Russian Vogue July 2008

It's been an age since I've last done an editorial post but this one has got me so inspired I had to share! Natasha Poly ranks very very high among my list of favorites and to me, is one of the fiercest models around- the strongest walk I've seen, that strong face, a perfectly proportioned body and she exudes such great personality and sensuality that everyone just has to take notice.

The magazine issue I pulled this from is wholly dedicated to Natasha but I think this editorial is the best out of all of them. Titled "высокий старт" (anyone have a translation of that?). Miguel Reveriego as photographer, Simon Robins as stylist.

Don't you just love how every single piece of clothing is so luxe, with so much character, that they each tell a different story in themselves?




I'm dying for a pair of those crazy sunglasses now. A copy of Russian Vogue too! Who cares if I can't read a single word of it. Everyone knows pictures tell a thousand words.
Photo cred: achAT of TFS

Has absolutely everyone seen this yet?

Sorry if you have, you must take note if you haven't!

This is just one of the many times where I wished I lived in NYC.

Photo cred: COACD

The Next Aussie

Even though AusNTM (and GNTM) is what I would call the best of the "Next Top Model" franchise, it has largely become an undeniable fact that there is an inverse relationship between a girl's success on Top Model and her actual modeling career post show. Alice and Kasia are exempted from this as anomalies of course.
(Myf Shepherd- first 2 polaroids, Sarah Stephens- the other 2)
I say this because 17 year old Queenslander Myf Shepherd was an AusNTM reject- one of the many who didn't make it through the audition rounds of cycle 4 currently airing- but is now climbing the high fashion ladder rapidly. Domestically, she had a packed Australian Fashion Week show schedule. You might also recognize her from the 2009 Resort shows- the Prada and the Gucci.

She's got the unique name that half the female model population seem to have (considering that half probably come from Europe, it's really no surprise!)- her full name is actually Myfanwy Amy Shepherd according to news.com.au, she's got the gorgeous heavy fringed dark hair and great bone structure. I think she'll go far!

Although... I do like Sarah Stephens (yet another new stunning Aussie) a bit better though. Possibly because of this backstage photo? Sarah is with Chic Management as well and seems to have done a bit more work than Myf. I think it's Sarah's face- so refined and sophisticated, she looks darling in editorials- but they are both lovely.

Girls, I want you to note that if you want to enter any modeling competition in Australia... please please please make that the Girlfriend magazine's Model Search! Abbey Lee and Catherine McNeil (and now Sarah) were all winners of this comp and look were they are now!

Nothing more to say other than the fact I'm SO proud Australia is being represented so beautifully! (I swear, our secret is in the weather! The sun, the air, the beautiful beaches! Not to mention our thin- or shall I say lack of- ozone layer? Hehe...)
Cred: news.com.au (1) (2), to2w

Oh, don't mind me...

Please ignore my hair pulling, I'm just stressed- my finals start on Wednesday! I think it's fair to say that you can expect me back in about a week's time- I'll be finished by then, completely elated and celebrating the start of my 1.5 month long winter break! Got to go cram some more now. Economics might just be a distant cousin of Satan (well, maybe...). I'll be back soon! Kisses and hugs.

Au Revoir, Monsieur

Just found out from WendyB's blog that the great French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent left us from Paris, on June 1 2008, following a long illness.
He is truly fundamental and is part of the small influential elite who has made fashion what it is today- his legacy still reigns! Every time us girls decide wear a pair of pants during the day, we have him to thank for suggesting it! A toast to the king from me, in my very own Le Smoking suit. You will truly be missed, Monsieur Saint Laurent!
Photo cred: NYT, wbjewelry

A man persecuted. All in the name of Art.

So Sydney is currently ridden with an art controversy, and for you art lovers- you should all be in the know. Of course I'm talking about Bill Henson. Bill Henson is an Australian contemporary photographic artist and his latest exhibition at the Sydney Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery was canceled due to the nature of his subjects- his art depicted naked adolescents.This theme led to a complaint, police investigations and what-have-yous.

To truly understand everything, you would need to understand the foundations of Henson's work. His art is concerned with contrasts, juxtaposition and relationships. TheMaleBeauty noted the work (in it entirety) as a:

"meditation on the categories and relationships of male and female; youth and adulthood; day and night; light and dark; nature and civilization. Henson's intention is to use photography for creative expression. He states that he is not interested in a political or sociological agenda... (he) is not intending his photographs to be authoritative evidence but rather to suggest endless possibilities and cause people to wonder."

This is true of his canceled exhibition, which reflects the transition from childhood to adolescence. To me, the nudity is symbolic of who the child/teen really is- devoid of social class, background and all the other superficialities that society holds dear.
Henson who have been photographing "young nude junkies" and "teenage nudes" as far back as 1983 used to raise no eyebrows, there was no persecution- I mean, critics saw his work as "obvious", not scandalous! What's changed now?

Nudity in art and pornography simply should not be confused- one is for creative expression and the other is for sexual gratification. For the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to label it as "revolting"- I am left speechless and disappointed. The comment by the artist Martin Sharp sums it all up rather well

"It was a powerful image. I would call it very beautiful in its vulnerability rather than 'revolting' as the Prime Minister has done," Sharp said. The photograph suggested the girl "gave her trust to Henson … and this trust has been violated by the police and Kevin Rudd's comments."

I will, however, acknowledge the current impasse. Should the government lay criminal charges on the man? Even lawyers have recognized the futility of such an act because "The Crimes Act requires two things - an intention and an act, the act is usually fairly easily established but if the intention is to produce a work of art and solely to produce a work of art, then I can not see how a crime has been committed" (read: Henson can easily find witnesses to prove his work as art). Henson's ex-models, even those who are now parents, had nothing against him- "His work is sublime and only a warped mind could associate it with such crassness" (not to mention he had full consent from all of them). The mother of the art-interested 13yo girl at the center of the controversy tells that they are "very strong supporters of Bill Henson and his works". But for the gov to let him go unscathed would most likely cause some certain strong reactions of the general public- not to mention Mr. Rudd. So what are they going to do?(This above photo is one of his older works)

So you've heard my (rather strong) stance on this topic. I think I've written enough. I want to hear your opinions!
Edit: This sounds a bit silly- but thank you idiot for correcting my mistake! I got the picture from facebook and it seems they've got it wrong! I've changed it now...
Cred: fb, news.com.au, SMH, SMH, theage, themalebeauty, wiki