Prada presents their new FW12 campaign video

Prada has done it again. Their new movie campaign for the FW12 is as intriguing as it is stunning. Magdalena Frackowiak and Anne Vyalitsyna are such good front women and they play their part brilliantly. If you thought last season's video was incredible, press play and think again.

If buying a Mercedez-Benz car wasn't already tempting enough for for who can now the luxury brand has teamed up with Mario Testino to shoot their latest commercial. Joan Smalls – sporting a fierce mohawk and leather catsuit – stars in the ad for the new CLS Shooting Break. This new commercial is the latest in a series of fashion-forward campaigns for Mercedes changing, like fashion, every season. Some of the previous projects include Julia Stegner by Nick Knight, Milla Jovovich Miles Aldridge, Karolina Kurkova by Craig McDean and David James, Lara Stone by Alex Prager, and last season's Jessica Stam by Terry Richardson Terry Richardson.

*Click here to see behind-the-scenes images of Mario Testino and Joan Smalls at the shoot.

Emporio Armani's FW12 campaign video

Courtesy of Armani

After last week's teaser, today Emporio Armani has released their full video campaign for the FW12 season. It was shot by Alasdair McLellan in Tokyo featuring models Anna de Riik, Tao Okamoto, Paolo Anchisi and Alfred Kovac. I love the contrast of 21st century Tokyo and Armani's elegant silhouettes and I am thrilled that one of my favourite pieces from the collection – the multi-colour sequinned jacket – made it onto the video!

Click here to take a closer look at the Armani FW12 collections and to see my favourite pieces from the press day. You can see the print advertising campaign here.

Watch the full Chanel Cruise 2013 Show

We knew already when LifestyleMirror.com launched a few weeks back that it was going to be a success. How could it not with Francesco Carrozzini and Emanuele della Valle behind it? After having Daphne Guiness as their first cover star they have now launched their second editorial story featuring Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl during their visit to Paris for fashion week a couple of weeks ago. Olivia and her model boyfriend pose at their Meurice suite with  her incredible clothes and jewellery pieces she wore during PFW.  The shoot, by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello was directed by stylist superstar (and my personal icon) Robert Rabensteiner. Olivia explains in the video below what she looks for when she's shopping. And don't miss the super chic video of the couple dancing at the Tuileries!

Prada Real Fantasies 2012

"For the Prada Spring/Summer 2012 lookbook Real Fantasies, AMO/OMA explores the nostalgia of hot rodding, golfing, picnicking, the space race, and other wholesome past times. Told through a sequence of 100% handmade collages – continuing a new tradition of handcraftsmanship started last season – Real Fantasies is a palimpsest of photography, graphics and text that pulls the user into a realm of hyper reality." Exclusively launched today on Prada's Facebook page.

Everytime I read something has been shot by Juergen Teller I know I'm in for a treat. So when I read that his latest piece of work for Missoni's SS12 video campaign involved Mariacarla Boscono, the Missoni clan and Pedro Almodóvar I knew this one was a memorable one.
The video is entitled "Todo sobre Missoni" a play on words with Almodóvar's hit film "Todo sobre mi madre" (All about my mother). Apparently the director had been asking Angela Missoni to work together for years so they did it in style with a very Spanish theme.
What do you think? Fun, no?

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.

We're quickly approaching the SS12 season. I don't know if you have already started making a mental list of all the new additions your wardrobe needs for the spring, I know I have. My first buys for every season are always from the high street in late January/early February –I always end up in new season when I hit the sales. I guess the high street brands can smell our anxiety to put on lighter ensembles, which is why they have started to release their spring/summer campaigns. One of the first ones is Mango. I must admit that together with Zara it's one my absolute go-to shops. They're great for classics and dresses for any occasion. For the new season Mango has teamed up with Kate Moss for a super cool and sexy campaign shot by Terry Richardson. If after watching the video there aren't at least three or four pieces you want to have you are not human. Also, check out this video of the behind the scenes with a few extra looks fro the SS12 Mango collection.

The new Mango campaign featuring Kate Moss by Terry Richardson
Courtesy of Mango

Lana del Rey wears Antonio Berardi in her 'Born to Die' video
Courtesy of The Communications Store

You must have been living under a rock not to have heard of Lana del Rey. I don't know where she came from but her first single 'Video Games' literally took the world by storm. I first found out about her when I watched her perform the song at 'Live with Jools Holland' two or three months ago. I was just as much in awe of her voice as I was of her style. There is something about her that makes clothes special, a sort of exquisite vintage feel that looks incredibly current and modern.
The video for her second single 'Born to Die' was released yesterday and I have watched it 4 or 5 times since last night. The photography is unbelivable. I love the symmetry of the Parisian palace where the video was shot and I love Lana's beautiful Antonio Berardi SS11 dress. Berardi is such a great choice for her because it's all about incredible elegant subtle designs. I really really hope we get to see her in one of the long-sleeved embroidered pale pink numbers from the SS12 collection!
You can watch the 'Born to Die' video below. Remember to turn the HD on, it's SO worth it!

'Marry the night' and Lady Gaga's influences
Screen caps, Style.com, Zimbio

You know I am a big fan of dissecting videos. Whether it's only the fashion like I did for one of Beyoncé's last videos or laying out visually where Gaga got inspiration from for her Alejandro video I simply can't resist making a collage about it.

My favourite Gaga video to date has to be the Judas video. I appreciated the breakthrough of Bad Romance (especially the plethora or McQueen) but Judas was culturally interesting. He cleverly mixed references to Catholicism mixed with nods to popular culture.

For Gaga's latest Marry the Night video Nicola Formichetti and his creative team have done something similar but perhaps not as risqué as before. An 80's Madonna is probably the strongest influence of this new video. Followed by Fame, the über popular TV programme from the same decade. The perfectly timed choreographies in odd layers of tops were pretty much brought into fashion by the show. My favourite look from the whole video is the Atelier Versace embroidered light denim combo that reads surprisingly current and sort of reminded me of this.

Some of the other dance scenes were more reminiscent of Michael Jackson's videos. The dancing in backstreets is in keeping with the general 80's aesthetic of the video.

The only more forward-thinking looks in the Marry the Night video are the music-less opening scenes, which weirdly enough I quite enjoyed, the ballet shots of Gaga in a very Daphne Guiness hairdo and heel-less platforms, and the closing shot of the Fame Monster in one of the Paco Rabanne looks she wore at the EMAs this year.

The full 2011 Victoria's Secret fashion show

There was a bit of buzz this morning in the office as some of the die-hard Beyoncé fans watched the new 'Play' Beyoncé video. I've always been keen on Queen B but being around these people every day has definitely made me pay more attention.

You know how much I love some current high fashion on a music video so it's no surprise that I'm posting about this. I love the mix of high and low and the styling of all the rest of the cast including B's sister Solange and of Kelly Rowland.

After watching it a couple of times to do the screen caps I noticed a few of the shots were very similar to the editorial by Sharif Hamza that Beyoncé did for the Dazed & Confused July11 issue. This made me wonder whether this video was shot quite a few months ago (B doesn't look preggers at all), which would explain the abundance of SS11 and FW11 pieces that would have been a lot more new then.

In any case, it's a really amazing fun video –you can watch it here– and the great styling only makes it better!

Vevo screen caps, Style.com, TFS

Britney's new video, 'I wanna Go', came out today and it looks like we've finally got out old Britney back. The vive of the video is very 'Do Something', which is also one of my favourite music videos by her.

In terms of fashion she is taking baby steps. But she is taking them. The first scene is a close up of her Christian Louboutin leather studded stilettos as she walks into the press room. The rest of the outfit is also a bit more old Britney but she looks pretty awesome in it. And I love the fake colourful highlights, they're pretty old fashioned but they really suit her, no?

Otherwise the video is pretty fun. My personal favourite is when she says "f*ck you" to the journalists and all her "daring" moments throughout the video. 

Who knows, maybe after two or three more videos she'll be back up to her old standards of unique awesomeness. You can't tell I'm a fan at all, right?

Thoughts?

Industrie has just released their now classic video of a mysterious pair of hands (love the yellow nails!) flicking through the issue. I got my copy this week and I can honestly say it's the best issue yet! It's an absolutely brilliant read! I didn't know much about Mert & Marcus or the five fashion critics they interview and now I feel enlightened. My absolute favourite two pieces in the issue are 'The Brant Boys' and 'The Young Guns', it feels so refreshing to see some actual new talented faces on a list of who's the future of fashion. If you still haven't got your copy go onto the Industrie blog for a further preview of a couple of the pieces.

With every new Lady Gaga video I realise the reason why I love her is not quite her music. Her videos, on the other hand, and Nicola Formichetti's styling for them do really appeal to me. And I think, in terms of the clothes, the Judas video is the best one yet. Yes, even better than Bad Romance. Sorry, Lee.

I was fascinated by the contemporary take of the religious references. Because I grew up in a Catholic environment and it was easy for me to identify symbols such as the blue veil of the Inmaculate Conception and the Sacred Heart. Contrary to a lot of opinions online I thought Formichetti's work (especially the blue hood with the bandana) were edgy, controversial and full of life.

Jesus' look was extremely well achieved. It seems like Riccardo Tisci only designed his Givenchy version of the crown of thorns to be on this video. It also fit perfect well with the video's aesthetic that mixed the old and the new and very much reminded me of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. There are a lot of rock and roll and gritty elements, which were sort of contradictory yet not incongruent at all.

[Vevo]

The only reference I didn't quite understand was Gaga in white, as a sort of Mary Magdalene dressed like a gipsy bride. I simply don't get why she dies. But I guess not everything is supposed to be straight-forward.

I also really enjoyed the more scarce 18th century notes of ruffled sleeves and golden ringlets on her hair. Those bits really reminded me of 'Interview with the Vampire' and help increase the contrast between new and old fashion elements in the video.

And finally, the 'Birth of Venus'. It totally escapes me why this little scene was included in the video or how it adds to the story line but I can't say I don't like the nod to Botticelli.

To make sense of all my blabbering click here to watch the video, which would be a shame not to watch in the highest HD.

Britney's new video for my favourite song of the record 'Til the world ends came out today and she opens it staring into the camera and wearing one of Burberry Prorsum's studded biker jackets from SS11, which to me can only be a good omen. The video looks amazing with a hint of I'm a slave for you and a kind of raunchier nod to the famous Oops! I did it again red catsuit. I really liked the styling of the video because, even though it's very Britney, it's a lot more high-end than what we're used to. Correct me if I'm wrong but that might even be an Alaïa belt she wears with the red outfit. Add to all of this her pretty face and an incredibly catchy song and you've got yourself a hit.

Click here to go and watch the video. I have this song on repeat in my brain.

[Pictures: Youtube screencaps, Burberry.com]