VOGUE'S OLYMPIC SUPERMODELS

PHEW! What an immense two weeks it's been, right? Never before have I been so enthralled by sport. I was always that kid in school trying desperately to fake "period pains, sir" to get out of the dreaded bleep test or feigning a mysterious elbow injury in softball so I could sit out and gossip with my pals on the grass. I wasn't lazy PER SAY (OK, maybe a little lazy), just really, really, REALLY rubbish at competitive sports. I didn't have the drive or motivation to care about winning - I'd rather have been beating myself up about getting 99/100 in a spelling test or something... geek4lyf.

But honestly, I found myself becoming seriously OBSESSED with the Olympics! I reckon a lot of that has to do with it being constantly on at work - my company subtitled all the live footage over all the channels which involved months of prep, hundreds of hours of live respeaking and serious hard work - proud of us!

The highlights for me were the gymnastics - both the team events and individuals. Even though I was rooting for the USA girls, I couldn't help feeling super sorry for Victoria Komova of Russia, or the wee Chinese girl who lost out on beam to her teammate. Both girls were breaking their hearts over ONLY getting silver - that's an impressive competitive mindset! The cycling events were also ace, mainly cos Team GB absolutely smashed it! But swimming was super disappointing, no? GAHD, I could honestly chat about it for ages...

Unfortunately I missed most of the closing ceremony because, stupidly, I'd decided to go to the pub instead of staying at home glued to my telly. I did catch some of it above the din of the Sunday night quiz and OBVIOUSLY the Spice Girls were amazing, as was George Michael... But  my favourite bit was when the massive Nick Knight images of David Gandy, Kate Moss, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Cole etc came on stage only to be ripped apart revealing the supermodels themselves!

I die!

I actually got so excited I knocked my pals full LARGE glass of wine right into her lap. Not impressed. I loved this part of the show because, hello, SUPERMODELS, and also because it mirrored that amazing Olympic-themed shoot in UK Vogue's September issue. Iconic British models wearing golden gowns/garments by British designers. Perfection.

Actually, let's revisit that awesome spread...

My favourites are Naomi in Alexander McQueen, Stella Tennant in Chris Kane and Lily Cole in that stunning yellow-gold Erdem number. I always forget what a unique, striking model she is.

So aye, that was pretty much the best bit ever. And to all the Cynical Cindys on Twitter and Facebook moaning about having to watch eejit models strut about at the Olympic closing ceremony while in the presence of "REAL" greatness, let me just remind you that the British fashion industry is worth BILLIONS to the UK economy, and in the face of constant belittling and cuts to grassroots funding and resources, is an industry which stands alone in its international respectability, creative influence and ultimately in its profit.

Don't knock it or Naomi'll smash your face in with her mobile phone, DAHHLING.

90S ANNA WINTOUR

Why?

Why not...

Reckon she looks effin fabulous, minus the gold lame boob-squisher. That is totally WACK, Anna.

GAWD someone transport me back to the 90s like NOW!


(thanks to Perth Fashionista, who I shamelessly pinched this photo from. Had to be done, I mean LOOK at it!)

GAGA

I've seen this a few places on the web already, but ACHT HELL, can't resist reblogging it.

Gaga's Vogue US March cover by Mario Testino. Perfection, non?

For all everyone's harping on about bold colours and clashing patterns, Vogue shows us that powder blues, peaches and candy-floss pinks are going nowhere this Spring.

Just sweet enough without becoming sickly, this is my favourite Vogue US cover in a while...



Makes me miss my TEETH IN ROWS background print. I might reinstate it, what do you think?

PS the bit about "A mother's and daughter's battle with food demons" - does that read really weird to you, or is it just me being a grammar freak again? Wouldn't "mother and daughter's" read just as well since the mother and daughter themselves form one compound item with whom food demons apparently do battle?

#Grammar freak, grammar freak, she's grammar freekay... #

AMAZING GRACE

So The September Issue was on More 4 again the other night. I must have seen this now about 4 times and every time the same things always strike me... One is the age of all the women at the top. It seems to me, that if we go by the example of the US Vogue offices at least, the fashion industry is run and managed by women in their 40s and 50s. It's comforting, I guess, to see such an institution like Vogue clearly favour worldliness and experience over youth and enthusiasm - especially in this reality TV world of The City and Running in heels, which perpetuate the idea that all you need is to be hot and carry a Mulberry Alexa to secure you an amazing job at a fashion magazine. Come on ladies, Anna Wintour herself is 60! All the positions at the top are filled by women of a certain age - Grace Coddington, the magazine's Creative Director is (if my maths is right) 69! That's the other thing that always moves me about this film - just how much of an absolute star Grace Coddington is. Infinitely more accessible and likable than Anna Wintour, with a unique creative eye and unrivalled passion for aesthetically beautiful pictorials. I would have preferred The September Issue so much more if it had been about Grace's story alone - the sweat blood and tears this woman puts into the issue is remarkable. What an utter legend.




The video is not the best quality but there's something about the crackly lines that gives it a nice vintage edge. It's a pretty moving bit of the film when you consider her interesting life and unique talent.


Here she is modelling back in the 60s before the car crash that shattered her eye socket:

On the cover in 62:

After her accident she began as a junior editor for British Vogue and now is the Creative Director of US Vogue. While US Vogue is generally considered to be the less edgy and 'out there' or daring of the Vogues (and I would tend to agree, especially when contrasted with French or Italian Vogue), it is clear after watching The September Issue that this is not for the lack of trying on Coddington's part. In one particular moment after the 'Texture' shoot where Anna discards the pictorial on rubber (I think it's something by Rodarte), Grace is visibly fuming and mutters, "So rubber ISN'T a texture?" and laments at the waste of $50,000 worth of work.

Still don't believe me that she is an absolute legend? Take a look at the Hansel and Gretel pictorial from December 09 (google it as well as this photo doesn't seem to be the best quality for some reason):

Yes, that is Lady Gaga. Proof that we should all, most definitely, respect our elders. All hail Amazing Grace.