Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, December 2009/January 2010
jeudi 31 décembre 2009 
Below is my translation from French to English of Carine Roitfeld's editorial for the December/January issue of Vogue Paris. Those that expressed curiosity as to the selection of Laetitia Casta as the guest editor for the issue can gain insight into Carine's thoughts on the process here. I regret that I am so late with the translation this month but I did not find my copy of VP until the 23rd despite constant checking of my favorite outlets. Fabulous news for readers regarding future translations: my ever so thoughtful and sweet beau reads my blog and he heeded the lists I made— one of the many lovely gifts under the tree for me this year was a subscription to Vogue Paris! [Merci bcp et mtm ftw!]
On ne veut évidemment pas la réduire à ça, pourtant c'est la première chose qui saute aux yeux. La beauté astrale, les yeux couleur océan, les jambes de panthère, le sourire qui fait pschitt... Cette merveilleuse présence, cette puissance photogénique ont été un sésame pour Laetitia Casta, devenue en un éclair le top model français le plus adulé de l'histoire, universellement convoité. Vogue, sa couverture, elle connaît.
Il se trouve que la plastique ravageuse couve un incendie. Un besoin vital de froisser l'image, d'explorer plus loin, quitte à y laisser des plumes. On peut citer presque au hasard le théâtre, un désir de baptême du feu dans la peau d'Ondine, le cinéma, l'épreuve du trac à vif face à l'ogre Depardieu ou sous l'oeil sans pitié de Raoul Ruiz. Jacques Weber dit qu'il ‹‹est sidéré par sa spontanéité, sa liberté absolue et sa justesse dans l'intuition››. Pour Depardieu, ‹‹elle est simplement intelligente. Elle a la vocation››.
Modèle de femme française, ‹‹icône de la joie hexagonale, grand public et allurée››, pour citer l'écrivain Claude Arnaud qui l'a rencontrée, Laetitia Casta est l'invitée exceptionnelle de ce numéro de noël. Elle en a composé le générique, de la Corse à Pedro Almodovar, de Gerard Depardieu à Nastassja Kinski, en passant par le souvenir d'Yves Saint Laurent.
Il y a des choses qu'on n'explique pas mais qui crèvent d'évidence : la Casta a l'étoffe des grandes. Clin d'oeil du destin : dans deux mois, elle sera une incandescente Brigitte Bardot sur grand écran. Les dés sont lancés.
One cannot reduce her to this obviously, yet it is the first thing that strikes the eyes. The astral beauty, the eyes the color of the ocean, the legs of the panther, the smile that makes one fizzy... This marvelous presence, this photogenic power has been a sesame for Laetitia Casta, becoming in a flash the French top model most revered in history, universally coveted. Vogue, her cover, she knows.
It is discovered that plastic smolders devestatingly in a fire. A vital need to offend the image, to go higher, even leaving feathers. We can cite almost at random the theater, a desire for baptism by fire in the skin of Ondine, the cinema, the test of stagefright is a raw deal against the ogre Depardieu or under the merciless eye of Raoul Ruiz. Jacques Weber said he "is stunned by her spontaneity, her absolute freedom, and her accurate intuition." For Depardieu, "She is simply smart. She has the vocation."
The model French woman, "icon of hexagonal joy, widely public and alluring," to quote the writer Claude Arnaud who met her, Laetitia Casta is the guest editor of the exceptional Christmas issue. She has written the generic, from Corsica to Pedro Almodovar, from Gerard Depardieu to Nastassja Kinski, through the memory of Yves Saint Laurent.
There are things which one does not explain that burst with obviousness: Casta has the makings of a major. Wink of fate: in two months, she will be an incandescent Brigitte Bardot on the big screen. The dice are cast.
[Editor's note: Laetitia Casta plays the part of Bardot in Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque due to release on January 20.]
Vogue Paris editorial image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Carine Roitfeld in Editorial, Fashion, Laetitia Casta, Translation, Vogue Paris 
Reader Comments (8)
really apreciate it!! your blog's so chic! much more than a poor nice!! add to blogroll xoxo
I agree...such a chic blog! Thank you for the translation. I am, however, having trouble understanding the "burning plastic" paragraph...but it seems so poetic! :)
bonne année!!!!
(oh and why why why the new biopic about serge gainsbourg? why would we need an actor to play serge...when there is enough real footage with him available??)...just a thought. ;))
thank you so much for the kind words, ju! i have linked to you as well. xoxo
Thank you for seconding, Kate!! I am a bit confused by the burning plastic para myself, I am sure I'd be embarrassed by the idioms I overlook in translating. I was thinking maybe she means that the whole era of silicone implants has crashed and burned? I dunno, what do you think?
bonne année, jane !!!
it seems no cultural references can escape the sweep of recycling the past into modern day hits. i must admit that i am curious to see what laetitia does with the role of bardot.
Kellina, thanks for your translation of the Carine Roitfeld's editorial!
I kept your hyperlinks (Marianne, Brigitte Bardot) including a link to your Web site.
I added the VOGUE typical layout with capital letters in italic.
About "la plastique ravageuse couve un incendie," I like your funny suggestion:
"the whole era of silicone implants has crashed and burned" ;-)
Alternatively one could consider that the Laetitia Casta's attractive physique
[la plastique] --that knocks them dead [qui fait des ravages]--
hatches [trame, couve, va faire éclore] a fire, incubates a volcano:
hence in the conclusion the "incandescent Brigitte Bardot!"
Mon plaisir, Nimmzo. Your layout looks nice.