The Emmanuelle Effect

Skinny cigarette pants. Pointy-toed heels. Loose tees. Tailored (often Balmain) blazers or long-line coats. Always finished off with the most perfect dishevelled hair. Wonder how many interpretations of "The Emmanuelle" we'll see this fashion month? Can't wait! 

Geraldine Saglio. Fashion Assistant. French Vogue.

Melanie Huynh. Fashion Assistant. French Vogue.

Barbara Martelo. Freelance Stylist. Spanish Vogue, French Vogue.

via: jak&jil, tFS, stockholmstreetstyle

The march of the fashion editor

Fashion editors. No longer are they just an elusive name featured in the masthead of your favourite magazine.  Thanks mainly due to this decade's blogging phenomenon, the obsession with fashion editors has grown to the extent they've become celebrities in their own right. Anna Dello Russo herself even cited fashion blogs as the main reason for her style-icon status. Although you'll always have those few in the industry who are quick to dismiss the relevance or credibility of now-famous bloggers such as BryanBoy, Tavi et. al, (maybe with resent for their overnight success as opposed to the old-school coffee mule cum assistant route) there's no doubt the personal style of ADR & Co. would be as noted/copied/loved if it weren't for (certain) bloggers. Without turning this into a bloggers vs editors argument (as an aside- I'll be taking the coffee-mule route), what I'm trying to say is that I'm more than thankful the focus of celebrity has shifted from the talentless Paris Hiltons of the world to people who have worked hard (and stylishly so) for their success. If nothing else, their rise to cult status (in the fashion world at least) provides all of us envious hangers-on (guilty) with some very worthy eye candy. And it probably doesn't hurt sales when their staff are seen practicing what they preach outside their glossy pages. 

The above picture was snapped as I was skulking around outside Gareth Pugh in Paris towards the end of the spring-summer 2011 season. Representing US Marie Claire we have Style and Accessories Director Taylor Tomasi Hill,  Senior Fashion Editor Zanna Roberts Rassi and Market Director Nina Sterghiou. I love the line formation they've got going on-  if you look a little closer you'll find they're all glued to their Blackberries- perusing the latest blogs, I'm sure. 

 all pictures my own

Anna Dello Russo.

While in Paris recently I was lucky enough to catch (several) glimpses of the infinitely amazing Anna Dello Russo. For those who have been living under a rock, she is the fashion director-at-large at Vogue Nippon, and famous for owning not one, but two apartments in Milan- one for her and her adorable chihuahua Cucciolina, and the other (climate-controlled, of course) to house her ever-expanding collection of designer clothes and shoes. You too would need a second house if you owned over 4000 pairs of shoes. (And for those who are currently rolling their eyes at the excess of it all- her plan is to eventually have her collection archived so that it can be studied by fashion students, historians and enthusiasts alike.)

She is even more gorgeous in person than in photos, and I'm not just referring to her glamorous style (or those legs). She was all too happy to flash her 400-watt smile every which way, pose for street-style bloggers and crazy paps and repeat with loving detail what (or who) exactly she was wearing. Whilst other high-profile editors slinked away silently through the crowd gathered outside of Le Grand Hotel, Anna seemed genuinely delighted to stand there and share her love for fashion with all. I doubt that there is anyone in the world who loves fashion more that ADR, and it is refreshing to see someone who is as proud in their passion as she. 

Above (outside Balmain)

Dress: Balmain

Shoes: Pierre Hardy

Jewellery: "My own"- ADR

Below (outside Gareth Pugh)

Brocade Jumpsuit: Rochas

Shoes: Valentino

Leopard clutch: Fendi

Day 7: Taylor Tomasi Hill

After a long time coming, the final instalment of 7 editors in 7 days is here. Although, the problem was not entirely time related (or here goes my attempt at an excuse) - I just couldn't make up my mind as to which editor's personal style I would muse over. Vogue Nippon's fashion director at large Anna Dello Russo was pipped at the post by our current feature, even though she (and her famous two house-fulls of clothing) are more famously known and documented. In the end, I decided to stick with someone who's style (I would like to think) is closer to my own (or would be, had I the funds to indulge it!) So here she is, the final editor of the 7 days; Taylor Tomasi Hill, style and accessories director at US Marie Claire. With her style containing the same amount of fire as those trademark locks, she too is an editor with an otherwordly ability to pull different looks from the same incredible pieces. From her Norma Kamali cat-eye sunglasses to her favourite Phi pants and Rick Owens leather jacket, she is a self-proclaimed "clothing chameleon" that is forever experimenting, and in my opinion, never putting a YSL-heeled foot wrong. Brilliant.

PS: As I was writing this post and trawling through some of my favourite blogs, I came across an amazing "Style Anatomy" of TTH compiled by one of my favourites - Capture The Castle. Oh, snap!

via: TFS, Stockholmstreetstyle, Refinery29

Day 6: Aliona Doletskaya

Aliona Doletskaya. Founding Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Russia. Now, after her shock resignation last week, ex EIC. 12 years ago, her job did not exist. Vogue Russia did not exist. Glossy fashion magazine culture in Russia barely existed. Enter Aliona. A graduate of the Faculty of Philology (linguistics) at Moscow State University and former doctoral candidate at Oxford University, Aliona broke away from the academic world to pursue a career in media and PR. With a stint as media consultant for DeBeers (yes, the diamonds), Aliona was approached by Condé Nast Russia to head up their "new project." There were no other high quality fashion publications in Russia at that time, so it was no easy feat to find the country's best and most creative fashion journalists, photographers and stylists. But, no surprises, Aliona did it. And the rest is history. After 12 years, 2 economic crises and countless first-class editorials, Vogue Russia is one of the most influential and revered editions of Vogue in the world. So as the fashion world bids farewell to one of its greats, another one stands poised in welcome. Aliona, we'll miss you!
X

via TFS

Day 5: Vanessa Coyle

With fellow expat Yasmin Sewell, Chief Creative Consultant of Liberty London.

Melbourne expat is playing for the big leagues. After jumping the pond and freelancing in Europe for a couple of years, Vanessa Coyle snagged her current job as Senior Fashion Editor of UK Harper's Bazaar in 2007. Although her style is quite laidback, there's nothing boring about it. After looking at her thread over at The Fashion Spot, this girl gives meaning to the term "fashion forward." Double denim, aviator shearling jackets, classicly tailored blazers paired with graphic prints or tees... and all in 2008. Even though she has all the shoes she could possibly want at her disposal (and in keeping with the editor tradition) she favours her perfectly beatup suede YSL ankle booties, teaming them with... everything. With her penchant for menswear (read: buttoned-up shirts, tailored blazers, loose fitting pants), paired the right bag, shoe, or simply her attitude, she always carries it off. Love her edgy style.

Heat Wave: Carmen Kass in Alexander Wang overcoat and Celine wooden wedges for June 2010 UK Harper's Bazaar


photos: The Fashion Spot

Day 4: Natalia Alaverdian

Sasha Pivovarova wearing Givenchy Haute Couture, styled by Natalia Alaverdian for Harper's Bazaar Russia

Fashion Editor of Harper's Bazaar Russia, Natalia Alaverdian is relatively new to my radar. Even if, like me, you didn't know her so much for her street style (until now), her work for Russia's HB is amazing and and I've definitely looked twice when I've (unknowingly) spotted an editorial on Fashion Gone Rogue. Her face reminds me a little bit of Giovanna Battaglia (fash ed of L'Uomo Vogue), but the similarities end there. She isn't afraid to shake things up, mixing textures like fur and denim and lace, but at the same time knows when to keep it simple. Sometimes a navy striped tee paired with denim cutoffs is the perfect outfit for a lazy day wandering the streets (and sitting front row at fashion week, no less) of Paris.

Loving her Alaïa wedge platforms paired with white lace D&G number and laidback military parka. Major shoe envy.

Photos: The Fashion Spot