Tim Walker: Storyteller

For my first post of the new year, I have decided to feature the genius talent that is Tim Walker. 2012 saw numerous great exhibits across London's cultural sphere, and yet I only managed to see one. It's shameful, I know, but living far away from the center and suffering from a heavy bout of final year stress did not allow time for much recreation and leisure. Although saying that, I did actually go to Paris this time last year instead of writing my dissertation. Oops! However, I plan on changing that now that I am done with school. Plus it's the year of the Snake! It's my year, therefore I should savour everything that will come within the next twelve months.

Showing in the East Wing Gallery of Somerset House and supported by fashion house Mulberry, Storyteller features a selection of photographs Walker had created for the pages of Vogue, Elle, and W Magazine among others. And his muses? Well, they range from supermodels, to fashion editors and celebrated actors. Among these familiar faces include Walker favourites Stella Tennant, Guinevere van Seenus, Kristen McMenamy to the late Anna Piaggi, Tilda Swinton, and the late Alexander McQueen. Walker is known for his vivid way of storytelling (hence, the title) through lavish compositions and creative ideas, and his vision of beauty and the divine can turn a lacklustre editorial into a work of art. Yes, I am saying that he can turn water into wine! From fairytale fancies to visceral imagery, striking portraits to dark compositions of nightmarish beauty, Walker's exhibit at Somerset House chronicles the man's rich sense of humour and the surreal. Together with hanging images are installations that include a grotesque Baby Jane-esque doll of gigantic proportions, a lavish swan-drawn carriage and ventriloquist dolls.Here are some of my personal favourites from the collection.

Stella Tennant, Vogue Italia, August 2011

W Magazine's Kate Moss: Sugar or Spice?

For their March Issue, W Magazine decided to split Kate Moss in half. A beautiful dichotomy of the Good and the Bad (..though perhaps Sultry and Ethereal are more appropriate) appears on the beautiful cover, shot by the wonderful Steven Klein. For the Vampy half, Klein captured a sensual and worldly Moss dressed in leather and lace (how poetic!) and adorned with a voluptuous burgundy pout. Flip that image and out comes a more ethereal, pure Kate- a vision in white and a face gleaming with an angelic sheen. It's almost quite ironic seeing Moss in a Vestal get-up considering the bad girl image she had carved for herself for years! But then again, being blissfully married and having a career that is still running at full steam can be just what the girl needs in her life for the moment. 

W's Editor Stefano Tonchi comments, "As I sat through the spring collections in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, I kept thinking about the dichotomy between 'good girls' and 'bad girls.' It's an old trope that the fashion world loves to recycle every few seasons [...] This season, however, the good girls seemed to constantly stray into bad-girl territory, and vice versa. Designers are too savvy to go for straightforward cliches, and what I found most interesting was the way in which they tweaked familiar archetypes."

I guess that definitely makes Kate the perfect candidate. What a beautiful and happy medium!

What do you think of the cover?

Best and Worst Magazine Covers of 2011

WORST: Apparently, Justin Bieber's February cover was the magazine's third worst cover since Graydon Carter
took over the magazine in 1992, according to WWD. Not only that, but as a highly respected journalistic
magazine, can you blame the readers for not wanting the taint of Bieber-fever? It's a joke. 

UNFORTUNATE: It's a shame that Michelle Williams doesn't get the credit she deserves when it comes to magazine covers.
She is an Oscar nominated actress, yet her October Vogue cover was the second worst performer of the year.
It goes to show that today's generation favour the glamour of the celebrity and not the seasoned star. 

I TOLD YOU SO: Speaking of which, Lady Gaga's October Bazaar cover was the third worst performer of the year for the magazine. It's funny that her March cover was the second best magazine cover for Vogue but seven months later she fails to pull in the numbers. Is the world getting tired of her 'act' or do they just prefer her as Gaga and not Stefanie? You know, she wasn't
'Born that way'.

NEXT!: Gwyneth's January issue was one of InStyle's worst covers. Obviously, everybody clocked in on the amateur
editing and bad photoshopping. Also, they probably realised that she's a very overrated actress who is on her
way to sinking into irrelevance. Anybody who thinks otherwise is deluded. She's as bland as her shade of blond. 

BYE, BYE, BYE!: Justin Timberlake (and Amanda Seyfried)'s W cover only sold 15,000 copies. Ouch! He really should just
go back to singing with his top off. Is anybody even buying his bid at 'acting'? As for Amanda, well maybe had
she opted out of that horrid 'Red Riding Hood' film, maybe she could have sold more copies. 

FIERCE: Mila Kunis's March W cover performed extremely well. So did her Cosmo and Elle covers. As it appears, eating out
Natalie Portman in a demented ballerina film has its perk. Not to mention, she can smize like crazy and she can sell sex
to a prostitute, Complete with an impressive editorial, Kunis is proving to be one of fashion's fast becoming favourite. 

GRANNY-CHIC: Carrie Bradshaw's January cover for Elle came out on top. Personally, I don't think it's all that, but then
again, everybody seems to be clinging on to their favourite SATC star and the shadow of her younger, more
unrealistic persona. The Adobe overdose just creeps me out! Plus, she has pulled that pose since the dawn of time.

GOLDEN GIRL: Finally, there's Rachel Greene. She comes out on top with both her Elle and Marie Claire covers being in the top
two of both publications for the year. She can just sell! The magic that is FRIENDS and being an ex-Pitt obviously
still works. Also, let's not forget that she is America's sweetheart. Who can resist a bit of Jen every now and again?

...and here are some of my personal faves for the year...

(judged solely on their aesthetic not financial performance)

DELECTABLE: Nigella Lawson, December for Stylist Magazine. The TV vixen as a human, toffee apple. How can you fault that?

SULTRY: Anne Hathaway's September cover for Interview magazine was dark, sexy and decadent. It's one of the edgiest
editorials I have seen from her. 

INSPIRING: Some of the Orient's finest faces sporting Gucci's A/W 2011 dresses for Vogue China's September Issue. Asians rock!

...FINALLY...

DIVA: Christina Aguilera's July cover for W Magazine. I can't fault it. It's just perfect. 

"Kapow!"

How fabulous does Sasha and Freja look in W's September Issue? In the spread shot by Mario Sorrenti, the superpowers strike in all their fierceness, styled by Jane How, as modern day Navajo punk-rockers. Dressed in globetrotting ensembles, the duo sport woven dresses, feathered accessories, lots of leather and a copious amounts of sexy chic. Truly a modern take on urban style and genuinely electric at that. This issue marks Edward Enninful and Lori Goldstein's first issue as the magazines official fashion and style editor, and style-editor-at-large, respectively. And why not start with a big bang, right? Top marks!