Elle Italia January 2010 : Liya Kebede

[mikel]

I don't like how the 'L' is coming out of her head.

 

[Kanna]

Love the first ed 'Liya'. Thanks for scanning, Diciassette.

 

[TheCheekyCritic]

Yes but they do very good covers... not all the time obviously ... but as a weekly I think it is fantastic...

Absolutely! Back in the day when I was first introduced to the magazine, I was really surprised it was a weekly publication, because they often produce great(!) covers. I particularly recall a Milla Jovovich cover from 2007 which was simply stunning. Loved it. I think you can have higher expectations of the biggest Vogues than any of the Elles, surely, but that doesn't mean the latter can't produce just as great, fashion-relevant and -conscious material as the former. Shunning other publications simply because the masthead doesn't read "VOGUE" is unnecessary snobbery and incredibly nearsighted. There's a lot people miss out on with that attitude.

Wow, two eds for Liya in this issue? That's interesting.

I really like the Alexei Hay ed posted by Diciassette (17) flower. It's a shame some of these shots didn't make the cover rather than the cover shot, which I think is rather sloppy overall. The purple, bolded(!!!???) text combined with that stomach-wrenchingly hideous font just screams UK Vogue, and is just as terrible a combination here as it is on the cover of Vogue. Meanwhile, the crazy layering doesn't leave much room for actual posing, and although hiding the 'L' in her whimsical hair probably was cute as an idea, the execution looks awkward in practice, because rather than looking like it's buried in her hair, it's more like buried in her brain. Liya's expression is very strong, though.

I'm therefore surprised at how good the inside ed is. The "Idea Beauty" (i.e. 2nd) shot is probably one of the single most breathtaking ed shots I've seen in a long while, and it isn't the only great shot in the lot even though the lighting sometimes makes her face too boney. The atmosphere is great, though, as is the styling overall. I am so in love with the "Parka su Chiffon" (10) look (not to mention the picture). Love!!

The "Interno Giorno" ed bores me to death, though. The styling is nondescript and a touch catalogue-esque, and the photography is very uninspired overall. Very standard Matt Jones. Yawn. Also, Liya is a gorgeous woman, but no one should have to be styled with hair split evenly on both sides. No one. It's a terrible look on just about everyone, and I hate it no less here than I would on anyone else, anywhere. Ick. This is really something I'd expect to see in Town & Country magazine, not in Elle.

Thanks for the fantastic quality scans, Diciassette (17)!

 

[MON]

Amazed! Stunning cover & Ed

 

[jeremydante]

interesting tidbit on the liya edit; "Interno Giorno" - liya rocks traditional ethiopian scarves. the scarves are seen in five of the images.

 

[thelevintestino]

Love the cover!!! Thanks Diciassette (17)

 

[IAmLordZen]

Fantastic cover. It's great to know Liya's an activist as well as a model.

 

[franchini]

Love both of Liya's eds. Thanks for scanning.