TWIGGY:
Possibly one of the most famous models of all time Lesley Lawson, better known as Twiggy, was an English actress, singer, and model. The swinging sixties gave birth to her career as a teen model where she gained prominence with her thin build (thus the nickname), and her famously androgynous. Big eyes, long eyelashes, and short hair – this was the signature look that became synonymous with the singer/model/actress. The “It Girl” of the decade exploded in popularity during the span 1966-67 when she was named “The Face of 1966” by the Daily Express and also voted British Woman of the Year. Soon after she dawned the covers of Vogue, The Tatler and had modeled on three separate continents, from the U.S. and France to Japan. Modeling broke her into the business, but it was her genius in honing her brand and skill as well as her look that propelled her into TV, stage, screen, and music. At one point she even hosted her own talk show called Twiggy’s People and served as a judge on America’s Next Top Model. She continued to work throughout the 1970s and long into the ’90s; in 1998 she released Twiggy in Black and White, an autobiography, that became a bestseller.
More than 40 years after she burst into the fashion scene she was still showing the world that Twiggy was not only still relevant, but also at the top of her game, collaborating with designers Marks & Spencer to launch an exclusive clothing line for the M&S Woman collection. Twiggy continues to model and act today, is still as beautiful and mysterious as she ever was.
Photo Source: Google
TOM FORD / TERRY RICHARDSON – 2007/2008 CAMPAIGNS:
In 2007, fashion perverts Tom Ford and Terry Richardson teamed up for a shock and awe campaign – which shouldn’t have surprised anyone (both were always a bit naughty, so it was only a matter of time until both collaborated on something.)
That “something” turned out to be Tom Ford’s 2007 fragrance campaign. Next was its 2008 spring/summer campaign. Ford, the fashion world’s style provocateur, and Richardson, the ‘sex first, questions later’ photographer, pushed the envelope as far as they could. You might even say they pushed it off the table.
Despite the great artistic message in the campaign its images, the sheer vulgarity and over-the-top sexuality of these ads seemed too much for some people: The latter campaign was banned in Italy, while the 2007 fragrance campaign was banned everywhere. Regardless, Mr. Ford continued to sell fragrances; thus, the skillfully shot images served their purpose.
Photos: Copyright Terry Richardson and Tom Ford
GIANNI VERSACE:
When you think of Versace you don’t often think of Gianni Versace‘s death at first. I can actually remember hearing on the news that Gianni Versace had been murdered in Miami Beach Andrew Cunanan, a spree killer who later committed suicide – but not before he took the lives of Versage and four others. Unlike his death, however, Versace’s life was anything but tragic.
The Italian designer and founder of Gianni Versace S.p.A., an international fashion house that dominated the fashion scene for 30 years. Starting with knits that caught the eye of Genny and Callaghan, Versage was hired immediately, first designing the brand’s leather and lace collections. A few years later Versace took the first step toward building his fashion empire by presenting his first signature collection at the Palazzo della Permanente Art Museum of Milan. He would become known for a style all his own which included influences Andy Warhol, as well as Ancient Roman and Greek art and also abstract art. His celebrity was nothing short of royal either; he collected a personal friend list that Beyonce and Jay-Z himself would be jealous of: Princess Diana, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Elton John, Cher, and Sting to name a few. After Versace’s first fashion show and menswear collection he teamed up with partner Jorge Saud, who would later become affiliated with Giorgio Armani. Together they would form an empire, but at the time the next step was to open a boutique, so in 1978 they opened their first store in Milan’s Via della Spiga.
Gianni Verasace was killed at the age of 50, walking home from the store — something he really never did, which makes the entire episode even more mysterious. Usually Versace would have had an assistant go to the store for him, but for some reason that day he felt like walking himself. He left the Versace brand to his family, mainly brother Santos and sister Donatella, as well as partner Jorge Saud. His partner in life, Antonio D’Amico, was cut out of most of the estate left to him by Gianni Versace but he later went on to start his own company.
Versace is synonymous with class, sex, and beauty – they embody elegance and luxury in the world of fashion and it all started with one man who lived his dream and was lost too soon. Gianni Versace will live on forever through his legacy and name.
