Pretty babies

sharif hamza for vogue paris via sharif hamza

So after editorial spreads showcasing cosmetic surgery, loved up old folks and Ali McGraw et al, what other subjects did Tom Ford explore during his editorial stewardship of the Christmas edition of Vogue Paris? Tarted-up six year-olds. Photographed by Sharif Hamza and styled by Melanie Huynh, the 15-page 'Cadeaux' gift spread features a gaggle of little girls kitted out in designer gear. Yes, most kids love playing dressups and some images are no different to spreads you might find in childrens' fashion magazines such as Vogue Bambini, Vogue Enfants or our Studio Bambini. Save for the fact, of course, that the latter are all childrens' fashion magazines, marketing childrens' clothing to parents. As distinct from an adult's fashion magazine that is using children to advertise grownup merchandise to adults - and which happens to include several simulated sex scenes elsewhere in the edition. However the inclusion of several shots of heavily made-up children draped seductively over chairs, daybeds and an animal skin rug, with their legs and décolletages bared, like child prostitutes in a brothel, illustrates just how untouchable Ford and Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld believe themselves to be. Ditto the alarmingly ambiguous image of the child brushing her teeth. ***UPDATE 18/12/10: Today's surprise announcement that Roitfeld will be leaving Vogue Paris in January after 10 years at the magazine's helm, to pursue "personal projects", will no doubt prompt some speculation that she might not have been quite as untouchable as she thought.***

No, thankfully their great mate Terry Richardson was apparently nowhere near this shoot, even though he does feature elsewhere in the issue. 

But we all know exactly what that toothbrush image would mean in the hands of Richardson and with an adult model. The trouble with putting the nudge-nudge-wink-wink into fashion is that everything has the potential to be a dirty joke.  

all images: sharif hamza for vogue paris via sharif hamza

Emma Balfour shoots Willow... and Céline?

Here is a sneak peek at Australian modelling veteran Emma Balfour in Willow’s Resort 2010/2011 collection. The lookbook was shot yesterday by Max Doyle at designer Kit Willow’s Sydney headquarters and it was styled by Melanie Huynh. A stylist at Paris Vogue for five years and a former assistant to editor Carine Roitfeld, the now freelance Huynh flew out from her Paris base on Friday specifically for this job. It’s not the first time that Kit Willow and Huynh have worked together. Huynh styled Willow's 'Eclipse' Fall/Winter 2010/2011 show in New York in February (she also styled Joseph Altuzarra’s FW1011 show). Willow's Resort collection, entitled 'Bachelor Girl', will begin dropping into stores here in September and overseas, from October. Balfour was once a very big modelling name, who emerged in London in the early 1990s as part of the so-called “waif” brigade, that was spearheaded by Kate Moss. Balfour only recently returned to the business and frockwriter hears that she could be in for a major career boost - courtesy one very high profile French luxury brand.


Since Balfour’s return to the runways in September 2008 during New York's Spring/Summer 2009 shows, walking for headliners Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang, the Sydney-based mother of two has been quietly building a portfolio of editorial work in this market.

Balfour has also appeared in several Rosemount Australian Fashion Week shows, including last year's Friedrich Gray and camilla + marc and last month's Ksubi show.

According to our well-placed sources, Balfour has just shot the Céline Fall/Winter 2010/2011 campaign. The campaign is said to include at least one other model.

Of course nothing is concrete in the modelling biz until it’s in print. But with new creative director Phoebe Philo, ex Chloé, helping reinvent Céline as of the world's hottest fashion brands, even booking the job is a fantastic get for Balfour.

In September 2008, coincidentally the month of Balfour's return to New York's runways, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and other members of the original 1990s supermodel pack began resurfacing in major fashion advertising campaigns.

Ad campaign shots are of course slightly less risky for advertisers, because well, they can be controlled and airbrushed - unlike most runway images.

Although Céline did not use any models aged 40+ on its Fall/Winter 2010/2011 runway earlier this year, however, several other brands did, deploying a handful of runway veterans, including Elle Macpherson, Kristen McMenamy and Stella Tennant.

So, interesting times indeed.