Forum members show off loosely layered looks for spring.
Forum members were looking forward to seeing Kirsten Dunst’s look at this year’s amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit gala (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/kirsten-dunst-161149-46.html), but unfortunately, her color blocked Louis Vuitton ensemble failed to impress. HeatherAnne’s (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10685133 postcount=680) cringing “oof” said it all. I think I made that exact sound when I saw the outfit.
“That dress looks like it was pieced together in an arts-and-crafts class,” eternitygoddess (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10685141 postcount=682) posted.
LolaSvelt (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10685149 postcount=683) was confused by the look. “I just don't understand it,” she wrote. “I mean, if it were the same color, I'd be fine with it. But it isn't, so that's a no.”
Dajrekshn (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10685187 postcount=684) expressed her emphatic opposition to the look. “Big no to this outfit, the upper part is okay, but from that kitschy belt down it's a disaster. The makeup is nice and hair is actually good now that I look at it, but NO to the outfit,” she repeated.
Seeing as this look came from Kirsten Dunst, I’m sure she’ll redeem herself. She looked beautiful in Dolce Gabbana at the photocall for On the Road at the Cannes Film Festival the other day (she was even chosen as our look of the day (http://www.thefashionspot.com/celebrity-fashion/news/174041-kirsten-dunst-look-of-the-day)), and though I’m not a fan of her Louis Vuitton dress, I admire the fact that she took a risk once again and went for something unusual and unexpected.
Image: Lia Toby/WENN.com
J Brand has been setting its focus on its newly launched sportswear collection, and in doing so, it has made its Fall 2012 ad campaign (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f79/j-brand-f-w-12-13-suvi-koponen-shaun-dewet-craig-mcdean-179893.html) its most expensive to date to try to generate some buzz. The brand budgeted well over a million dollars to include media buys in magazines like GQ, Vanity Fair, Love, and French Vogue.
The former creative director of Interview magazine, Karl Templer, was hired to art direct and style the campaign, and photographer Craig McDean was brought on to photograph models Suvi Koponen and Shaun DeWet. The ads are meant to project the confidence and subtle sexiness that J Brand wants associated with the company, but forum members didn’t seem all that impressed with them.
“I really like Suvi, but I don't like this ad,” wrote valliaddict (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10682647 postcount=6). “Her complexion looks very weird contrasted with that background.”
TommyGirl (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10683251 postcount=8) posted, “Happy for my girl, but her skin truly looks BAD and the eye makeup is hideous, too.”
TREVOFASHIONISTO (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10680849 postcount=2) simply stated, “This is bad...”
I’m going to venture a guess that this is not the response J Brand is looking for. Maybe they should have hired a more expensive makeup artist?
Images: www.glossynewsstand.tumblr.com via the Fashion Spot forums.
Nicole Kidman (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/nicole-kidman-97385-58.html) arrived at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of her new film, The Paperboy, wearing a rosy diaphanous gown from Lanvin’s Spring 2012 collection. According to Boomer (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10684489 postcount=856), “She's getting into that Elizabeth Hurley 'Looks As Hot As She Did Twenty Years Ago!' zone!!” I think he's got a point. Kidman looks incredible and knows how to work an elegant red carpet look.
“Absolutely gorgeous!” Not Plain Jane (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10684853 postcount=869) commented. “I love the color of this Lanvin gown, and Nicole's eyes are beautiful.”
Alicia753 (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10684671 postcount=861) called her a “true goddess.”
Forum members have for the most part been unimpressed by the styles worn at Cannes thus far, but Kidman is a standout.
Image: WENN.com
Though this is only its third cover, Vogue Netherlands seems to be showing that they intend to be consistent in their use of Dutch models. For its June 2012 issue (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f78/vogue-netherlands-june-2012-guinevere-van-seenus-annemarieke-van-drimmelen-179861.html), model Guinevere van Seenus was photographed by Annemarieke van Drimmelen.
“I love the orange text (it looks horrible and yellow in that online version, but great in the actual snap of the cover), it's a beautiful summer cover. I adore Guinevere's monochrome pink look,” wrote HeatherAnne (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10677225 postcount=9).
Anlabe32 (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10677229 postcount=10) called it “the best [Vogue Netherlands] cover so far. It has a summer feeling and Guinevere looks amazing,” she added.
“Such a stunning cover, I love everything about this,” Miss Dalloway (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10677305 postcount=11) commented. “It feels like a natural very effortless moment was caught on camera.”
Guinevere is also featured in an editorial within the magazine, and you can also expect to see Bregje Heinen (who has been known to occasionally post in her own thread in the Fashion Spot forums) photographed by Paul Bellaart, Querelle Jansen photographed by Jan Welters, and more.
Despite being a big fan of Guinevere's, I’m still not completely floored by anything Vogue Netherlands has put out thus far, but they’re still finding their footing so I’ll be patiently watching and waiting to see what they come out with next.
Image: facebook.com/VogueNL via the Fashion Spot forums.
Though it’s not yet summer, and we're not exactly thinking ahead to our fall wardrobes, Versace (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f79/versace-f-w-12-13-elza-l-dmitriy-kacey-philipp-mert-marcus-179845.html) is the first of the major ad campaigns for Fall 2012 to be revealed. In a total switch of gears from the blue-tinged summer ads featuring Gisele Bundchen, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott photographed model Elza Luijendijk, who was styled by Joe McKenna, with the same blunt razored bangs and bleached eyebrows that were present at the runway show. The gritty black and white images, where the model poses among cement blocks and metal chains, channel Donatella Versace’s Gothic and edgy underground inspiration for the collection. The men's campaign was styled by David Bradshaw and features models Philipp Schmidt, Dmitriy Tanner and Kacey Carrig.
Images: twitter.com/jimshi809
“This looks REALLY good for a Versace ad. Love the dark mood and the whole setting,” wrote Psylocke (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10676163 postcount=5). “Nice styling, too. Elza is a rather surprising choice for this but she looks fantastic. Nice!”
Melancholybaby (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10676421 postcount=12) posted, “I'm glad they took the darkness of the show and took it to another level. Can't wait to see more of this.”
Images: facebook.com/redcarpet fashion awards
All in all this is a great effort for fall, and an unexpected showing for Versace. The mood is mature, sexy, and sophisticated, and as Bretonne (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10677769 postcount=34) pointed out, “The clothes look better here than on the runway.” Well done.
The forums have been buzzing over the last few days in response to the news that Kirstie Clements (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f71/kirstie-clements-former-editor-chief-vogue-australia-46302-2.html) seems to have been unceremoniously kicked to the curb and ousted from her position as Editor-in-Chief (http://www.businessday.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/vogue-editor-sacked-as-heads-roll-at-news-magazines-20120516-1yqit.html) after thirteen years at Vogue Australia. With the news of Clements’ firing came reports of Edwina McCann’s hiring. Up until now, McCann has been the editor at rival publication, Australian Harper’s Bazaar. Rumor has it that McCann may also be bringing her Harper’s Bazaar colleague, stylist, and street style favorite Christine Centenera, with her to Vogue. The news came as a surprise to many forum members, who have been rallying and expressing their support for Clements and the work that she did at Australian Vogue.
Samoanceleb (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10659409 postcount=24), one of her biggest supporters in the forums, wrote, “Kirstie was my favorite editor in Australia. What she did for Vogue was bring much needed consistency and maturity after a tumultuous slew of editors at the beginning of her tenure. But most of all she celebrated Australian fashion and sensibility. Instead of imitating what was happening overseas only, she was able to give language and validity to unpretentious Australian fashion and consumers. In other words, she was real – from watching TV (her Voice tweets) to body and image issues in her Sunday columns. Her support of local models is second to none out of any magazine anywhere in the world. No other edition of Vogue probably has as many homegrown nationals on their covers like Vogue Australia did under Clements’ tenure… And when she featured them, they were not all superstars already. Her covers this year in particular have had fashionistas the world over excitedly blogging and posting on forums, effusive in their praise of her and the magazine. She was always classy but never pretentious. I will miss her at Vogue… In my opinion no other Australian women’s fashion magazine came close. I hope she will go to better things and I hope Vogue doesn’t turn into a tabloid or predictable publication under the also very talented McCann.”
HeatherAnne (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10675163 postcount=35) also lauded Clements’ consistent support of Australian identity in Vogue. “I too love the way she embraced her own country's aesthetic, culture, artists, models, and by doing so gave the magazine such a clear and harmonious identity,” she commented. “I think she is extremely under-appreciated for this fact. It's a tricky thing to conquer in a way that is not cliched or predictable, but Clements commandeered and ultimately achieved it with great success. In doing so she gave Vogue Australia a coherent vision that many of the sister Vogues sorely lack. I'll miss her vision.”
We’ll miss you Kirstie Clements! Let’s hope Edwina McCann is up for the challenge.
Image: vogue.com.au
Forum members share their latest shopping successes.
Tilda Swinton is quite the androgynous chameleon, which makes her the perfect choice to grace the cover of male pregnancy editorial (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10665061 postcount=8) photographed by Steven Klein, and drag superstars captured by David Armstrong (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10665073 postcount=9).
The “Baby Boom” fetishized male pregnancy editorial may be too boundary pushing for most, but on the flip side, Tilda Swinton’s transformative nature may win you over. “Tilda is Drag-licious!!! I love it!” YourMonster (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10665225 postcount=11) posted. I don’t know what Drag-licious means, but it kind of seems like an appropriate adjective here.
Psylocke (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10664963 postcount=6) wasn’t completely won over though. She wrote, “Considering this is a transgender magazine and the theme of the issue is 'Extravagance' this is really well done and the theme is certainly executed perfectly. Going solely by my own personal taste I still don't like it because I don't like all the gold and the voluminous red hair on Tilda.”
I don’t usually think of Tilda as a glamourpuss, but I think she’s really selling it. Here’s a preview of the editorial so you can judge for yourself:
Images: models.com via the Fashion Spot forums.
Forum members make the most of their day-to-day styling.
Tilda Swinton (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/tilda-swinton-164461-10.html) is in Cannes promoting the Wes Anderson film, Moonrise Kingdom, and though some people don’t quite get her offbeat style, we in the Fashion Spot forums are completely enamored with her. At the photocall for the film (which also features Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, and Anderson film regulars Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray), Tilda stood out in a pale blue pencil skirt and dusky taupe blouse by Haider Ackermann and Nicholas Kirkwood pumps.
This ensemble might be a perfect example of something that looks extraordinary on Tilda, but could look terribly wrong on someone else. The tones of the skirt and shirt work beautifully together when paired with Tilda’s blank palette sort of coloring. “I can't imagine how bland or ‘off’ this would look on anyone but Tilda,” wrote HeatherAnne (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10659607 postcount=142). “She makes this color combination work.”
“Gorgeous! I love this outfit so freaking much,” sobriquet87 (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10659949 postcount=144) gushed. “The colors are so pretty together and Tilda has so much elegance.”
Saann (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10660821 postcount=150) tried to put Tilda’s entrancing qualities into words: “What I love about her is that she comes off as so certain of herself and her style that the clothes never wear or transform her,” she explained. “She always transforms whatever she's wearing into suiting her look and her style. Even when it's not very great it never really looks quite off because she always brings that extra something herself. It's very rare to see someone with that ability… She makes everything look Swinton-esque,” she concluded.
Swinton-esque indeed. Tilda’s got something rare that can’t be bought or imitated. It’s invaluable and all we can do is admire from afar and appreciate the intangible fact that it exists in her.
Image: Lia Toby/WENN.com
In the past, we’ve spent a lot of time analyzing and critiquing (or just plain ragging on) Chloe Sevigny’s last few hair styles (http://www.thefashionspot.com/buzz-news/forum-buzz/173143-chloe-sevignys-hair-is-still-kind-of-weird-forum-buzz), but for the time being it seems like her hair is actually looking kind of cute, and we can refocus our attention on her clothes. Chloe showed up to a screening for Hit Miss at the Mayfair Hotel in London wearing a form fitting short Versus dress with sexy cutouts that showed off her awesome legs and would possibly have even made us forget all about her hair if it was still looking weird.
“Oh my gosh, she looks AMAZING!!!” 1999 (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10661681 postcount=275) exclaimed.
“She looks very sexy there,” Not Plain Jane (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10661699 postcount=276) commented. “What a great figure and I like the bright color!”
Saann (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10662845 postcount=281) posted, “Boots are awful but she rocks everything else.”
I kind of don’t mind the boots. Sure they’re a bit quirky and if anyone else were wearing them I’m sure there's a chance I would slam them for it, but this is Chloe Sevigny. She wears that length of boot with short dresses often enough for it to kind of be her “thing,” so I’m good with it. Plus, I kind of have a soft spot for Chloe and her individuality, so it's easy for me to forgive minor transgressions.
Image: WENN.com
Gisele Bundchen has made it onto the cover of AL92 (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10656019 postcount=3) admitted. “It’s natural and raw yet paradoxically has that subversive sexiness Vogue Paris is famous for!”
VogueParisLover (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10656065 postcount=8) wrote: “I can't believe my eyes; this is too gorgeous to be real. Gisele looks smolderingly sexy, and the sand stuck to her ass definitely adds a certain something,” he laughed. “This is the best summery cover I've seen in some time; Emmanuelle is finally coming into her own as Editor in Chief.”
“It's amazing, a nice celebration of the female form and perfect for summer,” HeatherAnne (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10656693 postcount=41) posted.
Does anyone ever really get tired of seeing Gisele in all her glory? I know I don't.
This issue will be out on newsstands May 24.
Image: Vogue Paris via the Fashion Spot forums.
Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana has been dating Rohan Marley, son of the late Bob Marley, since October 2011, and now it seems the couple is ready to tie the knot (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f63/isabeli-fontana-wedding-3-a-179333.html). Fontana told Veja Magazine that she planned to marry Marley in Ethiopia, the birthplace of the Rastafarian movement. The 28-year-old model, who will be marrying for the third time, said:
“Rohan told me we have to return to the roots so the marriage will last forever.”
Fontana has two children from her two prior marriages, and Marley has two children from his first marriage to Geraldine Khawly, and five children with Lauryn Hill, who he separated from last year when he found she was expecting a child that was the result of an affair with another man.
Fontana and Marley apparently “see each other very little” as she continues to live in Sao Paulo and he lives in New York. The model’s mother expressed concern about the speed with which this relationship is progressing, “but everything has a different rhythm with Isabeli,” she explained.
This imminent third marriage for a woman under thirty and all of the drama involved makes it seem like Fontana is the model version of a new Elizabeth Taylor. “A third wedding under the age of thirty!?! ...Some people never learn!” Heroin_Chic (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10653059 postcount=2) exclaimed. “Marrying somebody you rarely see doesn’t sound like a good idea either,” she added.
Niusity (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10653491 postcount=4) posted, “Ugh, love Isabeli but their love story is so weird that they'd better wait a little.”
CommanderTMugler (http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10654569 postcount=5) doesn’t seem to care much about the soap opera-style romance; he just wants to see a wedding happen. “I can’t wait to see her gown! Any word on who will make it?” he asked. If this whole thing actually pans out and the couple does take a walk down an Ethiopian aisle, then we’ll be sure to get all the details on the gown front.
Image: Jody Cortes/WENN.com
Forum shopaholics are stocking up on fun summer essentials.
The Fashion Spot's Forum Buzz editor, Chrissy Makkas, has been a member and moderator of the Fashion Spot forums since early 2005. She regularly reports on hot topics and up-to-the-minute commentary from the forums, and highlights what trendsetting members are shopping for and wearing from week to week in her popular "What We Bought" and "Forum Street Style" features. Chrissy is also the Editor of Boston Design, an annual resource for the high end home. You can find ChrissyM in the forums here.
