Natasha Poly for Vogue September 2012

Natasha Poly is captured by Cuneyt Akeroglu for the September 2012 Issue of Vogue Turkey.

The supermodel is featured in two editorials and an in-depth interview.

Julia Roberts for Lancôme La Vie est Belle

Julia Roberts is captured by Carter Smith for Lancôme 2012 New Fragrance La vie est belle.

The short film is from director Tarsem Singh, starring our favorite actress Julia Roberts.

 

 

The new fragrance by Lancôme is classified as a gourmand scent and it was developed by perfumers Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo. The Iris flower is the key ingredient, accompanied by orange blossoms and jasmine. The other notes are black currant, pear, tonka bean, praline, patchouli and vanilla.

 

 

Source: Press release

It's a cat's world part 2: United Bamboo

As they say, three's a trend. Or in this case, a Catclub. Hot on the paws of Karl Lagerfeld's Choupette and Grace Coddington's Pumpkin comes United Bamboo's fancy felines. The New York label is bringing back their crowd-pleasing cat calendar, in which they dress up twelve friends' cats in miniature versions of their latest collection.

Three years ago in 2009, United Bamboo made a calendar with cats wearing miniature replica United Bamboo collection runway outfits. It was originally meant to be a promotional item and everyone wanted one. In 2010 they took it a little more seriously and made it as an official product which had an overwhelmingly positive response.
In 2011 they thought the world was sick of cats in United Bamboo so they didn't do anything. But to United Bamboo's surprise, people kept asking about it.
Due to popular demand the team got back together, Photographer Noah Sheldon and Designer Studio Lin fully embraced the idea of photographing cats in miniature replica runway collection outfits, except this time, spin it off as its own brand called Catclub by United Bamboo.
Catclub will be products with pictures of cats wearing United Bamboo. There will be many more products in the future and they will be all designed with serious intention and commitment to quality.

For the 2013 calendar they're raising funds on Kickstarter. They're already a quarter of the way to their $20,000 goal. A pledge of $25 gets you this poster and a magnet, while $40 gets you the calendar itself, definitely a collector's item. So what are you waiting for? Meow!

The story of a rose by Stella McCartney

STELLA, the first fragrance created by Stella McCartney, is inspired by a rose. A rose in full bloom, releasing an unforgettable scent. STELLA captures all the beauty and fragility of this moment of perfection and gives it a bright, modern edge. Fresh rose essence and vibrant mandarin fuse with a natural, feminine heart of peony accord. A sensual amber note creates the perfect contrast to the femininity of the rose. An iconic fragrance found in each exclusive Print Collection bottle.

Stella McCartney captures the vibrant energy of summer in the latest edition of STELLA The Print Collection – three boldly graphic limited editions of STELLA Eau de Parfum.

Taken from the runway, each 30ml collector bottle is dressed in a geometric print from the Stella McCartney 2012 Summer Collection. The vintage-inspired designs include oriental circles and Bouillard spots that have been reinterpreted in seductive and feminine motifs.

Print is used as color and patterns play a game of scale across the facetted bottles and their packaging. Each is a modern classic, feminine and naturally seductive. Precious collector editions that go everywhere you go with the captivating fragrance of STELLA in the air.

Source: press release

5th Athens Hip Hop Festival at Technopolis

The first of September at Technopolis starts the 5th Athens Hip Hop Festival at 4:30 p.m.. Let us have a look at how the Hip Hop Culture influences fashion.

Hip Hop fashion in the 80's and 90's revealed a new approach to style and dress. It was the beginning of a tidal wave fashion influence still felt today. Sparked by rap artists experimenting with a new art form, Hip Hop fashion became an expression of the Hip Hop culture manifesting in ever aspect of dress. Clothes, shoes and jewelry norms were shattered as more music fans converted to the Hip Hop culture embracing the fresh innovative style of Hip Hop fashion. Today, we experience Hip Hop differently as it is dominated by mainstream corporate commercialization. Nevertheless the organic evolution of Hip Hop fashion continues its spread through the streets, inspiring millions to seek out Hip Hop.

Since the 1980s, hip hop music has increased in popularity, making its mark on every aspect of pop culture. One of the areas where hip hop has had a heavy influence is the world of fashion. Fashion was once ruled by an untouchable elite, where designers and high end brands were seen as larger than life. While some designers still hold that mystique, they are now approachable and are influenced by those outside of their primary demographic, including hip hop artists and fans.

In the 1980s, the Adidas shell shoe became synonymous with hip hop thanks to the group Run DMC. This was one of the first ways the hip hop community embraced a clothing piece not intended for them and re-created it as the "It" item for fans. This led to the first hip hop endorsement for a major corporation. Adidas reportedly paid Run DMC $1 million for the deal.

From there, hip hop's influence in fashion continued to grow with corporations, and later with hip hop artists creating their own fashion labels. Thick gold jewelry was adopted, as were Kangol bucket hats and large eyeglasses.

In 1984, Michael Jordan and Nike collaborated to create the Air Jordan basketball shoe. These shoes would become the most sought-after accessory since the Hermes Birkin. While the price point was high ($100 at the time), it did not stop young men from lining up for days before their release to land a pair of the coveted shoes. Nike still sells the Air Jordan in droves, and releases retro versions of the sneaker that sell out in hours across the globe.

Pioneering hip hop producer Russell Simmons realized the hip hop community was embracing clothing from classic American designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Men would buy clothes a few sizes too big, to mimic the baggy silhouette rappers were known for both on and offstage. Simmons capitalized on this trend by creating Phat Farm clothing, the first hip hop clothing label. This revolutionized the fashion world, and many would follow in his footsteps, including Sean "Diddy" Combs and rappers Nelly and 50 Cent.

By the mid 1990s, hip hop became a facet of pop culture just like rock or pop music. The hip hop vibe was known worldwide, and the look was emulated by kids in the inner cities of America, as well as on the streets of Paris and Tokyo. Like all trends, fashion starts in the streets. Designers took note of this and began adding a dose of hip hop to high end collections, such as the 1991 Chanel collection, where Karl Lagerfeld showed piles of gold jewelry on models.

While hip hop grew larger, so did the artists' bank accounts. Hip hop artists moved on from Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger to high end designers such as Chanel and Burberry. This look became known as "ghetto fabulous," and is often used to describe over-the-top glamor. While the brands used to create this look may not be attainable by all, the style certainly is. The term "bling-bling" became synonymous with glittering diamonds or fine metal jewelry that makes a bold statement.




Source:eHow

Spotted: Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger is spotted, wearing Bally Stredas sandals while out for dinner in Los Angeles.

Photo by AKM-GSI, courtesy of Bally

Spotted: Courtney Love

Courtney Love is spotted by Hector Vallenilla, wearing a Bally SS12 turquoise leather coat while she shopped in New York.

 

Photo: courtesy of Bally

The Picasso of Fashion Illustration: Antonio Lopez

Antonio Lopez (February 11, 1943 – March 17, 1987) was a fashion illustrator whose work appeared in publications such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Interview and The New York Times. Several books collecting his illustrations have been published. In his obituary, the New York Times called him a "major fashion illustrator." He generally signed his works as "Antonio."

A book on the career of Antonio Lopez, "Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex, & Disco", by Roger Padilha and Mauricio Padilha (with a foreword by Andre Leon Talley and an epilogue by Anna Sui), will be released by Rizzoli on September 4th 2012.

Antonio Lopez was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico in 1943. His family moved to Spanish Harlem in 1950 where he showed early promise as an artist making drawings for his mother who was a seamstress and dressmaker.

In the early 1960s he enrolled on a course at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York where he met Juan Ramos who became his life long partner, and collaborator. While a student at FIT he participated in a work-study program at Womens Wear Daily where his talent was immediately recognized. He was offered a job at WWD and dropped out of FIT before joining The New York Times in 1963 where his style continued to develop. He was soon freelancing for Harper's Bazaar, British Vogue and French Elle.

In the '60s, Lopez's vibrant illustrations helped usher youth culture into the pages of magazines, setting a new, free-flowing, sexually liberated standard for fashion imagery. Living in Paris during the 70s with his creative partner Juan Ramos, Lopez launched the modeling careers of Jerry Hall, Grace Jones, and Jessica Lange, among others, and worked with design royalty like Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. Returning to New York City in 1976, Antonio documented the sexy influence of athletic-wear, puffy, down coats, and break-dancing style, inspiring such designers as Norma Kamali and Anna Sui.

Karl Lagerfeld on Antonio: "In the world of illustration, his contribution is superior to the efforts of all other fashion artists of his era."

Lopez produced an incredible number of drawings, illustrations, paintings, photographs, and fantastic mixed-media journals. The book "Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex, and Disco" showcases his most iconic works, as well as never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes Polaroids, letters, and ephemera which, together, provide an understanding of the career trajectory of an extraordinarily talented artist.

From September 6th until December 1st 2012 at the Brooklyn Public Library his work will be displayed as part of the exhibition: Fashion Illustration A Contemporary Look. 

Fashion Illustration: A Contemporary Look

On Thursday, September 6, Brooklyn Public Library will open its doors to the fashion and art world, hosting a Fashion Illustration Exhibition that will run through December 2012: Fashion Illustration: A Contemporary Look.

Illustration by Anja Kroencke

At the Central Library at Grand Army Plaza, New York, Brooklyn Public Library presents this exciting new exhibition featuring the latest in contemporary fashion illustration.

Some of the top New York-and Brooklyn-based fashion artists in the field today will be highlighted, including a restropective of the work of iconic illustrator Antonio Lopez, the Picasso of fashion illustration. Read more on Antonio by clicking here.

Illustrations by Antonio Lopez

Other participating illustrators are Carlos Aponte, Marcos Chin, Samantha Hahn, Richard Haines, Anja Kroencke, Jennifer Lilya, Don Oehl, Sara Singh, Autumn Whitehurst, Izak Zenou

Illustration by Sara Singh

Illustration by Izak Zenou

The visual display will be accompanied by a series of panel discussions, fashion film series, fashion illustration classes and author talks throughout the fall season.

Fashion Illustration: A Contemporary Look is made possible by Utrecht Art Suppli; A.I. Friedman; Prismacolor; Fashion Institute of Technology-SUNY, Gladys Marcus Library Dept. of Special Collections and FIT Archives. Antonio Lopez illustrations appear courtesy of the estate of Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos. The Fashion Career Day Fair is sponsored in part by the Brooklyn Book Festival.

Source: Brooklyn Public Library

It's a cat's world: Grace Coddington for Balenciaga

Sorry, dog lovers. It's a cat's world right now. Karl Lagerfeld's one-year old Birman, Choupette, is dominating Twitter so hard she's sure to score a Whiskers endorsement deal any day.

And now comes Grace Coddington's drawings of her cat on a Balenciaga tote and two scarves. The American Vogue creative director has depicted Pumpkin dressed in Nicolas Ghesquière's greatest hits for the house from the last ten years.

The pet project is the cat lady's first bag collaboration, but not her first feline foray. In 2006, she came out with a book, The Catwalk Cats (Editions 7L), in which she documented a year in her fashionable life through the eyes of her furry friends.
Just like Momma Coddington, they can be seen coordinating shoots, getting haircuts and dining in Milan with all the other fashion cats.

For more than 20 years, the fashion powerhouses Grace Coddington and Didier Malige have lived together with a menagerie of incorrigible cats. This delightful, giftworthy book records their relationship through photographs (Malige's) and drawings (Coddington's) that document the couple's highly entertaining private and work lives through the eyes of their feline friends. These include Henri, an old-school, catnip-addicted, surfing chartreuse; his sister Coco, a couture-obsessed chartreuse on a sashimi diet; and her pal Baby, who doesn't quite share Coco's discipline, and will, sadly, never fit into a sample size. Then there's Puff, a mixed-up long-hair from Harlem whose curiosity--anyone for fortune-telling at Dave?--hasn't killed him yet; and finally Bart, the Persian youngster who would rather sit on the rooftop terrace than in the front row. The Catwalk Cats, a visual diary introduced by the irrepressible Puff, gives us a window into four madcap seasons in the life of this fabulous furry brigade, with sections devoted to the Collections, the Campaigns, and, of course, the Catfights. At once delightful and dishy, it is both a convincing argument for the fundamental similarities between felines and fashionistas and a moving meditation on love and life as a family.

It seems that Christobal Balenciaga at the age of six already dressed up cats...

The three Balenciaga items—Pumpkin Papier tote bag in ecru or pumpkin-orange canvas with black leather trim, two printed Pumpkin scarves in either silk or fringed wool and silk will be available at Balenciaga boutiques in New York and Los Angeles on Fashion's Night Out. And you can feel a little better about splurging because 20% of proceeds will go to the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons.

Source: Hint Mag

Feel like a VIP with Vodafone at Mary Katrantzou's show in London

Vodafone UK is entering into an exclusive two-season partnership with pioneering designer, Mary Katrantzou. Vodafone will work with the British Fashion Awards Emerging Talent Award winner - Katrantzou across spring/summer 2013 and autumn/winter 2013. The collaboration will offer Vodafone customers access to her innovative catwalk show as well as the chance to meet her backstage at London Fashion Week.

Kicking off in September 2012, when London becomes the fashion capital of the world, the partnership underlines Vodafone’s commitment to its customers and support for British fashion following on from previous partnerships with acclaimed LFW designers, Richard Nicoll and Christopher Kane.

Danielle Crook, Vodafone’s UK Director of Brand Marketing, said today: “Mary Katrantzou is one of the most exciting designers in British fashion today - she was a natural fit to help us continue our involvement in fashion. Her bold graphics and iconic designs have attracted a cult following from every part of the fashion world and we are thrilled to be working with her. For us, this means we can give our customers a unique fashion experience at Mary’s catwalk show during London Fashion Week.”

Mary Katrantzou said: “I am excited to be working with Vodafone, as a brand they have really cemented their credibility and support within the fashion industry over the past few seasons. Their innovation elements really appeal to me and it felt a natural fit to join forces. I'm really looking forward to be able to widen the fashion net to their customers and bring them to the front line of fashion week.”

The partnership will kick off with Mary Katrantzou’s spring/summer 2013 show, sponsored by Vodafone which will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated events on the schedule. Further details on the partnership will be announced later in 2012.

In addition to the designer partnership, Vodafone will continue to innovate during London Fashion Week with the mobile phone recharging front row returning to the BFC show space and pop-up re-charging points throughout the Somerset House venue.

With Vodafone VIP, customers get fabulous experiences in motorsport, festivals and fashion. From track days, 48 hour early access to the hottest festival tickets and the chance to go to London Fashion Week and Vodafone London Fashion Weekend, everyone can feel like a VIP with Vodafone. All Vodafone customers can register for Vodafone VIP by going online to vodafone.co.uk/vip.

Mario Testino - Magician with a camera

The mere mention of Mario Testino’s name evokes a rush of adrenalin in anyone that cares, even a bit, about the worlds of fashion and celebrity. So omnipresent is he at major magazine shoots and A-list events—an insider if ever there was one—that he has become a celebrity himself.

Daria Werbowy for British Vogue

The launch of Testino's latest book, to celebrate his inaugural exhibition in China, brings together an exciting selection of his best studio work with glamorous examples of his candid shots. A beaming Gwyneth Paltrow clutching her freshly-won Oscar, a fur-cloaked Jennifer Lopez atop a commode, and the unforgettable portraits of royalty including Diana, Princess of Wales, and her sons are just a few of the hundreds of iconic pictures that are brought together, for the first time, inside the book. Testino’s best recent advertising and fashion work rounds out the selection, making this a must-have collector's item for any art or fashion lover's library. The book is published by Taschen.

Contributing authors: Graydon Carter, Karl Lagerfeld, Jennifer Allen, and Patrick Kinmonth.

The exhibition "Private View" will be on display at the Shanghai Arts Museum, November 2nd - December 3rd 2012. See a review of the exhibition in Beijing, China, held in June 2012.

Mario Testino is a master of modern fashion and portrait photography!

Lana Del Rey for H&M

Global singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey is the face and voice of H&M this fall.

Lana Del Rey, one of the biggest names in music, will be the face and voice of H&M this fall. Lana will star in a print campaign shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, as well as a full-length film of Lana singing a cover of “Blue Velvet”, shot by director Johan Renck. Lana became an instant worldwide star earlier this year with her single “Video Games” taken from the multimillion selling album “Born to Die”, and is known globally for her distinctive personal style. For the print campaign, Lana wears the best of H&M’s fashion for Fall, from a pink angora blend sweater to printed leggings, a tweed biker jacket and a tweed figure-hugging faux leather trimmed dress.

The film is a fully-plotted music video starring Lana as she sings “Blue Velvet”, which will be available to see in its entirety at hm.com from September 19, with edited versions used as a TV campaign. Lana will also star in a second print campaign later in the season, featuring the best of winter fashion. These images will appear in October, both in print and also in-store.

Backstage with David Beckham

David Beckham is captured by Alasdair McLellan for the new campaign for his bodywear collection.
Here some backstage photos.

And the result

David Beckham is celebrating the success of his bodywear collection for H&M with a new campaign, focusing on the form and fit of the underwear classics that make up his bodywear range.
The powerful new images were shot in Los Angeles by photographer Alasdair McLellan, with David photographed against a black background to show him and the bodywear in stark relief.

As David constantly likes to experiment with his look, he unveils a new style for this new H&M campaign.
“I am so excited about this new campaign for David Beckham Bodywear at H&M. I wanted to express the strength and quality of the David Beckham Bodywear collection with these images, and also wearability and fit. I love the range and feel so comfortable in each of the pieces. As soon as the collection was launched, it became second nature for me to wear it!” says David Beckham.

David Beckham Bodywear is an exclusive, long-term collaboration with H&M, which has become an instant global success following its launch in February 2012.

The collection, which remains permanently in-store and online, focuses on a set of core products designed by David Beckham and his team, with special attention paid to the comfort and fit of each garment, from briefs and trunks to undershirts, T-shirts, Henleys and long johns. The collection stays constant around these pieces, creating a bodywear range of new classics that has already become an essential part of many men’s wardrobes.

And in November, as the holiday season approaches, some new pieces that will make the perfect winter gift will be added.

The David Beckham Bodywear collection is available at around 1,800 H&M stores in 44 countries worldwide, as well as online.

H&M supports UNICEF

This October at H&M, a special collection, featuring both fun fashion and playtime dress-up pieces for both boys and girls, will raise funds for H&M´s All for Children initiative to benefit UNICEF’s programs to improve the lives of children.

For girls, the All for Children collection is full of cute pieces like a pink bow-detail dress, a fake-fur necktie coat, fun Lurex® or polka dot skirts, as well as printed tops and bright pink leggings.

For boys, there’s the perfect little blazer to wear with matching gray pants, or color-block sweaters in vivid shades, as well as a baseball jacket, color-block shirts, and jersey pieces printed with characters familiar to children.

For dressing up, there are wizard hats, capes and magic wands, a rabbit all-in-one, and polar bear, rabbit, and flamingo heads. There’s also a play tent, wall stickers, a lamp and a play book for even more fun.

The collection will be available beginning October 18 at around 300 H&M stores worldwide. H&M will donate 25 percent of the sales price of the All for Children collection to UNICEF’s work in Bangladesh.

Through this partnership, H&M and UNICEF aim to promote education and improve the health of children in slum areas around Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The collection is a way for customers to contribute to H&M’s long-term community investments in Bangladesh.

Source: Press Release

Your favorite handbag is............?

'You Can't Judge A Handbag By Its Price Tag' says The Fashion and Textile Museum in London, introducing a new course.

Grace Kelly and her Sac à dépêches, better known as The Kelly! 

From a Kelly to a Baguette, no other accessory has the same allure as a handbag.

But a classic handbag design is the sum of many parts.

Next month 'An Introduction to Handbag Design Course' at the Fashion and Textile Museum (3-7 September 2012) offers all enthusiasts a chance to learn the elements of great bag design, as well as an irresistible opportunity to create your own. Led by Ann Saunders, the course is an excellent opportunity to use ideas and experience to design a range of bags for the future. In five days, it covers not only the context for design and the role handbags play in the fashion industry, but also the design process: from the research stage, to sketching out ideas, choosing materials and planning a collection.

Supported by Newham College and Shanghai Trio, the course is aimed at students and professionals alike, as well as anyone wanting to understand the accessories market. Competitively priced, it represents excellent value for money too.

Celia Joicey, Head of Fashion and Textile Museum, says:

'The UK has some fantastic companies whose handbags promote our fashion and design expertise to the rest of the world. With this course, the museum hopes to inspire a new group of accessories designers'.

Melissa Nobile, Business Development Manager (Europe) for Shanghai Trio says: 'The Fashion and Textile Museum offers a unique environment to learn about handbag design, from theory to practice - I was a student a few years ago! Shanghai Trio is delighted to support the museum and to show that whilst expensive 'It' bags remain in-demand, high quality, attention to detail and sustainability remain high on customers' agendas.'

For more information on the course, click here.
The Fashion and Textile Museum is at 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF. Exhibition opening times: Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm

Iris Van Herpen - Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2013

"It is not really wearable but see it as a research for the future of fashion" some of the words said about Iris Van Herpen, a young dutch fashion designer.

Iris van Herpen started in 2007 with her own brand. She studied Fashion Design at ARTEZ (Arnhem) and did internships at Alexander McQueen in London and Claudy Jongstra in Amsterdam.

The essence of van Herpen is expressing the character and emotions of an unique 
woman and to extend the shape of the feminine body in detail. She mixes craftsmanship- using old and forgotten techniques- with 
innovation and materials inspired on the world to come.

“For me fashion is an expression of art that is very close related to me and to my body. I see it as my expression of identity combined with desire, moods and cultural setting.

In all my work I try to make clear that fashion is an artistic expression, showing and wearing art, and not just a functional and devoid of content or commercial tool. With my work I intend to show that fashion can certainly have an added value to the world, that it is timeless and that its consumption can be less important then its beginning. Wearing clothing can create a very exciting and imperative form of self-expression. 'Form follows function' is not a slogan with which I concur. On the contrary, I find that forms complement and change the body and thus the emotion. Movement, so essential to and in the body, is just as important in my work. By bringing form, structure and materials together in a new manner, I try to suggest and realize optimal tension and movement.”

Have a glimpse of the Hybrid Holism Haute Couture collection for Spring-Summer 2013.

Get your own David Beckham at H&M

Michelangelo and his Renaissance masterpiece David, the marble statue in Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia, are getting some serious competition — from another David with an equally famous physique. H&M created nine 10-foot statues (3 meters high) of David Beckham to mark the second David Beckham Bodywear campaign. Starting Thursday through Sunday, they will be displayed in various spots in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and could serve as a lucky charm for some.

As part of the campaign, those who Instagram a photo of a Beckham statue with the hashtag #HMBeckham will be eligible for several prizes, including 10 mini statues of Beckham, a pair of underwear signed by him and a $1,000 shopping spree at H&M (presumably to stock up on more Beckham merch). The statues will live on beyond this weekend, though: from Aug. 20 to Aug. 31, they will be displayed at H&M stores in the three cities.

Olympian Champion Jennis Ennis with David Beckham

Will this campaign come to Europe too?

Photos: courtesy of H&M,
text: Marc Karimzadeh

Olympian Champion Victoria Pendleton spotted in Shoes of Prey

Victoria Pendleton is the star of British cycling, as famous for her two gold medals, one in London and one in Beijing, as she is for her love of glam heels, and she is a fan of Shoes of Prey.

Pendleton, winner of Great Britain's third gold medal at the London 2012 velodrome, picked out a pair of the red, white and blue platform oxfords before the games, describing the patent leather style as "definitely very cool".



"Victoria is CRAZY about her shoes," confirmed her agent. "She has been telling everyone about them and is literally blown away by how lovely they are. She’s unlikely to get the chance to wear such high heels before the Olympics, but she hopes to have a massive occasion to wear such patriotic shoes this summer!!!!!!"

As it turns out, Victoria had the chance last night in London, where her heels offered the perfect finishing touch to her white-blouse-and-navy-shorts ensemble.

Did you know that Shoes of Prey can make perfect shoes especially for you. Which means you choose the shape, colour and height that suits. See here!

Photos: Courtesy of Shoes of Prey

"Smash his camera" about a Paparazzo Extraordinaire

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sued him, and Marlon Brando broke his jaw. The story of notorious, reviled paparazzo Ron Galella opens a Pandora's Box of issues from right to privacy, freedom of the press and the ever-growing vortex of celebrity worship.

Widely regarded as the most famous and most controversial celebrity photographer in the world—he’s been dubbed “Paparazzo Extraordinaire” by Newsweek and “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture” by TIME.

This summer Foam presents a major exhibition of work by Ron Galella, pioneer of paparazzi photography. The exhibition features photos of stars including Mick Jagger, Jackie Onassis, Greta Garbo, Brigitte Bardot, Marlon Brando, Andy Warhol, Robert Redford, Sean Penn, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Penélope Cruz and many more. These photos have appeared in magazines such as Life, Time, Rolling Stone, Vogue and Vanity Fair.

Ron Galella (1931, The Bronx, New York) started his career in the US Air Force. After returning from Korea he attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and graduated in 1958 as photo journalist. In his spare time he started photographing stars attending premières. This became his true passion.
Galella typically doesn't view his 'victim' through his lens; in order to really make contact, he looks right into the star's eyes. He is also lightening fast, the essence of what he calls the 'Art of Paparazzi'. By the time the stars have told him 'no', he can often do what they have asked - in the meantime, he's already taken two photos. Galella's method is seldom without humour. Following a confrontation with Marlon Brando he bought a helmet with the words 'Paparazzi Ron'.
October 1971 was an important date in Galella's career. It was a month in which he frequently photographed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. After encountering the photographer for the umpteenth time, the widow of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy and wife, at that time, of shipping magnate Ari Onassis took off running into New York's Central Park. This photo of her on the run has become a 'Jackie icon'. Galella's Jackie-obsessionended with his arrest and a notorious court case that revolved around the question of how far a photographer could intrude on the privacy of a celebrity. For some, however, the photos of Jackie Onassis also provided considerable inspiration, such as for Tom Ford, former designer at fashion house Gucci.

Although Galella did not invent the term paparazzi, he is the personification of the word. He redefined the relationship between celebrity and photographer. Jackie Onassis clearly dreaded the cheeky photographer, but other stars were glad to see him or were resigned to his presence. They realised that Ron Galella was a crucial link in stars' popularity, satisfying the general public's voyeurism and stimulating magazine sales.

"My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something infamous. That's why my favorite photographer is Ron Galella". (Andy Warhol)

In 2012 Leon Gast directed a documentary on Ron Galella:

Paparazzo Extraordinaire! by Ron Galella can be seen from 8 june- 23 august 2012 at Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Open daily 10 am - 6 pm, Thurs/Fri 10 am- 9 pm.

Olympian Champion Michael Phelps for Louis Vuitton

After the athletes Andre Agassi, Pele, Maradona, Zidane and Muhammad Ali, Louis Vuitton bet on the record for most medals in swimming Michael Phelps for his new advertising campaign "Core Values".

Photographer Annie Leibovitz clicked the swimmer swim trunks in a bath with one of the designer bags on the floor.

Golden Supermodels at the Closing Ceremony

Yesterday evening in London was the Closing Ceremony of the 30th Olympic Games, an ode to British music, fashion and topmodels.

Here a glimpse of the models.

Photo: AFP

Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen, Stella Tennant in Chistopher Kane, Lily Cole in ERDEM, Karen Elson in Burberry, Lily Donaldson in Vivienne Westwood, Georgia May in Victoria Beckham, Jourdan Dunn in Jonathan Saunders and Stephen Jones and David Gandy in Paul Smith.

Fashion photographer Nick Knight captured these models for the September Issue of the British Vogue.