The Vogue of Italia

Amber and I were looking through Italian Vogues for our research in the library, it must be done you see, as a look into the "contemporary" is greatly encouraged... to put it lightly.

Those who are intrigued, fascinated by and respect historical costuming can do it in their own time, dears... indeed, I find it a shame that we have to drive away so much from the historical. However, I do understand the concept, I see that today's audiences are used and thus crave the contemporary designs, that is the means for us to get through the message of the play... some people dressed up as the Ancient Greeks, and as Gods, playing a cat-and-mouse game in the great old city of Thebes... well, how would that affect us? Instead, if we see a mother in jeans ripping of the head off her son in a haze of crazed drunkenness, now, that may get to us. (Exaggerations, we love them don't we?)
Human beings were always interested in mysterious things, in sexual, or vulgar things, it is just that they had different ways of presenting it to the audience, and it is for today that we must fashion these depictions. So, yes, in short that is the whole idea. Yet... who could not be in love with all that is ancient, who would not feel such great respect that they would want to use the same type of thread, the same dye for the same fabric they used...?

It is a very hard one, one that we as students must learn to balance... and not forget that we are who we are, we have our own styles, tastes, and this is what we must keep to.

So, enough with the talking and onto the Italian Vogue:
The Italian Vogue is set up in a very tasteful manner, beautiful fashion stories, and not as much nudity as in the UK or USA version.
Two fashion stories really caught my attention, these two I hope to use as inspiration.
One is The April 2011 Beauty Story by Greg Lotus, the other is called The White Story by Paolo Roversi.

Greg Lotus

Using a natural environment for his photoshoot, with interesting angles and composition, as well as boasting a flair for applying lighting, and shadows; this photoshoot develops an exotic and organic beauty, which I see as perfectly fit for the Bacchae who become deeply and shamelessly connected to Nature and their selves.

Another shoot from Greg Lotus is "Romantic" from the December 2008 issue of Vogue Italia, modelling is Alana Zimmer again. The inspiration of classical paintings is apparent it, and after all who does not love anything Pre-Raphaelite inspired.

Just like a Rossetti painting

Paolo Roversi

The April 2010 shoot White Story features models Sasha Pivovarova and Guinevere van Seenus. Here Paolo Roversi plays on the beautiful textures reached by the immaculate perfection of white: pleats, ruffles, lace.

There is also a video on youtube of the shoot:

"The Great Illusion" featuring Lara Stone has one picture that is amazing, looking at those pleats, makes one wonder how long it takes to make the garment.

More to come later!