New York Magazine

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Valentino Would Like You to Know He Is in Fact Retired
1/28/09 at 1:25 PM

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's first collection for Valentino walks today in Paris. Vava himself released a statement to confirm that he had no hand in designing the collection. He's apparently tired of people speculating that he's been meddling with design at the label since he retired a year ago. "If I decide to attend the presentation of their collection, it will only be as a supporter of two people I love and who have been close to me for many years," he said.

This is a great sign for the design duo. Valentino never said anything so nice about Alessandra Facchinetti, who only lasted a few months as creative director at the label before her unceremonious dismissal just after her spring 2009 show. When asked about her talent a year ago, Vava would only say, "I've met her. She's pretty." Just after she left the house, Valentino said what he really thought: "[Chiuri and Piccioli] always demonstrated an enormous respect and love for my work. There is an existing archive with thousands of dresses where they can draw and take inspiration from to create a Valentino product that is relevant today. It is a shame that their predecessor didn't feel this need."

So Chiuri and Piccioli should last a while. No pressure or anything, guys.

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We Are Not Surprised Vogue Photoshopped Sienna Miller’s Head onto a Different Body
1/28/09 at 11:15 AM

Sienna Miller graced the September 2007 cover of Vogue, the putting together of which R. J. Cutler documented in Sundance favorite The September Issue. The film includes a glimpse at the Photoshopping that went into the cover. The Daily Mail writes Miller was "airbrushed within an inch of her life."

Apparently Anna Wintour calls Miller "toothy," while her staff worries she has "too many fillings" and "unruly hair." They also wound up Photoshopping one shot of Miller's head onto a different one of her body.
But we're not shocked at all. Of course they did this and had these discussions. Magazines do this all the time, especially with actresses who are not models and don't come out looking as close to perfect on camera. Photo retouchers always — on models and actresses — remove arm hairs, smooth knee caps and arm-pit wrinkles, get rid of blemishes, veins, and under-eye shadows, and take shine off the face. Each photo is different but other common adjustments include slimming of hips, removing lower-belly shadows, slimming noses, and changing eye color. What you see in magazines isn't real at all! So they put her head on a different body? That's not as "bad" as taking off ten pounds, though we wouldn't be surprised if they did that, too. Or putting her head on a model's body.

While this story was obvious to us, we're glad people are talking about it, because if anyone thinks pictures in magazines like Vogue are real, they ought to understand many of them are really just photo illustrations. If readers are never able to attain physical ideals in these magazines, they'll keep buying them for more diet and beauty tips, right?

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• Hairstylist Katsuya Kamo created the headdresses for the Chanel Couture show. It only took him and six or seven helpers three weeks and two packets of 11 x 17 office paper. [WWD]

• Karl Lagerfeld's first muse at Chanel, 52-year-old and mother of two Inès de la Fressange, will return to the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier's couture show today. She hasn't walked down one in twenty years. [Grazia]

• Tyra Banks was nominated for a GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Award. We hope she brings Isis Tsunami to the ceremony. [NYP]

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Its all so annoying.

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Quote:

It only took him and six or seven helpers three weeks and two packets of 11 x 17 office paper.

really?

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Ashlee Simpson on the recent headlines about her sister's weight: "A week after the inauguration and with such a feeling of hope in the air for our country, I find it completely embarrassing and belittling to all women to read about a woman's weight or figure as a headline on Fox News. All women come in different shapes, sizes, and forms and just because you're a celebrity, there shouldn't be a different standard. Is this something you would say to your wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, or even a friend? I seriously doubt it. How can we expect teenage girls to love and respect themselves in an environment where we criticize a size 2 figure? Now can we focus on the things that really matter." [ONTD via Jezebel]

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Posts: 14761

Edit...

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I wonder what was it Laughing

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Something not very nice. Embarassed