As I browsed my usual array of fashion sites and blogs this morning I was led through redcarpetfashionawards to this amazing spread in the July edition of US Vogue. It is editorials like this which remind me how truly amazing fashion can be when several creative minds unite to produce one cohesive and inspiring collection of images. Shot by renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh, styled by the now infamous and endlessly talented Grace Coddington and starring two bright stars of acting and modeling- Ewan McGregor and Natalia Vodianova- this is an epic shoot.
These are just a selection of the multiple images in the spread which I felt represented a key moment in the story and were therefore evocative of a range of emotions.
What I love about this spread, and particularly the image of Natalia and Ewan in the kitchen, is that the images could be stills from a major motion picture. When seen together in sequence the images build up a sense of character and create an atmosphere of tension and excitement which makes you want to keep flicking the pages to see what happens next. Too often magazine editorials rely on the clothes alone to create an impact and just shoot models in contorted poses in front of a white background. This is often the case with more commercial magazines with a lower budget but is also seen quite frequently in more established publications like Vogue and Elle. Obviously a grand and imposing set is not the key to an immediately fantastic photograph as the model has to use her body and face to convey a sense of mood and emotion, and even then, if that just produces several shots of a model in different clothes standing on a cliff or in a beautiful garden this still doesn't say anything. In my opinion the most successful editorials are those which have a message, which tell a story and elicit a response from the reader which is greater than a simple 'Ooh I love that dress'. I think that is why I love Annie Leibovitz's work so much. It has such a sense of drama that you can't help but be drawn into the picture and imagine yourself in this fantasy world. I loved it in the September Issue when Grace Coddington stated that the reason she loves fashion so much is that it is make believe, it is always like a game of dress up- a mode of escapism from the realities of life.
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