FRANKIE: How do you navigate and find inspiration in your diverse creative fields as a model, couturier & culinary artist?

LASZLO: Quite naturally. My three professions are totally intertwined. As each project unfolds, I build relationships with my clients, who are generally in the fashion industry. I sometimes work for them as a model, as a chef for their private events, or, in the past, as a seamstress. This makes me happy because as time goes by, I get to know their needs better and better, and we can constantly improve our collaborations. I'm also lucky enough to be able to travel, thanks to my different jobs. Discovering the world is very inspiring and beneficial to me to enhance and broaden my field of vision.

FRANKIE: Your designs often merge elements of fashion and culinary art. What led you to combine these two seemingly unrelated worlds, and how do they complement each other in your work?

LASZLO: Cooking and sewing has always been part of my life. From an early age, I spent my time creating things with my hands. What I really enjoy is finding directions and support to express my manual creativity. These two crafts have developed simultaneously in me over time. As I was a dressmaker for over ten years for the CHANEL fashion house, my know-how as a seamstress and "my working techniques" are ingrained in me. Every gesture is infinitely linked to my previous profession. So, when I cook, I unconsciously manipulate my ingredients as if they were materials linked to the world of couture. I often say, "I sew while I cook". This prompts me to think about finding ingredients that enable me to do this. My work then often presents itself with fetish products, meticulous decorations, folding, weaving... All this offers me infinite possibilities!

FRANKIE: Food art is a unique and captivating form of expression. How do you use food as a medium to convey artistic concepts, and what role does taste and sensory experience play in your work?

LASZLO: When I cook, I like to tell a story. I never cook ingredients without a reason or personal creativity. There will always be a personal touch to what I offer to eat. Sometimes, it will stand out because of the recipe I've come up with, and sometimes because of the presentation, which will be very creative for me. Sometimes, it's the selection of products and thus the taste! The tastes I like, the dishes I like to eat... I never cook without care nor without loving what I cook! My cooking is also marked by many memories: my childhood in Switzerland with a large family where I loved to cook for my family and my Swiss and Italian origins. I like to explore everything that's part of me.

FRANKIE: The Frankie Shop is renowned for its minimalist and contemporary fashion. How do your designs align with the brand's aesthetic?

LASZLO: It's rather surprising because, in my everyday life, my clothing and furnishings have a minimalist, contemporary aesthetic, similar to that of "The Frankie shop", but when I'm cooking, I often work with colors that I don't particularly find in my personal tastes. It's pretty cool, but I love the contrast. When I look at some of my recipes, I'm amazed at how they relate to my world. Apart from that, I often say that I cook like an Italian, and then the minimalist and contemporary comes to the surface. This is expressed by combining excellent quality products without changing their flavors too much. Rather, it's the combinations that come together to create a dish. 

For example, combining a beautiful organic chicken egg with superb anchovies, a good piece of lightly toasted bread with a piece of churned butter with fleur de sel, lemon zest, a few roasted hazelnuts... It's quite simple: the products link together naturally without changing the taste... but the result is incredible!

FRANKIE: What challenges have you encountered in merging the worlds of fashion, couture, and food art?

LASZLO: My main challenge is to find the time to do everything. It's sometimes difficult to combine my different jobs. Some, like cooking, require a lot of preparation beforehand. When I organize events, I don't just cook. I also organize the selection of furniture and the rental of crockery... I select the wines and cocktails. I work with set designers for decorations and florists for flowers. I also write my menu and meet new suppliers for my food products... It's a fascinating job, but one for which I need a lot of time beforehand, unlike modeling.

FRANKIE: Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you are particularly excited about?

LASZLO: At the beginning of September, I had the chance to cook for a lot of weddings. I love these projects despite the pressure and impossibility of making a mistake. This autumn, I'd like to go away again and take some time for my culinary research. I love the combination of being a cook and a model. I hope to always be able to link my two passions and carry them out in echoes of each other.

FRANKIE: What recipes are you loving right now?

LASZLO: I'm glad that autumn is here to offer us some wonderful new products. Incredible vegetables that have grown all summer and are full of sunshine. I love cooking wonderful pumpkin soups, mushroom soups... and enjoying them with good cheese brought back from my native Switzerland.

FRANKIE: Are there any future prospects you're eager to explore, such as new approaches or techniques?

LASZLO: Yes, this winter I'll have the pleasure of traveling to Japan. I know I'll be inspired by the care and meticulousness of their dishes. My little chef's business is growing by the day, and I'm delighted to be able to take on bigger projects, so I'm going to look for a place to work and take on new collaborators so that I can always offer the same quality of work.