Everything Old is Suddenly New

Roberto Cavalli pays homage to Richard Avedon's classic Versace imagery from the late Eighties and early Nineties for its Spring/Summer 2012 campaign. Model-maker Steven Meisel teams up with iconic models Naomi Campbell, Kristen McMenamy and Karen Elson alongside relative newcomer Daphne Groeneveld. Kudos has to be given to Cavalli for casting such an eclectic line-up with each model possessing a look that is uniquely distinct and individual. The pairing of new modelling sensation Groeneveld with supers Campbell, McMenamy and Elson, brings a freshness and interesting dynamic to the shoot. Cavalli's underlying message appears to be that beauty at any age can be fierce.

Naomi Campbell, Kristen McMenamy, Karen Elson
& Daphne Groeneveld
Roberto Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Daphne Groeneveld
Roberto Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Karen Elson
Roberto Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Naomi Campbell
Roberto Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Daphne Groeneveld, Karen Elson, Kristen McMenamy
& Naomi Campbell
Roberto Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Steven Meisel
Source - models.com

Stark Contrast

Steven Meisel shoots some of modellings most compelling faces for W Magazine's September issue. A cast of supers, current tops and faces of tomorrow make up the cast of chameleons assembled for the editorial entitled "Transformers". Linda Evangelista, Raquel Zimmerman, Karen Elson, Jamie Bochert, Jessica Stam, Aymeline Valade, Fei Fei Sun, Guinevere Van Seenus and Candice Huffine pose for a duo of portraits, first as they see themselves and then as their alter egos. The results are magnificent with each model undergoing a dramatic transformation thanks to the creative genius of Meisel and stylist Edward Enninful. The September issue of W marks Enninful's first full issue as the magazine's fashion and style editor, and if this is an indication of things to come I will be anticipating each issue with abated breath.

Linda Evangelista

Linda Evangelista

Raquel Zimmerman

Raquel Zimmerman

Karen Elson

Jessica Stam

Jessica Stam

Aymeline Valade

Aymeline Valade

Candice Huffine

Fei Fei Sun

Fei Fei Sun

Guinevere Van Seenus

Jamie Bochert

Jamie Bochert
W Magazine - September 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel
Source - models.com

Meisel's Menagerie

Steven Meisel assembles a diverse group of Supermodels and up-and-coming stars for US Vogue's August 2011 edition. The eclectic group consists of familiar and newer faces ranging in age from twenty to forty six years. The cast of models includes veterans Kristen McMenamy, Audrey Marnay, Guinevere Van Seenus, Liya Kebede, Raquel Zimmerman, Karen Elson, together with faces of the moment; Candice Swanepoel, Miranda Kerr, Arizona Muse, Fei Fei Sun and Anais Pouliot. Each model has posed previously for Meisel's lens hence the editorial title "Double take".

Liya Kebede

Kristen McMenamy

Audrey Marnay

Candice Swanepoel & Miranda Kerr

Fei Fei Sun

Raquel Zimmerman

Arizona Muse

Karen Elson

Guinevere Van Seenus

Anais Pouliot
US Vogue - August 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel
Source - models.com

Maximum Exposure

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott go for maximum exposure, shooting Fall/Winter campaigns for Roberto Cavalli, Versace and Dsquared2. Maria Carla Boscono, Natasha Poly and Karen Elson team up for the photographic duo in Roberto Cavalli's lush autumnal themed campaign. The trio of enchantresses cast a spell amidst a lush setting of fuschia pink flora and golden brown foliage. Versace's bold campaign features Saskia de Brauw and Sean O'Pry against a desert landscape with ominous dark clouds swirling on the horizon. Newcomers Emily Baker, Saskia de Brauw, Bo Develius and  Francisco Lachowski have gone back to the ranch for DSquared colonial inspired campaign. Stylist Katie Grand combines leather, denim, sequins, swarovski crystals, fur and bow ties, to bring new meaning to the term colonial chic.

Natasha Poly, Karen Elson & Maria Carla Boscono

Maria Carla Boscono, Karen Elson & Natasha Poly

Karen Elson, Natasha Poly & Maria Carla Boscono
Roberto Cavalli - F/W 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Source - fashiongonerogue.com

Saskia de Brauw

Sean O'Pry

Saskia de Brauw

Sean O'Pry

Saskia de Brauw
Versace - F/W 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Source - fashiongonerogue.com & fashionisto.com

Adrien Sahores

Emily Baker

Francisco Lachowski

Saskia de Brauw

Bo Develius
Dsquared2 - F/W 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Source - models.com

Amazing Grace

Fashion's finest turned out at New York's Indochine restaurant in celebration of American Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington's 70th Birthday. Shalom Harlow, Naomi Campbell, Stella Tenant, Liya Kebede, Caroline Trentini, Isabeli Fontana and Karlie Kloss amongst others paid tribute to Coddington in an evening that was marked by genuine warmth, emotion and camaraderie. Photographer Bruce Weber and Marc Jacobs made heartfelt tributes whilst model Karen Elson serenaded Coddington with a moving rendition of Amazing Grace after recalling how Coddington took her (Elson) into her office as a scraggly seventeen-year-old red head during her early modelling days.

Grace Coddington
British Vogue - August 1962
Photographer - Unknown

Grace Coddington's 50th Birthday at Indochine in 1991

Grace Coddington & Shalom Harlow
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Grace Coddington & Karen Elson

Coddington herself began working as a model for Vogue at the age of seventeen when she won the young model division of a Vogue modelling competition. After a few years of modelling, Coddington began working for British Vogue as a stylist. Coddington spent nineteen years at British Vogue as the Photo Editor before moving onto American Vogue in 1988 joining forces with Anna Wintour in the role of creative director. 

As one of the world's most influential fashion editors, Coddington's brilliance lies in her ability to transform photographic spreads into narratives. In an interview with Time Magazine, Coddington surmises, "I like fairy tales, and I like dreaming. I try to weave the reality into the dream. When readers pick up Vogue, I want them to smile. Everything should be a little tongue in cheek, a little dare to-go-there." Editor in Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour, perhaps sums it up best, "I think of Grace as the heart and soul of the magazine. She is a beacon of excellence."

Pat McGrath, Karen Elson, Anna Wintour,
Edward Enninful &Naomi Campbell
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Olivier Theyskens, Hedi Slimane & Stella Tenant
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Karen Elson & Stefano Pilati
Photographer -  Hannah Thomson

Karlie Kloss & Grace Coddington
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Caroline Trentini, Liya Kebede & Isabeli Fontana
Photographer - Hannah Thomson
All images courtesy of vogue.com