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

[112fan]

Originally Posted by *ana*

you don't necessarily need to be muscular to be healthy. we're here judging images all the time and i don't see the problem if some people think a strong woman like stephanie doesn't suit valentino. it doesn't mean she can't do fashion, it just means she doesn't suit the brand's aesthetic. i prefer a softer image for valentino, too. and by softer i don't mean an unhealthy skinny body.

agreed

[*ana*]

Originally Posted by dior_couture1245

What?...you'd all rather have a pre-pubescent girl starring in this campaign? Would Siri have been a better choice?...she's so feminine, isn't she...

softer, i.e. softer than stephanie, not an ultra delicate "prepubescent" bland girl (by the way, why can siri ironically be called "so feminine", whereas the same can't be said about stephanie? because she's skinny, flat chested with no muscles and this necessarily makes her worse than the latter?). and since you mentioned siri, yes, i don't think she suits valentino either. if we need an example, iselin steiro did s/s 2007 and i think she looked fabulous. and even though alessandra's collections were a bit too soft (but good) sometimes that even hilary rhoda could be "too strong", stephanie still wouldn't suit the old valentino ads, in my opinion. she's just not valentino to me and to some people and i really don't get what the big deal is.

[Bahiyya]

Originally Posted by *ana*

you don't necessarily need to be muscular to be healthy. we're here judging images all the time and i don't see the problem if some people think a strong woman like stephanie doesn't suit valentino. it doesn't mean she can't do fashion, it just means she doesn't suit the brand's aesthetic. i prefer a softer image for valentino, too. and by softer i don't mean an unhealthy skinny body.

I'm pretty sure most of the comments that were causing offense were not so much the Valentino = softer so Stephanie is too fierce for this house but the "ZOMG! What's that showing up on her arms and thighs? is she a MAN? Go back to the middle-weight wrestler's championship you freak!" remarks and the further equation of everything soft and delicate with lovely woman and anything harder with chest-thumping masculinity.

Basically, Stephanie is not a muscular woman. Period.

[tigerrouge]

Originally Posted by dior_couture1245

To address the point you bring up about how the model has overshadowed the clothes, therefor equating the ad as a failure, I'd have to disagree. To me, while an ad certainly has to showcase the product, it is more important to create a striking image - great composition, great color (or beautiful B&W), fantastic styling and accessorizing, attractive/ appealing model(s), interesting photography, setting, etc...it all has to add up to a stellar campaign. And in my opinion, this is a great campaign because all the elements work together and the image itself feels iconic - and that's far more important than the clothes simply looking good.

When the campaign image was first posted, I didn't notice anything amiss about Stephanie's physique, but I can't ignore the people who say they don't think it enhances this collection.

Personally, for me, I think the images are superb and recreate the spirit of supermodeldom.

But from all that's been said in this thread, it seems it's not a universal success, it seems a goodly amount of people are put off by the model's pose/presence. Therefore I've become aware that Stephanie seems to be overshadowing the clothes in a way that I couldn't see. I think, if various people are commenting on it, then it's a point that deserves consideration.

So there's "my personal view of the campaign", and then there's "my view of the general impact of the campaign". You can like something, yet still be able to conclude that it doesn't seem to be universally working the same magic on others.

[Mchunu]

it's a pretty epic shot.. the fingers kind of bother me, but i think it's very strong!

[kimair]

wwd / december 23, 2008

New Valentino creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli are keeping mum about their much-anticipated fashion direction for the house until their debut couture collection in January, but a taste of it comes across in the spring ad campaign. Although the duo styled clothes designed by Alessandra Facchinetti, their predecessor who was ousted the day of her second Valentino ready-to-wear show last October, the message they wanted to convey was one of strong and sharp glamour and sensuality.

So they bypassed last season’s blurry romanticism favored by Facchinetti and captured by Peter Lindbergh, and tapped Stephanie Seymour, who was shot in Los Angeles by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott against a gray seamless background. The model strikes graphic poses that set off her toned body, skimpily clad in ruched silk shifts, at times embroidered. The photos, both vertical and horizontal, also zoom in on rose-decorated bags and black sunglasses with rhinestone detailing.

The campaign breaks in fashion magazines in January.

[dior_couture1245]

^^Well, I have to give the b*stards credit...they made a great campaign. Still hate them, though.

[mikel]

thanks for posting the article.

[Street_a_Licious]

Originally Posted by dior_couture1245

^^Well, I have to give the b*stards credit...they made a great campaign. Still hate them, though.

lol, ikr? we're all set on hating them already.

i'll need to see a freakin fantastic collection for me to soften towards them.

[sqekcx]

haha I'm kinda disappointed. I was hoping that Alessandra did this so that I could say something like "oh look they made a terrible choice they should have kept Alessandra" "I bet those 2 boys couldn't make a campaign like this"

but then it turns out that they made this and the credit has to go to them.

[kasmslo]

I don't think I really like this... at all.

[Alien Sex Friend]

full campaign

Stephanie Seymour and Andres Segura by Mert and Marcus









valentinofashiongroup

[Salvatore]

I quite like this!

[testinofan]

Now i like Valentino

[Atelier17]

OMG , Is always a pleasure to see Stephanie Seymour looking as Stunning as she looks in this campaign,,,I was never dissapointed by the fact she looks kind of buffed,,she looks amazing, and in great shape!! this campaign show us how beautiful she is, the class and the sensuality this woman oozes...The eyewear shots are for me the best ones of this campaign, althought th one with the Big turquoise bag and shoes, is simply To die for.... I love Stephanie, I love this campaign, and a a face that regal, is always a delight to see.