Maripol

Who is Maripol?

Maripol is an artist, film producer, fashion designer and stylist who has had an influence on the looks of many influential artists, including Grace Jones, Deborah Harry and Madonna. Maripol is also a Polaroid artist photographer who has exhibited her photos in art galleries all over the world. Her photographic work is being collected by museums. In 2006, Maripol had a new book of her life's photography published.

Maripol is best known for designing for and styling pop singer Madonna during the Madonna and Like a Virgin albums in the mid-1980s. Maripol's trademark black rubber bracelets, jewellery and crucifixes became as iconic as Madonna herself in these early years.

Maripol was brought up in France before moving to New York in 1976. In the early 1980s, Maripol was the art director for hip Italian boutique Fiorucci. By the mid-80s, Maripol had achieved some success with her own shop, Maripolitan, in the NoHo area of New York. She also made a line of official Madonna jewellery and accessories for the Like a Virgin tour.

At the same time she directed documentary films, such as "Crack is whack" on 1980s artist Keith Haring.