Italians Do It Better

Top of the food chain and almost every stylist and photographer's most respected magazine... VOGUE ITALIA REIGNS ALL.

Every month the likes of Steven Meisel, Tim Walker, Mario Testino, Karl Templer, Jacob K and more splash their creativity and talents onto the pages. It is cutting edge, contemporary, chic and couture for every month of every year. The least commercial of all Vogues, this magazine pushes boundaries in every aspect; the Black Issue is an example of this. To fight back at claims that black women 'do not sell' and that there is racism on the industry; the Black Issue was the first magazine to use only black models and have all articles based on black women in various fields of work. The cover (below) featured black models from history; Naomi Capmbell, Liya Kebede, Jourdann Dunn and Sessillee Lopez.

It seems only fitting to share with you some of my favourite Italian Vogue covers and shoots....

Let the mouth watering begin..

Styling Franca Sorzzani, Photography Steven Meisel for the Black Issue

Styling Karl Templer, Photography Steven Meisel: Super Models Enter Rehab

The Art of Music

I wanted to write about the effect music has on us because its such a powerful yet complex medium of communication and creativity. But its such a gigantuous topic that I dont want to start analysing the art of music or its effect on human beings ; I just want to point out how epic good music is.

There is nothing more raw, beautiful and personal than sharing your favourite songs or lyrics with someone. We all know this; this is not groundbreaking news i'm bringing you...

I just want you to be reminded of this and take sometime out to actually stand still for a second and listen to the words blarring through yours speakers. Too often we glaze over what we're listenning to on the tube, bus or whever ever and we miss the message. STOP and think about what is being sung and let it take you away.

I could sit here and name every favourtie song I can think of but thats not what this is about....this is about words in music that get you going!

So get your ipod out or get on spotify and get touched by lyrics...here is a very short list to start you thinking...

Black Dog by Led Zeppelin

A Well Respected Man by The Kinks

Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio

Glorybox by Portishead

All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan

Sabotage by The Beastie Boys

The End by The Doors

Dont Stop Me Now by Queen

La Ritournelle by Sebastien Tellier

If Were in Love by Roisin Murphy

Fugee La by The Fugees

Vicious by Lou Reed

The Funeral by Band of Horses

Anyone else but you by The Moldy Peaches

Warrior by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Lover, You Should've of Come Over by Jeff Buckley

The Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel

NB!! Please note how very hard it was to stop here!!!

Ladies I love- Bianca Jagger

Running on the back of the 70s theme from yesterday...I thought it would be an idea to keep giving you an insight into the 'ladies I love'.

First and foremost I like strong women, who have carved their own signature way through history. These women have used fashion as a means to not only express themselves but push boundaries and make their mark. However, their repertoire does not stop at fashion they are influential and independent.

Who can go past the style, finesse and ultimate sex bomb Bianca Jagger. Forget her big lipped ex husband Mick... Bianca is where it's at. Mick's first wife, the first woman to wear a YSL suit and the only person to have rode a horse led by naked male models into Studio 54 on her birthday... Bianca is hands down a diva.

Through out her time she has been a model, actress and more recently a human rights advocate; portraying she is more than just a scene queen and clothes horse...she's got brains!

In the 70s Bianca was friends with Yves Saint Laurent, Andy Warhol and a regular on the floor of Studio 54. She was the ultimate party girl, jet-setter and independent woman out shining her short marriage to Mick Jagger.

My favourite picture of her and perhaps the most iconic is directly below; she is strutting the streets in YSL with little Jade by her side. Words can hardly describe her class and attitude here... pushing the dimensions of women's fashion wearing a suit and looking like a hot Mama in it; she is a force not be reckoned with!

As if there weren't enough reasons to love Bianca... she bred with Mick in 1971 and created the cool Jade Sheena Jezebel Jagger. Jade has gone on to be a model, designer and DJ and continued her mothers stylish legacy. Check Jade Jagger out below making her mark on the world, I love her in this glittery Gucci party dress!

Inspiration - Marisa Berenson

One woman that is an icon of fashion in the 60s & 70s and admired by yours truely, is former model and actress; Marisa Berenson. Grand daughter to renowned designer Elsa Schiaparelli, she counted Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau as her very dear family friends. Hailed as the 'Queen of the scene' and dubbed as 'the girl of the seventies' by Yves Saint Laurent; she was one of the highest paid models of the time. Moreover, with friends like Liza Minelli and David René de Rothschild, she was truely adored by all.

I personally was drawn to her beauty and her ability to capture the freedom in fashion that was alive in the 60s and 70s. My favourite shoot with her (below); she and the hair team on the shoot sorted through the rubbish on the beach to twist seaweed, clams and odd pieces into her hair. She looks amazing; as if she is at one with the sea.

I love these shoots she did...each image is so iconic.

Timeless Effortless Untouchable.