Friday 10 July 2009

New Italian Vogue

Italian Vogue should just dedicate entire issues to Karl Templer and Steven Meisel as nobody touches these two.



2 comments:

Unknown said...

Georgia,

So glad you mentioned this issue, it is brilliant... although I’m not entirely convinced on Templer’s editorial ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’. Its reliance on the look of the ‘80s is perhaps, I find, too expected. The inclusion of texture is nice, and you can tell a lot of the tailoring is entirely contemporary, i.e. most of the Yves Saint Laurent used. Plus I’m thrilled to see Rad Hourani getting a feature in such a prominent editorial! But as much as I love a woman in the men’s Givenchy lace-up leather pants, and my boys with a touch of underground ‘80s make-up, this just plays a little too directly to the current “trend” that is sweeping up fringes on the fashion front. The casting is brilliant, and the atmosphere is riotous which is a huge plus. Also I can’t help but admit that each image oozes an infinite amount of cool.

‘The Fashion and the Fantasy’ editorial shot by Tim Walker is stunnnnning! Every now and then, not always, it’s nice to hark back to the grandness of fashion. In recent times as mentioned by Louise Wilson via Cathy Horyn’s ‘On The Runway’ blog “fashion has become too fashionable”. I agree. So I’m oft thrilled when we are reminded of fashion’s grandeur and dare-I-say-it elitist nature. Part of the reason I love haute couture is because of this, the handwork, the skill, the ultimate in artisan craft is shown. This ‘fashion’ isn’t for the masses; this isn’t disgraceful consumerism, wasteful objects of status. Haute couture is a style, a heritage and privilege; it is the ultimate in the wearable garment. I’m becoming tired of second-rate tabloids and poorly produced television shows offering more often than not uneducated fashion advice. So to see an editorial that suggests a bit of grand desire, in the form of laser-cut Rodarte leather, towering Stephen Jones feathers for Galliano, and Hussein Chalayan bustiers, just makes me smile and so happy to be part of an industry that thrives on incredibly intelligent individuals. Jacob K has referenced the old and the new, the innovators and the dreamers, the technologically intuitive and the fashion elite into an editorial that projects a vivid and rather monumental story. If only people knew the work involved to produce such a feat, perhaps they would be less inclined to want their foot in the growing door.

Love that Patti Wilson included the Balenciaga dress in the ‘Neo-Romantic’ editorial. Nice!

Gerogia after that analysis, I’ve got to say I’m more impressed with the Vogue Italia July 2009 issue. Kristen McMenamy absolutely holds her own in the (rather gloomy) spotlight! It’s all Prada leather waders and Givenchy fur/jewelled cuffs from the get-go; yes, it would be entirely appropriate to say Mr. Templer hit the ground running. A dark romance for sure. ‘The Legend’ editorial shot by Meisel is faultless. This is the Templer I like, less concerned with appearing cool and instead entirely focused on spilling substance and emotion. The fashion is a little left of centre, not always found in-stores, not always flattering, feminine or predictable. It is the fashion of heel-less outrageously high platforms (Nina Ricci), hair covered dresses (Givenchy), frilled and studded mary-janes (Prada), enormous Russian inspired coats (Galliano) and houndstooth upon houndstooth (McQueen) that forms a unique and acquired beauty. It is, undeniably the perfect way to approach fashion when it is to be embodied by McMenamy. Those that are not swept up in fashionable fashion have the ability to look beyond the ideals, and instead focus on creative vision and artistic drive, which only those truly involved tend to understand. I like it when Templer gets this.

Just some thoughts.

Peter Miszuk said...

my friend made all the outfits for it sewing up shower curtains and having to use dish washing soap to lube the sewing machine.

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