François Berthoud

Francois Berthoud was born in Le Locle, Switzerland. After finishing his studies at the School for Graphic Design in Lausanne in 1982, he went to Milan where he drew cartoons for Alter-Alter and Linus comic strips. He caught the eye of the legendary Anna Piaggi who commissioned his early fashion illustrations for her avant-garde Conde Nast magazine Vanity, and since then his work has appeared in many of the leading fashion magazines including Vogue, Numero, Visionaire, and Interview to name just a few. Recognized as one of the most original illustrators of his time, he is known for high-impact images that bring art and fashion together. During the 80s, he became one of the most influential art directors in the fashion world working with the biggest names and brands in the industry like Yves-St-Laurent, Bulgari, Chanel, Givenchy, Sonia Rykiel, or Prada. After having lived in Milan, Paris, and New York, he is now based in Zurich in his native Switzerland. Chris Dercon is a Belgian art historian and curator. He is former director of Haus der Kunst in Munich and Tate Modern in London. In 2017 he became the intendant of the Volksbuhne Berlin but resigned in April 2018. In July 2020, he was appointed to the Visual Arts Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Daniele Barbieri, graduated with a degree in philosophy after studying with Umberto Eco with whom he then obtained a PhD in Semiotics. He is a researcher and professor in the field of semiotics, with a particular attention to comics, graphic design and visual communication in general. He is a regular university lecturer in Italy and the author of numerous books and essays. Christian Kammerling is considered one of the leading magazine makers in Germany. He was the head of the SZ-Magazin for over 10 years, after which he engineered the comeback of the legendary FAZ-Magazin. Since 2005 he has been the owner of a creativity agency.