Sophie’s Voice
Sophie Austerwas a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College, in New York, when she recorded her first album—a self-titled compilation of sexy, soulful songs inspired by the French surrealist poems that her father, the author Paul Auster, had translated into English early in his career. Conceived as a pet project, Sophie’s record ended up being released on a French label,turning the Brooklyn native, whose mother is the novelist Siri Hustvedt, into a budding star by graduation day. It was then that her father offered some lasting advice. “He said, ‘Make sure you write every day, and write as many songs as you can,’” recalls Auster, 27. Her latest album, Dogs and Men (out June 9), is culled from the abundant material she has produced since then. The opening track, “Bad Manners,” a spiteful torch song, was inspired by a recent relationship that went south. “A Dream About Jack” is a soaring folk track about her childhood dog and the strange visions she’s had of him. “I’m influenced a lot by dreams,” she says. “I tend to justrip off my subconscious.”
The Many Outfits of Sophie Auster
With a draped scarf and flared pants, Auster nailed the laid-back cool look at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain in 2007.
Photo by Getty Images.
Auster’s jumpsuit and oversized belt combination at Pronovias’s store opening in 2008 marks the beginning of a serious one-piece phase.
Photo by Getty Images.
At the Chanel Resort 2013 show, Auster wore a jumpsuit with a plunging neckline.
Photo by Getty Images.
Auster kept it clean and simple in a dark jumpsuit at a screening of “Stoker” in 2013.
Photo by Getty Images.
The singer wore a pretty lime green dress to the “Engram” screening in 2014, with a tough biker jacket in tow, of course.
Photo by Amanda Schwab/Starpix.
Auster’s love of jumpsuits was alive and well at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014, when she wore a chic Chanel one-piece.
Photo by Getty Images.
The singer wore matching separates at a Ferragamo party in 2014. Not quite a jumpsuit, but close.
Photo by Sherly Rabbani.
Never afraid to take risks, Auster wore a see-through lace top at the Yigal Azrouel Spring 2014 fashion show.
Photo by Getty Images.
Auster paired her Burberry dress with a leather jacket on the red carpet, but took it off once inside the New Museum’s celebration of W Art in 2014.
Photo by Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com.
Auster wore a floral dress to the Chanel Paris-Salzburg show, but she kept to her rocker roots with a leather moto jacket.
Photo by Getty Images.
Showing off her sweet side, Auster wore a pretty pink trench at the W Art and Burberry party this year.
Photo by BFAnyc.com.
Now a street style star, the singer knew to wear a bold print to Yigal Azrouel’s Fall 2015 show.
Photo by Getty Images.
Auster stepped out at the CFDA awards in a bright Steven Alan dress, on the arm of the designer. No biker jacket or jumpsuit to be found.
Photo by Sherly Rabbani.
Hair by Paul Merritt for Bumble and Bumble at De Facto; Makeup by Tracy Alfajora for Chanel at Art Department.
