I am excited to feature the latest Vogue Paris review by our stellar contributing editor Dara Block in which she looks at the December 2005/January 2006 issue for which Carine Roitfeld chose the iconic Kate Moss as guest editor. I hope you will enjoying browsing this special issue with Dara as your guide.
What is it about Kate Moss that keeps everyone so intrigued? She really is the ultimate supermodel. Or perhaps, better yet, an icon of our generation. No one is more elusive or harder to define. I think that is exactly why Carine Roitfeld and the Vogue Paris team chose her as the 2006 guest editor for the magazine. In this issue, Kate Moss uses her guest editing expertise in a series of couture based stories that label her as the scandaleuse beauté, or scandalous beauty. There are actually four different covers to this issue, all inspired by Jean Cocteau's 1946 film entitled La belle et la bête (Beauty and the Beast). Moss is photographed by Craig McDean wearing a series of looks including a Valentino couture gown, a Giorgio Armani Privé dress, a Dior Homme embellished jacket with skinny jeans, and finally a Chanel couture cape.... which happens to be the issue I own. While each cover features different outfits, all of the covers are shot in black and white and very much maintain the look of the film... it really is quite difficult to pick a favorite cover because they are all so unique and beautiful in their own ways.
The issue starts with an editor's note and photo from Carine Roitfeld... this is truly a quintessential Carine Roitfeld moment. Her hair looks very messy chic and I so love the way she shows her love of Kate Moss with that shirt. Notice the emblem on her chest? When I start to think about it, Kate and Carine share very similar style aesthetics. They are both such experts in the subtle art of undone glamour. I guess you could say they are both about setting trends and not following them.
As you turn the page, the magazine flashes back to Carine Roitfeld's first issue as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. We get to see that image of Kate Moss from February 2001 brilliantly photographed by Mario Testino and styled by Carine. I so love how Kate embodies Carine in this pic... no wonder this photo is so iconic. I will never forget this issue and I am so glad Vogue Paris took a moment to pay respect to such an influential issue.
Next comes a very clever part of the magazine entitled "Snapchic" which features paparazzi style shots of Kate Moss in some of her most cutting edge street looks. Vogue Paris winningly tries to emulate some of Kate's greatest outfits through Polaroid snapshots! Some of Kate's must haves in her wardrobe include a fur jacket, a leopard coat, flats, skinny jeans, high heels (preferably, Yves Saint Laurent or Alexander McQueen) and of course, let's not forget diamonds... Kate likes her bling from Dior.
Following "Snapchic" comes a montage of photos about Kate's personal style. This section features clothing items by some of her favorite designers: John Galliano, the late Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey, and Vivienne Westwood. I love that Kate stays true to her British roots... she really is the ultimate London girl. It is very clear that these particular designers have influenced her style in many ways.
Next up, is "Le kit de Kate" — an editorial which features supermodel Mona Johannesson modeling the type of jewelry that Kate Moss likes to wear. The layout features actual photos of Kate in the corner wearing a similar style of jewelry, I love how the editorial links the connection between the two images. Such as this shot with Mona Johnanesson wearing a simple diamond necklace from Van Cleef and Arpels, another of Kate's favorites.
After Kate's jewelry comes "Extérieur Nuit" which features Mona Johannesson, yet again, in different makeup looks inspired by Kate Moss. The editorial is beautifully photographed by John Akehurst. Mona Johannesson looks so much like Kate Moss in that makeup, especially, her lips and her eyes. It is quite uncanny....
Before Kate's editorial comes a personal photo and thank you note written by Moss to Vogue Paris. The photo was actually taken after leaving rehab in Arizona... yes, Kate was having some personal problems with drugs around this time in her life, but she chose to serve as guest editor regardless. I love the way her hair is flying in the wind, and how her hand is placed on her sunglasses, and of course that shot of the Grand Canyon in the background. It's really the perfect preface to her fabulous editorial.
Finally, we come to her cover editorial entitled "Ultimate Kate," which was photographed by Craig McDean and styled by Carine Roitfeld. The look is very much inspired by La belle et la bête and features Kate looking so glamorous in black and white. The editorial also displays subtle handwriting written over the pics... so radiant yet mysterious at the same time.
After Kate's portfolio comes an article entitled "Million Dollar Baby," written by Sheryl Garratt, who was once editor-in-chief of The Face. Garratt looks back on Moss' life, her career, and her rise to fashion icon status. The article also features photography from people like Mario Testino and Corrine Day. Kate even shares some of her own personal pics in this section.
Next, we see a portfolio homage to Kate Moss, in which major photographers dedicate a photo and a quote about Moss and how she has inspired them. Some of the photographers include Terry Richardson, Bruce Weber, Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Peter Lindbergh, and Patrick Demarchelier, just to name a few of a very long list. On a side note, the magazine switched things up a little bit with this editorial. Normally we would see the guest editor talk about all the people that have inspired her but the magazine went in the opposite direction and asked the photographers to discuss in detail the impact that Kate Moss has had in the fashion world. That's what I love about Vogue Paris... always thinking differently!
After the homage comes a very unique editorial entitled "90" which was photographed by Mario Testino and styled Carine Roitfeld. The layout features some of Kate Moss' chicest runway looks from the 90s... she had so many unforgettable moments during that era like this tiny Chanel bikini from 1993. Carine Roitfeld really captured that "Kate essence" in this editorial... such a unique layout that reminds us of why we love Kate so much!
Overall, I must say that I was really pleased with seeing Kate Moss as guest editor... after all, she is the most controversial, fascinating, and everlasting model of our era. In many ways, she is like a human canvas in that every designer, fashion photographer, and artist all want to work with her! I think Vogue Paris really captured all sides of her personality in this issue... very rarely do we see supermodels who can be both ordinary, yet captivating at the same time... she personifies more than just fashion and her appeal is quite universal... how does she do it?
I think Carine Roitfeld summed it up best as to why we all love Kate Moss:
"She's my idol, everyone wants to be like her, you know? Even if you don't like a look on the catwalk, when you see it on her, you want it. She's magic because she has a way to transform things. She's not too slick, she seems clever, and she has the je ne sais quoi of Marilyn Monroe... and for us in France, even though she's English, she's the one."
Leave it to Carine Roitfeld to perfectly state why we all are so mesmerized by the one and only Kate Moss... I couldn't agree more!
Vogue Paris editorial images © 2005 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.