September is almost here!

"September is the January of fashion" as they say and I couldn't agree more. Have just started getting my September issues in the mail. So far I've gone through Marie Claire, Flare, FASHION and Harper's Bazaar.

I was really, REALLY impressed with Flare's issue. This was the first issue of Flare I ever bought and I was amazed at the beautiful editorials and the great articles. It helped that there were three (yes, three!) covers of one of my favourite models, Daria Werbowy, in the issue. The photo of her in the Louis Vuitton bunny ears was so gorgeous that I had it framed for my wall. Editor-In-Chief Lisa Tant wrote in her blog about how she chose the cover.
Maybe it's time for another magazine subscription.

On the other hand, I was disappointed with FASHION's issue. I'm a huge fan of the magazine but this issue fell completely flat. The editorials were boring and looked a bit amateur- specifically the spread that used several models just seemed disjointed from the rest of the issue. To me, the issue was a bit sub-par, especially for a September issue.

I'm still going through Harper's Bazaar; there are so many editorials that I really have to sit down for a couple hours to get through it. Looks beautiful so far with great models.

Can't wait for Vogue!

And speaking of Vogue, check out this great profile of Creative Director Grace Coddington. The article is about her and the documentary The September Issue. In it we learn that Coddington drove all but one of the main fashion features in that particular Sept. issue- the "semi-disastrous cover shoot with Sienna Miller."

We also find out that she is the only one who can get away with being cheeky and opinionated with Anna Wintour. For example, Coddington had the idea to photograph the camera crew jumping in the air with model Caroline Trentini. "Wintour liked it — but made the comment that Richman's belly would need to be airbrushed to a slimmer shape; Coddington wouldn't hear of it. If the atmosphere captured by "The September Issue" is true to life, Coddington is the only one who stands up to Wintour that way."

I cannot wait to see this movie.

Update: Watch the red carpet arrivals for the movie's New York premiere on facebook here live at 7 p.m.

And here are two just-released clips!

1. Sienna's Wig


2. Texture Shoot

Fashion magazines: next on the endangered list?

For the past few months I have practically stopped buying fashion magazines (save for a flurry of mad magazine spending a week ago) and have taken little interest in my subscriptions to Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle.
At first I thought it was because I was getting bored with fashion but I realized that that wasn't true because I was (and am) obsessively reading fashion blogs and keeping up-to-date on the latest shows, news and trends online.

I've been thinking a lot about why I don't seem to care about fashion magazines anymore. But the answer is obvious: the internet, stupid!

I wrote about the monotony of (American) fashion mags a while ago; specifically how Vogue was getting boring and stale. After writing that post a few months ago I still find it true that the magazine is uninspiring and dull. I was hoping that in this doom and gloom environment, Vogue would be putting out something more creative and exciting. Now all I do is flip through the pages and yawn.

International magazines fair a bit better; their photographs inspire me and frankly it's the editorials that make me buy them, not the articles. Yet still; I haven't been obsessively collecting every international issue of Vogue, Elle and Harper's every month the way I used to.

It seems that they have run out of ideas; every month it's the same. The pages look the same, the colours are the same, the models' poses are the same; the pages are the same format. I swear sometimes that Elle and Harper's Bazaar are the exact same magazine.
And I'm sick of the non-fashionable celebrities on the cover.

To borrow the diagram from blogger Style Amor, you can see how these two mags look so much alike, EVERY MONTH.

And Vogue covers. Don't get me started on those. They might as well be using the same celebrity on every cover because they put them in the same dresses and poses wearing the same facial expression.

However I do realize all the work and creativity it takes to make these magazines and I really respect the editors, photographers and everyone else involved in making the magazines happen. There are many talented people who are putting them together.
But I feel that they have fallen a bit behind the times and I think that it's not just the people who are to blame. I feel that magazines themselves are behind the times.

Why wait for a monthly magazine to tell me what the next trends are when I can go to any one of the amazing style blogs out there like fashion toast, karla's closet, Garance Doré or The Sartorialist? They can predict and style the trends better than Condé Nast. They are the ones who are inspirational, who come up with never-before-seen ideas. I get my inspiration now from these bloggers because they can do whatever they want and don't have the restrictions or the carefully planned editorial that fashion magazines do.
Instead of waiting for a magazine to show me the best of the F/W 09 collections, I can see them as soon as the shows are over when the photos and videos are uploaded on the blogs and style sites. I can see the bags, shoes, jewelry and clothes right after they've hit the runway so I can decide right then whether I want to buy them.

Fashion magazines need to keep up with the blogs and other style sites or else they will lose touch with their readers who are increasingly turning to the internet to get their fashion advice.

So, dear readers: Who do you look to for sartorial advice and news? Magazines or style blogs and sites?

Harper's Bazaar October 2008

Wow. They airbrushed her pretty! I'm not a huge fan of Kirsten Dunst (except in Little Women which is my favorite girlie movie) but she actually looks pretty good here. Maybe it's because she's smiling and we never see that girl move her mouth past a frown. I like how the text surrounds her rather than being on the sides. It looks modern and nice to look at. I wonder if the interview will be any good. But I am a bit curious as to why she's on the cover- I mean, she is not known for her fashion sense- good or bad. We always see photos of her in large sweaters and cut off shorts. It's a curious choice.

(Photos: The Fashion Spot)

How did I miss this? Karl Lagerfeld as Lil Wayne!

The Sept. issue of Harper's Bazaar features designers dressing up and posing as their fantasy person. The Kaiser chose Lil Wayne, saying: "Believe it or not, I love rap." How fabulous is that? Karl still wears his infamous sunnies and gloves but instead of bow ties and tails, he's decked out in a loose tee, Phat Farm jeans and (gasp!) untied shoelaces.

Giorgio Armani puts on his dancing shoes as Fred Astaire while Michael Kors posed as James Stewart as L.B. Jeffries in Hitchcock’s Rear Window.
Other designers who participated include Donna Karan, Donatella Versace, Alessandra Facchinetti, Alber Elbaz, Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Roberto Cavalli.

Now if only my issue would come in the mail...I'm still waiting!
(Photos: Trendhunter.com)

Michael Kors as James Stewart in Rear Window

Tyra Banks is Michelle Obama. God help us all

The Sept. issue of Harper's Bazaar features Miss. Tyra using at least 20 of her 275 smiles for the editorial in which she "plays" Michelle Obama. Is this the future of America? I wonder if this is her secret plot to take over the world. Tyra Banks 2012 may really happen people. Save as many as you can.
(Photos: The Fashion Spot)

She's smiling with her eyes. It's scary how her fake daughter is already learning from the interns.



"I'll come play with you in a minute children. Mommy has to look prettier than Daddy's new secretary."

Reading time!

Damn. When did Barack get this hot?

"Look! I'm modeling!"


I'm sorry but this is just laughable. It would have been more realistic to put NYU.

U.S. Harper's Bazaar August 2008

First impression: Boring. This photo is so uninspiring it looks like it should be the cover of InStyle. Let's hope the editorial has more oomph. (Photo: The Fashion Spot)

Harper's Bazaar July 2008

Well not too much to say about this cover except "Wow that's a lot of pink" and "It's better than her Vogue helmet head cover."