Vogue Paris November 2009: Isabeli Fontana

The November issue of Vogue Paris is inspired by the idea of extreme yet original luxury and combines haute couture and street graffiti with great success. The cover features Isabeli Fontana as shot by David Sims at Milk Studios. The photos below are from my favorite editorial in the issue, "Keith Me," a take on Keith Haring's practice of painting tribal graffiti on the body of his subject. Brilliant styling par usual on the part of Carine Roitfeld, including a Louis Vuitton blanket as a tribal mini dress. Appearing in "Une Fille Un Style" this month is Iris Apfel; it is hard to believe that this stylish woman is 88 years old, what an inspiration she is! Other intriguing editorials this month: "Peintures de Guerre" and "Graffi-Couture" both styled by Emmanuelle Alt.

Vogue Paris November 2009 issue cover and editorial images © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Garance Doré On Carine Roitfeld

Mon Dieu, quelle chance—Garance Doré spent time with Carine Roitfeld throughout Fashion Week in New York and Paris. In typical Garance style, she shares this experience with us via her illustrations, photographs, and words, all poignant and hilarious. See Garance's Fashion Week scrapbook starring Carine Roitfeld at vogue.fr. Here is an English translation of Garance's words:

My fashion week with Carine Roitfeld by Garance Doré

During Fashion Week in September, I had the chance to spend some precious moments with Carine Roitfeld. Some passionate moments...

Follow me behind the scenes of Vogue Paris...

New York

In New York, Carine has very busy days. Shows, showrooms, appointments, and overseeing the magazine remotely. That's a lot of hours on the phone.

In the morning, I pick up Carine at the Carlyle, her preferred hotel in New York. "This is my New York. And you know, Woody Allen plays every Monday evening... You should come!"

10 a.m. First show beside Anastasia Barbieri, a regular contributor to Vogue Paris

2 p.m. The showroom of Alex Wang. Carine tells me that she loves his energy... and his accessories!

"I am always excited by new things, such as Alexander Wang or Julian Louie. This gives me energy. And then there are also my assistants that help keep me in the mood, because they come, tell me what they see, they wear young designers to keep us awake, otherwise the magazine would grow old and boring! At present there's no danger of this: during Fashion Night, our readers were in the street and I saw they were very young and very friendly. "

3 p.m. Donna Karan's show. Carine always has a minute to give to her fans. And considering the number of fans, this must take some time!

"I am very decisive—but I ask the opinion of many others."

"I started in standing, and I made my way up to the front row. Before I would drive there in my own car, now I have a driver. I confess that I have made progress!"

‹‹To be photographed together, this puts a lot of pressure on oneself. It puts a lot on me, because even if I do not look it, I'm very shy. But at the same time, the day when I go to a show and there are no more photographs, it will mean that I am not a good writer. That day will be very sad...››

Until the evening...

"It is necessary to go out in the evenings. It is then one feels what occurs… "

The evening, house of Marc Jacobs. Before we go to greet Marc, Carine finds Julia Von Boehm, Giovanna Battaglia and Olivier Zahm.

Paris

After a stopover in Milan where I caught Carine taking a few seconds to bask in the sun (she adoooores the sun) between two shows, we return, finally, to... Paris.

Inauguration of the Vogue Covers Expo

"The Fashion Weeks, there is at least one inspiration per day... it may be a show, an encounter, a new girl, makeup, something that will cause you to reflect. There is a lot of inspiration in the shows. We must be open to all, and look at everything."

The Story of César

"This is a César, a compression of jewelry. Unfortunately it is not my family jewels he has compressed, I never met him. But it is an object that was given to me a few years ago, and I love that it fascinates everybody. "

"I have three awards: The best dressed from Vanity Fair, the AmfAR for charity, and also a year ago I was among the '100 most powerful people' from Time Magazine with Obama, etc... I was the only French person... Which is the French influence abroad..."

[Editor's note: While I was furiously working to translate the text for you, of course Garance and Tim were reconstructing the beautiful collages in English! I worked hard on it so I'm leaving it, but visit Garance's site to see what she really said.]

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Vogue Paris Controversy

Thus far I have avoided voicing my opinion on the latest Vogue Paris controversy: are the images of Lara Stone in the October 2009 issue of Vogue Paris racist? My opinion is absolutely not, what a ridiculous notion. I had thought it best not to add to the controversy but this is a forum for discussing all things Roitfeldesque and so I will open the topic for discussion. I think that LegBaby on Fashion Spot said it best:

"I was really amazed by how this racism thing blew up everywhere. I don't find it racist at all really, but I guess everyone here is a fashion fan so we see editorials in a completely different light. When it comes down to it I wonder if anyone would be complaining half as much if it was a 'high' art thing rather than fashion related—it just seems like with fashion nobody's willing to look for a message or a meaning, it obviously just has to be some kind of horrible, superficial, cold hearted stab at a minority. It doesn't matter that VP is essentially quite a niche magazine for a niche crowd who generally would understand what the editors are trying to go for—if it's fashion it's apparently shallow, and some kind of attempt to brainwash the masses into seeing the world in the warped, materialistic way that the fashion crowd are supposed to see it. I mean, really, people should just think about things before they cry wolf. Rant over, sorry."

What do you think of this editorial?

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Lara Stone in "Lara" editorial for Vogue Paris October 2009 courtesy of diorettescans.blogspot.com

Update on jeudi 22 octobre 2009 by kellina

I think we have missed the point: was Carine Roitfeld's intention in conceiving and styling this editorial racist?

First, I present the definition of racism:

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Now, I seek your opinion—was Carine's intention in this editorial racist? Or was it perhaps a whimsical exploration of pigments and she thought that some of the clothes were accented beautifully when a copper tint was rubbed into Lara's skin? Or just as she thought it was wild to dye Lara's hair brown last month for the cover, she then decided to make her skin brown for the November issue. As a brunette, should I be offended by the cover of the September issue? No, this is ridiculous. (Also she reminds me of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much.)

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld Interview

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld makes a rare (and very brief) appearance in a video for Vogue Germany during New York Fashion Week in which the reporter interviews people on the street to find out which designers they are wearing. Carine Roitfeld makes an even briefer appearance walking by with Garance Doré but they don't really say much.

Photo still © 2009 Condé Nast

Carine Roitfeld At Miu Miu

Carine Roitfeld looks so beautiful here viewing the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2010 collection. I love the combination of the organic and metallic against the boardroom pinstripe. What do you think, does this look work?

Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of vanessajackman.blogspot.com