Review: Vogue Paris October 2010 Issue

It is a pleasure to present Milla from the blog Not Just Another Milla with an incisive review of the October issue of Vogue Paris. Milla kindly agreed to let me excerpt from her review here, please visit her blog to read her remarks in full.

I came downstairs this morning to find this brick of an issue sticking out of my post box. My heart raced, I kid you not! Since I only have one subscription, I knew "Vogueday" had arrived.

I flicked through and came to page 347 to be surprised and delighted by Théodora Aspart and her wonderful beauty editorial on products for ladies of colour. It would have been foolish of Vogue Paris to leave out such an important moment in beauty history. Labels such as Clinique, MAC, Smashbox, and Laura Mercier are all listed along with photographs of Naomi Campbell, arguably the most famous black model. They talked about Joséphine Baker being the first black model to appear in Vogue Paris but don’t include a photograph of her. Odd.

Page 357 takes the readers on a photographic journey through the best of Vogue Paris parties over the last 90 years in “Œil d’or.” Think Christina Onassis, Tom Ford, Jane Birkin, Kate Moss, Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, and Caroline de Monaco to mention but a few fabulous names. All partying and having a ball. There’s a particular image of Mr Jacobs, which I think will cause him some embarrassment… Don’t worry Marc, we all have “why-was-I-dancing-like-that?” moments!!

This leads us to the most adorable double-paged “Joyeux anniversaire” messages from a variety of brands including a fabulous and fun message from Isabel Marant, an oh-so-chic YSL image, a sexy sketch from Jimmy Choo’s Tamara Mellon, a Vogue shoe design from Louis Vuitton, a Dolce & Gabbana lacy theme spread, a very chic and simple message from Calvin Klein. I’m trying to pick my favourite message but for now it’s tied between Tom Ford (love this guy!), Lanvin, and Chanel. Holy moly!!! Have you seen the Paule Ka message!? It features a sketch of Carine!!!!!! LOVE!!! I need to just relax, because this is too much! My wee heart cannot handle it!!

On the last fifth of the magazine and here we are: Carine Roitfeld’s “Bal masqué" featuring Lara Stone and Freja Beha Erichsen and photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Animal print (me no likey), lace, leather, Philip Treacy (to-die-for) masks, and some seriously dodgy hair (!) only add to the drama of the editorial. The opening image of Lara — arms folded, leather catsuit, dainty earrings, and that stunning mask — sets the scene of unadulterated pleasure, luxury, and provocation. My goodness, this magazine isn’t for the conservative!

Emmanuelle Alt’s "The Party" takes us to various locations around my fabulous adopted home as we follow Anja Rubik, Isabeli Fontana, and Natasha Poly as they play dress-up. From Place de la Concorde (my absolute favourite place in Paris) for a gold bonanza, to leather biker chic near  les pont des Invalides, to sexy ski time near la Tour Eiffel, and on to various other locations sporting brightly coloured fur, luxe Balmain, and even a ball gown!

Vogue Paris October issue photographs and text courtesy of Not Just Another Milla.

Vogue Hommes International Fall/Winter 2010

The latest issue of Vogue Hommes International features a flash of retro with supermodel Matt Norklun on the cover; kindly describing the contents of the magazine for us is the man amongst men Olivier Lalanne:

‹‹Vogue Hommes International a de la fascination pour l'âge. Et la prouve avec ce numéro tout entier dédié à des hommes mûrs, présence physique intense et charisme bluffant, vibrant de désir, dont l'expérience et l'énergie sont une inspiration électrique.›› écrit Olivier Lalanne, rédacteur en chef de Vogue Hommes International, dans le numéro de l'automne-hiver 2010-2011.

Iggy Pop, John Walters, Giorgio Armani, Martin Amis, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, James Nachtwey, Andre van Noord, Don  Delilo, Willy Rizzo, Erri de Luca... ce numéro 12 du hors-série masculin de Vogue met à l'honneur l'éclatante maturité de ces hommes dont le talent et le style n'ont pas pris une ride. Vogue Hommes International Automne-Hiver 2010-2011, numéro 12, en kiosque le 23 septembre.

"Vogue Hommes International has a fascination with age. And they prove it with this issue entirely dedicated to mature men, intense physical presence and brusque charisma, vibrant with desire, whose experience and energy are an electric inspiration." writes Olivier Lalanne, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Hommes International in the autumn-winter 2010-2011 issue.

Iggy Pop, John Walters, Giorgio Armani, Martin Amis, Philip-Lorca diCorcia (love this artist!), James Nachtwey, Andre Van Noord, Don Delilo, Willy Rizzo, Luca Erri... number 12 of this special issue of Vogue Hommes showcases the maturity of these brilliant men whose talent and style have not aged a bit. Vogue Hommes International Fall/Winter 2010-2011, No. 12, on newsstands September 23.

Vogue Hommes International Fall/Winter 2010 cover and editorial image © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Roitfeld And Dello Russo At Milan Fashion Week

I love the photographs I have seen from Milan Fashion Week thus far, particularly the ones of Carine Roitfeld and Anna Dello Russo together, simply fabulous! See the photo gallery for more goodness from Milan... Also be sure to visit Anna's blog to read her wonderful list of 10 Rules for Costuming for Carine Roitfeld's Masked Ball—I totally adore ADR, she thinks of everything!

Carine Roitfeld, Peter Dundas, Anna Dello Russo at Emilio Pucci

Carine Roitfeld and Anna Dello Russo photographs courtesy of theblondesalad.com and daylife.com

Happy 90th Birthday Vogue Paris!

Vogue Paris celebrates ninety years of consistently chic, audacious, and provocative publishing today — congratulations and many happy returns! Here you can see a random sampling of 200 Vogue Paris covers from the last nine decades and I have added a number of the covers to the photo gallery for you to browse, enjoy!

To celebrate the occasion, Vogue Paris releases the October issue on newsstands today as well as their new iPad application which features Carine Roitfeld's remarks on the photographs in the special collector's portfolio supplement. C'est fabuleux ! Joyeux anniversaire !

Vogue Paris cover images © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Translation: Editorial, September 2010

Below is my translation from French to English of the editorial that Carine Roitfeld wrote for the September issue of Vogue Paris.

Paris : deux syllabes et une aura éternelle. Deux syllabes qui à elles seules évoquent un flot d'images universelles. La tour Eiffel scintillante, la seine enlacée par les lumières des Bateaux Mouches la nuit, les pavés battus par le claquement des talons aiguilles sous la pluie, des allures au présent libre... Une inspiration inoxydable à l'origine de ce numéro de rentrée.

C'est la première fois que Marion Cotillard est en couverture de Vogue. Rendue mondialement célèbre grâce à sa bluffante interprétation de Piaf, ambassadrice d'une maison très française, des yeux ‹‹comme des champs de lavande››, elle est une Parisienne idéale : curieuse, engagée, audacieuse, globe-trotter, intensément vibrante.

Toutes ces qualités, Marion Cotillard les partage avec un autre trésor Parisien. Juliette Gréco, légende de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, croqueuse espiègle des mots de Sartre, Prévert ou Gainsbourg. Réputée pour ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche, l'interprète de ‹‹Déshabillez-moi›› évoque ses rencontres, le cinéma, ses chansons, ses amours et son inséparable fourreau noir. ‹‹Je suis un drapeau ! un drapeau noir, mais un fameux drapeau !››, dit-elle. Du coup, même Kate Moss se met au noir. Au cuir noir. L'effect est instantané. Plus parisienne, tu meurs...

Paris: two syllables and an eternal aura. Two syllables only to evoke a stream of universal images. The scintillating Eiffel Tower, the Seine entwined by the lights of the Bateaux Mouches at night, the staccato of stiletto heels on paving stones in the rain, the allure of this present freedom... A stainless inspiration originates in this issue for the return to routine.

It is the first time that Marion Cotillard appears on the cover of Vogue. Now a worldwide celebrity due to her convincing interpretation of Piaf, ambassadress of a very French house, eyes like fields of lavender, she is an ideal Parisienne: curious, committed, daring, globe trotter, intensely vibrant.

All of these qualities Marion Cotillard shares with another Parisian treasure. Juliette Gréco, legend of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, mischievous devourer of the words of Sartre, Prévert, and Gainsbourg. Reputedly never one to hold her tongue, her interpretation of "Déshabillez-moi" (or in English, "undress me") evokes her encounters, her films, her songs, her loves and her inseparable black sheath. "I am a flag! a black flag, but a famous flag!" she says. So even Kate Moss turns to black. To black leather. The effect is instant. More Parisienne, you die...

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