This is the month of everything I love on FSU!

love rain down on me, on me, down on me!

On my blog this month I’m focusing on the things I love. FASHION, of course. SHOES, of course. JEWELRY, of course. BAGS, of course. It’s about that irresistible feeling I get when I must have something, when I lust over something.

I’m pretty excited just thinking about everything I have to share including an amaze competition to win a LOVEly jewelery piece from ULINX jewelry!

Stay tuned for that competition which starts TOMORROW!

 

So many other fun things I’m going to update you on including all my favourite pieces from the upcoming fashion shows. I’m showing you MY 5 best in show, ONLY. I think my opinion is better expressed in 5 amazing looks. If a new collection has more than five pics on THIS BLOG during fashion month…IT WAS BLOODY FANTASTIC. You can quote me on that.

 

Signing off in chocolate dipped strawberries,

Emma

Spring 2012 Advertising Campaigns the Top 20 thus far: 5th-1ST place

5th

Nina Ricci

Raquel Zimmerman stars in the beautiful campaign photo shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. A gorgeous play of shadows on the dress of a seemingly fleeing model. The art/creative direction is flawless.

HONOURABLE MENTION

BOTTEGA VENETA

It was a real disappointment that I wasn't able to place this nice group of images shot by Jack Pierson.

This shoe is my favourite for Spring 2012. I looks so stylish and comfortably weird.

Karmen Pedaru, Liya Kebede, Alex Cunha star in this cool resort themed campaign.

Liya Kibede is one of my favourite models of colour and I'm glad to see that she scored an ad campaign this season. I'm neither here nor there about the styling in this shot or rather the campaign as a whole but the images are engaging.

Honestly, this is the best single model shot of the season. Karmen Pedaru is amazing. I love this dress and would buy it based on this shot alone and that is the true purpose of a campaign to help sell the product.

4th

Chanel

Another season styled by her loveliness Ms. Carine Roitfield ex-editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris the premiere Vogue issue in the world. Last season I will admit I didn't like the shots very much but this season she blew it out of the park.

This is another well though tout campaign and the images although in black and white are very striking. I'm glad to see Karl Lagerfeld the chief design honcho at Chanel using a black model. I can't remember the last campaign of the Chanel house that has ever impressed me like this season's.

I think this is adorable how models Saskia de Brauw and Joan Smalls look so childlike in these balloon sleeved dresses. I feel like they are little girls playing and those shoes with the reef heels are really nice.

This is the photograph I will be looking out for in the magazines this spring. It is my favourite of all 20 campaigns I've placed. It has this ability to evoke within me strength, uncertainty and femininity all rolled into one. Strength in the harness and pose, feminity in the dress and gracefulness of the model and uncertainty in the water.

Saskia in this shot reminds me of a seal. If only seals could be this graceful and alluring...not to mention slim.

Sticking to his aquatic theme I believe that Karl Lagerfeld has really grown as a photographer. I wasn't always a fan of his images and I'm still not sure I consider him to be one of the greats in fashion photography, either. I may be forced to reconsider if he keeps cranking out great campaigns like this.

This is definitely a job well done by all creative parties.

3rd

Max Mara

Here is Saskia de Brauw again fronting for the MaxMara campaign. This campaign is so good that it will create a surge of interest in the brand.

Mario Sorreti was the photographer of this intense Spring Summer campaign.

There is a modern minimalism to this campaign and not a huge fan of the design aesthetic but it puts clean lines and well tailored separates into perspective on a marketable level.

MaxMara is not typically recognised for it's bags but I'm truly liking what I am seeing and their leather goods this season are just as engaging as the minimalist themed clothing.

The Bird of Paradise flower is such a great prop. It is practically selling the clothes itself.

2nd

Dolce and Gabanna

Featuring actors and actresses of Italian Cinema there is something so authentic that it could not be manufactured and the clothing is bella! Monica Belluci and Bianca Balti were amazing casting choices. True Italian Beauties.

Bianca Balti

Dolce and Gabbana have been known to dress the mistresses but these campaign images clearly show that the mistress and the wife both will be attended to this Spring and Summer by this iconic brand.

Another amazing shot by Italian model Bianca Balti.

Shot by Giampaolo Sgura this is the campaign that will stand out amongst the glitz of many campaigns and not just speak to fashion but to life.

It was a difficult decision to place this advertising campaign at number two. Each time I view it, I want to pack my bags and live the Italian fishing village life. It instantly makes me feel happy and the imagery is so alive.

It does a good job of showing off the clothing, the country and the lifestyle. That is the making of a great heritage campaign. Great Job by all the creatives involved.

1st

Roberto Cavalli

This is my favourite advertising campaign of them allllllllllllllllllll. ROBERTO CAVALLI, YOU ARE THE WINNER!

Even though this entire campaign was shot in the studio. It is outstanding PHOTOGRPAHY.

The casting is great.

The art direction is great.

Naomi Campbell, Karen Elson, Daphne Groeneveld, Kristen McMenamy, Daphne Groeneveld present such a glamazon united front in this Steven Meisel photographed campaign. Did I mention how AMAZING this cast of models is?

The images are strong and it caused me to look at the Roberto Cavalli brand in a way I never have.

Daphne is not one of my favorites but she is definitely holding her own among these more accomplished and acclaimed models.

Karen Elson gets me everytime. She is really a legend in my eyes and this shot is testement to her abilities as a model to evoke so much in a single shot.

The clothing is beautifully captured.

quote

Golden Globes FSU!’s: 5 Loveliest dressed(in order)!

Gorgeous. This blush ROBERTO CAVALLI mermaid style gown was a great pick for Kate Beckinsdale. She is almost always a red carpet phenom and very rarely misses the mark when it comes to sophisticated, elegant Hollywood glam.

Emma Stone comes across as the smart girl-next-door chick. With a wine and red silk chiffon LANVIN gown Emma is giving out sultry red carpet mystery. This is a daring choice especially with the leather belt as that type of accessory can often take a formal look down a notch. Here the leather belt with the detail is very enchanting and it works well her smoky eyes and fiery red locks.

Dianna Argon also makes a bold statement wearing one of my favourite designers GILES DEACON. There an element of sophistication with the amazing details in the bust area. I'm never a huge fan of her red carpet style but she was stunning and not everyone looks that good in red.

Bombshell. Surprisingly enough this shimmering black and gold number just screamed of the GUCCI brand and who better to wear it other than a bombshell herself Salma Hayek. This is one of those dresses that would look flattering on a number of body types and the busty lady did well not to over embellish and let her curves do the talking.

Jlie Bowen is not a person whom I consider a style maven and to be honest in this picture her makeup is a little witchy weird but the dress is divine. REEM ACRA did well with this in fact i can see it in white or ivory and would think what a beautiful wedding gown. I would certainly consider it. I wasn't a big fan of seeing nude tones but this was a beautiful dress.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Octavia Spencer wore a very flattering TADASHI SHOJI gown and Melissa McCarthy could really find out who her stylist is because it is tres flattering to her figure.

 

Golden Globes Badly(cuz worst is soo overused) Dressed: The Bottom 5 in no order

BADGELY AND MISCHKA need to be blacklisted from the next awards show for making this EXTREMELY unflaterring dress for the amazingly talented Melissa McCarthy. I'm not just the nice stuff just because. It's true. This is a catastrophe. The draping makes her look like a 500 pound woman. A good stylist would have never picked this.

Amanda Peet ususally makes good style choices. This is a big hot mess. The fabric actually looks lovely but the tiers are are all wrong. Her beautiful waist is lost and it looks like a MARC JACOBS tent.

I can't remember what I thought of this gown when I first saw it on the Monique Lhullier runway. I certainly have an opinion now. It's not good for short women and you should never wear the ponytail of a high school cheerleader with it. Her hair stylist is ridic.

So beautiful is Zoey Deschaanel in the 1st of PRADA's ridiculous red carpet gowns. The second is below...sigh. It gives her bust the illusion of sagging and the beading I don't find flattering or "quirky" at all.

This dress PRADA dress worn by Frida Pinto looks like it's made out of craft foil. Also those weird lights have got to go the reach hand level on the women posing and makes them look like they're carrying two square white bags. It's horrible for a red carpet to have such distracting illumination unfortunately it hurt Melissa McCarthy the worst.

Spring 2012 Advertising Campaigns the Top 20 thus far: 10th-6th place

10th

BALLY

This is a cool campaign. It stars Miranda Kerr and Julia Stegner who look absolutely stunning in their Bally day wear.

The juxtaposition of the chilly snow-topped with the tailored sophistication of the clothing is brilliant.

This goergoeus campaign was shot by Norma Jean Roy in Switzerland and creatively styled by Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and Stephen Wolstenholme.

I want to be there. Dressed equally as impeccably. Great Styling and and creative direction enhance this shot.

9th

GIORGIO ARMANI

Girogio Armani really does a great job with their tailoring and this classic suit is no exception of that. The campaign is extremly easy but the imagery is sharp. Male model Simon Nessman was a great casting choice.

This model is a gem. I'm sure I have seen her before now she is officially on my radar. Who is she?

Her name is Milou Van Groesen. She does exude that European brovado that I have come to love in models like Freja. That jawline and strong angular features compliment the tailoring of the clothes so well. It could just easily have been menswear and she would have pulled it off with this same finesse.

 

The soft background of the beach behind these models is a creative plus. It works and Mert Alas and Marcus Pigott got it right!

8th

Salvatore Ferragamo

Shot in Jamaica, I really fought to not like this campaign photo because it reminds me in a way of that Naomi Campell for Dolce and Gabbana Animal Inspired eyewear last spring season. I mean it's nice to look at and it embodies that summer glow.

Again Gisele is not my favourite but she is so fierce in this image shot by Mikael Jassen. I know it's not resort ...

It's absolutely perfect for vacation and honestly what is Resort if not the sister season of Spring. Noah Mills is the perfect sexy consort in this shot and to be quite honest I prefer Ferragamo men to their womens collections anyway. So I'm glad to see him here.

S-E-X-Y. This is what Gisele does best and it's completely understandble why she is the face of Salvatore's spring but mostly Summer.

7th

Donna Karan

Shot in Haiti by photographer Russell James these stunning images are made even more exotic(cliche word, I know) by swimwear model Adriana Lima.

It is always good to see a VS model out of her swimwear element and this is no different. This was good casting. This particular shot is my favourite Adriana evokes a strength which seems to represents that of the Haitian people.

The entire collection was inspired by Donna's travels to the imporverished Caribbean country and prints of the Haitian artist Philippe Dodard were used to help create patterns on some garments. A sense of tribal-utiltarian-resort chic comes throught from the clothing worn in the campaign.

This is Donna's signature: incredible draping and this is a very organic shot shot although it seems a bit forced but you still get a feeling like she is a beautiful plant in the rubble.

6th

PRADA

This has got to be the best literally themed campaign presentation for summer. Prada this season seems to be taking a leaf out of the Mui Mui booklet what a great set of photographs shot by Steven Meisel.

Spring/Summer 2012 for Prada features models Kati Nescher, Meghan Collison, Natasha Poly, Elise Crombez, Ymre Stiekema and Kathryn Kruger who are 1950S bombshells with the perfect accessories to match. Seriously, the accessories are screaming my name.

I picked this shot because every season I look to PRADA (or Tom Ford) for the most interesting eyewear. This is Prada's winning season, sorry Tom.

I'm betting by now you are wondering why Prada isnt in the top five but the level of the campaigns shot this season. I had to post these shoes. Don't you just see how amazing the contrast of the feminine with the muscle cars and gas station scene is?

I already said I love quirky accessories so you know I'm simply posting this shot for my personal pleasure. Flaming heels...got to love it or really hate it.

 

 

Spring 2012 Advertising Campaigns the Top 20 thus far: 15th-11th place

15

JUST CAVALLI

Yes, I have figured out the problem with the Just Cavalli Campaign. Stay tuned...

Three Words....The Photographer's Signature. Can you guess who?

It can't be the models cause I love Jac and Lindsey Wixon is ok.......Terry Richardson is the problem. He needs to go on vacation and gather fresh insipration for his asthetic.

14

YVES SAINT LAURENT

Mariacarla Boscono is a brilliant model. One of the best around in the last couple of years actually. She brings a haunting yet enchanting darkness to every photo she takes yet...

I find this entire campaign kind of boring and I'm sure there is some ridiculously long explanation for the blandness of it but...

I don't want to hear it and I won't blame the photographer David Sims. The issue here is bigger than him. It's the creative direction.

 

13

VALENTINO

You know what bothers me the most about this Valentino Campaign shot by Deborah Turbeville and it isn't casting. This is a great cast of models.

Bette Franke, Fei Fei Sun, Zuzanna Bijoch and Maud Welzen are each individually bringing something to the table. Especially Fei Fei Sun who is the unexpected star of this 'the clothes are melting into the background' campaign.

Yep, Fei Fei is the one ray of sun in the blandness. I don't like it as a spring campaign. It reminds me to much of the fall.

 

12

LOUIS VUITTON

I like this...not love it by any stretch of the imagination but I feel as though i could eat this photograph as a matter of fact...

It reminds me of a cake I say on sale yesterday. This Steven Meisel photograph is bubblegum dessert delicious yet...

It doesn't evoke enough passion to ignite my fire. I wouldn't stop and look deeper at it but rather appreciate the aude to dessert and skip to the next page.

11

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Now the campaigns begin to get interesting. Barely missing the top 10 is one of my favourite designers Jean Paul Gualtier whose campaign was shot immediately after the runway show backstage. It stars Alana Zimmerman and Constance Jablonski photographed by Miles Aldridge.

I love the semi-dressed models seemingly walking into the shot. It reminds me of an Egyptian mural even though no one is carrying the royalty. You can tell who is in charge and they dare not look her way..

Spring 2012 Advertising Campaigns the Top 20 thus far: 20th-16th place

20

TOM FORD

Tom Ford....WTF?

Shut your mouth Mirte Mass! SHEESH!

19

BALMAIN

Emmanuel Alt better not be on drugs...because this looks very uninspired like a bubble gum, marijuana haze.

18

VERSACE

This is a waste of perfectly good model...She is not my fave but she is good. Versace, why? This is such a done already ad visual.

Not appealing....it's not. I don't want to buy any of it(and those shoes probably look amazing). Versace ad campaign fail.

17

Elie Saab

Well, luckily this time I don't think that Karlie Kloss is the problem...this campaign reminds me why it's hard to take couture designers seriously when they try to go into the ready to wear market.

Are you telling me that the Elie Saab couldn't have selected a better combination of clothes from his Spring line to be the stars of the campaign shoot? Karlie's face can't save nor do I think she is the best model for the brand.

16

GIVENCHY

I'm so confused....too many elements take away Mariacarla Boscono haunting beauty and pretty superb dress.

It may just be my overall disappointment because Givenchy usually have great ad pages

Jason Wu for Target: Parisian Teenage Coming-of-Age Chic

How else do you describe this stripey collection of high school bull? It’s pretty enough but it definitely a junior line. I don’t like that Target does this and target the Junior market. Topshop any day of the week for designer collaborations because at least I know that the clothing will be marketed to a woman’s body. Besides stripes going horizontal don’t look good on everybody Jason  Wu even Parisians know that? This is a waste of good design talent and I want TARGET TO JUST STOP IT!

The accessories are quite nice and here are my faves:

Le gatons...perfect for an afternoon stroll or a tote accesoriser.

J’adore ma cherie
My absolute favourite piece from Jason Wu’s target collection.
I love a quirky accessory. This cat tote is divine.

Statement Bag of the Week(end): Reed Krakoff Boxer

The Boxer...I love this name and this bag is definitely a statement.

 

Reed Krakoff’s boxer is wonderfully crafted and I love that all the details of the bag are made available to you on the website. It is almost as if the Krakoff team is saying we did it right! We have made the best looking utilitarian-chic tote just for you. In case you are thinking this bag is jogging your memory to the image of strength and sports. It may be due in part to the tie detailing inspired by the boxer’s tape and the tough no-nonsense closures on the flap. This is definitely a weekend bag and at  835 pounds. It is a classic that will be the perfect bag for seasons to come.

Shoe of the Day: Yves Saint Laurent’s Tweedy Goodness

Yves Saint Laurent Tweed and Leather Tribute Pump

I have to really love a shoe to post on it. I love this Tribute. These colours and textures are perfect for an understated elegance to any day outfit. Whether it be work, meeting, out and about, downtown or uptown. They are sure to garner your feet a desired look or two. The hidden platform will give your feet added height and slender as well as a lengthening effect.

I’d say definetly worth the 795USD price tag at retailer SAKS.

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