Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, August 2009
vendredi 14 août 2009 
Below is my best attempt to translate Carine Roitfeld's editorial for the August 2009 issue of Vogue Paris. I think that is Carine's handwriting in the margins of the collage of designer photos which served as a mood board for the issue.
C'est une première dans Vogue. Un parti pris insufflé par une tendance qui caractérise a plupart des maisons de mode dans la zone de turbulences que nous traversons : le retour aux racines, le recentrage, sur ses lignes de force, l'expression haut et fort de son identité. Quand l'horizon est incertain, l'avenir une piste de sables mouvants, plonger dans l'origine de son succès est un refuge. D'où l'idée de ce numéro exceptionnel, totalement orchestré par les photographes Inez Van Lamsweerde et Vinoodh Matadin, qui mettent en scène et réinterprètent en 64 total looks la singularité et la force de caractère des plus grands créateurs d'aujourd'hui. Du tailleur Chanel au smoking Saint Laurent, en passant par l'épure absolue de Balenciaga ou l'éros ‹‹tragi-sophistiqué›› des Dolce & Gabbana, les silhouettes qui se succèdent vont à l'essentiel. Tout comme la sélection subjective des chocs culturels de la rentrée auxquels nous croyons. Un message clair et stylé dont l'unique but est de susciter le désir. Et d'envisager l'automne à venir comme une saison de plaisirs.
This is a first in Vogue. In part given breath by a tendency which has characterized the majority of the houses of fashion in the zone of turbulence that we are traversing: to return to their roots, recentring, on their lines of force; the expression high and strong of their identity. When the horizon is uncertain, the future a moving sand track, to plunge into the origin of success is like a refuge. The idea for this exceptional number was completely orchestrated by photographers Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, in which we reinterpret 64 total looks with the singularity and the force of character of the greatest creators of today. From the Chanel suit to the Saint Laurent smoking, while passing by the absolute purity of Balenciaga or the tragic-sophisticated eros of Dolce & Gabbana, the silhouettes which follow one another capture the essence. All like the subjective selection of the cultural shocks of the reentry in which we believe. A clear message and style of which the single goal is to cause desire. And to consider the autumn to come as a season of pleasures.
Vogue Paris editorial image © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Carine Roitfeld in Editorial, Fashion, Translation, Vogue Paris 
Reader Comments (8)
Thank you so much for this. I can't wait to pick up a copy of French Vogue now! How is the issue this month?
Hello, Kate! It is my pleasure and I hope that you find the translation useful. I think it is a strong issue, I am fascinated by the editorial that Carine describes. Rather than the boredom I expect to ensue with one designer worn head to toe, the images are iconic for the most part. You can tell they had fun styling the shoots, too.
I can't wait to see it!
It's a lovely distraction to flip through on hot days like today. I look forward to hearing your thoughts once you've had a chance to see it!
Got the issue, its fantastic, and I must say that I am partial to Lanvin. My favorite spread, though, is the one with Georgia May. And the Blondie feature in the beginning, too!
Bonsoir, Kate!
I do like the Lanvin, also Chloé and Hermès; Margiela makes me laugh; Ferragamo makes me want to wear a variation on it immediately! I especially enjoy the contrasts juxtaposed on the facing pages, for example Rick Owens versus Chanel. I think my favorite pairing though is Diane Von Furstenberg facing Roberto Cavalli. It's just a particularly fun issue to flip through, lots of witty, beautiful images.
I LOVE how Carine styled that Georgia May editorial, why is it only two pages?!
Also, in my excitement to compare notes i.e. blab about the issue I completely forgot to say that I am so glad that you got a copy of it and that you like it!!
Margiela, come on! Too much! And I love Valentino vs. Loewe. And yes, the Georgia May editorial was so short, I thought the same thing, "Hey, where's the rest?"