Vogue Paris Covers: Kellina's Picks

Concluding our tribute to the iconic Vogue Paris covers created by Carine Roitfeld, I offer my seven favorites from the epic decade in which she reigned as editor-in-chief. Carine makes everything that she touches special so it was extremely difficult to narrow my selection to such a small number. If only every decision in life were so pleasurable...

Gemma Ward by Mario Testino
February 2005

Brilliant, humorous, and memorable, the cover and editorial "Corps & Lames" (or in English "Body & Blades") represents Carine Roitfeld at the height of her visual genius. Her use of dots, bits of red, and seemingly harmless fashion props throughout the shoot sharply suggest the pain beneath the pleasure...

Charlotte Gainsbourg by Craig McDean
December 2007/January 2008

I love the personal style of Charlotte Gainsbourg, guest editor for the issue, but I admire Carine's decision to style her glamorously for the cover, rather than in the expected bohemian chic. I like the opposites at work here, her expression conveys such innocence and freedom while her makeup, clothing, and posture are all nonchalant glamour. Her signature stamped in purple foil is a sweet touch.

Lara Stone by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
September 2009

Always one to surprise in unexpected visual ways, La Roitfeld conjures up Lara Stone as a brunette. I love the colors of this cover, the old fashioned flair, the pinup styling of her hair, I think this treatment flatters Lara's natural beauty to perfection.

Isabeli Fontana by David Sims
November 2009

The cover and the editorial "Keith Me" pay homage to the visual style of artist Keith Haring, known for painting his subjects themselves in tribal graffiti. I think this provocative expression of pop art may be my very favorite work by Carine, so much thought went in to every nuance and the result is incredible.

Daria Werbowy by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
February 2010

This cover is so gorgeous it takes my breath away. Carine imagined this and then made it happen for all of us to see, this is her gift and I am so grateful she shares it with us! Notice how the glorious blue of the ocean is reflected in the seductive eyes of Daria Werbowy as well as the crystals on her Prada dress. I don't see any artful message in this one, just purely pretty perfection, j'adore.

Lara Stone by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
October 2010

I believe this iconic cover celebrating the 90th anniversary of Vogue Paris is more evidence of Carine Roitfeld's visual genius: she highlights Lara Stone's best features exquisitely, she alludes to her amazing masked ball to come later that month, and she leaves us with the feeling of mystery, danger, and sex, all with a single black and white image. Carine, I applaud your daring imagination.

Saskia de Brauw by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
March 2011

I think Carine Roitfeld sends a message beautifully by featuring Saskia de Brauw on her last Vogue Paris cover and in the editorial "Coeurs A Corps Perdu." I have read that the cinematic reference is inspired by a series of French soft pornography films titled Emmanuelle; though I have yet to see it for myself, it clearly increases the humor of the piece if this is true. Carine, I shall miss your sexy and witty visual statements in this particular forum.

Vogue Paris cover images © 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Covers: Milla's Picks

Continuing our tribute to the influential covers created by Carine Roitfeld for Vogue Paris, our editor-at-large in Paris, Milla Msa, reflects on her favorite covers from the last decade.

Carine Roitfeld has done some amazing work and as I looked through her 100+ covers, I realized just how diverse her styling can be. After ten years of Vogue Paris, how does one top that? As we await our first glimpses of Carine's collaboration with Barneys New York, here are my five favorite covers:

Sofia Coppola by Mario Testino
December 2004/January 2005

Sofia, Sofia, Sofia — can you think of any other non-French celebrity more fitting for Vogue Paris? No, neither can I! When this issue came, I was in Asia and despite knowing that my issue would arrive at my home in London, I couldn't wait another few weeks so I snapped up a copy there and then and I have to say that the cover, photographed by legendary Mario Testino, is one of my all-time favorite images as it perfectly captures the essence of the subject.

Kate Moss by Craig McDean
December 2005/January 2006

One of Vogue Paris' regular cover models and my favorite model, Kate Moss, looked angelic on the cover of the December 2005/January 2006 issue, which she also guest edited. I'm keen to learn more about these Christmas guest edits; how do they work? Did Carine have ultimate control? Will Emmanuelle Alt continue them? With four different covers produced, Kate looked divine as she sported couture from Chanel and Valentino as well as prêt-à-porter pieces from Giorgio Armani Privé and Dior Homme.

Scarlett Johansson by Mario Sorrenti
April 2009

Given my strong disdain for celebrities on the covers of magazines, this comes as a surprising selection. Carine chose well with Scarlett and the message that she embodies: sexy, healthy curves and playful. Scarlett's killer body and rockin' new hair color disgruntled some readers but to me, this was yet another Roitfeld/Sorrenti collaboration of fabulousness!

Kate Moss by Mario Sorrenti
June/July 2010

When I saw the cover online, the seduction of Kate's tanned skin as she poses in her gorgeous swimsuit, red lipstick, et al instantly hit me and I spent the next few days literally waiting by my post box for my issue to arrive. Photographed by Mario Sorrenti, this cover was actually styled by Emmanuelle Alt. The editorial alone got me signing up for aerobics class.

Tom Ford and Daphne Groenveld by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
December 2010/January 2011

Instantaneous love. I don't know how else to put it. It's as though Mr. Ford is taking a step back, admiring his own work, not giving two hoots as to your view, and calmly telling Mert & Marcus to take the shot. Mr. Ford has always exuded a level of confidence that borders on arrogance, yet never quite crosses the line. I find this trait so incredibly alluring. He seems to have a very similar mentality to Carine — determined, perfectionist, and self-aware. Many people were disappointed that such a young model (Daphne was just 15 years old at the time of publication) was fronting Vogue Paris, but on this rare occasion, I'm going to let that slide.

Do you have a favorite set of Vogue Paris covers?

Vogue Paris cover images © 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Covers: Kate's Picks

As a tribute to Carine Roitfeld's influential work at Vogue Paris, we have selected our favorites from her decade of amazing Vogue Paris covers. First we will hear from our editor-at-large in New York, Kate Ringo Suzuki, as she shares her thoughts on the covers that truly shine for her among Carine's brilliant creations...

Vogue Paris covers styled by Carine Roitfeld were the Sirens' call to girls like me — fashion-loving girls slumming it in the Big Apple, without a clue how to speak much less read a stitch of French. Never mind. The Vogue Paris cover called us and its melody was too seductive to ignore. Perhaps what drew us in was the dream that someday, somehow, we too could be as chic as a Parisian femme fatal temptingly clicking her way down Avenue Montaigne in her tight-ass pencil skirt and 4 inch lace-up Alaïa heels. And so despite the cost of our rent, we shelled out $15 a pop without hesitation. Oh, Carine, how you seduce!

As we bid adieu to Carine Rotifeld’s styling for Vogue Paris, let us take a walk down memory lane. I have chosen my top three personal favorite Vogue Paris covers as styled by Carine Roitfeld:

Kate Moss by Mario Testino
February 2001

Ms. Roitfeld’s first Vogue Paris cover comes out with a bang! A striking, sharp image of Kate Moss stops us in our tracks as she peers at us from behind a stick-straight platinum bob. The cover is clean and icy-cool. It has a clarity that is as crisp as a ripe apple and as sharp as a samurai’s sword. Carine, you had us at “Bonjour.”

Vanessa Paradis by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
November 2008

Vanessa Paradis looks as if she were carved straight from marble. The Orientalism of this cover cannot be denied. Red lacquered nails frame her classic visage — made even better by her gap teeth. With red lips to match and perfect black liquid liner, I am mesmerized by her languid look.

Scarlett Johansson by Mario Sorrenti
April 2009

A vision of classic sensuality and unbridled sexiness, Scarlett Johansson practically bursts from her Dolce & Gabbana corset as we catch a voyeruristic glimpse of her from her bedroom. Her smoky eyes communicate far more than words. Oh my, we have caught her in an intimate moment. Can you say, “smoulder”? Her long, amber, wavy mane perfectly suits her creamy porcelain complexion. I cannot tear my eyes away from this image. I even love her signature at the bottom in the orange font.

Vogue Paris cover images © 2001, 2008, 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Carine Roitfeld: La Panthère Ose

Milla Msa, editor-at-large in Paris, shares with us her views on the controversial editorial “La Panthère Ose” styled by Carine Roitfeld and shot by Tom Ford for the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Vogue Paris. In the twisted “La Panthère Ose,” Crystal Renn is made to look like a vain, rich cougar, fighting against age for all she is worth, surrounded by a cast of assorted young male models tending to her vanity and aiding in her illusion. Thank you, Milla, for your important message; I hope anyone considering cosmetic surgery will think twice due to your wisdom.

La Panthère Ose
By Milla Msa 

I made no secret of the fact that the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Vogue Paris, guest edited by Mr. Tom Ford himself, was by far the best issue of the year. Carine Roitfeld and Tom Ford are an editorial dream team and therefore a complete delight for the reader. One of their most bizarre editorials from the issue, “La Panthère Ose,” features Crystal Renn post-plastic surgery as styled by Madame Roitfeld and photographed by Monsieur Ford. Knowing how beautiful Crystal is only serves to amp up the shock of seeing her recovering from what I view as pointless operations.

Wearing emerald green Gianvito Rossi sandals and a Carinesque zebra print by Azzedine Alaïa, it is easy to be seduced by those perfectly toned legs and rich-chick jewels but not even a beautiful Lanvin silk scarf can distract from Crystal's bandaged visage as she recovers from a full face lift and nose job. I have seen the documentaries, I know the bandages!

As we progress through "La Panthère Ose," poor Crystal just gets worse and worse. Following the full face lift, we see the beautiful model recovering from a breast augmentation. There she is, gorgeous figure, with her boyfriend (and yes, I mean “boy”) washing her. One can only imagine her pain and her fear. Why do we put bodies through this? Yes, Vogue Paris is distracting us with high fashion pieces but the reality of post-surgery remains the same for the average person. The toy-boys, a well-placed can of Diet Coke, and the bling-bling lend credence to my theory that this woman is looking for something to make her feel complete and relevant: a younger man who despite the pick of younger women wants her, a skinny figure, because in her world that's the only way to be sexy, and most of all, luxury items to keep her feeling like a goddess, all whilst covered in bandages. Oh the irony...

Few images are as powerful and disturbing as Crystal lying back with the blood from her eyelid lift clearly visible and swollen lips as she holds her head and chest in pain, whilst her boy toys attend to her every whim, including ensuring she is wearing just enough Chanel N°5 — vital post-boob lift treatment, of course! Her eyes captivate me and her true fragility is exposed. I feel some connection to this image, some need to share it as I feel like her eyes are asking “How did it come to this?” — I wish I had the answer.

Wearing a silk and python Altuzarra dress and posing with a Tom Ford clad hunk, a scary looking, plump lipped, and feline eyed Crystal shows off her new look much to the horror of the viewer. Gone are the youngsters; she has her new face to make her feel good now. Her sunken cheeks and raised hairline only add to the severity of the look. Ladies, is this really attractive to you? I know people have plastic surgery but nothing pushes me farther from the surgeon's knife than images like this. Imagine what the real thing looks like.

Carine went to great lengths to produce a story so tragic it is almost comical. The relationship among wealth, style, self-worth, and cosmetic surgery is constantly questioned here; how can one be stylish when bandaged up like a mummy? The main question I feel the editorial poses, and one very relevant to all ages, is “How can we understand the beauty of Lanvin, Hermès, and Cartier, yet be blinded to our own natural beauty?” Honestly, I have no idea but I hope that long after my wrinkles become more apparent, I will always view elective plastic surgery as unnecessary and so very unglamorous.

[Editor's note: Julia Restoin-Roitfeld shares her mother's disdain for plastic surgery, recently telling Glamour, “Wrinkles can be beautiful. They’re part of who you are, your charm and your history. And I’m not for plastic surgery — I’d feel like I was cheating on myself."]

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2011 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, February 2011

Below is the editorial that Carine Roitfeld authored for the February issue of Vogue Paris and my translation of her words from French to English.

Ce premier numéro de l'année met le cap sur l'Italie, les Pouilles précisément, et expose au soleil les 65 total looks de l'été prochain élus par Vogue. Couleurs débridées, imprimés en liberté, audace assumée... la saison est à la mise en scène extrême de soi. ‹‹J'ai adoré la mode››, dit Edmonde Charles-Roux, écrivain, seize ans à la tête de Vogue, présidente du Goncourt, que nous avons rencontrée et qui évoque une vie comme un roman. Celle de Colin Firth basculera peut-être bientôt. Époustouflant en souverain bègue aux prises avec ses complexes, il est en pole position pour décrocher l'oscar et se confie en exclusivité. On croise les doigts pour lui.

This first issue of the year sets sail for Italy, Puglia specifically, exposed to the sun and the 65 total looks for this summer selected by Vogue. Unbridled colors, printed in freedom, audacity assumed... the season puts the self at center stage. "I adore fashion" said Edmond Charles-Roux, author, sixteen years at the helm of Vogue, president of Goncourt, whom we met and who evokes a life like a novel. That of Colin Firth may switch soon. Astonishing as a sovereign struggling with his stammering complex, he is in pole position to win the Oscar and confides in us exclusively. Our fingers are crossed for him.

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2011 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.