967 Hampstead, London, England
Spouse	Spyros Niarchos ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1999)​
Partner	Bernard-Henri Lévy
Children	Nicolas Niarchos Alexis "Lex" Niarchos Ines Niarchos
Modelling information
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Hair colour	Brown and platinum blonde
Eye colour	Brown

Daphne Diana Joan Susanna Guinness (born 9 November 1967) is an English artist, musician, and poet.

Early life

Her father is Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne, the eldest son of Diana Mitford and Bryan Guinness. Diana Mitford was the daughter of David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale, the father of the Mitford sisters. Mitford divorced Guinness and married the leader of the British Union of Fascists, Sir Oswald Mosley, 6th Baronet of Ancoats. Daphne Guinness has said she did not know of Mosley's political affiliations, before she heard in 1980 on the BBC News that he had died.

As a child, she grew up in the country houses owned by her family in England and Ireland.

Fashion & Beauty

• Daphne Guinness has worked with Karl Lagerfeld, NARS, MAC, Akris, Gareth Pugh, Christian Louboutin, Philip Treacy, and The Blonds NY, collaborating with them artistically, as a model or both.
• She was a friend of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow.
• Guinness designs fashion, jewellery, and perfume. In 2007 she released a line of tailored shirts and in 2008 she launched her eponymous perfume in collaboration with Comme de Garcons and sold through London’s Dover Street Market. Her perfume DAPHNE was re-released in 2021 due to popular demand.
• Since 1994, Guinness has been on the International Best Dressed List. In 2010, she was named in Tatler's top 10 best-dressed list.
• In 2009 Guinness worked with long time friend David LaChapelle to launch the Zeppelin campaign for luxury car brand Maybach.
• In 2009, Guinness appeared in the NARS 15x15 Book, photographed by Francois Nars, London Magazine, Telegraph Magazine, Fanfair, Ponystep, S Moda, Time Out London, MYKRO, SUITED, 1883 Magazine.
• Guinness has written articles for a variety of magazine publications in the US and U.K including British & US Vogue, Vanity Fair, FT, Glamour, Harpers Bazaar, The Times, The Telegraph.
• Guinness has contributed forwards and essays for books including Dressed To Kill: Jazz Age Fashion by Virginia Bates (Rizzoli, 2012). Alexander McQueen: Fashion Visionary by Judith Watt (Harper Collins, 2012) and Art / Fashion in the 21st Century by Mitchell Oakley Smith (Thames & Hudson, 2013.)
• In 2020 Guinness worked again with long time friend and collaborator David La Chapelle to shoot his calendar Earth CelebrAtion made for Turin-based coffee empire Lavazza. The project was produced to combat climate change.

Charity work

• In 2010, Daphne purchased her late friend Isabella Blow’s clothing collection through Christies. The sale preserved the historical archive.
• In 2011, Guinness co-curated the exhibition ‘Daphne Guinness’ at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. It featured 100 garments and accessories from Guinness’ own collection, including designs from Alexander McQueen, Azzedine Alaia, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, John Galliano for Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, and Valentino. Guinness’ own designs were also on display. The exhibition was curated by Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at FIT. After lending clothes and accessories, Guinness styled each mannequin. A book, (Daphne Guinness) co-written by Steele and Guinness, was released in tandem with the show. The exhibition ran from September 16, 2011 - January 7, 2012.
• In 2012, Guinness auctioned 100 items from her personal wardrobe, the proceeds of which she used to establish The Isabella Blow Foundation. During it’s nine-year tenure, the charity raised funds for mental health initiatives and provided annual scholarships for aspiring designers at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design. Since concluding the charity in 2021, Guinness has launched and funded two additional annual scholarships at Central Saint Martins.
• The duration of these scholarships are ongoing.
• In 2013, The Isabella Blow Foundation announced its first exhibition: Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore. It took place in London, featuring archives from the Isabella Blow Collection in collaboration with Somerset House and Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design.
• In 2014, The Isabella Blow Foundation presented its first international exhibition: Fashion Blows, at Hudson’s Bay, Toronto. The fundraising event and exhibit celebrated Blow’s life, wardrobe and legacy.
• In 2016, The Isabella Blow Foundation announced the opening of Isabella Blow: A Fashionable Life It opened at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum on 14th May and ran until 28th August 2016.
• In 2018, the Bratislava City Gallery in cooperation with Pavleye Art and Culture and MILOSH Limited, presented an original exhibition on Daphne Guinness. The Queen of the Night focused on Guinness’ patronage of fashion and the arts. It ran from April 26 to September 9th in Bratislava City Gallery.

Film & Commercial

• In 2006 Guinness produced and stared in the feature length film Cashback directed by Sean Ellis. The film was Oscar nominated. In 2008 Guinness directed her own short film: Phenomenology of Body. This was followed in 2009 by Milking Mayfair.
• In 2013 Guinness worked again with Nick Knight to make another art short released by SHOWstudio. Sonomorphic Mirror was produced in conjunction with Geoffery Lillemon, Salvador Breed and fashion designer Iris Van Herpen, who created the perspex ‘splash’ dress made from the film’s footage. In November 2013 Nick Knight interviewed Guinness for SHOWstudio. In their conversation she recalled her friend Isabella Blow and explained her decision to purchase her clothing collection.
• In July 2014 Guinness worked with Joseph Lally on the first episode for his Rolling Beauty series for SHOWstudio, exploring fashion’s objectification of beauty and celebrity.
• In August 2015 Guinness was filmed by Nick Knight for his short film Floating World for which she wore vertiginous shoes crafted live in the studio by Japanese shoe designer Noritaka Tatehana.
• In September 2015 Guinness worked with Nick Knight for his fashion film inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest: Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here.
• In 2017, Guinness appeared in the MaCallan Whiskey campaign shot by Steven Klein.

Inspirations

• Guinness has been cited as inspiration for the fictional character Moira Rose from award winning Canadian television sitcom Schitt’s Creek.
• She has been referenced as inspiration for Emma Stone’s portrayal of Cruella Deville in Disney’s 2020 feature film Cruella.
• Pop star Lady Gaga has cited Guinness as an influence on her personal style, which she discusses in their 2016 V Magazine shoot (time stamp 2:25)
• In 2009 Guinness was featured in Kid Cudi’s music video Pursuit of Happiness.
• In 2010 Guinness was featured in Wise Blood’s muscis video B.I.G. E.G.O.

Producer

Guinness has produced and edited three short films:

• Cashback, short film nominated for an Academy Award in 2004, was later made into a feature-length version. Guinness produced this film for the photographer Sean Ellis.

Acting

In 2011, Guinness starred in Joe Lally's film, "The Murder of Jean Seberg".

At the end of 2011, photographers Markus Klinko and Indrani, Guinness, and stylist GK Reid produced "The Legend of Lady White Snake", a film based on an ancient Chinese legend, where Guinness played the central role of Lady White Snake. Bernard-Henri Lévy wrote her dialogue for the film.

In 2012, Guinness starred in Shakki, a short sci-fi fiction directed by Julien Landais.

Music

Daphne Guinness has written, recorded and performed music since 2013. In 2012 David Bowie heard a sample of her work and introduced Guinness to his long-time producer Tony Visconti. Visconti has produced all three of Guinness’ subsequent albums. Notable articles on their collaborative sound include articles by music journalist Will Hodkinson for The Times and appear in Louder Than War Magazine and Billboard Magazine.

• In 2013, Guinness released her first music video, entitled Fatal Flaw, directed by photographer / film maker Nick Knight.
• In 2014, David Barron directed a documentary about Guinness, filmed in her Irish home. Daphne Guinness, The Last Leveller focuses on her musical work and influences.
• In 2014 she released her second music video: Evening In Space, directed by visual artist David LaChaplle. Optimist In Black (2016)
• Guinness’ debut album, Optimist In Black was released on May 27^th, 2016 through private label Agent Anonyme/Absolute. The self-published album was recorded between Westmeath, Ireland and New York City, and produced by American record producer, Tony Visconti. Guinness describes Optimist in Black as “deeply personal.” “I did not aim to be, and I won’t be, a rock ’n’ roll star…it’s about the music.” (Vogue)
• The lead single, Fatal Flaw, was originally released with a music video by Nick Knight in 2014. The next single, Evening in Space, was subsequently released with an accompanying music video directed by David LaChapelle, featured custom clothing by many of Guinness' favorite houses, including Iris van Herpen and Noritaka Tatehana.
• In 2016, Guinness released more music videos, including The Long Now directed Luca Pizzaroni, Marionettes directed by The Fashtons, Magic Tea directed by Christel Frankenstein, and Old School directed by Jamie Kendall.

Daphne & The Golden Chord (2018)

• On April 20^th 2018 Daphne Guinness released her second album: Daphne & The Golden Chord, produced by Tony Visconti. The album was released independently through Agent Anonyme/Absolute.
• Daphne & The Golden Chord moved Guinness in a more guitar based ‘Glam rock’ direction. (xsnoise) The band featured Malcolm Doherty (Rumer, GoKart Mozart) on guitars, percussion and BV’s: Terry Miles on keyboards (who also plays with indie recluse Lawrence in Go-Kart Mozart); former Thin Lizzy bassist Gary Liedeman; Punk guitar hero James Stevenson (who played in Chelsea, Generation X and the Cult) and the young Italian drummer Alex Marchisone.
• Daphne & The Golden Chord was recorded almost entirely live to analogue tape in a 3 week session at British Grove Studios, using a vintage EMI console - the same model used on Abbey Road, Dark Side Of The Moon and Band On The Run.
• Guinness released seven consecutive music videos in 2018, including Remember to Breathe, directed by The Fashtons, Electric Consciousness, directed by Joe Lally and featuring design duo The Blonds, Talking to Yourself by Luca Pizzaroni, Five Planets by Nick Knight, Riot by The Fashtons, But I’m Not, No No No and Dejavu Guru.

Revelations (2020)

Guinness’ third album, Revelations, was released in March of 2020 with the lead single of the same name premiering two weeks before the global pandemic.

• Recorded at Les Studios Saint Germain in Paris and produced once again by Tony Visctoni, Revelations is an album that blends French disco, lush orchestrations, and tinges of punk rock (Cultured Magazine)
• Daphne has said of the album: "Sometimes it feels like we are living through the Book of Revelations, but here on the album all the outcasts are together, trying to hold on to the light rather than letting in the dark". (1883 Magazine)
• Revelations, an art film collaboration between Guinness and LaChapelle filmed in November 2019 in Los Angeles, was released on March 26, 2020. It was a 3-part video series based on the themes from the book of Revelations (Rolling Stones).
• The video for the single Looking Glass from Revelations, directed by Etienne Gilfillan and James Symonds, was filmed and edited during lockdown. It was released in July of 2020.
• In late 2020, Guinness released a new music video directed by David LaChapelle, to accompany Heaven. Again the track was taken from her well received third album, Revelations.
• The video for the single Looking Glass from Revelations, was filmed and edited during lockdown. It was directed by Etienne Gilfillan and James Symonds and was released in July of 2020.
• In late 2020 Guinness released a new music video directed by David LaChapelle, to accompany Heaven. Again the track was taken from her well received third album, Revelations.        Guinness is currently working on her 4^th album in collaboration with Tony Visconti.

Personal life

In 1987, she married Spyros Niarchos, the second son of Stavros Niarchos, the shipping magnate. The couple had three children. Her $39 million settlement, obtained at the time of her 1999 divorce, was added to her Guinness inheritance.

She lives in London and Manhattan with her three children: Nicolas Stavros Niarchos (born 1989), Alexis "Lex" Spyros Niarchos (born 1991), and Ines Sophia Niarchos (born 1995).

She has been romantically involved with French TV philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy for a number of years. In the February 2011 issue of Harper's Bazaar, Guinness confirmed to journalist Derek Blasberg: "He is obviously the love of my life."

External links

• Daphne Guinness on X