Live From New York

V #61- shot by Mario Sorrenti with Freja Beha Erichsen and Sasha Pivovarova



(Pictures via Fashiongonerogue.com)

100% Fashion

W Magazine June 2009: A 26 page editorial, photographed by Craig McDean, displaying Fall 2009's best looks. McQueen, Lanvin, Givenchy, Marc, Prada, and the list goes on! What more could you ask for?!



(Pictures via Wmagazine.com)

All Legs

Vogue Paris June/July 2009: shot by Terry Richardson, featuring Anja Rubik and Natasha Poly.


Loving this sexy, fun, carefree Paris editorial- I think after NYC Paris will be my next stop!

(Pictures via Trendhunter.com)

The Ultimate

Dazed and Confused June 2009: shot by Mark Pillai, featuring robotic, armour-like designs from the Fall 2009 collections


(Pictures via Trendhunter.com)

Keep Candles Handy

This i-D editorial, shot by Vanina Sorrenti and featuring Alana Zimmer, is insanely stunning and mesmerizing! I love the dusty, soft colors and the subtle sultriness in Alana's eyes. Lastly, the layering of the images creates such a beautiful effect that draws you in and keeps you captivated. I just couldn't stop staring at them!


(Pictures via Coute Que Coute)

Through The Eyes of Richard Avedon

This past week a retrospective of iconic photographer Richard Avedon was launched at the International Center of Photography. I think I probably first became aware of Avedon when I was younger and watched Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. The movie is loosely based on Avedon's work and unique techniques and he even provided some photos for the movie, including this memorable image below, showing just Audrey's eyes, nose and mouth. Hepburn was definitely one of Avedon's main muses, even perhaps his ultimate muse, as he once said:

"I am, and forever will be, devastated by the gift of Audrey Hepburn before my camera. I cannot lift her to greater heights. She is already there. I can only record. I cannot interpret her. There is no going further than who she is. She has achieved in herself her ultimate portrait."

Avedon started working in fashion in 1944 as a chief photographer for Harper's Bazaar. Here he became known for portraying how women really felt through his photos whether it was insecure or happy. His images of laughing women became his most popular. One thing I just discovered about him that made me love him even more, was that he used to fight with the magazine to show women of different races like China Machado and he threatened to leave in the 60's unless they used his photo of African-American model Donyale Luna.
Avedon ended up leaving Harper's Bazaar in 1966 to work for Vogue until Anna Wintour's arrival in 1988. Apparently she asked him to audition for him and did not like what she saw so Avedon left. However he left Vogue with so many incredible images where he was able to capture the spirit of that time so well, including stunning images of iconic models Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, and Penelope Tree.
In 1992 he became the first staff photographer for The New Yorker. They called it 'Avedon's return to fashion' and his first images shown were a color portfolio of a model with a skeleton, which could be seen as a stand-in for Avedon in some sense. After that he mainly photographed a lot of avante-garde couture fashions from designers like Yamamoto and Gaultier, mostly in black and white.
I just love Avedon's images and I think in a lot of he ways he changed the way people viewed fashion. Instead of portraying prim and proper ladies he showed women in their reality illuminating how they were really feeling. He pushed the envelope encouraging his models to emote and move around, urging them to be more than just motionless clothes hangers. He was able to truly capture the energy and emotions of the world around him and yet was so ahead of his time with his techniques and appreciation of all things beautiful. The New York Times covered this new exhibit very well and made a brief but very informative video on the photographer you can watch HERE. The retrospective will be displayed in New York until September 6(which means I get to see it!).

(Pictures via Cyanatrendland.com)

A Summer Blend

Vogue Italia May 2009- Suvi Koponen shot by Richard Burbridge



(Pictures via Thefashionspot)

Hey Ho, Let's Go!

As I mentioned before I've been working on styling concepts for an upcoming photo shoot and today I tried out some looks for the rock/punk theme. I've had a lot of ideas, but I can only pick 2 outfits to use and I still can't decide! HELP! I would really appreciate any feedback, comments, or suggestions, thanks!

This is the only outfit I know I want to use, and thanks to SixSixSick for their DIY slashed dress idea!
I like this lace dress because it has that 'pretty in punk' feeling and looks really good with spiked cuffs covering the arms! I'm also thinking about putting it with knee-high boots...
The dress and tights outfit was inspired by Alexander Wang and the other outfit...well I just think a leather jacket looks so sexy with nothing underneath!
These are two other dress options- I'm obviously a fan of leopard print and I like the other one because it looks like a blurry picture of city lights at night. I don't know if they are striking enough for a photo shoot though...

'State of Grace'

Natalia Vodianova shot by Mario Testino in British Vogue's May 2009 issue. These incredible dresses look beautiful in the setting and I love how the props used mirror the shapes in the clothes!


(All pictures via Trendhunter.com)

Reduction, Perfection, Expression

I am absolutely in love with the above images- the very 1st one on the left is definitely my favorite! But all of them are so beautiful, and kind of remind me of that scene in My Fair Lady when they go to the races and everyone's dressed to the nines in black & white- it has that lady-like sophistication and glamour, but with a bit more edge. These photos are from jewelry designer Majo Fruithof's latest lookbook and were taken by Patrizio de Renzo. I love how the use of black & white allows the jewelry to be highlighted and displayed so well- the colors of the gemstones simply pop out at you. It all just comes together quite perfectly- the creative makeup, the chic and refined poses, and the superior glances, all work collectively to display Majo's exquisite pieces. After exploring her site, there is no way I can describe her jewelry better than the designer herself. When explaining her designs she brilliantly writes:

"There is an irresistible fascination in interpreting materials and shapes within the context of individual beauty. From clear structures, reduced in their contrast, exciting new ideas evolve which underline the radiance of unique personalities.
Converting those ideas into reality requires creativity and craftsmanship at the same time.
When precision and perfection go hand-in-hand, surprising effects arise which only show themselves when they are touched. What appears to be static design reveals itself as silky soft and flowing."

To see the rest of her lookbook and more detailed pictures of her jewelry go to Majo's site HERE.

(All pictures via Fruithof.com)