Vogue Paris December 2016/January 2017 : Karl Lagerfeld & Lily-Rose Depp by Hedi Slimane

[blueorchid]

I know we all hate Alt, but is the magazine still selling well? I thought I read that it was, as long as it's doing well I can't see why they'd let her go (unfortunately).

 

[Scotty]

I'm more afraid if Alt leaves and someone worse comes in and they'll try to "youth"-ize VP like every other thing.

 

[blueorchid]

HQ Cover:



morandinipeople

 

[Lola701]

I know we all hate Alt

I'm maybe the only one but i actually like her work for what it is. Let's be fair, we loved the three previous issues because they had the spirit and the energy of the past but her VP is the VP we deserve a this time, with the state of fashion right now.

I'm sorry but we cannot find the collections boring, the campaigns boring, the choice of models and the celebrity obessed culture boring and yet expect a great, groundbreaking magazine.
Even under the radar publications are either boring or pretentious to death.

We are living in a very politically correct culture ruled by social media. We are living a time when a hairstyle or even seeing boobs under a transparent blouse can create a controversy. And yet, we want publications to take risks?

VI only value today is Meisel discovering models and doing beautiful portraits. Theyh haven't released a controversial editorial in years.

UK Vogue is more boring than ever and American Vogue keeps it relevance with celebrities and events around the publication.

VP is not what it used to be but it appeals to the french crowd and abroard. It's less risky than Carine but the FASHION is still there.

I'm bit tired of the Alt bashing. She is doing a good after all (for what it is). Carine's Vogue was all about her...And she made it so much about her that she was forced to leave.
Alt is keeping everybody withot damaging the magazine.

I really blame Hedi for the cover. It could have been an opportunity to do something fresh with Karl. Those are maybe the worst portraits of Hedi i have ever seen...

 

[vogue28]

To be honest, Carine Roitfeld used to produce both good and bad issues of Vogue Paris back when she was editing. Yeah, Alt's made some choices for French Vogue which I personally haven't been all too fond of but she's most definitely the best woman for the job.

My one complaint about this cover is how generic and flat it is (as I mentioned previously). For a Christmas issue there's no pizazz whatsoever, expect for the foiled masthead and fonts. No exclusivity whatsoever, since I've only just released Lily-Rose was just on the cover of French Glamour and is also on Jalouse for December/January.

 

[Phuel]

I'm maybe the only one but i actually like her work for what it is.

I like her (very much) as well, Lola. She's way ahead of most of the other Vogue editors in her confidence of her vision for Vogue.

It may be same old same old when VP runs with this sort of thing— but it’s still better, still more confident and still having a hold of who they are— which is an exclusive, high fashion ratified atmosphere, than most of the other clueless Vogues out there running about aimlessly with their heads cut off, latching to the latest SM-craze.

And I will gladly lose myself in Alt’s adult high fashion world anytime, anyplace rather than suffer through the desperately-trying-to-be down-with-the-PC-kids that so many editors have been infected with. Or… dumb down high fashion to an accessible, department-store blandness for easy consumption and wider readership.

When I look at American Vogue’s Dec cover, all I see is a polite but so dull, consumer-catalogue aesthetic aimed at selling to middle-America. It’s not high fashion; then there’s the unholy mess of Spain’s Dec Vogue cover. If it were not for the premiere brand of Penelope, Burberry and Testino, it looks so shockingly amateur, so thoughtlessly cobbled together with its flat cut-and-paste grey background (did they even bother with a seamless????), Penelope looking so sad, and the hilarious chicken-scratch that’s meant to be a layout; and then there’s Ukraine’s Vogue which most are gushing over— and as high fashion-friendly as the UV’s team seems to be, it’s just really a tribute-act to Vogue Italy and Meisel; and speaking of Italian Vogue, Franca seem so lost with no clear direction…

Even with Karl and this girl on the cover, Vogue Paris still rules far and above the others.

 

[MON]

I agree with Vogue28, she's definitely the best woman for the job. And I love her courage when she drastically changed VP. Some covers (most of them) may be a miss, but VP is still on the top of the game compared to most Vogues (UK and US especially). They may have questionable editorials, but let's not deny the fact that the worst VP ed is still better than a lot of Vogue editorials out there.

And I seriously feel that a lot of the disappointment that this magazine gets (not just in this forum) is rooted from the never ending reference to the Carine era. It's long gone by now. She may not be as great as Carine, but she definitely held it on her own. And there's a reason why she's still around. Her takeover was so much better than Vogue Russia's takeover.

And my goodness, a year without Kate, Lara, Daria, Natasha and Anna....

 

[Benn98]

I like her (very much) as well, Lola. She's way ahead of most of the other Vogue editors in her confidence of her vision for Vogue.

It may be same old same old when VP runs with this sort of thing— but it’s still better, still more confident and still having a hold of who they are— which is an exclusive, high fashion ratified atmosphere, than most of the other clueless Vogues out there running about aimlessly with their heads cut off, latching to the latest SM-craze.

And I will gladly lose myself in Alt’s adult high fashion world anytime, anyplace rather than suffer through the desperately-trying-to-be down-with-the-PC-kids that so many editors have been infected with. Or… dumb down high fashion to an accessible, department-store blandness for easy consumption and wider readership.

When I look at American Vogue’s Dec cover, all I see is a polite but so dull, consumer-catalogue aesthetic aimed at selling to middle-America. It’s not high fashion; then there’s the unholy mess of Spain’s Dec Vogue cover. If it were not for the premiere brand of Penelope, Burberry and Testino, it looks so shockingly amateur, so thoughtlessly cobbled together with its flat cut-and-paste grey background (did they even bother with a seamless????), Penelope looking so sad, and the hilarious chicken-scratch that’s meant to be a layout; and then there’s Ukraine’s Vogue which most are gushing over— and as high fashion-friendly as the UV’s team seems to be, it’s just really a tribute-act to Vogue Italy and Meisel; and speaking of Italian Vogue, Franca seem so lost with no clear direction…

Even with Karl and this girl on the cover, Vogue Paris still rules far and above the others.

You mustn't let your love for her cloud your judgement, Phuel. I keep reading 'adult' this and 'adult' that, but 2016 is perhaps the most nauseatingly youth-oriented year this magazine had in decades. And it's ill-fitting because this is not their style at all. Dressing teenagers up in pussybow blouses doesn't consitute as 'adult'. This is not the 60's. Had you posted this last year, I'd have fully agreed with you regardless of my dislike of her direction for VP. Because there was in fact a mature presence about the magazine.
And I most certainly wouldn't call her confident either. Giving 2 girls four covers in one year, shot by exactly the same photographer respectively reeks of desperation and fear, imo. Both in the sense that she'd rather recreate a former success than brave ahead with a fresh concept. That same desperation manifests by running multicovers with three immensely popular models, dressed identically. Also, don't even start about how she doesnt submit to SM/PC kids craze, her covers alone this year refutes your claim.
I will say this, Alt's strong point is her styling. It's concise, and very distinguishable. But her biggest mistake is surrounding herself with people who mimic what she does. I like the majority of Saglio's work outside VP, even at VJ. Same for Koller (indeed Koller's got the best covers under Alt). But content wise their work always looks like a shoddy facsimile of Alt's.

So in many ways she's really not much better than the rest. Indeed, she's worse than Anna, Alexandra and Franca who edits from an armchair with 'likes' and 'dislikes', because she's supposed to have a more organic understanding of what makes good fashion imagery, direction, and an appropriate manifesto to go along with it.

 

[sixtdaily]

This cover is bad but I think it's more Karl's fault than Emmanuelle's. Seeing how obsessed he is about his image, I assume he had full control to decide on the cover shot.

As for Emmanuelle, I guess we all have high expectations for her. There's a lot to hate, especially her cover model choices this year (in my opinion) but at the end of the day, her covers and editorials are still visually 10x more interesting than any other Vogue editions.

 

[Phuel]

Benn: I should say I like Alt’s work in general. Not really interested, nor care too much about her as a person, especially if I’m going by her IG-attitude.

There are definitely some missteps with her lead, I’m not glossing over any of it. Just that as an overall presentation of Vogue, her vision is the one I’m drawn to. Anna's and Alexa’s Vogues are so awfully common and can’t touch Alt’s Vogue on any level, and always pandering to the lowest common denominator, they mean nothing to me.

As bland as they cover may be, it’s still better than anything either those two mid-range department store managers have produced in the last year. By far.

 

[MON]

But her biggest mistake is surrounding herself with people who mimic what she does. I like the majority of Saglio's work outside VP, even at VJ. Same for Koller (indeed Koller's got the best covers under Alt). But content wise their work always looks like a shoddy facsimile of Alt's.

Completely agree with this. Individually they shine, but together...they're so lost. And it amazes me how Alt is the only one who gives energetic eds while the rest... they just exude nothing. Glamorous but lifeless.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

And I will gladly lose myself in Alt’s adult high fashion world anytime, anyplace rather than suffer through the desperately-trying-to-be down-with-the-PC-kids that so many editors have been infected with. Or… dumb down high fashion to an accessible, department-store blandness for easy consumption and wider readership.

Actually this is exactly the reason I'm going to stop buying this magazine, i agree with Ben, there is absolutely nothing "adult" about VP right now. It has never been more juvenile.
She does not have to put all this instagram and nepotism girls on the cover, there are a million of french actresses and celebrities way more beautiful( and credible) that in purely business terms would make more sense, clearly she deliberately wants to be part of the "zeitgeist" instead of creating an alternative. Fair enough Alt, but better clothes is not enough to justify having the Daily Heil gossip column recycled In glossy form.

I've been defending Alt from day one in this forum, i thought she was an excellent choice to replace Carine( and i loved Carine), and she indeed proved me right in the first years but unfortunately not anymore, she lost her way.

 

[zacatecas570]

Incredibly boring issue to wait another 2 months BYE!

 

[Phuel]

Actually this is exactly the reason I'm going to stop buying this magazine, i agree with Ben, there is absolutely nothing "adult" about VP right now. It has never been more juvenile.
She does not have to put all this instagram and nepotism girls on the cover, there are a million of french actresses and celebrities way more beautiful( and credible) that in purely business terms would make more sense, clearly she deliberately wants to be part of the "zeitgeist" instead of creating an alternative. Fair enough Alt, but better clothes is not enough to justify having the Daily Heil gossip column recycled In glossy form.

I've been defending Alt from day one in this forum, i thought she was an excellent choice to replace Carine( and i loved Carine), and she indeed proved me right in the first years but unfortunately not anymore, she lost her way.

Interesting.

Maybe the casting is gossip rags contenders — just in a sleeker layout and art direction… But I’ve yet to glance at any of those trashy rags at the supermarket checkout that has as well-design a layout as the ones that VP consistently churns out. Even their society spreads look more thoughtfully and skillfully laid out than anything VI’s art direction for their main edits.

As for the surge of InstaGirls snatching VP’s covers… As long as they’re shot well, I don’t really mind which one of them is on the cover: But then again, I’ve never minded Gigi, and I’ve liked her VP covers-- really liked her last edit for VP. I prefer Gigi to any actress on the cover of a high fashion magazine, actually... That’s just a personal preference since I’m just not at all into movie stars. Maybe that’s why I find Anna’s and Alex’s Vogues so unattractive, so insufferable: All those actors styled to such blandness to attract the hausfraus at the supermarket checkouts. There’s no attitude, no ferocity, nothing to inspire nor excite— just pandering to the masses with their accessibility.

And as for the criticism that Alt’s just dressing up little girls as adults, and that’s there’s nothing adult about that at all. All's fair enough… I didn’t mean that VP always cast adult women. High fashion’s never really cast “adult” women the majority of times anyways, and dressing a young girl as a woman is still presenting an image of “adult” high fashion. Just like Tom Ford’s imagery has always been very “adult”— even if he’s casting young girls and boys for his campaigns and shows. That’s allI meant.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

As for the surge of InstaGirls snatching VP’s covers… As long as they’re shot well, I don’t really mind which one of them is on the cover: But then again, I’ve never minded Gigi, and I’ve liked her VP covers-- really liked her last edit for VP. I prefer Gigi to any actress on the cover of a high fashion magazine, actually... That’s just a personal preference since I’m just not at all into movie stars. Maybe that’s why I find Anna’s and Alex’s Vogues so unattractive, so insufferable: All those actors styled to such blandness to attract the hausfraus at the supermarket checkouts. There’s no attitude, no ferocity, nothing to inspire nor excite— just pandering to the masses with their accessibility.

.

.

But that's not the point. I prefer "proper" models myself. The point i was trying to make is that it's not market forces that are forcing her to choose this insta/nepotism girls, she is just jumping in the bandwagon. If selling was her only aim, France is blessed with a million model/actresses, that frankly have nothing to do with their American counterparts, that in terms of image put to shame most models, are recognisable to the general French public and would make more sense in business terms.
So clearly all this Gigi's are a deliberate editorial choice and that i find absolutely pedestrian and infantile, everything like you well said is the opposite what this magazine should be. But then, this year has been abysmal for fashion( well not just for fashion ) VP for me is the just the latest victim.

 

[Benn98]

But that's not the point. I prefer "proper" models myself. The point i was trying to make is that it's not market forces that are forcing her to choose this insta/nepotism girls, she is just jumping in the bandwagon. If selling was her only aim, France is blessed with a million model/actresses, that frankly have nothing to do with their American counterparts, that in terms of image put to shame most models, are recognisable to the general French public and would make more sense in business terms.
So clearly all this Gigi's are a deliberate editorial choice and that i find absolutely pedestrian and infantile, everything like you well said is the opposite what this magazine should be. But then, this year has been abysmal for fashion( well not just for fashion ) VP for me is the just the latest victim.

You cannot be more correct! Sophie Marceau's last cover ended up the best selling in 2014. It even surpassed the likes of Natalia, Natasha Poly (x2) and Anna Ewers. That in itself is telling.

 

[Creative]

You mustn't let your love for her cloud your judgement, Phuel. I keep reading 'adult' this and 'adult' that, but 2016 is perhaps the most nauseatingly youth-oriented year this magazine had in decades. And it's ill-fitting because this is not their style at all. Dressing teenagers up in pussybow blouses doesn't consitute as 'adult'. This is not the 60's. Had you posted this last year, I'd have fully agreed with you regardless of my dislike of her direction for VP. Because there was in fact a mature presence about the magazine.
And I most certainly wouldn't call her confident either. Giving 2 girls four covers in one year, shot by exactly the same photographer respectively reeks of desperation and fear, imo. Both in the sense that she'd rather recreate a former success than brave ahead with a fresh concept. That same desperation manifests by running multicovers with three immensely popular models, dressed identically. Also, don't even start about how she doesnt submit to SM/PC kids craze, her covers alone this year refutes your claim.

Nailed it.


As for the cover... Seriously?

 

[Miss Dalloway]

What a massive let down this issue is!! It feels like Karl was not into it, and phoned it in!! A man wiht such amazing life, yet the issue is without an ounce of life! Sterile, insipid, uninspiring!

Literally the only ed that is good is the one with Willow Smith by I&V! This girl is better in print, than some models we see these days!

 

[Oxymore]

MISS VOGUE: UNE HISTOIRE SIMPLE
PHOTOGRAPHER: CLAUDIA KNOEPFEL
MODEL: ARIZONA MUSE
STYLING: VÉRONIQUE DIDRY
HAIR: JAMES ROWE
MAKE-UP: CHRISTELLE COCQUET
NAILS: CHARLÈNE COQUARD


visualizing.fashion

 

[Oxymore]

LA REINE KRISTEN
PHOTOGRAPHER: KARL LAGERFELD
TALENT: KRISTEN STEWART
STYLING: EMMANUELLE ALT
HAIR: SAM McKNIGHT
MAKE-UP: LUCIA PICA
NAILS: ANNY ERRANDONEA


visualizing.fashion