Vogue to Promote 'Healthier' Body Image

LONDON — Concern over the fashion industry’s preference for young, ultra-skinny models has been rumbling for a number of years, and now Vogue publisher Condé Nast International has set out to directly address the issue.

The magazine publisher today announced the launch of its Health Initiative, an agreement between the editors of Vogue’s 19 international editions designed to “encourage a healthier approach to body image within the industry,” Condé Nast International said, adding that: “Vogue is uniquely placed to engage with relevant issues in order to make a difference."

As part of the initiative, the editors have all signed a six-point agreement focused on promoting a healthy body image in their magazines and the wider fashion industry.

Among the points that form the pact are that the editors will not knowingly work with models under 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder; that they will ask casting directors not to knowingly send underage models to their magazines; they will help structure mentoring programs so that more mature models can advise their younger counterparts; they will encourage designers to “consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes,” and that they will encourage show producers to create healthy backstage working environments for models.

The new initiative builds on the steps that the Council of Fashion Designers of America and U.S. Vogue have taken, such as the launch of a mentor program for models in 2011, and those of the British Fashion Council and British Vogue, such as the launch of the BFC’s Model Health Inquiry in 2007 and the establishment of a model advisory panel, a meeting of casting directors, stylists and booking editors to discuss model welfare.

Eighteen editions of Vogue are to launch the initiative in their June issues with features commissioned by each editor, while Vogue Japan will launch the initiative in its July issue.

British Vogue, for example, will run a feature in its June issue that examines women’s attitudes to nutrition, and polls models including Stella Tennant, Lily Cole and Adriana Lima on the subject.

The editors of Vogue signed up to the agreement include Emmanuelle Alt of Vogue Paris, Kirtsie Clements of Vogue Australia, Mitsuko Watanabe of Vogue Japan, Alexandra Shulman of Vogue U.K. and Anna Wintour of American Vogue, along with editors of newer Vogue editions including China, India, Mexico, Turkey and the Netherlands.

Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International, said in a statement: “Vogue believes that good health is beautiful. Vogue editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers.”

(WWD)

It's my sincere hope that others in the fashion industry join in this initiative. Kudos to VOGUE for taking the first step!

10 Fashionable Things to See and Buy This Spring?

What: Vogue Festival
Where: 1 Kensington Gore London, SW7 2AR; April 20th-21st

The first ever Vogue Festival offers a rare insight into the industry, as attendees can observe conversations between Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and top designers Tom Ford and Christopher Bailey. There's a question time with a panel of London Fashion Week talents including Christopher Kane and Roksanda Ilincic, as well as an 'Ask the models' Q&A session - feasturing Lily Cole (pictured), Natalia Vodianova and Jourdan Dunn. Tickets cost £75 for a session - which comprises a morning or afternoon worth of events.

What: Launch of H&M's Exclusive Glamour Collection
Where: 100 H&M stores worldwide and pieces online; April 12

 Make a date with H&M to snap up their collection of red carpet-inspired dresses. What's more, the can't-believe-it's-high-street collection is made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton and hemp as well as recycled polyester to showcase how diverse so-called 'green fashion' can be these days. Just be careful if you're off to a wedding, because you don't want to upstage the bride. Dresses of the showstopping variety start from £60.

What: Twiggy for Marks & Spencer debut launch 

Where: Launching exclusively online on April 12 

Sixties model Twiggy, who has been modelling for M&S since 2005, has turned designer for the high street retailer with a 43-piece collection. Jackets of all varieties, sequinned, velvet, tweed, tuxedo form the foundation of the collection, while dresses with gathered waists will appeal to any tummy-conscious woman. The 62-year-old has been hands on with the design process from start to finish, as she's a skilled seamstress who makes her own clothes.

 

What: Christian Louboutin retrospective
 Where: London Bridge Design Museum. May 1 - July 9

 London's Design Museum hosts an exhibition detailing the story of the shoe designer's rise to the top of the glamorous footwear game, from his launch in 1991 to the present day, when he dresses the feet of everyone from Victoria Beckham to Lady Gaga.

What: Pick up Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman's debut novel
When: Released April 12, published by Fig Tree, £12.99

 'Can We Still Be Friends?' tells the story of three twenty-something friends - journalist Salome, husband-and-baby-yearning Annie, and strong-willed Kendra - 'three different girls, with very different paths ahead'. The book is full of '80s fashion and anecdotes - including just how intimating it was to walk in to a Joseph store some 25 years ago - and is bound to be an insightful read from Shulman's 20+ years in the industry.

What: Hermès Leather Forever exhibition 

Where: 6 Burlington Gardens, London, W1; May 8 - 27 

The iconic French brand will celebrate its 175th anniversary by showing in a space at the Royal Academy of Art's sister venue. The brand will exhibit four unique bags representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales that will be auctioned in aid of charity, alongside pieces commissioned by the Duke of Windsor as gifts for Wallis Simpson. The label's skilled artisans, who painstakingly craft the famous Birkin and Kelly bags by hand, will also be present at the exhibition.

 

What: Delve into the world's largest shoe cupboard
Where: Northampton Museum and Art gallery, from April 12.

 Leading fashion designers seek inspiration from the Northampton Museum & Art Gallery's extensive collection of shoes, and its of little surprise considering Northamptonshire's footwear heritage. The museum is home to the largest collection of historical shoes in the world, and re-opens its doors after extensive remodernisation on April 12.

What: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche: Fashion Revolution by Pierre Berge 

When: Released April 1, published by Abrams, £17.99

 Delve into the history of one of the most significant fashion lines of the past 50 years, iconic designer Yves Saint Laurent's Rive Gauche line with Pierre Berge's hardback story. Find out why he made it, who it was for, why its first store was such a huge success, with this beautiful and informative look into the brand's legacy.

What: ASOS Salon launch
When: April 23 at asos.com

ASOS's second Salon collection launches this spring, featuring a selection of feminine dresses with a timeless appeal. Ornate embroidery, pastel lace, floral embellishment and elaborate cut-work are adorn a selectio of vintage silhouettes redefined for 2011. Perfect for all the summer weddings that are just around the corner.

What: Ballgowns and crowns at Harrods
Where: Harrods Knightsbridge, May 15 - June 15

 In celebration of the V&A's spectacular exhibition Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Harrods is unveiling a dedicated pop-up ballgown boutique in its Brompton Road windows, displaying evening gowns created by leading names such as Marchesa, Erdem, Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Jenny Packham and Elie Saab.Those wishing to make a purchase from the special collection will be qhisked up to The Penthouse - Harrods' most exclusive personal shopping space - on the Fifth Floor for a one-to-one consultation.

 (Daily Telegraph U.K.)

Gisele B. for Vogue's April Issue

New mom Gisele Bündchen is saving forests and rivers and empowering troubled teens with her natural beauty line. Joan Juliet Buck talks to the übermodel about her eco interests and life with Tom Brady.

Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier.

Coast of Utopia

1. Gisele Bündchen, at her house in Costa Rica, in a Bottega Veneta corseted bustier top and cream cotton-silk shorts with plum sash.

Spirit Rider

2. The model on horseback, in a Hervé Léger by Max Azria taupe bandage swimsuit top. Alexander Wang tan-and-red
striped silk shorts with draped pockets. Quoddy for J.Crew suede moccasins.

Earthly Paradise

3. Gisele, with her dog Lua, striking a pose in Costa Rica, where she visits every year with husband Tom Brady. Ivory Bottega Veneta cotton-crepe jumpsuit and black sash.

Infinity and Beyond

4. Gisele—diving into her pool high above the Pacific—wearing a chartreuse Eres string bikini top and bottom.

All in the Family

5. Vida the Yorkie and Lua with Gisele, photographed here in an Emilio Pucci silk-and-cotton Henley bodysuit and Roberto Cavalli cotton mosaic-print shorts. Lanvin sandals.

In this story: fashion editor: Tonne Goodman; hair, Garren for Garren New York Salon; makeup, Yumi for Laura Mercier at Frank Reps.

Life Force

6. With newborn Benjamin Rein Brady in a Marc Jacobs cardigan and boy shorts.

Divine Transformation

7. The supermodel, seven months pregnant, in a sheer Chloé cream mousseline plissé dress with raw-edge trim.

(vogue.com)

Absolutely gorgeous! Of course she doesn't look as though she's had a baby......I wouldn't expect that of her!

Three Women by Steven Meisel

(Vogue Italia)

Love, love, love this photo shoot/feature. It includes one of my favorite " ladies of style," Daphne Guinness.

French Vogue Chooses Black Model for March's Cover

Model history has officially been made! French Vogue's March 2010 cover, on newsstands now, features its first solo Black model since Liya Kebede in 2002. The gorgeous cover girl is Rose Cordero, a Dominican newcomer who made a major splash during New York Fashion Week (we're obsessed with her almond-shaped eyes and chic, short natural 'do). Whether French Vogue chose Cordero in order to make up for last year's blackface scandal, or to salute one of fashion's fiercest new faces, we don't know--and, honestly, we don't care. This cover is beyond. Congrats, Rose!

(essence.com)

Beautiful!

Vogue & Lucky Launch Partnerships

NEW DEALS: Clearly it’s a new year that’s going to be filled with new strategies to jump-start business. Two Condé Nast fashion titles, Vogue and Lucky, are launching partnerships this week with e-commerce shopping sites. On Friday, Net-a-porter’s outlet site, theOutnet.com, will introduce a series of flash sales exclusively with Lucky. The sales will be promoted in the February issue of Lucky and luckymag.com, and will be accessible only to the magazine’s newsletter subscribers. Every Friday, for four consecutive weeks, merchandise such as a 3.1 Phillip Lim jacket and a Mulberry bag will be offered at discount prices. As the clock ticks on each “going, going, gone sale,” the price will drop. Kim France, Lucky’s editor in chief, said the magazine is working with theOutnet.com, in part, because it carries the brands seen in the magazine. “It’s part of an established brand, but at the same time, it’s emerging and it felt good to be a part of that,” said France.

Meanwhile, Vogue is offering up ready-to-wear looks that are less than $500 on Gilt Groupe, based on the magazine’s “Steal of the Month” page. The sale ends Jan. 18.

(WWD)