Vogue Paris May 2010: Penélope Cruz

Carine Roitfeld celebrates the spirit of the month of Cannes with the star studded May issue of Vogue Paris. For this truly special edition, Carine has pulled out all the stops: Penélope Cruz is the guest editor for the issue with three different celebrity covers.

The first cover of the three May Vogue Paris covers features Cruz, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep, Naomi Watts, and Kate Winslet; the second cover is graced by Cruz and Streep; and the third is devoted to Cruz and Bono. All three covers were photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. Packaged with the issue is a special backstage DVD of Daria Werbowy's beauty editorial with Aaron De May as shot by Ben Hasset [Editor's note: the bonus gifts are typically for subscribers only as I understand].

Compelling editorials include "Paradis En Chine" styled by Roitfeld, shot by Karl Lagerfeld, and starring of course Mrs. Johnny Depp or Vanessa Paradis; "La Décadanse" also by Carine, with Daria Werbowy and Francesco Vezzoli modeling and Mario Testino shooting; "Plage Privée" styled by Emmanuelle Alt featuring Natasha Poly captured by Mario Sorrenti; and perhaps most of all—"Erotica" in which La Roitfeld styles her son's former lover Lily Donaldson as captured on film by Steven Klein. I give this issue a standing ovation.

Vogue Paris May 2010 issue cover image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, April 2010

Below is my translation from French to English of the editorial written by Carine Roitfeld for the April issue of Vogue Paris. In searching for a way to help us understand McQueen's tragic last act, Carine turns naturally to her Russian heritage:

Écho conscient ou non à l'année culturelle France-Russie, Vogue a l'âme slave. Natalia Vodianova, néo-Peau d'âne aux cheveux de feu, pose dans des robes uniques réalisées en exclusivité par les plus grands créateurs dont le produit de la ventre ira à la fondation pour les enfants russes défavorisés créée par la top model. L'héritière Maria Baibakova, mécène en stilettos Alaïa, passionnée d'art contemporain, ouvre les portes de sa datcha de verre située dans le Beverly Hills de Moscou : aux murs, Cindy Sherman, Thomas Ruff, Andreas Gursky ou encore Damien Hirst témoignent de l'œil affûté et d l'ouverture d'esprit de la jeune femme. Quant à Daria Werbowy, elle incarne une muse des steppes cinq étoiles.

Si je repense aux défilés intenses, mémorables, parfois violents d'Alexander McQueen, à son imaginaire sous tension, électrisé par des visions aux antipodes qui convoquaient le futurisme, les contes fantastiques, le baroque, le bondage ou encore des batailles sanglantes, je me dis que la Russie a dû héberger l'inspiration du couturier. Ses tourments avaient le sel de 'lest, et le final de son existence, qu'il a lui-même mis en scène, est un épilogue tragique. Alexander McQueen a mis fin à ses jours en février dernier, la mode a perdu l'un de ses plus grands couturiers, un génie émouvant dont chaque défilé était une messe. Ce numéro lui est dédié.

Echo conscious or not of the French-Russian cultural year, Vogue has Slavic soul. Natalia Vodianova, the new Donkeyskin with fiery hair, poses in unique dresses made exclusively by the greatest creators whose proceeds will go to the foundation for underprivileged Russian children created by the top model. The heiress Maria Baibakova, a philanthropist in Alaïa stilettos, impassioned by contemporary art, opens the doors of her glass cottage located in the Beverly Hills of Moscow: on the walls, Cindy Sherman, Thomas Ruff, Andreas Gursky or even Damien Hirst testify to the sharp eye and the open spirit of the young woman. With regard to Daria Werbowy, she plays a five-star muse of the steppes.

If I recall the shows intense, memorable, sometimes violent of Alexander McQueen, his imaginary power, electrified by the visions of the antipodes which summoned the futurism, the fantastic tales, the baroque, the bondage or even the bloody battles, I say that Russia has played host to the designer's inspiration. His torments had the salt of ballast, and the finale of his existence which he himself has staged, is a tragic epilogue. Alexander McQueen ended his days in February this year, fashion has lost one of its greatest designers, a moving genius whose every show was a mass. This issue is dedicated to him.

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Battaglia: Brainy And Beautiful

It is not even Fashion Week but the Roitfeld family and their friends are keeping me busy today! Check out this editorial spread masterminded by Giovanna Battaglia, Garance Doré, and Scott Schuman in which they convey perfectly that the future is now. In the pictures in "Can I Take A Picture?" the trio immortalizes the world of the fashion blogger for all to see. Of course our electronics are among our most loved accessories, how did it take so long to feature them in a fashion magazine?!

J'adore Schuman's description of the magic in the making:

Giovanna Battaglia (Fashion Director of Vogue Pelle and Sartorialist Super-All-Star) took a shot of Garance with her cellphone, while Garance was shooting her, and I was in the background shooting both of them….is that clear?

Visit The Sartorialist for more images from the editorial and a video made while shooting it. 

Vogue Pelle editorial image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Restoin-Roitfeld In Intermission

Daniel Magnussen launches the first Swedish issue of Intermission on April 12 and none other than Julia Restoin-Roitfeld has scored the cover. Intermission is a fashion and art magazine based in Copenhagen, Magnussen is the former editor-in-chief and creative director of He. Also featured in this issue: Magnus Berger (aka Julia's ex), Pamela Love, Pierre Hardy, Adam Kimmel, Jessica Stam, Scott Sternberg, and Greg Foley. The magazine will be on sale at Opening Ceremony stores and on European newsstands.

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld on Intermission cover image © 2010 Intermission Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, March 2010

Here is my translation from French to English of Carine Roitfeld's editorial for the March issue of Vogue Paris which features Rose Cordero and the headline Spécial Mode Coup d'éclat militaire:

La mode s'inspire de tout, formidable machine à lifter le passe, digérer l'air du temps et répercuter sur les podiums les sautes d'humeur de la société. Effet crise oblige, flambée des doutes, perception soudaine de la vie comme un combat : il n'en fallait pas plus pour que la saison encense le kaki, les épaulettes d'officier, les vêtements lacérés comme après un tour au front, et que les créateurs, de Jean Paul Gaultier à Balmain, s'emparent de l'esprit militaire. Une tendance délicate s'il en est — il n'est pas question de ressembler à une Che-guevarette premier degré — que ce numéro de Vogue a choisi de décoder en misant sur les mélanges et l'intemporalite. Également au sommaire de ce numéro, un escadron de femmes dans l'actualité, d'Emmanuelle Seigner à Phoebe Philo, le nouveau capitaine de Céline, en passant par l'Anglaise Antonia Fraser qui publie ce mois-ci un livre inspiré de ses journaux intimes, de ses trente-trois ans de vie aux côtés du prix Nobel Harold Pinter. Une confession émouvante, les brillantes coulisses d'un couple soudé par l'esprit qu'Antonia Fraser ne peut mieux résumer qu'en disant : "Vivre ensemble était merveilleux." Rien de tel pour oublier les tourments du monde.

Fashion inspires all, a formidable machine that puts spin on the passage, absorbs the spirit of the times and reflects on the podiums the mood of society. Crisis requires action, flames the doubts, the sudden perception of life as combat: it was not enough for the season to praise khaki, the officer's epaulets, the clothing lacerated after a tour of duty, and creators from Jean Paul Gaultier to Balmain, seized the military spirit. It is a tricky trend — there is no question of a resemblance to a Che-guevarette in the first degree — that this issue of Vogue has chosen to decode by focusing on the blends and the timelessness. Also summarized in this issue, a squadron of women in the news, from Emmanuelle Seigner to Phoebe Philo, the new captain of Céline, and passing by Brit Antonia Fraser who publishes this month a book inspired by her intimate diaries, of her thirty-three years of life at the side of Nobel laureate Harold Pinter [titled Must You Go?]. A moving confession, the brilliant scenes of a couple welded by the spirit which Antonia Fraser can best summarize by saying: "To live together was marvelous." Nothing like it to forget the torments of the world.

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.