Sasha Pivovarova models Prada Resort 2013 for the new campaign
Courtesy of Prada

I can't stop staring at this pictures! The new Prada campaign for their Resort 2013 collection featuring Shasha Pivovarova and shit by Steven Klein is simply stunning. I remember first seeing this collection back in June in Milan when Miuccia showed it together with her menswear SS13 line. I loved the clean lines and the androgynous feel of the entire collection. I'm not happy to see some new pieces including the bejewelled tops, the amazing silver platform pumps and, my favourite, the also bejewelled headband. It's like something Blair Waldorf would wear to go for a jog.

*Roll mouse over the image to see another shot from the campaign.

My favourite September 2012 covers
TFS

I have been quite bored and disappointed with most of the September issue covers this year. Knowing that it's the most iconic month of the year, can't magazines actually make an effort?
Thank god for Vogue Italia and Interview! Franca Sozzani and Steven Meisel have, once again, created something completely different to everyone else. I love Carolyn Murphy and I love the vintage feel of the cover but also the idea behind it. I know not everyone gets Franca's work but whether you like it or not she marches to the beat of her own drum.
I was really blown away when I saw the September cover of Interview featuring Emma Stone. It's kind of genius that they went for her after so many people had featured her over the last months. The styling and the photography are something completely different to what they usually do to Emma. I personally really liked the choice of the Chanel neckpiece, the eye makeup and the studded earrings.

Fragrance campaign face-off: Kristen Stewart vs. Blake Lively
TFS

These two super anticipated campaigns are now out. I must say that I usually am never particularly keen on fragrance campaigns because there's always too much going on, they're too mainstream. However, this doesn't go for the Florabotanica (great name too) and Gucci Première campaigns.
I have thought from day one that Kristen Stewart is the most brilliant match for Balenciaga, by Steven Meisel. She looks cool and relaxed in Balenciaga clothes and gives everything her own spin. And I love her in the new perfume ad because not only the artwork is beautiful – they should make wallpaper – but I'm happy to see Kristen wearing the same Balenciaga SS08 dress from my favourite collection. It is, incidentally, the same look Jennifer Connelly wore 4 years ago on the campaign for the house.
Blake Lively has been making such perfect fashion choices over the last few days that I feel like it's the perfect time for this to come out. She always looks better when she channels a bit of old Hollywood glamour from the 50's – wavy blond hair, beauty spot, long-sleeved dresses with open back. All notes Gucci and Mert & Marcus struck for their Première ad. It's incredibly beautiful because it's simple.

Joan Smalls covers the latest issue of W
TFS

People have been especially keen on leaking some the July covers this week. We normally get a couple of very blurry and odd-coloured camera phone shots a few days the magazines release them officially. However, this week we already saw quite a few previews of the latest American Vogue cover featuring Emma Stone, which I am very excited to see. While we will probably have to wait until Monday to see the high-res version, W's newest cover has already been leaked in all its glory.

A stunning Joan Smalls, shot by Steven Klein, covers the July issue of the magazine. Quite a few people on The Fashion Spot forums have mentioned how much she looks like Tyra Banks but I personally disagree. Tyra's got nothing on Joan, as far as I'm concerned. I love the golden hair, the amazing makeup and the ruffled white lace.

The editorial inside includes Karlie Kloss, who fronts the other cover of this issue. I can't quite tell which way the styling will go but guessing from the cover title – "The new face of fashion" – I'm hoping for an effortless supermodel vibe.

Vogue Italia goes 'Eyes Wide Shut' for April
TFS

It's always refreshing that every month Franca Sozzani refrains from using celebrities on the covers of Vogue Italia. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few hits in the past few months (i.e. Mary-Kate and Ashley on ELLE) but also plenty of disasters (i.e. any of the latest British Vogue covers). So it's great when we get original double covers like these.
For me the whole idea behind the shoot is very 'Eyes Wide Shut' with a bit of 'Cruel Intentions' – high society people who behave according to the norm during the day and who turn into completely different creatures at night. Somebody on The Fashion Spot also mentioned a 'Bal Masque', which fits right in as well.
I love the change of light from the dull unmasked version to the brighter more intense one. I wish this was one of those covers with a plastic overlay that adds the masks and the light, wouldn't that be cool?

Are you a fan of Vogue Italia? What do you think of this cover?

As I have repeated over and over again since last September I just can't get enough of Prada's SS12 collection. Even their ad campaign is exquisite. Now the brand has released this short advertorial film shot by Steven Meisel. Be amazed. Again.

The SS'12 Campaigns are out – Here are my favourites so far
Courtesy of Prada

We are just about to break for the Christmas Holidays but fashion doesn't know about resting! The Spring/Summer 2012 campaigns are being released without a pause and I must say I am happy to see vibrant cheerful colours despite how much I love the winter.

So far I am impressed with most of the ads I have seen. Though I was particularly intrigued to see what Prada and Versace did for the new season. Prada's was in my top 5 of SS12 collections and I was dying to see it through the eyes of Steven Meisel, who has done such a brilliant job with carrying on with the 50's theme in a petrol station.

I knew the Versace, shot by Mert & Marcus and styled by Joe McKenna, was going to be one of the best ones. The house has been getting so much press over the last few months and it's finally going back to Paris for Couture to show their new Versace Atelier collection. So, of course, they had to go for Giselle Bündchen! I love the LA feel of the shoot, the colours and the sort of vintage Italiana vibe.

Click below on read more to see more!

Karlie Kloss is Vogue Italia's present this Christmas
Fashion Gone Rogue

The thing is I don't know whether to praise or slate this cover. On the one hand, I would have never guessed it was Vogue Italia, this seems more like a thing Vogue España would do –neutral background, a simple sexy dress, young model. I would have never guessed it was a Steven Meisel shot. But this is, in fact, the December cover of Vogue Italia.
My favourite thing about it, of course, is the fact that Karlie Kloss is on the cover. She reminds me a lot of a younger Giselle Bündchen and she's definitely rocking the nude Valentino dress. I can appreciate that perhaps what Franca was trying to do with this cover is going for a 90's minimalist/supermodel vibe. But it doesn't quite work.
It's a little underwhelming to put an end to the year like this after such brilliant covers. They already went for a sort of supermodel revival a few months ago for the July issue with Christy Turlington. Perhaps this is a way to build up for January to start 2012 with a boom?

What are your thoughts?

TFS

I love the fact that Vogue Italia is always the last of the Vogue editions to release their new covers. It makes them more memorable whereas I have to think a little bit harder to remember who, say, British Vogue put on their last cover.

I must say I am loving the November cover. It's very Vogue Italia and very Meisel but in the best way, not in the dull way we saw in October. It's funny how you would have thought that having Lady Gaga as main inspiration for a suit could be so obvious but works so well in this case. The styling by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele is absolutely spot on and, quite frankly, also pretty edgy for Vogue Italia.
I know this is going to be one of those covers that people either love or hate but I've always thought that's a good thing because it's at least strong enough to generate a passionate reaction.

What do you think?

TFS

It's pieces like this that make me love W. It's also this kind of stories that should quiet those people who sill murmur about the magazine not being as good since Stefano Tonchi took over. Get over it, he's ace.

I still haven't got my hands on a copy (I don't believe they've come to London yet) Steven Meisel has worked with Edward Enninful on an editorial story called 'Fabulous Fakes'.

Not only the editorial looks beautiful but it's very witty. I love Karen Elson in the raunchy version of a lingerie ad or Linda Evangelista advertising 'Lavez-les bien' (Wash it well) shampoo. The 'Visage' is also hilarious –with Anna dello Ruso and W's Lori Goldstein and the 'because you've earned it' slogan.

Meisel is probably one out of a handful people in the world who can get away with a shoot of this nature published in a mainstream magazine with a really strong advertising weight. The same story would have worked as well had it been in a less commercial magazine. It's that sort of controversy that makes is brilliant.

TFS

Vogue Italia has been the last of the big titles to release it's September cover. And what a cover!

Stella Tennant emaulates Ethel Granger –the late 1920's woman who held the world record for the smallest waist (13 inches/33 cm) until 1998. It is a very avant-garde indeed concept, very Vogue Italia.
To pull off the impressive cover the magazine brought together the most prestigious group of professionals –Steven Meisel for photography, Karl Templer as Fashion editor, Pat McGrath as makeup artist, and Guido Palau as hair stylist.
It's such a daring cover concept to actually carry out but the result they've got is very impressive. A Prada coat perfectly photoshopped at the waist top it all off. If you look for pictures of Ethel you'll be impressed of how close this image is to the real ones.

Now I just can't wait to see what's inside. And the cover has created such high expectations...

First look: Tom Ford SS11

It's not easy for me to accurately talk about Tom Ford without being borderline cheesy. And this is because the 10-year bracket during which he forever imprinted his signature in Gucci and YSL was also the period of my life when I heartily got into fashion. He was, together with Giorgio Armani, the designer who could never cease to awe me season after season. Little did I know then that Ford was resurrecting the Italian and French icons while building on his influences for the future.
It has now been another 10 years since Tom Ford officially announced the creation of his namesake brand in 2005. We have been enjoying his superbly refined menswear since 2007, which coincided with the opening of his first flagship store in New York, and his acclaimed directorial debut with 'A Single Man'. Nonetheless, the most exciting of his ventures (I daresay) is his first womenswear collection presented during the last New York Fashion Week.
And Ford was not joining back in by the rules. He showcased his collection at a 100-guest cocktail party where attendees were banned from taking pictures. There were no Style.com pictures, no online streaming, the clothes would't appear on editorials until January and celebrities wouldn't sport any of the looks until December. A rebellious Fordian twist going against the current rushed pace of the industry, which worked as well as a genius PR campaign.

Before we get to see the full collection on Vogue Paris' January 2011 issue we can calm our thirst for Tom-Ford-ness with the December issue of American Vogue. Steven Meisel was in charge of capturing the first public look at Ford's SS11 collection for women, beautifully styled by Camilla Nickerson. There is an incredibly contemporary feel to the dominating 20's vibe of the collection. The long-sleeved night gowns share the limelight with tailored pieces reminiscent of YSL's Le Tuxedo and yet strongly influenced by Ford's mens suiting. I don't want to speak to soon but judging but what we can see so far Ford's womenswear positions itself at the top of the market, joining places with Chanel, Lanvin and Givenchy and all the other quasi-Couture prêt-à-porter.

After seeing this, I simply can't wait to see what Vogue Paris does with the whole collection. I can picture Carine in the leopard and white suits walking across Les Tuilleries. Not to mention Tom's list of celebrity friends, who will work the red carpet in his designs. Do notice that the collection will hit stores in February —in perfect time for the early March Academy Awards! In the meantime, I will rejoice every second of my life with this image below as my laptop wallpaper.

I'm off.

[Picures: Bryanboy, TFS]

13 ways of looking at RESORT

The November issue of Vogue US unveils a gorgeous Jennifer Conelly in an unexpectedly good photoshoot by Mario Testino —!!— and a special called like this very post. 13 ways of looking at resort features some of the best models of the moment in great and not-so-great outfits by the most famous designer brands making resort collections at the moment. It's fabulous and I love it!

Photographed by Steven Meisel.

1. Proenza Schouler
2. Marc Jacobs

3. Dior

4. Prada

5. Calvin Klein
6. Balenciaga

7. Chanel
8. Lanvin

9. Yves Saint Laurent
10. Nina Ricci

11. Oscar de la Renta

12. Marni
13. Dolce & Gabbana


I won't be posting for a few days. Everything will be back to normal on Monday. Enjoy!
I'm off.