Valentino S/S 09 : Stephanie Seymour by Mert & Marcus

[Sabrina]

I absolutely hate this. It's not Valentino to me - the ad lacks the elegance and the romance I associate with the brand. Stephanie's hands freak me out, and her thigh... Ugh. She looks way too muscular for what Valentino represents.

[Alien Sex Friend]

YSL was better in 1000 times...

[thiago:)]

I don't like it and I don't like Stephanie.

[Meg]

I think it's a stunning shot - I just don't like her hands. They look like huge claws to me. But the image is so dynamic I'm willing to overlook this. It's gorg

[MyNameIs]

How boring. And I second the comments about the claws. What's that all about?

[wolfy]

I love it. Simple, clean, elegant, and statuesque
She looks amazing. Quite impressive

[wednesdays child]

Umm.. not sure.. I like the face and makeup's retro styling... but the leg is putting me off too...

[jadabelle]

camp

[Verene]

I knew this is going to be a WTH campaign, just like Stephanie's last season Loewe. The concept is good but wrong model... The dress is hiked up wayyy too high for someone her age.

[Spike413]

God, put a model whose thigh has, you know, muscle tissue on it in a campaign and people freak.

Seriously, the only thing I don't like is the hands. Meg said it best, they look claw-like. That's the thing about black and white though, even when a photo isn't perfect it still manages to look good.

[*ana*]

the idea and the pose aren't bad, but the model choice definitely is. i don't think stephanie suits the brand...

[elle_gb]

Very classic

[Luxx]

Originally Posted by Spike413

God, put a model who's thigh has, you know, muscle tissue on it in a campaign and people freak.

I don't mind her muscles, I think Stephanie has one of the best bodies out there. I just feel as though she's such an odd choice for Valentino, particularly Alessandra's version of Valentino. For me Stephanie will always be one of the quintessential Versace girls. She has that power and strength to her beauty/sexuality.

For Valentino I feel as though the look is much more understated and soft. Not that the Valentino woman is meek but she's certainly more restrained. If they were going for a super someone like say Christy might have been a better choice.

[helmut.newton]

I hate it. There's nothing remotely feminine about Stephanie Seymour. She has a terrible physique for portraying femininity or lightness - both of which the Spring 2009 collection was concerned with.

The definition in her arms and legs, whilst great for commercial work, is a little scary for a fashion advertisement. And I mean this with all due respect.

The Valentino aesthetic has never been and will never be about the agressive, empowered supermodel like that of Versace and Alaia.

His aesthetic is timeless beauty, classic beauty etc. Seymour is none of these.

[Verene]

^Seconded.
I'm not protesting casting muscled models. But does it have to be someone so Madonna-esque, body-wise? It just projects a more "I'm beautiful but I also can kick you @$$ all the way downtown in CHINA" vibe than the soft ethereal aesthetic of this collection.