Brittle Beauty

The fashion world is embracing the delicate beauty of Shu Pei Qin, the freshest face from China to snowball to fame this season. I'm fast falling in love with her editorial work, in particular the beauty eds from Vogue China.

Vogue China November 2009

Vogue China February 2010 - Rouge Seduction

Source: thefashionspot

Sweet, innocent and seductive, I'm really convinced she's a versatile model and has overflowing amounts of potential! Fashion has only seen the start of her promising career...

t.r.e.n.d: Rockabilly Baby

Rockabilly is back! Think tough leather, leopard prints, biker jackets blinged up with sequins and metallics. Every rock fashionista would crave for a piece of DSquared2 - printed tees, loud prints and leather skinny pants, paired with oversized sunglasses and a regular starbucks coffee creates a casual-meets-rock image. Charles Anastase punks up his sheer cropped organza pants with a glossy biker jacket and oversized white tee. This fall Blumarine turned to neons, leopard prints and bling to present a Balmain-inspired collection. The jacket-and-flashy-jeans combo may seem OTT, but it still oozes an ideal dose of rockabilly attitude.





From top: DSquared2, Charles Anastase, Blumarine

The 5os vibe is present in beauty editorials such as April's Vogue China. Du Juan and Sara Blomqvist show us what rock is with uber doses of rock attitude and uber loads of hair. Hair was toussled and teased to the maximum, like a huge beehive. Black winged eyeliner and strong brows also topped off the look.

Image source: thefashionspot, style.com

Fresh Spreads: Showcasing the New Collections

The new season marks a wardrobe revamp for both fashion victims and fashion magazines, as magazines embark on a journey to feature the most outstanding hits of the Spring-Summer 2009 collections. With titles such as "Spring Break", "Hits of the Season" and "The Best of What's New", the newest and freshest pieces of big names are filling the pages of these prestigious magazines. Some of the most outstanding pieces such as Prada's ruched bras, Jil Sander's fringe dresses, Marc Jacobs' Kimono tops, Burberry's leafy necklaces and Lanvin's famous ruffles can be spotted in nearly all the spreads featuring the new collections. It is thus interesting to see how different photographers and stylists are showcasing these new pieces to their best.

VOGUE US

Vogue US Jan 09: Magical Realism

Ph: David Sims

Models: Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn

Full editorial: Bwgreyscale

Vogue US was guaranteed a good start by choosing two young supermodels Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn! While Chanel is mostly all smiles, Jourdan proves to be fierce, and together with the jump shots, the vibe of spring is exuded effortlessly. Moreover, the plaid ponytail probably inspired by Louis Vuitton's show is perfect for the shoot as it's swishing actions caught mid air enhances the energy in the shots. In all, this indoor shoot might have turned out boring, but the clothes, the styling and the models worked the concept of Spring so well it's one of my faves.

Vogue US Feb 09: It's a Madcap World

Ph: Steven Meisel
Models: Anna Maria Jagodzinska, Viktoriya Sasonkina, Karlie Kloss, Liya Kebede, Jourdan Dunn & Natasha Poly

Full editorial: The Fashion Spot

Is this really from the pages of Vogue US? Yes it is!

Indeed, it has been a long while since such inspiring spreads appeared in Vogue US. Unlike the previous editorial which appears to be more commercialized and brand-oriented, this spread is more of a showcase of the collections as art pieces -- art pieces that emerge from the whimsical setting, as the title "It's a Madcap World" suggests.

VOGUE CHINA
Vogue China Feb 09: Spring Rhapsody

Ph: David Jackson

Model: Liu Wen

Full Editorial: The Fashion Spot

Vogue China never fails to impress. While magazines such as Vogue US aim to capture the energy in Spring's new collections, Vogue China opts for the breezy feel of Spring, paying most attention to the silhouettes of the clothing. Meticulous styling ensured that the entire editorial seems to transit smoothly - from the balloon Lanvin sleeve to the circular cut-out Christopher Kane dress then to the body-hugging Roberto Cavalli gown. Last but not least, Liu Wen's beauty exudes a calming effect in accordance with the flowy fabrics, creating a breathtaking editorial.

VOGUE UK

Vogue UK Feb 09: Spring Break

Ph: Terry Tsiolis
Model: Anna Selezneva

Full Editorial : The Fashion Spot

This editorial is good and safe. The variation of the model's poses helped to add interest in the spread, and I particularly like the shadow that she casts on the backdrop.

HARPER'S BAZAAR US

Harper's Bazaar US Jan 09: The Best of What's New

Ph: Solve Sundsbo

Models: Agnete Hegelund, Alyona Osmonova, Amanda Laine, Chanel Iman, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Hye Park, Irina Kulikova, Olga Sherer, Taryn Davidson

Full Editorial: Bwgreyscale

This mega-spread showcases the clothes beautifully as the setting of every page is carefully planned so that it caters to the feel of the clothes. For example, the golden sparkling Alexander Mcqueen bodysuit is shot against a blurred background of a brightly lit street and the black voluminous Fendi jacket is shot against a clear sky and edited to be black and white. Each and every shot was a masterpiece.

Harper's Bazaar US Feb 09: Hits of the Season
Ph: Greg Kadel
Models: Coco Rocha and Freja Beha

Full Editorial : Bwgreyscale

Once again, experienced models are all it takes. This spread would have been seriously drab and boring - if not for Coco and Freja who bring life and energy to the clothes.

Frontpage: No Chinese New Year for Vogue China?

I was really hoping to see an editorial featuring chinese traditional costumes as Chinese New Year is round the corner! In two weeks' time, China (and Singapore, of course) will be bustling with festive activities and yet, not a single glimpse of excitement is present in Vogue China. Oh wells, maybe a glimpse of prosperity (red symbols prosperity) in Ali Stephen's warm red beauty ed in the January issue could count, but it should be high time for the magazine to fuse some cultural elements with haughty high fashion. Instead of proudly showcasing chinese culture in it, Vogue China opted for "a fashion-insider theme", which is, in our opinion, rather disappointing..

Magazines like Harper's Bazaar China and Vogue Korea have produced fanta-bulous editorials featuring couture gowns inspired by oriental culture:

Taking pride in beautiful embroidery in Harper's Bazaar China September 2008: Olympic Glory

Paying tribute to the beauties of the Tang Dynasty: Unknown from Harper's Bazaar China

Showcasing the orient in Vogue Korea September 2007: Madame Butterfly

Even the West has taken interest in the China's rich culture, creating ethnic-inspired spreads.

Fierce warriors at the battlefront during the Yuan Dynasty in Vogue Italia November 2007: Wild Warriors

Lion Dancing in Numero 90: La fille du Dragon

Source: the fashion spot, modelcouture

So who says high fashion is exclusive of tradition? In my opinion, tradition is a source of inspiration for fashion - and we ought to be proud of this.

I'm really looking forward to Chinese New Year! We have this really cute cheongsam-inspired top which we have been wearing for nearly two Chinese New Years. (A classmate of mine from China told me it's actually a Tang Dynasty costume's print!) CNY's all about reunion, ang pows (red packets with $), yummy goodies and wearing red clothes (to represent prosperity). It's really comforting to see that tradition is still keeping up with modern times. Well, tradition can be put to great use in fashion as well.

Fresh Spreads: Fall Foliage

Vogue Beauty China January 2009
Red Fever
Ph: Ben Hassett
Model: Ali Stephens

Full Editorial (source): The Fashion Spot

I was seriously blown away by the breathtaking autumn foliage in this editorial! This really is one of the best beauty editorials I've seen in Vogue -- how the makeup and outfits go with the scenery, the perfect choice of All-american beauty Ali Stephens to pull of such a sleek idea, and the flawless composition of every shot. I really like the usage of hot red lips and a palette of reddish-blue eye colour in order that a wholesome effect is produced, that is the dark navy blue outfits in contrast to the ravishing red foliage in the background. In all, this editorial has captured autumn at its richest.