Lana Del Rey: New Face of H&M

Lana Del Rey is the face of the 2012 fall collection for H&M. Shot by fashion heavy weights, Ines Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the photos show Del Rey's signature 60's style in an pink angora jumper, leather jeans, chandelier earrings, big hair, thick cat eyes and sharp nails.  "The mood is very LA noir." say H&M creative director Donald Schneider.

A commercial featuring Rey possibly singing "Blue Velvet" (inspired from the David Lynch movie) aired September 19th on the H&M website and then used for TV

Michalsky Stylenite Features Pregnant Model in runway show

Michalsky Stylenite in his 2012/2013 collection at the Berlin Fashion week has featured a pregnant model in his show. And it was NOT for maternity wear. 

It certainly raised a few eyebrows at the show, but I think it is a unique and different change for runway and celebrates woman-hood.

Chanel Condom: Keep it Classy

Not sure if these are real but I hear they can set you back $279 a pack

Seventeen Magazine: No More Airbrushing!

14 year old Julia Bluhm, of Waterville Maine, began organized a petition which received 84,168  signatures. The petition pleaded to Seventeen magazine to portray the young girls as they really are without digitally altering their bodies or face.

Seventeen took the petition to heart and made an official statement for the August issue.

Editor Ann Shocket and the entire staff of Seventeen signed a pact that agreed to show models as they are without retouching.

Women hate themselves too much as it is and it begins with society screaming "you suck! buy this!" at such a young age. By showing girls in a realistic light and encouraging self appreciation while they are young, hopefully they will be less likely to have such devastating self esteem issues. 

Seventeen is a very forward thinking for a popular fashion magazine and has featured models of all size shapes and color. This is a HUGE step in the right direction and proves that one person (even a kid) make a remarkable impact! Passion goes a long way.

You Look like the 4th of July! It makes me want a hot dog real bad!

(this is a photo of me from my high school year book)

Lana Del Rey's National Anthem Channels Jackie Onassis and Marilyn Monroe

Today the Lana Del Rey music video for "National Anthem" was released.

 Rey portrays a sort of Marilyn Monroe Jackie Onassis hybrid, and the video features A$AP Rocky as a Jack Kennedy/Barack Obama hybrid.

The video has already sparked a lot of controversy for recreating the 1963 Kennedy assassination, and the interracial relationship has raised a few eyebrows.  Director Anthony Mandler says that was the point.

"We used the Kennedy framework to kind of implement this new Camelot, this maybe socially diverse Camelot...bringing it into the modern era, but still keeping that classic framework. There's a kind of micro commentary on this new royalty. I think with an African American president, it's still controversial to see him playing JFK, its still taboo, even though it shouldn't be."

He goes on to say "We didn't want to make it be a mockery. How many artists and rappers and singers have you seen running around in badly fitted suits acting like the president?"

Mandler says he wanted the video's theme to be about a loss of innocence and sort of a Romeo and Juliet story. He felt the Marilyn. Jackie O and Jack Kennedy love triangle "became this kind of ideal of what seemed perfect from the outside but was maybe rotting on the inside."

The video is amazing and it channels a modernized early 60's feel. It is hard not to have some emotional response to it. Rey is simply stunning in it. Is it controversial, perhaps? But it is also bold and I think the director created his vision successfully.

90's Revival: Shirley Manson

After a 7 year hiatus the band Garbage has put out a new album Not Your Kind of People
I have been dying to do a blog covering Shirley Manson's style!

The front woman Shirley Manson with her heavily lined eyes, fire engine red lips and ginger locks has an iconic look along with a powerful knack for singer and song writing.

(Not mention a unique fashionista)