Photos: The Fashion Spot, Bellazon

Photo: Daily Mail

Never a conventional lady (cocaine scandal anyone?), model (a 5’7″ super among the 90s Glamazons) or celebrity (she’s notorious for not giving interviews), one would expect Kate Moss to be an unconventional bride:

Alexander McQueen – Resort 2012

Kate’s dear departed friend would be an obvious choice, but not even Moss could compete with the Duchess of Cambridge’s gorgeous gown by Sarah Burton.

Vera Wang – Fall 2011

Vera would be an obvious choice, but Kate would wear the Wang in a non obvious way, like this almost Victorian number from Vera’s Fall ready-to-wear line.

Marc Jacobs – Resort 2012

This jumpsuit from buddy Marc’s Resort collection is too casual for a wedding, but I would nonetheless love Kate in a pant and a sky-high heel.

Louis Vuitton – Fall 2011

Or perhaps a look from Marc’s futuristic-by-way-of-Blade Runner BDSM Louis Vuitton show, which Kate naturally stole, would be more her speed.

Lanvin – Resort 2012

Short but sweet, this little flirty Lanvin dress would be a modern turn for the bride-to-be, or a chic possibility for her bridesmaids. God knows Naomi loves to show some gam.

Valentino – Resort 2012

Kate would look lovely in Valentino, especially when dropping it like it’s hot to musical guest, Snoop Dogg.

Stella McCartney – Resort 2012

BFF and definite wedding guest Stella McC is another frontrunner for Kate’s wedding gown. This look from her 2012 Resort collection is a little on the old maid side, but chop those sleeves off and either shorten or lengthen it and now we’re talking.

Chanel – Resort 2012

Kate’s good ole Uncle Karl would probably jump to dress his little girl in Chanel like the lady she really isn’t but we can all pretend that she is.

Versace – Resort 2012

Throw a 40-foot train on this Versace number and you’ve got yourself one sexy bride, not to mention an updated Stephanie Seymour à la “November Rain” thing going on.

Christian Dior – Resort 2012

The likelihood of Kate wearing Dior is slim to none, but this simple asymmetrical dress would be a classy and understated choice. But this is motherfucking Mosstock and thus neither the time nor place to be classy and understated.

Which look is your favorite?

Photos: Style.com

MARC JACOBS RESORT COLLECTION 2012

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.

Stephanie Seymour (July 23, 1968) As a muse for the late Richard Avedon, Stephanie Seymour created some of the best fashion photographs of the 90s, then upped the iconic ante when she strolled down the aisle as Axl Rose‘s bride (the two were dating at the time) in Guns and Roses‘ classic “November Rain” video. Though supermodels appearing in music videos was nothing new in 1992, very few looked as perfect as Seymour in that epic wedding dress. Perhaps a little too rock & roll for a royal wedding, but I would at least consider it, Kate Middleton.

Claudia Schiffer (Aug. 25, 1970) Reminiscent of a young Bridget Bardot, Claudia Schiffer’s sultry good looks catapulted her to supermodeldom in the early 90s. Though she made a comeback in a series of gorgeous ads for Salvatore Ferragamo in 2007, don’t expect to see Schiffer on a runway anytime soon; the German stunner maintains that she’s “very shy.” I’m the same way until I get a little liquor in me, hence, we just need to booze up Claudia and throw her — heels first — onto that catwalk. ASAP.

Heidi Klum (June 1, 1973) The ultimate Victoria’s Secret Angel, Klum hung up her wings for good in 2010 to focus on her thriving businesses: in addition to producing the Peabody Award-winning Project Runway (yeah, Heidi Klum has a Peabody), Klum has tried her hand at design, acting, painting not to mention re-populating the world with the help of her virile husband Seal…seriously, Heidi’s been pregnant nonstop for like the past ten years. I’m just going to say it, someone needs to separate those two.

Kate Moss (Jan. 16 1974) The kittenish face of “Heroin Chic,” Kate Moss’ arrival in 1990 sparked a sweeping change in the world of modeling. The glamazons of the 80s and early 90s now seemed outdated compared to the 5’7 Moss when she appeared in The Face magazine, shot by the late Corrine Day. Notoriously private — she rarely gives interviews — Kate Moss is still the most ubiquitous face in modeling of the past twenty years. As a regular in ad campaigns and a favorite muse for many photographers, Moss also practically owns the cover of British Vogue. Despite her amazing career, Kate has had her share of ups and downs…both fueled heavily by cocaine.

Photo: Harper's Bazaar

Tyra Banks (Dec. 4, 1973) Tyra Banks started off a rail-thin high fashion model before morphing into a voluptuous swimsuit cover girl, then a Victoria’s Secret Angel, then a fat-ass Emmy-winning talk show host and the professional smizer/creator of the now international Top Model series; in short, she is the ultimate model as mogul. And while I and a generation of other girls have learned everything we know about modeling from Ms. Banks (admittedly it took me a while to figure out how to find my light), she still has a few tricks up her sleeve (or in this case, turban), such as this shot from Vogue Italia’s iconic “Black Issue.”

Gisele (July 20, 1980) The last of the true supermodels, Gisele came along during the wave of Brazilian bombshells in the late 90s. With her athletic body and distinctive horse trot, she’s stayed at the top of the model heap for the past ten years, earning the one-name recognition to which all supers are entitled. Though there are several heirs to the throne (Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman, Coco Rocha, Hilary Rhoda, Agyness Deyn, Anja Rubik, Jessica Stam, the list goes on and on…), the queen is not abdicating anytime soon.

Photo: Models.com

Conceived by the Chairman of the Institute’s Board of Directors, Oscar de la Renta and curated by Vogue‘s own Hamish Bowles, Balenciaga: Spanish Master is the the first collection “to consider the impact of Spain’s culture, history and art” on the career and artistry of Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972).

Portrait of the artist as a young fox

Balenciaga forever changed the way women dressed and introduced dramatically different silhouettes into a woman’s sartorial lexicon. Spanish Master showcases some of the designer’s brilliant, beautiful and very often groundbreaking work in millinery, evening gowns, cocktail dresses and daywear, particularly highlighting his expert construction and tailoring.

Photo: GDK is the new black.

Featuring over 70 pieces from the Balenciaga archives, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Hispanic Society of America, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Texas Fashion Collection, the collection also benefited from loans from the private collections of Sandy Schreier and Bowles himself.

Photo: Sandi in the City

The exhibit also ”considers the influences on [Balenciaga's] designs of the country’s great artists, from Zurbarán and Goya to Picasso, Sorolla and Miró, and of Spain’s religious dress and ceremony, its royal history, its rich regional costume, its dance traditions, and the power and splendor of the bullfight. “

Photo: GDK is the new black.

I was in raptures pouring over Spanish Master‘s two floors and was especially surprised by Balenciaga’s continued experimentation and ingenuity well into old age and until his retirement in 1968. One could easily see the rich history from which Nicolas Ghesquière regularly culls and reinterprets through the house’s current collections.

Photos: Blend/Koko Royale

Balenciaga: Spanish Master is an experience that any lover of fashion or art or Spanish history should not miss. The exhibition will be on display at the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute through February 19th and is $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors, and Institute members.

Queen Sofía Spanish Institute  - 684 Park Ave

Like Cristobal Balenciaga, artist Francesco Vezzoli was inspired by religion for his latest exhibition Sacrilegio. He has reimagined 15th- and 16th-century Madonna and Child paintings by Giovanni Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli utilizing 80s/90s supermodels including Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christie Brinkley, Tatjana Patitz, Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour and Kim Alexis.

Kim Alexis

The exhibit purports to examine “the societal worship of figures from the fashion and celebrity industries” by combining supermodels with historical religious icons.

Cindy Crawford

Vezzoli adorned each painting with “makeup, tattoos and large oblong tears rendered in needlepoint” and the gallery itself has been transformed into a Renaissance chapel. Some of the works also feature an FV with “a needle and thread forming part of the initials.”

Christie Brinkley

The exhibit was interesting and wholly entertaining — I mean, Christie Brinkley crying a giant needlepoint Liza Minnelli tear! I’m surprised I didn’t collapse from the amount of awesome being thrown my way.

Whether you subscribe to the artist’s idea of using these supers to “reflect a reality that has a huge power over our lives” or are just tickled by Naomi Campbell as a holy figure, Sacrilegio is definitely worth seeing. Sacrilegio will be on display at the Gagosian through March 12.

Gagosian Gallery - 522 W 21st St

Portrait of the artist as a young fox

Photo: GDK is the new black.

Photos: Blend/Koko Royale

In her broken English — or badly translated Italian — Sozzani extols the virtues of Yves Saint Laurent‘s nakedness, Stephanie Seymour‘s snatch, and the artistic nudes of Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon.

They knew how to be naked back then!

She then goes on to call Terry Richardson and Juergen Teller trashy and blame them for transforming nudes into “something sexy and crude rather than glossy.” Whatever “glossy” is supposed to mean.

The editrix then goes on to attack the Tom Ford-helmed issue of Vogue Paris, featuring a wide range of exploitation:

“How about little girls? Wearing heavy make up, sexy clothes, posing in poses that are outrageous for their age.”

Sozzani seems to think that the pinnacle of child exploitation was in the 80s Brooke Shields pedo-fest, Pretty Baby, as “the images were actually romantic for the harsh reality [baby prostitution] portrayed in them.”

And as for those naked elderly people, she’d prefer they keep their wrinkly birthday suits covered up, thank you very much.

Franca Sozzani’s point in all of this is that the images being presented should say something and not just shock for the hell of it.  I love a nude male model as much as the next lady, often much much more, but when does it go from being art or fashion and just becomes porn?

Answer: point of insertion.

But beyond that, if a collection just isn’t good, there’s no point in calling it avant-garde. That’s an easy cop-out. If an article of clothing defies categorization or tradition, sure, call it avant-garde. But feel free to listen to Franca when in doubt:

“If what’s beautiful depends on your opinion, what’s ugly just repulses you.”

What do you think? Does Franca Sozzani have a point?

Link Love: Vogue Italia

Nadja Auermann, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Stephanie Seymour by Richard Avedon for Versace.

LINK LOVE: Fashion Gone Rogue

Valentino has released their Spring/Summer ’09 campaign featuring Stephanie Seymour. The ads, featuring some of the hottest accessories were shot by Mert and Marcus. Everything seems to be picture perfect!

Thanks Fashion Copious

Stephanie Seymour on the term “supermodel”: “It’s very embarrassing when you meet, like, a Russian prostitute, and she says she’s a supermodel. And you’re like, ‘Hey, me too’,” she told the World Entertainment News Network.

Yes, Stephanie it is embarrassing, but honestly, how often does this happen to you? I’d like to know that, cuz it’s not often you see those running around, unless you happen to be running around Brighton Beach. And, this is coming from a woman who gets paid a lot of money to be nude, does anyone find this ironic?