Fashionation - Hot Editorials From The World's Best Fashion Magazines!

Often a jewelry editorial page can take one of two obvious routes. 1. Jewelry artfully styled on a white backdrop with some arty collage backdrop. 2. Close up of model posing with jewelry. Fortunately for Fashionation fans, Flair Magazine have raised the bar and made this jewelry editorial shoot shine by choosing unusual jewelry instead of typical designer statement jewels and some phenomenal photography/art direction, not to mention the superior make-up artistry which just begs your attention.

Photographer Alix Malka enables model Lydia Hearst to truly metamorphosis into each shot from biker chic with skull ring peeping from her lips to showing her playful side with the green eyed envy staring at the viewer through an ornate zippered necklace. The shots are extreme close ups allowing the image and jewelry to share the spotlight but in equal proportion, which is no easy task. The eyes are played up in each shot with careful lighting, makeup and props drawing attention to each of the jewellery pieces. I particularly like the bejewelled rainbow mask image with Gucci dog tag hiding the unmasked eye; perhaps inspired by Phantom of the Opera and Ziggy Stardust. It’s a stunning shot that deserves to be an album cover or luxury label campaign. Bravo! - Kate Vandermeer

I have a serious case of “skin-envy”.  Being a pale red haired lady, I have longed to be able to wear bright coloured all over print outfits offset by divine dark skin. But alas, this shall not be.  An example of my skin-envy is featured in the latest issue of Oyster Magazine.  “Nu Clean” is shot by Milos Mali and showcases how technicolour, neon pop, ornate brocade and rainbow hip hop fusion can blend together successfully when worn by the gorgeous Kuei and Akeer.

With outstanding styling by Paul Bui, the inspiration seems a mix of M.I.A and Santogold with Boy George circa 1980! Whilst the girls pose in a decidedly egalitarian approach to the styling, labels like Josh Goot, Tina Kalivas, Zimmermann, Firetrap and Adidas mix with Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Gucci and Marni to form the kaleidoscope of colour and texture.

Milos has used a super kitsch, eye candy approach to this shoot featured in and around a grimy suburbia house with a “fashionista squatter” feel to it.  Boring, everyday “chores” are given a new lease on life with this duo; cooking eggs in the make do kitchen, knitting on the retro couch, playing on the bed with the carnival won oversized teddy bear and hitting that piñata off the clothes line in the backyard! - Kate Vandermeer

V Magazine’s first ever Swimsuit issue is the fashionista’s high gloss, couture style version of a playboy porno mag. With Mario Testino behind the lens and six of the sexiest and most recognisable supermodels of today, the results were never going to disappoint.

Stephen Gan (editor in chief of V Magazine) said, “Mario Testino and I started talking about doing a swimsuit issue about this time last year. We aimed for something like a cool fashion insider’s answer to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues.  We chose the sexiest bodies in the world and those that had a special connection to the Testino world.”

Claudia, Kate, Gisele, Naomi, Eva and Daria grace the collectable, colourful covers and a hot cast of stunning boys and girls (Isabeli Fontana, Doutzen Kroes, Raquel Zimmermann, Carmen Kass, Frankie Ryder, Edita Vikeviciute with Noah, Josh and Charles) support the “supers” featuring the latest poolside looks.

As you would expect from a swimsuit shoot, there is the essential shots of “girl slung across the motorbike”, “wet white tee-shirt” and even a “cheeky coke bottle protruding from a ever so tiny pair of men’s swimming trunks”. However, with Testino you know nothing is ever straight forward. 

There’s always a slightly off kilter approach that leaves the voyeur in awe and admiration of the image rather than feeling the shots are cringe worthy.

Now in its 10th year, V Magazine continues to hold reign as a cutting edge, important fashion and style influence bible launching many modelling, photography and designers careers. -  Kate Vandermeer

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Steven Klein is what we consider an Art scientist.  He approaches his photography, whether editorial, advertising, moving image or portraiture with the same focus – “I am more interested in the alchemical reaction that occurs when elements are brought together in a space.”  His images are exploratory in nature with subject, location and theme.

In this shoot, Steven has dipped into the sci-fi world of fantasy and emerged with a variety of images that have so many components that they provide a true visual feast with the fashion being one element. The first image plays on the Star Wars Robots theme with a slightly satirical look at how robots could help you go about your daily gardening! The second reminds us of the Mask of Zorro and an exotic couture bat cave complete with designer clad bats hanging from the ceiling! The third shows how science merges with art in an image that could be likened to the brainwashing laboratory in Zoolander!

Whether wild and far-fetched or realistic, Steven Klein has made an incredible impact on modern fashion documentation. - Kate Vandermeer

Fashion is having quite the schizophrenic moment. On one hand, we have a dark, gothic, hard-edged, futuristic silhouette with plenty of attitude and on the other we have a delicate, floral, ladylike aesthetic that seems worlds apart. 

Vogue Australia has shot a beautiful series of images that pay homage to the Lady who lunches with a regal couture edge titled “Flora Plan”.

Shot by Troyt Coburn, model Valerija Erokhina channels the wasp waisted silhouette of the 40s with a decidedly modern approach by simply adding accessories that contrasts in both texture and color.

Each outfit is carefully selected to allow for maximum impact with embellishment, layers of chiffon, tweed, silk, lace and bold “establishment jewels”.

Our favorite image however, is the lightness and movement created with the flower petals. The perforated patterns on the dress stand out against the softness of the flowers which reminds us of the new Gucci ad for their perfume “Flora” where Abbey Lee glides through a field of flowers in a hypnotic dream like sequence sending petals into a joyful dance.  – Kate Vandermeer

The global warrior trend has been done to death in editorials and given license to purge from the indigenous people of far-flung lands. This shoot however, by Josh Olins for Dazed and Confused’s April issue strikes just the right note of borrowing inspiration from a strong trend and yet making it modern, fresh and stylish. 

Nicola Formichetti’s superb styling uses traditional dress and then takes it to the next level with clever layering, artful adornment and an opulent eye.

The contrast with the model of choice however is what really makes this shoot shine.  Casting Lakshmi was a bold and clever move that has allowed Josh Olins to play up her dramatic features with brightly colored backdrops that assist in framing the images.  – Kate
Vandermeer

Coined “the most famous non-famous photographer in the world” is quite a title but Tony Duran truly does live up to this. The chameleon of the fashion & celebrity photography world, Duran moves seamlessly between commercial glossy magazine covers to obscure S&M inspired editorial.

With sensuality and an obsessive eye for flesh, Duran confronts gender roles and challenges stereotypes of what is considered sexually explicit and high art without a trace of vulgarity.

Working with GQ, Glamour, Flaunt, Rolling Stone and Curve, the human form is arched, entangled and moulded in a variety of intoxicating images creating a visual feast to set the hormones racing!   Kate Vandermeer