- Red-hot raptress Azealia Banks is apparently bisexual. But then again she’s a 20-year old kid from New York, so that’s like saying she apparently carries a knife on her. No big deal. [NYT]

- Blake Lively, speaking to Elle about her future baby plans, expressed an interest in trannying up America’s youth. ”I hope to have a few girls one day. If not girls, they better be trannies. Because I have some amazing shoes and bags and stories that need to be appreciated.” Now that’s the hallmark of a good mother. Meanwhile, some people take offense at Lively’s — and others — use of “tranny,” but those trannies need to grow a pair. Through hormone injections, natch. [Elle]

- And speaking of trannies, Lana del Rey on the cover of Vogue UK everyone! [E! Online Twitter]

- Remember those jerks who were trying to oust Ellen DeGeneres from JC Penney’s new marketing campaign? The gays are not having it. [The Cut]

- And in other Ellen news, the talk show host challenged the First Lady of the United States to a push-up contest. And Michelle Obama was not having it. [Styleite]

The major fashion titles were generally up in advertising from last year with W posting the greatest  gain at 25%  or 41 pages — though at a total of 204 pages, it is still only fifth in the rankings. InStyle had its biggest ad count since stomping onto the newsstand 18 years ago with 344 pages — a 13 % (39 pages) increase — bringing it in at number 2. And this is how the rest of the list shakes out:

1. Vogue — 442.74 pages, up 3.7%

2. InStyle — 344 pages, up 13% (39 pages)

3. Elle — 319 pages, up 2% (6 psges)

4. Harper’s Bazaar — 271 pages, up 16% (37 pages)

5. W — 204 pages, up 25% (41 pages)

Meanwhile, what really matters in this story is that the March issue of Vogue will feature one Ms. Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, which — just saying — will be a marked improvement from the current Grammy gal gracing the February issue.

- Gisele and Tom Brady‘s new $20 million dollar house has a bridge adjoining its two wings — which Gisele will hopefully use as a runway. [Fashionista]

- You could head over to Elle for Nicki Minaj‘sbeauty secrets or cut out the middle man and ask any drag queen. [Elle]

- Fashion’s Night Out, the night that refuses to die, will take place on September 6 this year. [Styleite]

- It pays to have a supermodel in the family. Karlie Kloss gifted her sisters and her mom with Chanel bags for their birthdays. [The Cut]

- If there was any doubt, President Obama is the smoothest world leader around. The commander in chief did a little rendition of Al Green‘s “Let’s Stay Together” — and I’m pretty sure Nancy Pelosi tossed her granny panties on stage immediately afterwards. This is how you win an election, kids.

Link Love: WWD

Do you know who invented Rihanna’s iconic haircut, “The Firefly”? Patrick Melville, renowned specialist in high fashion chic and red carpet glamour, did. This really comes as no surprise if one considers his track record. Patrick got his training in London while working for British Vogue and, from there, he went on to have his work immortalized by the lenses of Patrick Demarchelier, Gilles Bensimon, and Kurt Marcus (among others) for the pages of W, Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more. Success is a stressful thing, but instead of taking a spa-cation, in 2007 Patrick opened The Patrick Melville Salon and Spa at The Sports Club/LA, the internationally reputed sports and fitness complex at Rockefeller Center. His sleek venue quickly became a top beauty destination, as it features all the amenities of a world-class spa—from luxury manicure and pedicures, to acupuncture as well as organic body and hair treatments—along with superb hair cutting and a full-service color bar. So if you were looking for a place to get your do done for those upcoming festivities, this would be it. Should you be unable to make the trip to Rockefeller Center, however, then check out these five practical holiday hairstyles from Patrick.

The Vogue Lounge

Thursday Dec. 1 and Friday Dec. 2, Noon – 7pm

Sagamore Hotel, 1671 Collins Ave

A two-day shopping event with Vogue featuring art and fashion collaborations from Keds x Opening Ceremony, Bond No. 9, Dee & Ricky and Lexus. Lexus will host a fashion workshop on the transformation of luxury auto parts recycled into fashion accessories. Since you’re in Miami, grab some beach accessories from the 2012 Artist Towel Series, designed by Barbara Kruger and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

Karachi Fashion Week

One must also consider the undeniable impact of the internet and blogs, bringing the latest and greatest in fashion to anyone with a decent internet connection. Now a teenager in Ohio can gasp at the fantastical creations from Beijing Fashion Week as a blogger in Thailand livestreams the latest Marc Jacobs runway show. But with this democratization of the fashion industry comes its inevitable oversaturation. “Every other city is doing a fashion week. I think there can be only one market in the U.S., and that’s New York,” Kolb opines. So fashion weeks in Moscow, Karachi, Berlin, Zurich, Huston, Dubai, Portland, Rochester, Islamabad and Tel Aviv won’t garner the kind of respect or attention paid to London and Paris; clothes from its runways won’t land in Elle or W – nor might they ever be worn outside of their respective countries. However, Glenda Bailey’s or Anna Wintour‘s is not the only eye foreign designers hope to capture.

For participants in Islamabad Fashion Week, fashion is a new form of expression that further immerses them in the global culture of the 21st century. When filming Fashion Week Internationale for Vice.com, hostess Charlet Duboc was surprised at the presence of women in full Burkas volunteering backstage:  “I couldn’t quite believe it. How does that work? How can you look at that and admire it and yet know you can’t wear it? But they were there, they were appreciating it and it didn’t feel like there was a divide. Like, ‘You do your thing, I do my thing’ and everyone got along.” Fashion transcends more than just clothing to become a force for cultural change. And a force for economic change. Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Zurain Imam observed,  ”Fashion in Pakistan for a long time has been an entertainment sport; at [Karachi Fashion Week], we are trying to really make it about the business of fashion.”

While Kolb concedes that smaller fashion weeks can be good training ground for prospective designers, some bigger names are flocking abroad to show their collections. There probably is no hotter designer in America than Singapore-born, Nepalese-raised Prabal Gurung, whose last two presentations at New York Fashion Week met with near universal acclaim. Even he is considering showing his wares abroad in Moscow, Turkey, London and his native Singapore, saying, “There are so many emerging markets that we want to in some way be a part of, and I would love to showcase my collection in a more global way.” With a crowded and contentious calendar, Glenda Bailey won’t likely end up in Richmond, VA, but who’s to say that she won’t be stomping through a Singaporean jungle for the latest in spring ready-to-wear?

[i-D Magazine, Fall 2011]

As I’m sure you all know, Williams’ ex and the father of her six-year-old daughter, Heath Ledger, died of an overdose in 2008. As for the haircut, it’s become a part of her, as the Oscar-nominee explains: “I’ve really grown into it – I feel like myself with short hair. And it’s been a really long time since I had long hair, five years.”

Williams opened up to Elle to promote her new film, My Week with Marilyn, in which she plays tragic movie icon Marilyn Monroe, a role she found particularly challenging: “I’ve never been so hanging on a cliff waiting to hear what people think of a movie. I think after the second day, I told them they had to take away my passport because I was a flight risk.” [Telegraph]

My Week with Marilyn comes out November 23rd, but till then, feast your eyes on the official trailer:

The songstress gets swathed in fur courtesy of stylist Christopher Niquet and shot by Thomas Whiteside. Photos: Elle

What does she think about her post-Hermione chopped locks?  ”I’d never been allowed to cut my hair off, so I just seized the first opportunity. It wasn’t meant to be rebellious–it certainly wasn’t my Britney Spears moment.”

Scroll through what editorial stylists saw the genius in the Norden Wedge (and understand why I’m wearing them today and, really, forever).

- Karl Lagerfeld, clearly bored with the 3,000 other projects he’s juggling, is now designing glassware. [Architectural Digest]

- Victoria’s Secret angels Miranda Kerr, Adriana Lima, Chanel Iman and Doutzen Kroes open up on the cover of Elle magazine. [Fashion Gone Rogue]

- Tommy Hilfiger and the CFDA are sending 10 designers, including Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, Billy Reid and Eddie Borgo to Paris to show their collections. [The Cut]

- Kanye West may or may not be joining those 10 lucky designers in the City of Lights come Paris Fashion Week. [Fashionista]

- I was fully on board for Missoni‘s Target diffusion line until they debuted this beyond creepy 25-foot “blogger.” [Styleite]

The site will showcase four looks styled by an Elle editor with four or five pieces from each look available for purchase. According to an H&M spokeswoman:

“This will be a preview of what’s to come in spring 2012, when we launch our e-commerce site. We’re launching the e-boutique two days before we release the collection in stores, so when it sells out online, customers will be able to go to any H&M store in the U.S. on Sept. 1 to buy it.” [WWD]

There can only be one explanation for such a dream….

I won a trip to COACHELLA 2012!!! Here’s how:

VOGUE Fashion Night 2011 dans le monde (version… by VOGUEPARIS

Ogilvy & Mather and Cool Hunting created 30 short videos, each 20 to 90 seconds long, profiling members of the Gap 1969 denim studio in Los Angeles, as well as going behind the scenes of the design and manufacturing process.

“Increasingly, people want to know the stories behind the products — who’s designing it, where it comes from,” said Seth Farbman, Gap’s global chief marketing officer. “We recognize that we have to be more open. We had not done enough storytelling about what was new and different at the Gap.”

The videos debut this week at Cool Hunting and Refinery29 followed by sponsored content next week on DailyCandy, FabSugar, Hulu, Pandora and Gap’s Facebook page among other sites.

The print ads will star “real-ish” [read: a half-inch short of model] people in Gap 1969 pants and will run in the September issues of seemingly every mag including Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Nylon, Details, GQ, Rolling Stone, Marie Claire and ESPN. [WWD]

“I thought [W] could be a very strong general-interest publication for our generation [ages 30 to 50], in the way that Vanity Fair is for a different generation.”

– Stefano Tonchi [Editor in Chief, W] on his vision for W, LA Times

Tilda givin’ a little twist in Another by Craig McDean.

1. Tilda Swinton

One of the most striking women in film, on the red carpet and in fashion spreads, look no further for Swinton’s editorial excellence than this month’s W.

Masculin/feminin by Tim Walker.

Some of the pieces were made exclusively for Elle and are available for purchase on the mag’s website from June 14th through July 14th, while supplies last.

Theyskens, for his part, couldn’t be happier at how it all turned out: “Its great to see how each stylist mixed everything up. It’s like they went to a vintage store and discovered all these cool finds.  They gave me some great ideas for the brand.” [WWD, Elle]

- Forever 21, seriously WTF? [NY Daily News]

- High fashion girl fight! Iselin Steiro and Kinga Rajzak throw down for Steven Meisel in this Lanvin video. [Fashionista]

- In another video, Daphne Guinness gets Undressed for director Brennan Stasiewicz, who created a short film around her Barneys window experience. [Racked]

- For Haider Ackermann — and, you know, everyone else — the streetstyle blogger craze is getting a little on the “absurd” side. [The Cut]

The story goes something like this:

InStyle – up 4.7 % to 1,156 pages

Vogue – up 11% to 1,094 pages

Elle – up 15% to 1,082 pages

Harper’s Bazaar – down 5.4% to 712 pages

W – up 5% to 44o pages

For  men’s titles:

GQ – down 3% to 485 pages

Esquire – up 12.5% to 410 pages

Men’s Health – up 4% to 377 pages

Men’s Journal – up 5% to 353 pages

Details - down 2.8% to 311 pages

And on the lifestyle front:

Real Simple, down 6.6% to 688 pages

O: The Oprah Magazine, up 3.8% to 671 pages

Vanity Fair – up 6.5% to 650 pages

Redbook – down 1.6% to 635 pages

Martha Stewart Living – up 2% t0 507 pages

More – down 3.3% to 401 pages

[WWD]

Disgusted that jeans and a tank were paired with Chanel tweed, disappointed that “I-have-no-stylist” Blake Lively agreed to it, and appalled that anything to do with the word “Cellulite” is touching anything Chanel. Gross.

Don’t talk to me, I’m too upset. Leave your message of outrage below.

Link Love: Coco Perez

- Elle‘s creative director, Joe Zee, needed some extra security after one of the dismissed contestants from his new Sundance Channel reality show, All on the Line, sent him and show producers hundreds of “troubling” emails threatening to kill himself. The drama queen, one Ms. David Victor Rose, admits to “completely freaking out” (you think?) but claims that Zee dismissed him based on false assumptions and limited information….yeah, in hindsight, maybe Zee was on to something. [Page Six]

- Unlikable multi-hyphenate Gwyneth Paltrow was seen walking out of Coach HQ with creative director Reed Krakoff, sparking rumors that she may be the new face of either Coach or Krakoff’s eponymous label.  [Refinery29]

•Bid on a chance to meet Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour and attend a photo shoot for the magazine
•One full week’s stay at the private home of Diane von Furstenberg in the Bahamas
•Ralph Lauren’s Paris – Two Round Trip Business Class Tickets from NYC to Paris, two nights at the Bristol Hotel in a deluxe room, dinner for two at Ralph’s, the quintessential American restaurant in Paris, a 1,000 euro shopping experience at the Ralph Lauren store on St. Germain, and two tickets to visit “The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces of the Ralph Lauren Collection,” an exclusive exhibit of Mr. Lauren’s vintage automobiles featured at the Musée des Arts décoratifs.
•Live like a Vanity Fair writer for a day—minus the torture of actually reporting and writing. The winning bidder will take a tour of the Vanity Fair offices, have lunch with one of the editors, sit in on a meeting in Graydon Carter’s office, and then finish off the day with a dinner for four at Mr. Carter’s restaurant, The Monkey Bar.
Night: 2 tickets and backstage passes to Jay-Z and Kanye West’s concert
•Morning, Noon & Night with Tory Burch – Morning: $3,000 shopping spree at Tory Burch with a personal stylist; Noon: Lunch with Tory and the design team;
•Lunch and style consultation with celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, includes a tour of her offices and additional styling tips from her team
•Go behind the scenes with The Hilfigers at the Spring 2012 Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign shoot. Get prepped out in a full Tommy Hilfiger look at the brand’s Fifth Avenue store before having your photograph taken with the Hilfigers.
•A meet and greet with The Row designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen plus an entire wardrobe of Elizabeth and James and The Row Collections
•Two tickets to the Elton John Oscar’s Party
•The opportunity to intern for a day at Elle Magazine along with a personal fashion consultation with Elle Creative Director Joe Zee
•Have a Barbie custom made by Mattel in your likeness, valued at over $10,000
•Courtesy of DKNY, enjoy a “VIP” experience at Yankee Stadium for four guests. Experience includes a private tour of Monument Park followed by watching the Yankees’ batting practice from the field, followed by a meet and greet with Yankees Manager Joe Girardi. Afterwards, watch the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays on July 9th, 2011, from four front row Legends Suite seats
•A lunch and style consultation with TV Personality and Project Runway Judge Tim Gunn
•Two tickets to the Vera Wang Spring Summer 2012 Fashion Show followed by a meet and greet with the designer and a $2000 shopping spree at the Vera Wang flagship store
•The opportunity to personalize a PS1 ‘it’ bag with Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez
•A “Made to Measure Experience” custom suit and fitting from designer Tom Ford.
•Eight tickets to the Metropolitan Opera and dinner with Lincoln Center President Reynold Levy
•Two tickets to a live filming of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” along with private cocktails with host Andy Cohen following the filming
•And many, many more……….

So get bidding on Charity Buzz, and support Japan in the most fashionable way possible (or any way you can).

Emmanuelle Alt © Garance Doré

Emmanuelle Alt is writing her own ticket for VOGUE Paris. I was not expecting a fundamental change in the Editorial Direction being that she has been the Fashion Director of the magazine for over ten years and collaborating with Carine Roitfeld. Thus the assumption that there would be little change from the status quo. However, the April 2011 issue of VOGUE Paris gives a clear new direction; bye bye porno chic, provocation, unjustified nudity, welcome softness, lifestyle, casual clothing. Emmanuelle’s approach is more consensual and obviously more commercial, which the fashion customer might find more accessible.

I want to show in French Vogue more and more a lot of clothes … It’s a different point of view, but nobody gave me a mission to change it or make it more commercial. she stressed in her WWD’s interview

Her vision of fashion is also conditioned by the choice of photographer she has decided to collaborate with and thus don’t expect any radical changes in those she has already worked with.

I want to keep the quality, the photographers we work with—David Sims, Mert and Marcus, Mario Testino, and Bruce Weber. I don’t think there should be radical changes. The magazine should still be chic and sophisticated. VOGUE.com interview

There has been one huge surprise however… The Return of Hans Feurer in VOGUE Paris is great news and a welcome change.

Hans Feurer ©DR

Hans Feurer’s style is easily recognizable:

• Outdoor shoots, long lenses, grainy film aspect, blurred background, sharp on the model (bokeh effect), sunrise or sunset light and often with the introduction of back light and flare.

This style was in “VOGUE” in the 70′s and 80′s and has come back in to fashion since certain internet bloggers started to photograph street fashion a few years ago. The styling often associated with his photography is ethnic, tribal in wildly natural spaces. However, he can express himself in a more urban environment as he did recently in French VOGUE with Supermodel Anja Rubik.

Anja Rubik by Hans Feurer for VOGUE Paris - April 2011

Feurer, a highly renowned fashion photographer in the 70s and 80s, is Swiss born and studied photography in London. In the ’60s, he became a photographer for British Vogue, Vogue Paris, US Vogue, Marie Claire, French Elle… He photographed most of the major supermodels from Claudia Schiffer to Laetitia Casta with Yasmeen Ghauri, Christy Turlington… He launched Amber Valletta in French Elle Magazine.

Who do you dream to photograph?

- I had the chance to work with the most beautiful women in the world from Pat Cleveland, Christy Turlington to Stephanie Seymour… Kate Moss is the only one that I haven’t photographed. Excerpt of his interview in the Contributor Section of French VOGUE April 2011.

I would add “so Far”… , but I have the feeling that with his statement in the Contributor Section of the magazine, this omission will be repaired quickly enough.

Some of his archives

In the early 60′s, he was assisted by French Photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Hans Feurer is also renowned for his collaboration with Kenzo for several of their Ad Campaigns in the 70′s and 80′s and was well known for his shooting of lingerie and swimsuits in a beach environment. In 1974, he directed the famous Pirelli Calendar.

Over the past few years Hans Feurer is back on track with magazines the likes of Numéro, I-D and VOGUE China, etc…

I really appreciate the fact that Emmanuelle Alt went for the original “Real Deal” photographer rather than one of the numerous copies amongst the younger fashion photographers emulating his and Eddy Kohli‘s style.

DIM Advertising © Eddy Kohli

Watch more photos from Hans Feurer in VOGUE Paris – April 2011

Here is the video of the 2005 edition of the International Fashion Photography Festival in Cannes, France with interviews of Hans Feurer, Jean-Daniel Lorieux, Benjamin Kanarek, amongst others.

Celebrities and Fashion have always been synonymous. However, today more than ever, fashion magazines are featuring more celebrities than immigrants trying to get into the USA for their Green Card. In many cases these highly regarded magazines are using celebrities more often than Super Models for their covers. There are many reasons for this and in my opinion some of those decisions have more to do with the Politics of Fashion than the notoriety of the Celebrity.

Why is it that some of the Biggy Fashion Mags don’t feature Super Models, but do feature Celebrities from all sectors of the Entertainment Industry?  I believe that it is because they can’t get the Super Models for their magazines. In fact their are very few magazines that can get Super Models and find it a lot easier to get Celebrities to adorn the covers of their ELLE’s, Marie Claire’s etc…

It is true that Celebs sell and can attract a large audience, but when it comes to the giants vying for THAT Top Model, that is where only a few of the Biggies like VOGUE, Harper’s BAZAAR, ELLE and a few other more obscure, but none the less important magazines like Numéro, V and perhaps L’Officiel can get on occasion.

Of course many would argue that the reason that this or that fashion magazine are shooting Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears or Paris Hilton is because they sell magazines. That may be true, but I am quite sure that if all of the major and lesser influential fashion magazines attempted to compete for the creme de la creme of the modelling industry and could only get models and not celebrities, that the King of the heap would surface really quickly. You would see immediately by the standard of the models acquired who really rules the game.

Thus again the reason why Celebs act as a great draw that diverts the attention from the obvious omission from the covers of “Fashion” Magazines of Top Models. Why would a major fashion magazine want to be judged by their peers and the public based on the fact that so and so was on this magazines cover but not on theirs? Celebs are a kind of “Hey we have Paris on our cover wearing Gucci” and not “Hey we could only get so and so and so and so competitor Fashion magazine knows that we could only get so and so because of you know why…”

I am not saying that celebrities should not be on magazine covers. I am saying that a Fashion magazine should be a Fashion Magazine and not a people magazine. Models are part of the Fashion landscape and I am hoping that we can get back to the epoch where fashion magazines did what they did and did it well and leave the people’s magazines to People Magazine.

And lastly, celebrities seem to be more accessible than agents representing those models most of the fashion magazines would love to get on their covers but won’t. They and their PR people understand that the exposure they garner being seen on the cover of Redbook could aid in them getting their next big part in that 2012 blockbuster “Calender’s End”*

So the next time you see the cover of a magazine with a celeb on the cover, you may want to ask yourself, “Did they because they wanted to, or because so and so didn’t want to”.

* (I made that up)

by:Benjamin Kanarek

The Swedish superstar’s Body Talk series was one (or rather three) of the best albums to come out last year and her epic ode to the self-samba, “Dancing on My Own” has yet to leave my iPod rotation. It warms what’s left of my heart to see her getting some much-deserved attention, especially after being snubbed this year at the Grammys.

Sidebar: I mean, really, Teenage Dream? But I promised myself I wouldn’t get too upset about it, especially after that incident last year with Taylor Swift.

Joining Robyn in Elle‘s “Music Issue,” out April 12th, will be the Messiah also known as Beyoncé, Florence Welch (of the Machine), hair-whipper Willow Smith, American Idol judge and apparently-still-a-”singer” J. Lo, the baddest bitch in the rap game Nicki Minaj, multi-hyphenate supermom Gwen Stefani, blue-eyed soul songstress Adele, Oscar and Grammy-winner Jennifer Hudson, the incomparable Stevie Nicks and the Queen herself, Aretha Franklin.

That’s quite the line-up and the cover is quite a get for Robyn, who will also be performing April 11th as part of  Elle‘s second annual “Women in Music” event at the Music Box in Hollywood.

So West Coast gays, I expect you all to rally in support. After all, good pop music must be treasured and nurtured like the sequin-clad bird of paradise that it is.

Photo: Image Amplified / Link Love: Just Jared

Erez works with one of fashion’s most visionary and relevant agencies, Kate Ryan. His style blends striking high fashion concepts with subtle artistic undertones. One has only to catch sight of Erez’s photography to realize his deep passion for his profession.

Recently Fashion Indie was awarded the chance to ask Erez about his incredible images and views on the industry. Here’s what the multimedia artist had to say.

Who or what influenced and shaped your photography style?

I began shooting at 16. As a teen growing up in Israel, I was always interested in magazines like The Face. Nick Knight and Javier Vallhonrat were photographers I admired.

The turning-point came when I moved to Paris to shoot for magazines like l’Uomo Vogue, Detour and 20 ans (of which Emmanuelle Alt, today editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, was fashion director).

You can still see traces of that influence in my work as a director and multi-media artist. For example I did a show at the International Fashion Festival in Japan, “Master Minds of Mode,” which was all about painting my subjects with lighting.

So many of your portrait shots not only convey a message, but have an artistic nature infused within. What’s involved in the creative process to capture your photos?

To each portrait shoot I bring 100% of my energy. I aim to capture the best of each subject, looking from the perspective of a warm heart with a cinematic sensibility. I’m only satisfied when magic happens on set, and have been fortunate to work with an amazingly talented team.

I spent almost three years shooting images for my first book “My Favorite T-Shirt,” which explores the lives of artists in New York. It was a fulfilling journey for me as an artist, very pure and honest – no digital, no retouching and no cropping. It felt like I was seeing everything for the first time.

I’m amazed with how you use location and setting to create a real depth in so many of your images. What are some secrets to making your surroundings work for you and not against you?

Some places really inspire me, such as Azerbaijan where I shot a story for Baku. You can see how we enjoyed shooting this in a behind-the-scenes video we made. I enjoy integrating subject and setting, creating a synthesis. An inspiring location helps create dynamism, movement and high energy, as well as the interaction of textures, colors and light. Trying to do justice to the setting, you have to make sure you’re not distracted from your subject.

What advice might you have for other young photographers who would like to achieve the same level you’re at?

Keep going. There are so many others in the field now, but you have to focus on ensuring that the amount of love you have for the craft shows up in the images. Trust yourself!

What’s your favorite camera to use on a fashion photography shoot?

I use Hasselblad with p+30, P45, Canon 5D Mark2 and MAMYA RZ. It all depends on the project.

See the rest of the interview + more pics on LookBooks.

[Above: Crystal Renn]

1. Crystal Renn

Crystal Renn is leading the charge for plus-sized models. Renn, a size 8, posed for five major ad campaigns and seven French Vogue spreads last year alone.

2. Whitney Thompson

You may remember Whitney from America’s Next Top Model season 10 – she won the entire competition. Whitney went on to pose for Forever 21, Saks Fifth Avenue, People Magazine, Seventeen Magazine and a host of other fashion ads and editorials.

3. Marquita Pring

Marquita is a Ford girl who wears size 41-35-46. She’s been featured in Vogue, Vice, Tush, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle.

4. Kate Dillon

Ms. Dillon’s schoolmates dubbed her “Overweight Kate,” and the teasing took its toll. Kate became severely underweight though she won third place in Elite’s Look of the Year contest, earning the then-17-year-old a $75,000 contract. Kate’s malnourished and two-cigarette-pack-a-day lifestyle eventually made her fed up with modeling. She quit the business and moved back into her parent’s house. At the suggestion of a friend, Kate returned to modeling after a short break – this time as a plus-size model. She’s enjoyed modeling more ever since.

5. Gitte Lill

In addition to plus-size modeling, Gitte is also a dancer. The Norway-born beauty is backed by the Ford agency.

6. Natalie Laughlin

W magazine has hailed her as one of “the brightest stars,” and The Wall Street Journal writes that “people in the industry say the brown-eyed, 5-foot-9 model, size 12-to-14, is at the top of her game.” I can’t disagree. Natalie was featured as Liz Claiborne’s “Elizabeth” girl, and she’s earned the title of “Cindy Crawford of plus-size models” by some industry folks.

7. Alyona Osmanova

Alyona didn’t start out as a plus-size, but she was moved into the category. She’s earned a long list of career achievements, including walking for Marc Jacobs, Prada, Chanel and Givenchy. Alyona’s been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Dazed & Confused and a host of other top-tier magazines.

Sources told the Times of India, which first reported the story:

“[Aishwarya] believed that these things don’t happen anymore. Not in this day and age when women are recognized for their merit, and not for the colour of their skin. She is currently verifying this skin-whitening allegation. If there is any proof of this, she might even take action.”

Ash’s fans took to the internet to complain about her complexion, in belief that “her image had been doctored by the magazine to appease Caucasian standards of beauty.”

If Aishwarya decides to sue — and if she wins — will magazines be forced to ease up on the Photoshopping and — dare I say — represent realistic images of people?

Of all the concepts.

LINK LOVE: Huffington Post

ELLE.com has put put together 60 of  their best picks for holiday gifts. Not only does the  list hits all price points but they are also available online. There are a variety of gifts ranging from clutches to lingerie. Gift ideas include this funky Diana Mini Camera seen above.

To see all of the gifts then head over to ELLE.com

Surprisingly young by powerhouse magazine standards, Elle’s 25th anniversary issue promises to be a pretty good one.  The womenswear magazine is following up their September issue with another big one in October, focusing on 25 women under 25.  With four different covers featuring Amanda Seyfried, Lauren Conrad, Gabourey Sidibe, and Megan Fox, there’s certainly something for everyone.  Jump for more info and a ‘holy abs!!’ moment.Some interview nuggets include Fox on her marriage to older former 90210 hunk Brian Austin Green:

When I talk about my husband, I feel as if people roll their eyes.  It’s like when you’re 16 and order a martini, and the waiter says, ‘Do you think I’m stupid?’  They can’t grasp that I’m old enough to be married.

And the more lighthearted story of Precious star Sidibe’s 25th birthday party (which sounds like a blast):

Part of me thought it would be weird if people knew I was a grown-up playing a teenager in Precious. So I had a twenty-first-birthday party. We had drinks and went to a strip club called Shotgun Willie’s.

All in all, it should be a fun issue for the girls and the guys, for those not yet Elle’s age and those reminiscing back to a time when things were easier and you could spend a night out at Shotgun Willie’s.  Be sure to check out the above link for looks at all the covers and more.  Much more.

We here at FashionIndie have an unnatural love for Elle editor Kate Lanphear. We knew we weren’t crazy in our secret crushing.

According to a former intern, Kate Lanphear is the nicest editor at Elle. She tells the Post, “All the interns wanted to be her and probably still do.” The editor also treated her underlings like real, sustenance-needing human beings: “She is honestly one of the nicest people that I’ve met in the industry … She kept us really late one night, so she brought us in pizza and sodas. Most other editors merely just stare at you or don’t acknowledge your existence at all.”

LINK LOVE: Page Six/NYP

Photography by Ben Hassett / Courtesy of UK ELLE Magazine (the image must be credited correctly)

Fashion by Anne-Marie Curtis

Cover star Kate Hudson

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French photographer Nicolas Valois lensed Nils Butler for latest issue of Elle Argentina.

View more of “NILS BUTLER by NICOLAS VALOIS“

Tags: Editorial, Elle, Home, Nicolas Valois, Nils Butler

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LINK LOVE:Elle Chic New York | A sunny shade of marigold amplifies a summer outfit

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LINK LOVE:Elle Street Chic NY | Szonja Fekete Wearing Zara top, Bershka shoes, Fendi bag & Alexander Wang sunglasses

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