Olatz Slip Dress

When asked to define herself as an item of clothing, Carine Roitfeld replied, "A black slip dress because when you take off your clothes, it's beautiful to have this as the last piece." This is a woman that truly lives each moment with elegance, embracing her sensual side. Carine also notes, "Wearing a slip dress to bed is a French fantasy," and she accessorizes with her signature scent, Opium, for added impact.

Being irreverent, bien sûr, La Roitfeld does not reserve the black slip dress for the boudoir, she frequently wears it for interviews and photo shoots as well, "I discovered the slip dress which I think is one of the more French things because when you take off your clothes, even when to go into a shop to buy something, or you're going to Riccardo Tisci to try on a suit, it's like having protection. And you never know how you're going to finish your evening. So you have to be ready." Carine's favorite black slip dress is a version in silk created for her by Olatz in which she appears in the images seen here, shot by Mario Sorrenti in support of her M.A.C. Cosmetics campaign.

The designer of CR's bespoke slip dress is Olatz López Garmendia Schnabel, a Basque native that began producing her own line of fine linens, lingerie, and pajamas based on her personal needs. Olatz is known also for her work as an Elite model and her collaborations with her former husband, Julian Schnabel, on the films Basquiat, Before Night Falls, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Visit The Selby to see more of the personal style of Olatz, creator of the slip dress that makes Carine Roitfeld feel "like a brunette version of Marilyn" as she drifts off to sleep every night.

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Carine Roitfeld photographs © 2012 M.A.C. Cosmetics. Olatz Schnabel photograph © 2014 Todd Selby.

Sebastian Faena

When Carine Roitfeld left the helm at Vogue Paris, she was left with the predicament of being unable to collaborate with any Condé Nast affiliates, which meant that talents like Mario Testino, Craig McDean, and Patrick Demarchelier — to name a few — were ruled off a long list of longtime photographer friends. But as everyone knows, the words "Carine" and "predicament" are like oil and water, they simply do not mix. So tenacious Carine went out and did what she does best: search for new talent and make dreams come true. Her chosen one was none other than fellow Virgoan photographer Sebastian Faena, a rather seductive Argentinean, with a propensity for hiding behind his dark tresses and showing just a little more skin that is considered “politically correct” in his shoots. Reminiscent qualities of a certain someone, non?

Monsieur Faena hails from Buenos Aires and was already making a living as a photographer at the tender age of sixteen, but went on to study literature and music at Columbia University in New York. After two years at Columbia, Faena left to write and direct the film La Mujer Rota (The Broken Woman), which was eventually produced by Mario Testino himself. The film was claimed to be “a lush, visual masterpiece that harkens back to the golden days of Argentinian filmmaking.” With glimmering reviews as such, Mr. Faena could have continued on with filmmaking, but decided instead to return to his photography roots by premiering in the most prestigious V Magazine, thus establishing his name in the list of legendary fashion photographers. One need only look at the editorials he captured to realize that his remarkable talent is completely deserving of recognition.

In a V Magazine behind-the-scenes shoot with the immensely talented and theatrical Lady Gaga, Sebastian Faena describes his photographing philosophy by sharing, “In the end, when I take pictures, I’d rather create something myself with the person who’s in front of me, than taking a picture of what already exists — I’d rather transform these people into something they’re not.” I don’t think he meant “transform these people into something they’re not” by taking away their personality or in the literal sense, but as in a different character just for the sake of transporting them from reality to fantasy, and that’s the whole objective of a photo shoot.

Carine was already cronies with Sebastian Faena from their work together with V Magazine, but the friendship truly blossomed when she asked him to shoot for her first CR Fashion Book issue, “Obsession.” And obsession it became. Roitfeld and Faena continue to make the magic happen with their unapologetic images. You may remember “The Animal Nursery” in Harper's Bazaar which featured Kate Upton holding some ferocious animals, or the precious “Carine’s Sweet 16,” an homage to Carine’s young modeling days. These works mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and if you got chosen to be Carine Roitfeld’s main photographer, you know you’ve got it made.

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Sebastian Faena and Carine Roitfeld photos courtesy of instagram.com/sebastian_faena and models.com

Fogal

Do you want to have sexy legs like Carine Roitfeld, regardless of your age? She recommends sheer seamed stockings by Fogal, "Something that makes me happy now is a pair of new tights — it's not so expensive, not like buying a Dolce & Gabbana dress or a Dior bag. This is nearer to yourself, nearer to your skin, something that makes you more sensuous, more voluptuous, more woman…" Fogal, a Swiss company, launched their second location on Madison Avenue in Manhattan recently and plans are in place for a SoHo expansion. As for Carine's favorite stocking by Fogal, she prefers the Catwalk Couture, en noir bien sûr, available in both thigh high and full hose options. Don't forget the daily ballet practice shaping Carine's legs underneath those chic stockings... you may not achieve the exact same look, but as she says, you will feel sexier and, dare I say, more like a Roitfeld....

Fogal image © 2012 Fogal. Carine Roitfeld photograph © 2011 LeFigaro.fr. All Rights Reserved.

Givenchy Pansy Minaudiere

Perhaps you noticed Carine Roitfeld's adorable clutch in hand during the most recent rounds of Fashion Week, an elegant minaudière designed by Riccardo Tisci for the Givenchy Fall/Winter 2011 collection. Created in black satin printed with purple pansies, the chic and sexy little clutch is just enough to hold your essentials because as Carine always says, less is more... Note that she is also enamored of the skirt from this collection, only Monsieur Tisci could find the fetish in the sissified pansy....

Givenchy image © 2011 Givenchy. Carine Roitfeld photographs courtesy of purple.fr, wireimage.com, Getty Images, and gq.ru. All Rights Reserved.

Ulrika Lundgren

Do you want to look like a star? Let us examine another fashion label in Carine Roitfeld’s personal arsenal — Rika. This Dutch label focuses on seasonless wardrobe staples that stealthily transform the wearer into an ineffably hipper, more refined version of herself. Think youthful, romantic softness turned out in floaty tops and dresses with high hemlines anchored by leather jackets and you get an inkling of what the brand represents.

Rika is designed by Ulrika Lundgren, a former interior stylist for ELLE Decor and Casa Vogue. Fate had a hand in the start of her brand when in 2005, while on a photo shoot in Spain, she had a local craftsman make a leather tote decorated with stars to be used as a set prop. Lundgren got so many compliments and requests from her fashion insider friends that she immediately had 100 more bags created and sold them all in a flash. Lundgren wisely made the star decoration a brand trademark. Of the stars she says, “A star reminds us of that vintage touch-of-Hollywood class as much as of a contemporary hue of rock 'n' roll.” It was not long before Carine Roitfeld caught wind of the brand and was spotted carrying a Rika handbag, no small feat considering her open disdain for bags.

A natural progression from handbags is Lundgren's wildly successful apparel line that is sold by prestigious retailers such as Opening Ceremony in New York, Colette in Paris, and the global online purveyors of all things hip, La Garçonne. Perhaps the draw is the Scandinavian refinement that tempers the rock 'n' roll edge. The collection has a simplicity and an elegance whose strength is shown in playful details that whisper rather than shout. Call it star quality...

Ulrika Lundgren photographs © 2010 hd.se och Helsingborgs Dagblad. All Rights Reserved.