If You Could Be A Fashionzine Editor

In anticipation of the uber-important, super-thick September issue, I decided to plan several fashion editorials (just because I have time!). I have a practical approach to fashion but welcome originality in photography and model selection. If I were the editor of a fashion magazine, I'd hire the stylists from Bazaar or Lucky, depending on the orientation of the magazine (high fashion vs. high street). Dream team of photographers would include: Patrick Demarchelier (as opposed to Steven Meisel), Craig McDean (as opposed to Steven Klein), Mario Testino (as opposed to Annie Leibovitz), Carter Smith (Glen Luchford would be second-best), Greg Kadel (David Sims or Thomas Schnek can be used as substitutes, but no to Michael Thompson), Bruce Weber (as opposed to Irving Penn).

Both actresses and models could grace the covers, and I'll try to give half of the covers to models. But if I were to cast models in major magazines, I'd tell Daria Werbowy to take a break for a good four months, ditto Liya Kebede. Karolina Kurkova would not be nearly as big as she is now, and neither would Carmen Kass. Carolyn Murphy can retire after her Estee Lauder contract expires. Amber Valletta and Linda Evangelista won't be hoping for a "return." Karen Elson and Hannelore, stick with Meisel because you won't be getting calls from me. Girls like Jessica Stam and Ben Grimes would never make it, ditto Frankie Rayder & Missy Rayder. The strange ascent of Isabeli Fontana, Ana Michele Claudia, and Ana Beatriz Barros would be contained. On the other hand, I want to cast girls who are either healthy-looking sexy or beautiful in a brainy way. That means Gisele Bundchen, Caroline Ribeiro, Michelle Alves and Alessandra Ambrosio will be in high demand. The "return of supermodels" would consist of Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crowford, and Kate Moss. Angela Lindvall will be the reigning American supermodel, while Erin Wasson and Jessica Miller are used in moderation. The "brainy beauties" I would cast: Jacquetta Wheeler, Maria Carla Boscono, Mini Anden, Ann-Catherine Lacrioux, Dewi Driegen, Eugenia Volodina, Julia Stegner, Diana Dondoe. Cutie-pie Elise Crombez and Anne V. would have their space as well.

And the outline of the editorials:

Jan/July: Seasonal preview by fashion capitals
Feb/Aug: Predicting the "Looks of the Season" + trend report
Mar/Sept: Maximum glamour--spreads for coats, gowns/cocktail dresses, suits, accessories, plus another story on the trend of the season (last year: tweed; this year: burgendy)
Apr/Oct: More stories with themes, plus "from runway to real way" and "how to wear a last-season item in the new season"
May/Nov: Vacation spread or resort collection, plus a designer highlight (I'll shoot a whole story using clothes from a single collection if it is *that* good and narratively stong)
June/December: Review of the hit-and-miss items from last season

So for August's "Looks of the Season," I selected 14 wardrobes:


Prada's yellow dress with dramatic oriental print is sure to join its 'bee dress' and lipstick skirt as one of the iconic moments of the brand. Plus, this gives me an excuse to not use the ugly oriental-print gowns Tom Ford sent down the YSL runway. And I make my advertiser happy!


Christopher Bailey designed a strong AW 04 collection at Burberry and this is my favorite look. A navy-colored cami with a high-waisted pencil skirt is great for early fall. The accessories are to die for. Another advertiser made happy!


A great coat from Lanvin which has already been seen on Kate Moss. Honestly, I am surprised that this has not been photographed yet.

 

Dame Sonia Rykiel had a slam-dunk collection for AW 04 and the rose-detail at the collar is beautiful in the winter. Plus, isn't it great to see her in a US publication? Her "So Rykiel" off-the-shoulder sweaters and Dolce & Gabbana's gold-studded Mickey Mouse tees are two of the cutest items of the season.


Marc Jacobs. This is one of the less "Prada-inspired" looks which Gisele Bundchen opened the show with. He may launch a trend with bow-tie blouses. The color combination is retro yet unexpected.


JPG for Hermes. I am not a fan of this collection at all but given the heat of JPG's debut at Hermes, I have to compromise, so I picked this look. It's a bow-tie blouse following the Marc Jacobs outfit, and the red should look good next to the Celine dress.


Michael Kors for Celine's farewell collection was a hit, a nice mixture of retro housewife elegance and old moviestar glamour. There are many outfits which I considered: Karolina Kurkova's show-opening croc-embossed skirt and later another lace skirt, Audrey Marney and Liya Kebede's utility chic, but Raquel Zimmermann's vivid shade of red wins at the end. It's interesting that I eventually decided on a belted shift dress from a collection that is full of great two-piece dressing.

 

Dolce & Gabbana's velvet blazer + Mickey Mouse tee. Yes, the designing duo took inspiration from Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie on Sex and the City, but the jutaxposition of a formal blazer and a cartoon figure looks very of-the-moment, a logical extension following Louis Vuitton's cartoonized handbags last year. The strongest look from this collection may be Daria's pinstripe pant suit, a design that Dolce & Gabbana have fine-tuned to perfection over the years, but pant suits were hot two years ago and I think it is visually boring to proclaim them the Look of the Season again so soon.

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Roland Mouret's tweed dress. Roland Mouret is an up-and-coming talent that I want to push very much. Love the detail around the neck and the long sleeves spell cozy. Carmen Kass wore the short-sleeve version of it to meet Tony Blair.


Julien MacDonald's last collection for Givenchy was a good throw-back to the brand's Audrey Hepburn days.


Monique Lhuillier is another French-born, NY-based designer that I want to push. The checkered coat is amazing as is the orange belt. You may know her from Jamie Lee Curtis' revealing water-blue gown from the Oscars this year, but the majority of Lhuillier's work is much more refined. She started out from bridal wear and one of her dresses was featured in Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue this year. This is her first runway show, I believe.

 

J. Mendel's elegant ensemble embodies two of fall's favorite trends: pleated skirt and fur cape.


Miu Miu. A very casually put-together outfit, and yet it works so well.


Oliver Theykens deserves more credit for the revival of Rochas. The gown is majestic.

The highlight of the AW04 collections includes many firsts (JPG's debut for Hermes) and lasts: Tom Ford for Gucci and YSL, Michael Kors for Celine, Julien MacDonald for Givenchy. I did not include Tom Ford in this editorial because, frankly, none of the looks from either collection is worthy of becoming the Look of the Season. However, I will include his work in a later story on silver dresses.

Advertisers who got the boot: Armani, Fendi.

 

I do like Daria, just don't think she's looking her best now that she's been working non-stop and overexposed. That chin is starting to look scarily thin, as her new US Vogue editorial can attest.

 

Thanks for the info, Softgrey. I did like Armani's collection for Giorgio Armani SS03, and Emporio Armani AW03 was fab too. But I just did not bother to go through his stuff this time.

I purposely did not include any Dior, because their trunk show stuff is very different from their runway pieces anyway.

Another advertiser that I very much wanted to give the boot to is Donna Karan, but I guess her clothes will show up in a later post, as will: Viktor & Rolf, Missoni, and many other designers who didn't make the Look of the Season.

 

"The Looks of the Season" revised.

DE-LOVELY
Photographer: Satoshi Saikusa
Models: Raquel Zimmermann & Mariacarla Boscono




Opening page: Prada
Second page, left: Sonia Rykiel
Second page, right: Marc Jacobs

 

Left: Burberry
Right: Viktor & Rolf


Left: Lanvin
Right: Alberta Ferretti

 

Left: Hermes
Right: Celine


Left: Dolce & Gabbana
Right: Givenchy