Retrospective: Natalina Vodianova

Alice in Wonderland: December 2003

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"

Since posting the Beauty and the Beast shoot, I have developed a bit of an obsession with Annie Leibovitz.  This Alice in Wonderland shoot is enchanting enough in its colours, style and layout... then they cast Natalina Vodianova in the leading role... then she was dressed and joined by a host of designers. Fashion heaven, thank you Vogue!


This editorial manages to remain within style and story of the Alice in Wonderland we all know and love - rabbit holes, Cheshire Cats and Mad Hatters included. Yet with designers, ranging from Tom Ford to Viktor & Rolf to Donatella Versace, and each creating their own version of Alice's iconic blue, ribboned dress, we have an incredibly unique result. I think my favourite dress is the Balenciaga Couture by Nicolas Ghesquière. True I can only see the back but I love Nataliana's pose on/inside/beside the mirror and Ghesquière just sitting alongside her, indifferent to her entering a new world. I also think that this pleated chiffon dress is the most "Alicey" of them all. 


The fact that the shoot was photographed by Annie Leibovitz ups the ante on a feature that was always going to have fairy tale results. 


F x


P.S Karl Largerfeld will always have a place in my Wonderland. 

Head in the Game

Nothing like some words of wisdom to whip us back into shape after a long week! 

F x

Retrospective: Lara Stone

British Vogue: June 2009

"I lie in bed at night and worry about what comes next. I’m not sure I have any other talents!”

I have been very undecided about whether I like Lara Stone (it might have something to do with her being married to David Walliams – I must put my bias aside!) BUT something I am very sure about is how much I like this shoot she did for British Vogue in June 2009 – and the December 2009 shoot which I’ll probably post very soon! The model is getting more popular by the day and is utterly striking in this, vastly bikini, shoot.

The German model is utterly smouldering and is managing to tread the line between incredibly sexy but remain (at least a little bit) clothed in most of the images. 

Hats off to you Mrs. Walliams, I don’t think you’ll need to worry about what comes next for a little while at least!

F x 

Retrospective: Drew Barrymore

The Beauty and the Beast: April 2005

"Only after she kissed him did he turn back into the handsome prince he was... released at last from the spell of the wicked fairy"

This is my first post that takes images from American Vogue, however when I came across this portfolio of pictures by Annie Leibovitz I could not resist posting them, they are simply stunning! 

Annie Leibovitz has managed to create photos that have turned, the already stunning, Drew Barrymore into a portrait painting! I think it is the deep reds, the renaissance dresses and the fairy tale story that runs though each picture that makes them such beautiful images. 

I am not sure if you will be able to see the photos in a large enough format to see that on each page Vogue have narrated the fairy tale that Drew Barrymore is posing for in each picture, a fabulous touch that really ties the entire feature together! 

These pictures are just striking and the Beauty and the Beast storyline sets the entire feature off, creating not just another fashion shoot, but a beautiful story.

Enjoy! I really think this might be one of my favourite Vogue shoots of all time, and the roses in most of the photos make this the perfect Valentines post and message!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

F x

Walk the Walk

I know this isn't Vogue related (I did hear about it on the Teen Vogue editor's Twitter... so it can count a little bit) but when I saw this picture of the DVF catwalk instructions I had to post it!

I might just adopt her directions as my life motto!

F x

Retrospective: Sienna Miller

The Glamour Issue: December 2007

"I'm 25. I’m having a brilliant time. I like to party and I love to work"

Ahh, the December Vogue, the Christmas Vogue, a sparkly, glittery, glamorous Vogue. We were treated to glitter and sparkle galore in the 2007 edition, with Sienna on the cover. 

I love Sienna's editorial in this issue, she is oozing class and old school charm and the sliver colour scheme ties everything in perfectly. 

In the interview she talks about her partying reputation, her love for everything homely and her famous friends.  Given that it was written in 2007, it’s all a bit out of date now but we can all still enjoy Nick Knight’s wonderful photos.

I love them all, they are oh-so glamorous, thanks to the car and pin up theme, which is brought to life with feather boas, dresses that seem to go on forever and six-inch heels. This is all true apart from one photo, the fourth photo, it sticks out like a sore thumb! She is in a studded blazer and biker hat, why!? I don't like the outfit and I think it would have fitted in with a more modern themed shoot, it’s just not glam enough for me here!

Rant over! I can’t end on a negative note, so enjoy these beautiful photos of one of my favourite girls in the public eye, a girl that could make scrunchies, spandex and a sock-sandal combo look like they are on the 2011 Autumn/Winter runways.

As ever enjoy the photos!

F x

Retrospective: Julianne Moore

The Ageless Issue: July 2009

“The great thing about middle age is that you at least reach the point where you can go, ‘Oh, I like it here’”

The Ageless Issue always causes a fair amount of debate. The central theme is beauty that transcends age, focusing on women in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and beyond! The images in this autumnal spread with Julianne Moore have stayed with me ever since I first laid eyes on it.

I’ll stop and let the photos do the talking.

F x

Retrospectives

Now that I have fully got this blogging bug I am just going to have to update the blog more than just once a month!

Certain spreads, features and shoots from Vogue have always stuck in my mind, so every so often I’ll post some photos, as Retrospectives.

F x

The March Issue

The moment the March Issue of Vogue landed on my doorstep I was excited. This month’s cover girl is Rosie Huntington-Whitely, one of my biggest style crushes at the moment. The entire cover, including Rosie’s clothes, is deep red and it seemed as though this is going to be a far more feminine issue than February’s.  I was right!

The most in demand girl of the moment, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, defines glamour in her shoot. The reds hues, frills and fans evoke a very Spanish feel and although for some of the images she has been soaked by buckets of waters she remains effortlessly glamorous, and incredibly sexy, throughout.

And the theme of glamour continues to the beauty articles, particularly the feature on curls. I suffer at the cruel hands of fine, straight hair so glamorous curls are pretty much a pipe dream for me, so a Vogue master class can do nothing but help, surely? Yep, until it all falls out.  Think a nod back to the seventies, more Farrah Fawcett waves than an Aguilera crimp.  It all comes down to a heap of hairspray, major rollers and a lot of volume. Vogue is calling it fashion’s “spring,” see what they did there?!

Yes, yes, yes

No, no, no

This is all summed up in the “Return to Glamour” feature, a look back at some of Lyndall Hobbs’ favourite pictures. The director talks us though each of the images, personal photos that are stocked full of details (and celebrities) to enjoy. My favourite? The picture of Joan Collins and Bruce Oldfield, it’s probably the colours that initially attracted me, but I love the way Joan is so avidly looking at Bruce! I will try and get a picture up quick sharp!

“How to dress the Prime Minister’s wife” gave me a good chuckle. It is very well documented that Samantha Cameron is very good friends with Alexandra Shulman and a very fashionable lady, surely she is in a prime position to dress herself? Couldn’t resist, sorry! However Alexandra Shulman, who personally wrote article, asked a far more important question than if her Erdem dress matches her Rupert Sanderson shoes, but whether it is right for the spouses of political high flyers to be throwing money at fashion. A question that was asked throughout the election campaigns, both here and in America, particularly during the recession.  Her conclusion? Let them to wear the dresses they like, they are constantly in the public eye an criticised for every fashion foot they put wrong, so why shouldn’t Sam Cam be allowed to wear a £750 dress if she fancies it? Hear, hear!

Moral of the story? It’s all old school, kids.

F x