Supermodels bare it all

Photo source: Vogue US September 1994, Vogue US September 1996, Harper’s Bazaar US 2009

Natural beauty (wrinkles included)

A few weeks ago I met  a woman in her late 30s. I must admit, this was my very first encounter with somebody who had things done to such an obvious degree. I was fascinated. Her forehead, Botoxed to perfection, was so smooth and shiny that I could almost see my own reflection. The eyelashes “grew” in a way similar to teeth of a shark, in several layers. The lips were plumped – what I thought was a cold sore turned out to be collagen.

The face, struggling to produce any emotional outcome, was, in a way, perfect… I’d say, it was similar to something you’d see in Tussauds Museum, only their works would have a better finish.

It was a proper close-up sampling of a surgically made “perfection”. Every element that is often seen as a part of “ideal beauty” was there and yet, the beauty was missing.

It made me think, once again, why so many women voluntarily do it to themselves…

To me, watching my face age is a totally fascinating experience. I may not be super ecstatic about every change that happens to it, although I haven’t experienced that many yet, but I do somehow enjoy the process.

I think every woman is naturally very beautiful and do love to observe bare faces and emotions whenever I can. I like wrinkles, I like young peachy skin and I love how it changes with age to become thinner, like a delicate rice paper. I absolutely adore freckles. I think a face without make up is always gorgeous. And I like faces that move.

I truly understand that sometimes cosmetic surgery may be required because nature is not always kind to its creations or life throws one in a nasty accident, but I really don’t get it when women happily inject poison (and that’s what Botox really is) or go under the knife in order to allow somebody slice their face or body when, in reality, it is totally unnecessary.

I don’t believe in eternal youth – I think the most glamorous thing is being able to age gracefully, love your wrinkles and don’t give a damn about what the rest of the world is doing to their faces.

Just like Lauren Hutton said in her interview: "Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be." Personally, I’d rather stick with that quote. Kinda makes you feel free, doesn’t it?

 

Photo source: Guerlain campaign, Vogue Italia September 2005, Alexis Bittar campaign Fall/Winter 2011

Kristen Mcmenamy on body image

At first, I wanted to write something similar myself, but then came across this story from Love magazine and thought that hearing it from Kristen Mcmenamy a supermodel, a true legend, would make the message more powerful and even more meaningful.

The body you're given, the mind you're given, the morality and hang ups you're given, they're yours. Deal with it. That's the way it is - that's what you realise when you get older. You think "one day I'll be this, one day I'll be a Buddha Zen and I'll weigh five pounds less..." and then it doesn't happen. One day never comes and you realise you're getting older and you think "God, OK, accept, accept!"

I have to say though, I like my body more than my face. I never liked my face, it was always not right. Sometimes it looks good in a picture.

We're all the same. I can have a fat month and I can feel totally horrible in my skinny jeans, then the next month I can be four pounds less and I'll feel great. I think all women have that, and it's just that your body fluctuates.

You see a picture of a model and you think it's static, you think that's the way that person always is, but it's not true. You have fat days too! I hate the fat days! No! It's not good. I know people will hate me saying that - I'm a model - but the way you feel in your mind is the same. In your head it's a fat day.

And I look at people who are curvy and I'm crazy with jealousy over them.

The truth is that even I'm fooled by magazines. I look at Heat or something like that and I think "they're all so gorgeous, they have perfect wardrobes and perfect bodies and blah, blah, blah!" And here I am a model! I still fall for it. I put down Heat and I hate my face. So if I can be fooled, every one can be fooled.

 

Photo source: Vogue Italy September 2009

Stylish quote

"It's not vanity to feel you have a right to be beautiful.

Women are taught to feel we're not good enough, that we must live up to someone else's standards.

The aim is to cherish yourself as you are."

Elle Macpherson

Photo source: Muse #30 2012

GIVEAWAY: Trevarno organic skincare kits

A few weeks ago, after my post about organic skincare went live, I received an email from the lovely people at Trevarno with an order to try and review a few different products. Since I was already pretty familiar with the range and tried and tested more or less everything they have, I asked if they wouldn’t mind giving the promised samples to one of my blog readers as a giveaway. The most brilliant thing is that not only they were really excited about it – they also agreed to offer not one, but two prizes.

Each prize includes a try-me skincare kit containing a bottle of Rose & jojoba cleanser, Rosewater & Chamomile skin toner, day cream and night cream to suit either normal or dry/mature skin.

 

Based on my personal experience and knowledge of herbs and oils and their properties, I would suggest the “normal kit” to anyone under 30 and the “dry/mature kit” to anyone over 35 looking for extra anti-wrinkle support as well as good moisturisers.

The creams will last you for at least 3 weeks and the cleanser and toner – for about two, so you will definitely have time to fall in love if not with all of them, but at least some of those wonderful products.

I am so pleased about giving two of you a chance to try some of my favourite skin care and hosting such a fab giveaway as a part of the week dedicated to health and beauty.

To enter:

* follow Fashioned by Love either via Google Friend Connect (or use the button on the bottom of the page) or Facebook (choose whichever way works best for you)

* follow Trevarno via Twitter or Facebook (again, whichever way suits you best)

* leave a comment below saying which skincare kit you would like to win – normal or dry/mature.

The giveaway is open internationally and will run until midnight 14 July 2012. The winner will be announced on Sunday, 15 July 2012.

Good luck!

Photo source: Vogue China September 2006, Trevarno + personal

Cindy Crawford in Vogue Italia 1991

For the last few months I have been lovingly collecting articles, quotes and photos that, in one way or another, were related to beauty.

Beauty that is influenced by fashion and through the eyes of people working in the fashion industry. Beauty as a reflection of our ideas. Beauty that is healthy, beauty as unique as a person herself, beauty that has no rules apart from one – loving yourself the way you are and taking care of your body as the most precious thing in the world.

If you read my blog regularly you would remember a few posts I’ve written about the link between beauty and health. Now, with the recent launch of the health initiative, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect to dedicate a part of my blog, an entire week, to the topic that means so much to me.

After marinating the idea and coming up with the final plan for the posts I decided to start with this editorial from the May issue of Italian Vogue featuring Cindy Crawford photographed by Marco Glaviano.

Back in the 1990s Cindy was my ultimate girl crush and, as far as the fitness was concerned, the role model. Supermodel with the most perfect hair, velvet brown eyes and incredible body was my idea of beauty. She was stunning, sensual and smart. She favoured healthy diet and was the very first model who released a fitness video (which, of course, I had, used and treasured).

Cindy was also the one who had a strong opinion about the health initiative programme speaking out days after the launch. Although I cannot fully support her opinion on such a complicated issue, I like the fact that she was one of the “supers” who actually had something to say bringing even more attention to the issue.

And now, without making the post even more complicated and long (see, I can talk about it for hours?), lets enjoy the beautiful photos.

Photo source: Vogue Italia May 1991

Gianfranco Ferre: at Dior and beyond

“Great couturier who knew how to create absolute chic with details that will remain a part of the history of fashion."

Donatella Versace

After establishing his own label, Ferre continues working on elaborate beautiful collections and becomes one of Italy’s most treasured fashion designers alongside Valentino and Armani.

In 1983 he joins the Domus Academy as founding Professor of the Department of Fashion Design.

In 1984 the first fragrance, Gianfranco Ferre, a powdery combination of floral and woody notes, is launched, followed by five other perfumes that accompany new women’s and men’s wear collections. Being true to his philosophy and an absolute perfectionist, Ferre designs each flacon himself.

That very same year the designer receives an offer to become an artistic director for the house of Dior. Ferre declines thinking of the time and attention needed for his own label that he is successfully growing.

On 22 July 1986 he shows his first Haute Couture collection in Rome. It includes 70 looks linked together by a harmony of classic colours: grey with white, red and black accents. Beautiful rich fabrics, embroidery, crystals, fur, crocodile skin – luxury without borders ruled by imagination and sculptural shapes. It was a triumph.

In spring 1989 LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault approaches Ferre again and this time, in May 1989, after spending an enormous amount of time in Dior archives, Gianfranco Ferre finally agrees to design for Dior. In many ways, his move to the French fashion house was, in a way, a scandal. French people struggled to see an Italian, however talented he was, as a new Dior designer. Until that very moment no foreign designer was allowed such a thing. In his interview, Pierre Bergé, the chairman of Yves St Laurent, observed: "I don't think opening the doors to a foreigner - and an Italian - is respecting the spirit of creativity in France."

As it turned out, Arnault couldn’t have chosen  a better candidate to replace Mark Bohan. With his deep understanding of fashion history, the meaning of the Maison Dior as an integral part of national identity, caring attitude to details and love of all things luxurious and beautiful, Ferre was incredibly careful about his work for the house. 

His muse at Dior was Eva Perón, who had been one of Dior's original customers.

Later Ferre himself wrote: “It was an adventure on which it was not very easy to embark, but that turned out to be extraordinary, for my professional and creative development no less than for my human and personal one.

The most prestigious maison de couture in France was a temple of rituals, traditions, codes of conduct and rules, perhaps unwritten but no less hard and fast, no less binding for all that.

For weeks I studied, analysed and “breathed” his style. And so I discovered affinities and analogies… that made it possible for me to meet the challenge – between my way of understanding and interpreting elegance and that of Monsieur Dior.

My adventure “chez Dior” proved to be an extraordinary opportunity for growth and fulfillment.”

His first Haute Couture collection that was shown in July 1989, just two months after Ferre’s arrival to Dior, won him Dé d'Or award for the best Paris collection of the year. 

“The tailor of two cities” lived between Paris and Milan, on and off the plane, as the languages blended into a musical daydream and the cities became an endless source of inspiration – two mentalities, modern and sober Milanese pret-a-porter and deeply understood and appreciated luxury of Parisian fashion.

Weekend were often spent in Stresa, his home in lake Maggiore, near Milan. It was a house of an architect. Every single detail, every item, were placed in a special order to the point of absolute perfection: every item from his collection, every small box, every vase were placed in a strict symmetry.

Even the garden was immaculate designed according to the Lago Maggiore rules and looked after by a gardener. There was never a stray twig or grass. Just roses, dozens and dozens of them. The blooms were always cut off a few days before they would drop their petals on the ground, to avoid any mess.

Ferre remained at Dior until autumn 1996 when his contract ended by mutual agreement. His last Haute Couture collection for the house, Passion Indienne, was inspired by the most treasured memories of his life.

He returns to Milan and, after renovating a palazzo on the Via Ponaccio to become the company headquarters, continues producing new collections under his own name.

 

He died suddenly. On Sunday, 17 June 2007, in San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, after suffering a massive brain haemorrhage.

Sources: Janie Samet, Chère Haute Couture, Gianfranco Ferre: Lessons in Fashion, Maria Vittoria Alfonsi Gianfranco Ferré. L'architetto stilista.

Photo source (top picture): Vanity Fair 1996