maxim magazine (Patreon)

The editor-in-chief of "Maxim" magazine gave me complete creative freedom for the photoshoot. He trusted my vision and insisted that I capture things as I see them. It was unexpected but truly flattering.

For the model, I chose Vika, whom I had worked with on previous shoots, and she happened to be in Paris at the time. I assembled my team, but we still lacked a suitable location. I reached out to several boutique hotels in Paris to inquire if they would be willing to provide us with a room for the shoot. Many hotels are willing to offer complimentary accommodation in exchange for advertising in the magazine, which can attract new clients. It's quite a common practice.

In the end, we chose a room in the iconic Les Bains hotel, which has a rich history in Paris nightlife.

During the golden age of Paris nightlife, there were other clubs, but perhaps none were as defining for the era. Les Bains Douches hotel, opened in 1978 on the site of a 19th-century bathhouse in the Third Arrondissement, became the star of its designer (Philippe Starck) and its resident DJ (David Guetta), who were then unknown. Joy Division recorded a live album in the basement, where Prince performed impromptu, and Depeche Mode played years before stadiums were sold out.

Source