Wanderlust

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Marloes Horst by Will Davidson for Harper’s Bazaar Australia March 2012

Marloes looks absolutely gorgeous across this alight landscape.  Which is makes it funny that I choose to feature one of the black and white shots.  But that Haider Ackermann was just so perfectly suited to this.  I love how unexpectedly well-suited some of my favorite pieces (Haider Ackermann, Calvin Klein, The Row, and Tom Ford to name a few…) from the shows are to this golden cast savanna.   The styling is not typical “fashiony” safari either.  And while the texture can add edge to an otherwise fluid look, texture for this editorial provides depth and intriguing sophistication without losing any of  its serene insouciance.  The cream looks, in particular, have a lovely warmth to them when placed in this tawny backdrop.  And Marloes positively glows in this; her skin looks amazing against this golden terrain.  Her wispy soft curls are beautifully illuminated in the sunlight, adding to the dreamy romantic tone to this editorial.  I love the languid easy feel to this in general.  There is sort of sultry laziness about it that reminds me of an afternoon spent lounging in the heat of a summer’s day.  Something to make me long for summer for sure.

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Small Flowers Crack Concrete

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Mirte Maas by Hugh Lippe for Russh #44

Mirte looks so very pretty in the February issue of Russh.  There is a dreamy romanticism to her editorial that feels utterly befitting of a February issue.  And Mirte looks exceptionally pretty with natural makeup and softly mussed hair.  I love the charmingly rumpled air about her; nothing about this feels too carefully done.  There is something sweetly innocent about the ethereal white lace and light knit styling in spite of the fair amount of skin it exposes.  Mirte comes across more adorable than seductive.  And I love the setting of the dilapidated house as the peeling cracked paint and worn down wooden floorboards provide great contrast to the pristine white pieces.  The air of abandonment to the scenery just adds a sort of romantic frailty to the tone.   Moreover, I like how the varied texture in this editorial create an overall softness rather than adding edge.  I am most certainly picking up this issue when it releases in the US.

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L.A. Story

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Mini Anden by Koray Birand for Harper’s Bazaar Turkey February 2012

I adore Mini Anden.  I thought that she had stopped modelling in favor of acting and was very pleasantly surprised to find this editorial.  Despite the overexposed lighting to this, I like the pensive feel to it.  Mini displays poise and an almost untouchable sort of beauty here.  There is a quiet sort of elegance to this as well.  While the view is most certainly stunning from this open glass complex, Mini’s character isn’t really taking it in.  Instead, the viewer is privy to an internal moment of contemplation.  There is an intimacy to those moments that belay the perfectly polished beauty of this editorial.  Or perhaps I am reading a little too much into it.  Regardless, I am glad that Mini is still modelling and remains her ever-stunning self.

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Wilde Wellen

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Magdalena Frackowiak by Ben Hassett for Vogue Germany January 2012

Magdalena’s gloriously out-of-control diva curls are utterly fabulous.  And I love how her curls are creating new silhouettes all on their own.  I always find Ben Hassett silhouette-focused photography gorgeous, and he certainly has plenty of material to work with here.  [To see what I’m talking about, see the ever stunning Cameron Russell in “Equinox.”]  Beauty editorials are tough.  The numerous close-ups mean that a model must look flawless, and Magdalena certainly does.  Even behind her wild curtain of hair, she has such presence.  She gives some serious face in this and looks stunning all-around.  Moreover, I love the amount of texture and depth her curls have in this.  The way the light plays off of them is fantastic.  Absolutely. Gorgeous.

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a cool girl

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Josefien Rodermans by Naomi Yang for Vogue Taiwan December 2011

I must admit that I mainly like this editorial because of the colored streaks in her hair.  I like how they can stand out while still fitting into the color scheme.  But more importantly, they do fit the tone this is striving for so all the better! :)  What really sells this editorial is how effortless the styling is.  Mixing the runway pieces in such a relaxed manner make for a deftly cool statement.  I like how the edgy leather pieces from the recent collections have been translated into a downtown cool.  There is both a quirkiness and a polish to this, a hallmark of the nineties street fashion.  A nice little allusion to that period.

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Alla Kostromicheva by Emma Tempest for Vogue Russia February 2012

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

Alla looks fantastic in those Gareth Pugh pieces. That is all.

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Natasha Markova by Mathieu Vladimir Alliard

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

Certainly one of the fiercest portrait series for a new model that I’ve seen in a good long while.  I love how edgy Natasha comes across in this.  The almost hostile stare is rather haunting in some respects as the feeling lingers even after one has stopped viewing this series.  Especially the last shot with her smeared makeup; there is an intensity to it that I really like.  It is rare for new models to make an impression quite like that.  And I love the mix of seventies quirk and sixties punk vibe this has going on.  The Lennon-esque sunglasses were an awesome detail to add, shifting the grittier punk styling into something a little more unexpected.  I like when editorials can surprise me.  This series managed to do that right out the gate with its intensity and Natasha’s fierce attitude.  Also, I love the variety in the shots with the focus and texture shifting from shot to shot.  This feels more like an art installation than a standard editorial, making this a really great start for Natasha Markova.

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Sweet Thing

Credit: Fashion Gone Rogue

 Lindsey Wixson by Will Davidson for Muse Winter 2011

I really love Will Davidson’s work.  The light and texture to it make for some beautifully illuminated editorials.  And this has all the warmth of a sun-lit afternoon.  Lindsey was a good choice for this particular editorial as she adds a bit of whimsy to Davidson’s romantic tone.  However, as charming as she is, I don’t believe that I would have found this editorial nearly as intriguing it weren’t for the color-blocked looks.  The white sheath dresses are particularly eye-catching as they provide one long continuous line.  They add a bit of chic polish to the cutesy sort of pretty that Lindsey provides.  Moreover that berry shirt dress pops out of nowhere, providing a rich counterpoint to all the golden-cast neutrals.  I also love how Davidson uses the background to add a bit of depth to the shot, making the perspective a bit more unexpected.  And although Lindsey has a rather gorgeous close-up in shot 4, I wish that her others would be equally as strong.  The heavy-lidded gaze can only work so many times in the same editorial.  In any case, she is still a little green so she’ll have some time to work out those kinks.

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The Making of Miranda Kerr

Credit: The Iconophile

 Miranda Kerr by Willy Vanderperre for Industrie Magazine #4

*Warning: There is plenty of nudity in this. As you can see from the feature shot.  If you don’t have the maturity, don’t look. That’s all there is to it.*

Miranda Kerr is gorgeously inhuman.  Even after having a natural birth, the baby weight seemed to have magically melted away.  At any rate, this is an absolutely stunning black and white editorial by Willy Vanderperre.  He really does take some gorgeous shots.  The shadows to this are really lovely, and I love the intriguing silhouettes showcased here.  And while this is an entirely nude editorial, there is nothing obscene about it.  Anyone who tries to interpret this as pornography is just being silly.  But I’ll get off of my soapbox about the interpretation of any sort of nudity in the United States now.  Read my thoughts on the Vogue Paris 2011 Calendar if you want more on that.

Actually, I didn’t find this sexual at all.  Obviously, a naked Miranda Kerr is plenty sensual, but rather than being “sexy,” I found her nudity reassuringly natural.  While she clearly has a healthy (and well deserved!) confidence about her body, the tone to this editorial radiates with innocence.  It could be her youthful wide-eyed look most of the time, but nothing in  this feels overtly sexual.  From an artistic standpoint, Miranda has some spectacular lines and curves to her body.  She has gorgeous arch to her back, allowing her to create the delightful pose above.  I find that it is the little things that I am attracted to: the arch of her foot in shot 6, the bend of her elbows in shot 2 (above), or the shadows contouring her cheekbones in shot 3.  Overall, this is very tastefully done.  As to be expected of Industrie  Magazine.

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Movement and Shape

Credit: Smile

Nyasha Matohondze by Sølve Sundsbø for Vogue Japan November 2011

For one, Katie Grand did an amazing job styling Nyasha for this.  These gorgeous gowns are full of movement and flair, but they certainly don’t do all the work.  Nyasha is WERQing it.  She was one of my favorite new models coming out of the Spring 2012 shows; now that I’ve had a chance to see her print work, she remains so.  Nyasha brings sass and personality to this, backing it all up with her gorgeous lines (her legs are fantastic.  Just look at shot 7 above (R)).  There is a majestic sort of drama to this with the full skirt of the gown flaring out about her legs for maximum impact.  I love how her poses are full of attitude; her charisma just leaps off the page.  Conclusion: Nyasha absolutely shines in “Movement and Shape.”

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