W’s EIC Stefano Tonchi and senior editor Diane Solway approached Ai about doing the cover shortly after he was released and the artist seemed game. ““He really, really liked the idea,” said Solway. “We left it open to him to create an original work and then we didn’t hear from him for a little bit, so we thought it wasn’t happening.”

Then suddenly, Ai re-emerged with the idea of referencing photos he took of the 1980s riots in Tompkins Square for a five-photo spread. With photographer Max Vadukul, Ai art directed the shoot via Skype, remotely observing as Sui He was detained and hooded — while giving face the entire time — in an Alexander Wang dress before being confined in Rikers Island.

“For me, the excitement has been, firstly, to have the chance to collaborate with an artist of his stature,” said Vadukul of the shoot, “then to hear him actually give a very strong direction. If anybody ever asks me what’s the most incredible thing you’ve ever done in editorial, I will say this assignment.”

The cover is certainly a departure from W‘s last “Art Issue,” featuring a nude and painted Kim Kardashian and one can bet that Ai Weiwei won’t be crying into his sister’s mannish arms about being able to see a little nip. [NYT]

Spotted Friday at the Givenchy mens show, Carine will once again be sitting front row at the July haute couture shows in Paris where she’ll be impersonating a client for W. Paolo Roversi is rumored to be shooting the story.

Meanwhile, this sounds even better than that Carine Roitfeld-inspired editorial a few months back, though one can only hope that they dig up “Cardboard Tom Ford” again.  [WWD]

This M.I.A. and Donatella Tandem Courtesy of: W

Following in the high-low footsteps of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson, Sonia Rykiel and most recently Lanvin‘s Alber Elbaz, Donatella will design a collection of both mens and womens clothing, in addition to home items — which I never even knew H&M had to begin with.

Described as a celebration of the Italian brand’s “vibrant heritage,” the collection will debut in 300 H&M stores on November 17th — and will be sold out later that day.

Bonus! Donatella — pulled, tucked and shellacked within inches of her life — discusses the collection with H&M’s Creative Advisor, Margareta van den Bosch.

[WWD]

Speaking with the Huffington Post, Enninful notes that while there are “still very few black people,” the American fashion industry has reassessed its approach to fashion. And who else do we have to thank but that certified brick house of a Fierce Lady, Michelle Obama:

“You know, for one of the most influential women in the country to be black. I know that meant a great deal to a lot of black people in the fashion industry. And also now we have Twitter, we have the internet, and I’ve seen so many young black people who are involved in fashion. They’re making their own clothes, they’re styling, they’re taking photographs, and I guess the future generation to come, they’re all racing to become one global fashion industry. That’s what I hope, anyway.”

Enninful goes on to describe working with Franca Sozzani on the now legendary “Black Issue” of Vogue Italia, claiming the editix “put her money where her mouth is”:

“She continued to feature black models, she continued to feature different body types or body shapes. She continued to challenge the norm, which is the question that we’ve been talking about, and I feel that’s what we want to take from W as well. We want to make everybody a part of the after-party.”

It’s kind of ridiculous that it’s 2011 and we’re still discussing racism at all, let alone racism in an industry as forward-thinking and revolutionary as fashion. Andrej Pejic just did double duty in mens and womenswear during São Paulo Fashion Week, after all.

Luckily there are people like Ed Enninful leading the way towards a new ethnically rich and diverse fashion frontier. [HuffPo]

Editor-in-Chief Stefano Tonchi explains the reasoning behind the campaign:

“Other publications have these parties that are sometimes very formal, sometimes very brief, sometimes very boring, sometimes very glamorous, but somehow it is always a place where you don’t necessarily have a lot of fun. And we were talking about how you have fun after the party.”

The ads feature photos that have appeared in W and will be seen on taxi rooftops and phone kiosks as well as in Condé Nast magazines and on their Web sites. In addition, W will get the after party started a little early by sending out bottles of Dom Perignon to celebrities, designers and a few restaurants and nightclubs around the city and the Hamptons.

If this is really the after party, I hope those bottles also come with an eightball of cocaine and a dead hooker. Because if Charlie Sheen taught me anything, the after party’s when shit gets real. [WWD]

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]

- With the Met Gala, the Fashion World’s Oscars only a few hours away, what better way to celebrate (especially if your invitation was lost in the mail like mine, I’m assuming, was), then to take a stroll down memory lane of the Costume Institute‘s patron saint, Anna Wintour‘s ball looks over the years. Time had the unmitigated gaul to name Vogue‘s editrix the worst-dressed of the year for her Chanel Couture from 2008′s Superheroes exhibit, but hopefully whoever had the cheek to write that is hanging by his/her nipples in a dungeon in France somewhere. Where they belong. [Fashionologie]

- J. Crew‘s new catalog features employees modeling their clothes, including openly gay designer “Somsack” and his boyfriend “Micah,” that for some reason is deemed “explicit.” Dear “Straight” World, the gays date and wear clothes. That is when we’re not secretly plotting against the moral fiber of America and recruiting your children to our degenerate way of life. Actually, you know what, we can do both since our people are natural multi-taskers. — Love, The Gays [Refinery29]

- New W Fashion and Style Director, Edward Enninful describes his vision for the mag as thus: “I want editorial to be filled with ideas. It’s very important to capture the mood of the collections and bring narrative onto the pages. It’s also very important to be forward-thinking but remain wearable. We should project what’s going to come, take from the past and bring something new, and document what’s around now.” That means practically nothing to me, but I’m hoping it will translate into tons of black models and couture out the wazoo. [Style File]

- Professional jailbird Lindsay Lohan still somehow manages to find work, this time giving face on the cover of Blank, photographed by Steven Gomillion and Dennis Leupold. I’m holding out hope for a jailhouse photoshoot during the four months she’ll be locked up. [DesignScene]

- Cool-kids-about-town and adorable design duo, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler are starting their own costume jewelry line, set to launch during the pre-collection season. I’m assuming this won’t be Claire’s-level bobbles but I wouldn’t mind a PS tribal beaded necklace bunch. [WWD]

Gone is the grey, replaced by a glowing white as Mila vamps for Craig McDean in glorious Black Swan-like plumage, courtesy of stylist Alex White.

This cover is not drastically different from previous covers, but it’s more “fashion.”  I’m actually interested in picking up this issue and paging through the editorial, which is gorgeous by the bye.

I’m just going to elect Mila Kunis to be the next big movie star and hopefully everyone will stop trying to make Megan Fox happen.

Shh!

The claim that “there was ABSOLUTELY no retouching on her hips or waists or legs!!”

LINK LOVE: oh no they didn’t

Photographed by Craig McDean, Jennifer Garner looks less mom and more glam on the cover of the January issue of W Mag. Read her interview here.

Published in W Magazine March 07, this futuristic editorial stars Daisy Lowe and Georgia Frost.

SOURCE:  cyanatrendland

For the latest issue of W, Inez and Vinoodh shot Lara hanging out in the sand in everything but a bikini. Love the fur juxtaposed with the sunny tropical background…I do hate when designer dresses get dirty in the sand!

LINKAGE: The Pipeline

Drew Barrymore speaks about landing the April 2009 cover of W Magazine.

“It’s like Cinderella fantasy, It’s like the cool kids club, too. I’m like a frickin’ paralysis dork victim! (points at her lip) I love pretending and I’m an old crazy woman and I love pretending that I love a sex life. (laughs)”

“It’s so fun to vamp and be sexy and do all these things because I wear sweatpants.”

LINKAGE: Just Jared

W Mag’s new August issue is packed with shots of the fashion’s latest heavyweights from Alexander Wang; Avalon Vega’s Samuel Francois; Kate Moss; Avalon Vega’s Daniel Fumaz; Louise Goldin; Balmain’s Christophe Decarnin; Lara Stone; Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman; Gareth Pugh; Rosamosario’s Carlotta Danti; Daria Werbowy; Jeremy Laing; Alexis Mabille; Koi suwannagate’s Nunthirat “Koi” Suwannagate; Jason Wu; Daughters’ Swaim, Lowe and Christina Hutson; Danielle Scutt; Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy.

Source: London.Paris.Milan.NewYork