The Life Rhapsodic

American Vogue serves up a delightful spread featuring some of the industry's leading black models. Joan Smalls, Anais Mali, Jourdan Dunn, Ajak Deng, Arlenis Sosa and Chanel Iman pose alongside a bohemian cast of actors, dancers and musicians in the season's finest prints by Louis Vuitton, Marni, Chanel, Dennis Basso and Marc Jacobs. Photographer Norman Jean Roy captures beautifully the individual spirit and exuberance of each of the models and shows why these girls are at the top of their game.

Ajak Deng, Anais Mali & Joan Smalls

Joan Smalls & Anthony Mackie

Ajak Deng, Anais Mali & Arlenis Sosa

Anais Mali, Arlenis Sosa, Chanel Iman & Jourdan Dunn

Joan Smalls & Colson Whitehead

Chanel Iman, Anais Mali & Jourdan Dunn

Arlenis Sosa, John Legend & Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn & Antonio Douthit

Jourdan Dunn & Anais Mali

Savion Glover & Ajak Deng
US Vogue - March 2011
Photographer - Norman Jean Roy

In Fine Company

Vogue Italia assembles a cast of the fashion industry's leading top black models for an astonishingly beautiful editorial in the February 2011 issue. Shot by Emma Summerton and styled by Edward Enninful, the editorial entitled "Black Allure", plays host to a bevy of beauties including veteran models Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Arlenis Sosa, Aminata Niaria, and Sessilee Lopez, alongside newcomers; Rose Cordero, Joan Smalls, Melodie Monrose, Lais Ribeiro and Ajak Deng. The hair, make-up, styling and fashions by Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, and Givenchy amongst others, allow the models to fully embody the feeling of sheer elegance and sophistication captured by Summerton.

Chanel Iman, Joan Smalls & Jourdan Dunn
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Joan Smalls
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Lais Ribeiro & Arlenis Sosa
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Jourdan Dunn
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Melodie Monrose
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Sessilee Lopez, Ajak Deng & Aminata Niaria
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Chanel Iman
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Ajak Deng
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Sessilee Lopez, Aminata Niaria, Jourdan
Dunn & Chanel Iman
Vogue Italia - February 2011

Jourdan Dunn, Sessilee Lopez, Ajak Deng, Lais RIbeiro,
Rose Cordero, Melodie Monrose, Arlenis Sosa,
Aminata Niaria & Chanel Iman
Vogue Italia - February 2011
Photographer - Emma Summerton

Victoria's Secret Takeover

Victoria's Secret high fashion takeover continues with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's sizzling British Vogue cover and Candice Swanepoel's Vogue Italia cover coup. Swanepoel's crossover from mainstream commercial modelling to the high fashion arena was kick started in 2010, with her editorial appearance in the Winter issue of V Man lensed by Mario Testino. Swanepoel turned more than a few heads, with Testino giving his seal of approval, "Candice is an amazing new find for me. Gorgeous, free, fun. She was awesome and did not feel inhibited. She made the shoot an amazing experience."

Indeed 2010, was the year of the Victoria's Secret high fashion ascension with Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio amongst others, making their mark. Kerr landed three Vogue covers (Italian, Spanish and Australian versions of the magazine) and appeared in multiple fashion editorials for US Vogue. Ambrosio transformed into a glamourous Goth for the cover of Love Magazine and was cast in the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2011 campaign alongside fellow Victoria's Secret models Isabeli Fontana, Maryna Linchuk, and Izabel Goulart. Victoria's Secret Angels Doutzen Kroes, Chanel Iman, Adriana Lima, Ambrosio and Kerr, were the subject of a feature editorial in US Vogue shot by Peter Lindbergh, dissecting the return of sexy curves to the catwalk. With the lines between commercial and high fashion modelling becoming ever increasingly blurred, what Swanepoel et al prove, is that a little va-va-voom and a whole lot of personality are the just what the world of high fashion needs right now.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
British Vogue - February 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

Candice Swanepoel
Vogue Italia - February 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Miranda Kerr
Vogue Italia - September 2010
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Alessandra Ambrosio
Love Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

Rosie Huntington-Whitely
Love Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

Candice Swanepoel
V Man - Winter 2010
Photographer - Mario Testino

Candice Swanepoel
Vogue Italia - February 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Rosie Huntington-Whitely
British Vogue - February 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes, Chanel Iman,
Adriana Lima & Alessandra Ambrosio.
US Vogue - September 2010
Photographer - Peter Lindbergh
Source - vogue.com

Strength in Numbers

The February 2011 edition of US Vogue features a mammoth cast of thirty five of modelling's current and newest faces, in a sublimely beautiful editorial lensed by Mario Testino. The editorial entitled "Gangs of New York", showcases a diverse selection of models sequestered in groups according to hair colour, country or continent of origin and ethnicity. Wearing fashions by Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren, and Rodarte, the images beautifully convey the individual aesthetic of each collection. The end result is an editorial which is whimsical and delightful, whilst  celebrating diversity and beauty in all of it's guises. 

Patricia Van der Vliet, Mirte Maas & Nimue Smit
Photographer - Mario Testino

Jana Knauerova, Hannah Holman, Britt Maren, Abbey Lee Kershaw
 & Kasia Struss
Photographer - Mario Testino

Joan Smalls, Ajak Deng, Arlenis Sosa, Chanel Iman, Anais Mali,
Jourdan Dunn & Sessilee Lopez
Photographer - Mario Testino

Julia Saner, Anna de Rijk, Frida Gustavsson & Jac Jagaciak
Photographer - Mario Testino

So Young Kang, Hyoni Kang, Tao Okamoto, Fei Fei Sun & Ming Xi
Photographer - Mario Testino

Arizona Muse, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Kendra Spears & Karlie Kloss
Photographer - Mario Testino

Kate Somers, Julia Hafstrom, Julia Johansen, Luisa Bianchin,
Chantal Stafford-Abbott, Donna Loos & Gwen Loos
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - fashiongonerogue.com