Rag Report: Sparkling Enchantment

Rag Report dives under the covers of fashion publications to rant or rave about all the glossy goodness.

In this month’s Vogue, readers are exposed to precious metals, like gold, stitched into fabrics creating a fairytale essence. Bruce Weber photographs model Karen Elson in a spread titled “The Enchanted Garden.” The looks are magical and as delicate as the nature that surrounds them.

In the first photo, Elson wears a Tom Ford metal-and-silk jacket layered over an Oscar de la Renta lace-trimmed silk blouse. Her tousled red curls illuminate in the sunlight and mimic the precious metals in her jacket. She has plump deep berry lips and holds an intense gaze. Her features are soft, and therefore give the photograph a whimsical tone.

The next photo features Elson in a Tao Comme des Garçons cotton jacket and matching dress. The white cotton and floral stitching give her an angelic look. The baby lamb makes her appear pure and innocent. Once again, her radiant locks reflect the sunlight and form a halo of light around her head. The background is blurred so she is the focal point of the photograph.

Elson blends into the trees with a Valentino embroidered tulle dress in her next photo. Unlike the previous two photos, her face is in the shadows, making the dress the center of attention. The gold threads sparkle in the sunlight and instantly catch the eye. This photo is intriguing because Elson’s arms blend in with the trees. Her lean body is elongated as she offers a dream catcher above her head.

This spread offers a sense of magic, innocence and purity. The fabrics sparkle and shine like the sun that reflects them. Nature sets a peaceful mood and creates a relaxing atmosphere. A walk in the Enchanted Garden seems to be the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

-Brittany Fowler

Biz Buzz: 100 Years of Women’s Wear Daily

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage.

Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), the infamous daily fashion paper, is celebrating its 100 year anniversary. And with this celebration comes the release of WWD: 100 years, 100 designers, a book dedicated to celebrating 100 years of the magazine. The book, which is selling for $65.00 on Amazon.com, features photographs of designers that have graced the pages of WWD over the past century, in addition to paying tribute to the most famous fashion news from the century.

The very first issue of Women's Wear Daily.

WWD kicked off the celebration on Thursday October 14, with a book party at Bergdorf Goodman. Among the guests were Vera Wang, Isaac Mizrahi, Gilles Mendel and Francisco Costa. And the festivities are just beginning – a bigger bash to celebrate the centennial will take place on November 2^nd, at Cipriani 42^nd St in Manhattan, NY.


Originally titled Women’s Wear, the daily paper premiered on July 13, 1910, appealing to businessmen working in the garment industry. Over the past 100 years, however, WWD has attracted a different audience. It is often referred to as the ‘bible of fashion’.

As Heidi Klum tells us every Thursday, “In the world of fashion, one day you’re in, and the next, you’re out.” For the past 100 years, designers and trends have come and gone, and WWD has been there to document all of it. For a fashion publication to stay prominent in the fashion world for an entire century is nothing short of a miracle.

In my eyes, WWD has stayed prominent because it offers something different from monthly magazines, such as Vogue and W, to fashion readers; it gives day-to-day updates on events in the fashion industry. While the Internet can offer the same nowadays, throughout history WWD has been one of the only ways fashion lovers could get their daily fashion fix.

- Diana Pearl

Rag Report: Wandering in Vogue

Rag Report dives under the covers of fashion publications to rant or rave about all the glossy goodness.

“The Wanderers” spread in Vogue’s March 2010 issue outlandishly and unconventionally portrays some beautiful garments on some beautiful people. The shoot, photographed in a barren country land with rolling plains and sporadic plants, compliments the complicated wardrobes on models Karlie Kloss, Patricia van der Vliet and Abbey Lee Kershaw. 

Vogue March 2010

Photographer, Arthur Elgort, utilizes the terrain’s characteristics with shots of the models seemingly “on-the-go” and traveling, ready to evoke a sense of “wandering”, as hinted in the title. The models are situated on different modes of transportation, such as motorbikes and rolling carts, in their pattern-parading costumes. 

Although the garments do not depict the specific “biker style” that we are so accustomed to from past seasons full of leather and studs, the spread strongly gives that air of toughness. Through the layering of various fibers and patterns that are paired together, the photos capture the viewer in such a way that embodies the same ideals as if one was viewing a beautifully fleeting sunset in the wilderness. 

The tones of nature that underlay this photo shoot seem to extract the beauty and individuality of each garment despite the way they are piled and heavily layered on each model. Each piece is its own statement of beauty and eccentricity. For example, one can easily distinguish the Etro floral dress from the Etro ruffle dress and the body wrap and obi belt that are all stylishly superimposed on model Karlie Kloss. It creates an image of beauty, wonder, and fierceness that the entire spread aims to expose. 

- by Danielle Haygood

Rag Report: Vogue walks on the wild side

Rag Report dives under the covers of fashion publications to rant or rave about all the glossy goodness.

Vogue brings the world of Avatar to US newsstands this month in its March 2010 editorial  “The Warrior Way,” featuring model Daria Werbowy.

 Warrier model Daria Werbowy

The 9-page spread, photographed by David Sims, successfully combines the ethereal essence of nature and ethnic beauty with the bold, strong spirit of a warrior. Werbowy shows effortlessly chic style with tribal print dresses and skirts in fluid, detailed fabrics. In this spread though, the accessories definitely steal the show. The strongest shot features a fashionable, but not practical, Gucci dress with a metal harness that instantly evokes a tough-girl attitude.

 

Shouldering up in Vogue March 2010

And what would a warrior be without armor? The Comme des Garcons shoulder pads and belt give this otherwise-mundane Blumarine tie-dye dress some much-needed personality and punch.

 

Loving the McQueen shoes

Our resident Amazon woman is made even tougher with the iconic Armadillo platforms by the late, great Alexander McQueen (another great fashion tribute). The hard-looking shoes are then greatly contrasted by a softer, more feminine look in a following shot, featuring a wonderfully-detailed, beaded green silk dress by the late genius.

 

McQueen's nature-inspired genius

Overall, the composition of the spread works not only because of a great setting that complements the clothes well, but also because of the attention to detail. Having Werbowy don cornrows and tribal tattoos really completes the look and makes the entire theme believable and beautiful.

- by Jasmine Thomas

Biz Buzz: It's Wintour in the White House

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage.  

Anna Wintour, the highly recognized Editor-in-Chief of Vogue and prominent fashion icon, has now been added to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

The committee offers the President suggestions on “how to expand the role of arts in society,” according to WWD.

A fashion editorial interpretation of Anna Wintour's signature style.

Our stylish First Lady Michelle Obama is Honorary Chair of the committee, leading 24 other newly appointed members including Yo-Yo Ma, Kerry Washington, Edward Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker. 

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 20 years, Wintour has been at the helm of Vogue since 1988 and has contributed to fund raising efforts for AIDS research and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In related news, Wintour also celebrated her 60^th birthday earlier this week.  

We’re happy fashion’s finally entering the White House in proper, well, fashion — we just hope Ms. Wintour isn’t giving up her Vogue throne just yet…things just wouldn’t be the same.

First Lady Style

During the presidential campaign, many were paying attention to Michelle Obama's fashion choices but now that she will be our next first lady, she will be under the fashion spotlight more than before.

From the J. Crew outfit (pictured) she wore on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to the highly criticized Narcisco Rodriguez dress she wore on election night-- her style has been a far cry from the many conservatively dressed first ladies before her.

According to FabSugar, Vogue wants Michelle Obama to grace its cover and if she accepts, she will be the second first lady to appear on the cover of Vogue. She would be following Hillary Clinton who appeared on the cover of the December 1998 issue.

But she's not the only one making headlines in the fashion world. Daughter Malia wore a dress on election night that has also gotten some attention. The red taffeta bubble-hemmed dress, made by Biscotti, Inc. has been in high demand for retail buyers since election night.

The next few months will be busy for the Obama family as they are preparing to move into the White House and there is no doubt that many will keeping an eye on what Michelle Obama is wearing during her public appearances.

What do you think of Michelle Obama's style?

the great skinny model debate flares up again

New York Magazine's The Cut was less than impressed with Vogue's Shape issue in their article,"'Vogue' Shape Issue is Anything But." Along with the usual they-said-they-were-going-to-use-real-women-and-didn't lament, the article raises a good point about the serious pressure La Wintour imposes on designers as she did in her editor's letter with the ladies of Rodarte- who died and made her queen of telling designers what to do with their bodies?