Love for Lily

Glamorama, Vogue US December 2005

Lily Donaldson, Gemma Ward & Caroline Trentini by Steven Meisel

The Now Mix 'n' Match, Vogue IT May 2008 

Lily Donaldson and Gemma Ward by Emma Summerton 

While searching images for my previous post, I couldn't help but stop to looking closer at these two editorials featuring the wondrous Lily Donaldson, with the alluring Gemma Ward. Both girls have an otherworldly aesthetic to their unconventional beauty which when paired together is only heighten and more prominent. Although slightly outdated, the fashion and style of both shoots creates nostalgic ties to the eclectic and experimental trends of the past, placing fashion in the forefront of everyday experiences and settings. The movement and fluidity of the images is what allows them to be continuously relevant, beautiful and boundary pushing. 

No Smoking

Three days into the new year I would imagine there are a few people out there suddenly realising the resolutions they made at 12:00am after the count down are not in fact as easy or as straight forward as they originally thought they were when they made them in their slightly intoxicated state. 

One such resolution that comes around year after year is the old faithful, "I will quite smoking this year." This statement is usually followed by the grand gesture of smoking one last cigarette the night of New Years Eve, before throwing an un- finished package into the garbage as if to symbolise the finality of the statement! Come 9:00am the next morning however and it's a whole different scenario, suddenly it's not so easy and subtle reminders of doubt filter into your mind. You realise that you're going to have to work really hard to achieve your goals…which in retrospect is good thing, you'll have to push yourself and challenge your discipline, but when you succeed the sacrifice will be suddenly be worth it. 

With this stock standard resolution in mind, I though this slightly crazy off beat photo shoot circa 2009, was strangely appropriate. Lily Donaldson appears in a black comedy editorial in Vogue Paris entitled, 'No Smoking,' channelling what appears to be an unfit example of what a mother should be, cigarettes and all. Patrick Demarchlier captures a truly humorous aesthetic, which when combined with the soft colours and cuts of the fashion can only be taken lightheartedly. 

No Smoking, Vogue Paris April 2009 

Model: Lily Donaldson

Photography: Patrick Demarchlier

Style: Carine Roitfeld

Ivory and Ice

As we head into summer and everyone becomes obsessed with getting some glow on their winter skin, I can’t help but embrace the angelic aesthetic and innocent allure of ghostly alabaster skin. The look, which has long been cherished by the high fashion world, is slowly taking centre stage as more commercial outlets begin to adopt the ideal.

Porcelain pale skin, with its ethereal aura and chic effect, has a hidden editorial power that translates into beautiful high fashion imagery and otherworldly look.

Challenging conventional ideas of beauty, and stepping outside the stereotypes, ashen skin is embracing and celebrating its unique point of difference and lustrous splendour.

xx