A Magazine #11 : Curated by Kate and Laura Mulleavy

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte are the next stewards of the rotating-roster A Magazine, the glossy annual magazine. A, which selects a new designer or label each year to curate an issue, has in recent years turned to Giambattista Valli, Proenza Schouler, and Riccardo Tisci. For the 11th issue, arriving in mid-December, the sisters selected a cast of collaborators that includes photographers David Armstrong, Bill Owens, and Jay DeFeo, artist John Baldessari, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon.

The cover and an image from Armstrong’s portfolio of Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte’s Fall ‘11 collection debut exclusively here. The Mulleavys praised Armstrong’s ability to capture “an autumnal calm” and Dunst’s “glowing presence” in his Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone. From the cover wild to Armstrong’s urban scene, and everywhere in between—almost literally. The suburbs make an appearance, too, thanks to Owens (famous for his monograph Suburbia), who shot Elle Fanning in Rodarte’s Pitti W collection. More details will be released later today on Rodarte’s Facebook page.
—Matthew Schneier

style

 

[thunderstorm]

A bear?!

 

[Flashbang]

"As part of our guest curation of A Magazine, we asked Bill Owens and Elle Fanning to collaborate on a special series of photographs involving our SS2012 Couture Collection as seen through memories of our childhood growing up in Santa Cruz, California. It is the first editorial of the collection which was shown in Florence this past June and is now a part of the LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art's permanent collection. It was an honor to work with Bill Owens, whose work we admire greatly."

--Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte

Facebook/Rodarte

 

[Melancholybaby]

^Elle looks amazing in that turqoise dress

 

[Melly5525]

Wow Im so excited for this issue, I need to get my hands on this somehow. Love the shot of Elle,that collection for Pitti W was couture-like magic cant wait to see more shots of it!

 

[XavierRaphael]

oh my, do they sell this in Toronto?

 

[YoninahAliza]

Erm... the bear is questionable but I love the sound of everything else! Elle, Kirsten, Joss Whedon! The Mulleavy sisters seem like the type of people who have a complex thought process and the clothes they make are quite smart (as in they put thought/meaning into them). So I can't wait to see what else they included in this edition of A magazine.

 

[twistelette]

oh, very excited about this issue! what I love about the Mulleavy sisters (well, one thing I love about them) is how they take inspiration for their work from non-fashion things and places. hmmn, that's not put very eloquently... I just love that they don't just look at fashion itself to find inspiration for what they will design next.
I kinda like the bear. and that dress that kirsten dunst is wearing... beautiful.

 

[BerlinRocks]

I thought A Magazine was over.......
Don't get it!

 

[Scott]

if the previous two issues weren't any indication,this certainly speaks to their more commercial direction. as for the issue itself,i dunno i'm conflicted. i mean certainly the mulleavy sisters have interesting imagery that would work in this context but i definitely don't get that "A magazine" spirit in it either. to me it just looks like one's run of the mill fashion magazine....or worse....teen magazine.

 

[rox_yr_sox]

I love that bear...it's so fierce.

 

[deflyricist2006]

The bear represents California (that is the state animal), and that is where the Rodarte sisters grew up.

 

[Flashbang]

Elle Fanning in a Mystery Spot sweatshirt, photographed by Bill Owens for A Magazine curated by Rodarte

Facebook/Rodarte

 

[Prairie]

Elle Fanning photographed by Bill Owens in the Rodarte S/S 2012 Couture Collection

Rodarte's facebook

 

[Psylocke]

^That has got to be one of the most unappealing fashion stories I've seen in a while

The idea behind A magazine curated by... is great but so far the outcome of it has been disappointing in most cases. Most issues have been so sickeningly wannabe-indie and this one looks like it could end up being the worst of all

 

[Urban Stylin]

i was just about to say somethign similar, this whole indie depressive vibe thats in fashion now is just getting monotonous...bring back glam

 

[MulletProof]

It's just their latest issues, it didn't used to be bad, in fact it was a great outlet to see everything in the 'world' of a designer, what inspires him, what's been remarkable in his/her career, it wasn't about the finished product and the celebration of possessing a piece and those that get to purchase it but all about its creator and his creative mind. Up to Tisci's issue, I feel like they still managed to achieve this quite well, and this is an "extension" of ABCDE, so it's really been the last 3 issues (out of a great legacy of.. 15 issues?) that have been absolute trash. I feel a little bad for them. I think they should go the same way ABCDE did, with dignity and integrity, instead of resorting to this and making such a bold statement of what they claimed to be and what they need to be now.

 

[Pricciao]

I had Valli, Proenza Schouler and Kris van Assche issues. every issue has it's own story with almost different editorial team. I suggest you should not see it as a fashion magazine, it's more like a serial book of image collection from every designer.

 

[mrsjamesdean]

^ That's very true. However A still manages to have a distinctive vibe with most of the collaborators though I'm not into the Mulleavy sisters and their aesthetic which seems to attract a 'indie/hipster' audience. I did enjoy the Valli issue and was initially surprised by the choice so I'll give this issue a go but the previews are not enticing.

 

[Andrea.RL]

I'm kind of excited to see the outcome of this issue. I really love Rodarte to start with, their whole world, etc and the collaboration Elle Fanning really suits the vibe. I just saw Kirsten Dunsts pics, and even though they are nice, and I get what you guys are saying, but I think it's just redundant of Elle's, and makes this concept kind of boring... but I'll wait for more to really make myself an opinion.