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

Socks and sweaters

Socks and sweaters. There's something about this combination that is just so... cosy. A homespun twist on Julia Roberts' Pretty Woman days when she donned Richard Gere's white shirt... and only his white shirt.  Despite being in the midst of a Sydney summer, there's something about this shot that makes me want ditch the light cotton tees for an oversized woollen sweater and snuggle up. With knitted socks to match. It's an easy kind of comfort that doesn't even have much to do with fashion (unless the sweater and socks in question are Michael Kors of course). The combination conjures up primary school memories of sitting round a creekbed campfire, with molten marshmallows oozing out of their slightly blackened shell, hanging off a whittled down gumtree twig before being gobbled up with greed. Those were the days where my camping attire consisted of grandma's hand-knitted jumpers, in an array of creams, blues and pinks, dad's Explorer socks and not much more.

Those are the best images, the ones that gently nudge you into recalling a time or memory of which you will be forever fond, allowing you to revel in its glory once more. And this one by Mario Sorrenti for the February issue of Vogue Paris does just that. Styled by new editrix Emmanuelle Alt, we get a quick glimpse of Natasha Poly and her wispy fringe in the stunning editorial simply called "Natasha Poly" - further proof that simplicity is most definitely where it's at. Au naturale, as my mum likes to say. Here's a collection of sweaters I'll be kicking around in (or wishing I was) come winter. 

Rag & Bone The Chunky Pullover sweater 

Rag & Bone Hayle mohair-blend cropped sweater

Celine ribbed sweaterdress 

Acne Lauren cashmere pullover

Vince cable-knit wool-blend sweater

via: tFS

Balmain Sneak Peak

Balmain Fall Winter 2010 campaign

Model: Kate Moss

Stylist: Emmanuelle Alt

Photographers: Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

...I like the couch. Reserving judgement until the rest are released.




via TFS

Day 3: Emmanuelle Alt

Initially I'd planned not to double up on editors from the same country, much less the same publication. But it just can't be helped when Parisians (more specifically, Paris Vogue staffers) are so damned stylish. Emmanuelle Alt, fashion director of Paris Vogue, right-hand woman to Carine Roitfeld, is certainly no exception.

With two of 2009's best editorials (as voted by models.com) to her name - she styled Game Girl with Daria Werbowy for May and Graffi Couture with PV favourite Raquel Zimmermann for November - 2010 has also been a stellar year for the stylist, as both her work and personal style clearly shows. She's responsible for some of my favourite editorials this year; styling super Natasha Poly in the latest swimwear looks for May as well as the moroccan-inspired Comtesse Natasha in April, Kate Moss and Raquel Zimmermann for June/July, Iselin Steiro in the unforgettable Balmain-themed Commando shoot... the list goes on. And that's just her work for Vogue. Outside the magazine she's responsible for styling the last three Balmain RTW shows and fall '09 campaign, as well as numerous campaigns for Gucci and Isabel Marant. And with almost all her outfits containing a piece by at least one of these labels, her work for these clients continues way past styling their campaigns.

 Daria Werbowy in Game Girl for Paris Vogue's May 2009 issue, voted best-styled shoot by models.com for the year 2009.

Iselin Steiro in Commando for Vogue Paris March 2010, wearing Balmain Spring 2010 crocodile leather jacket.

 Gucci F/W 2009 campaign, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, styled by Emmanuelle Alt.

Alt's another who can easily wear the same thing over and over and still look amazingly fresh and new. It's not so much what she wears (Balmain, Isabel Marant, Balmain again), but how she wears it. She doesn't wear it because it's perceived "cool" or "on-trend"; she wears it because she can, with an attitude that says she really doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks of her style. With an otherworldly knack for interpreting runway pieces for everyday wear, her look is angrogynous but chic, nonchalant but confident and - most importantly - never overdone. Her uniform of a sharp shouldered blazer, deconstructed tee, slick leather pants or skinny jeans teamed with boots or strappy sandals never fails. Some would say she needs to mix it up, but when you look as amazing Alt, why would you want to?

Photos: models.com, The Fashion Spot, Jak&Jil and The Sartorialist