fully cHaRgED spRing fasHion in tHE DaRk!

vin theglow
dark!
V58 SPRING 2009 VMAGAZINE.COM
Blast from
the past
Shock of
the new
And the seven
deadly sins
of spring
58
00
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SPRING2008
2009
US $6.50 CAD
US $6.50
$7.50 CAD
DISPLAY
$7.50UNTIL
DISPLAY
XXXXXXXXX
UNTIL may
0, 2008
15, 2009
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High
Voltage
HED HERE
fully charged
spring fashion
NAME
HEDVodianova
HERE
Natalia
IN
CREDIT
IN Dolce &HERE
Gabbana
PHOTOGRAPHED
and Luke
Grimes BYIN D&G
HEDPHOTOGRAPHED
NAME BY
HED & NAME
Mario
HERE
Testino
2/17/09 11:49:16 AM
From top:
Dress Dior
Corset (worn underneath)
Dolce & Gabbana
Belt Paule Ka
Shoes Christian Louboutin for Giles
Swimsuit Louis Vuitton
Bodysuit (worn underneath)
Stella McCartney
Belt Lanvin
Shoes Gucci
Tights Falke
On lips, M.A.C
Lipstick in craving
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2/13/09 11:32:57 AM
The new fragrance
by Francesco Vezzoli
Photography Sølve Sundsbø
Styling Jacob K
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2/13/09 11:32:58 AM
From left:
Dress Balmain
Tights Falke
Dress Balmain
On eyes, M.A.C
Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo in
illusionary/burning ambition
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2/13/09 11:32:59 AM
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2/13/09 11:32:59 AM
From left:
Skirt and belt Dsquared
Leggings Maison Martin Margiela
Bodysuit Falke
Earrings stylist’s own
Shoes Jil Sander
Dress Maison Martin Margiela
Necklace Marios Schwab
Shoes Jil Sander
On hair, Sebastian
Stylixir Natural
Hold Flexi-Styler
c
Desire knows no limits. Artist Francesco Vezzoli reimagines
his infamous Greed commercial for our pages, this time with
supermodel Kristen M Menamy battling herself for the
bottle of imaginary perfume
K
nown for his irreverent, over-the-top video works that mix art history with pop culture,
Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli excels at deconstructing the power and allure of modern media—from its Hollywood films (Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal’s Caligula,
2005) to its presidential campaigns (Democrazy, 2007). But just as his glossy parodies poke fun at celebrity culture, they also indulge in it. In the past, Vezzoli has
collaborated with Sharon Stone, Courtney Love, Catherine Deneuve, and Benicio
Del Toro; and when it came to producing the commercial for his fictional new fragrance Greed, he enlisted Roman Polanski to direct, and Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams to star in it. Weeks before the commercial premiered in February at
the Gagosian Gallery in Rome, V collaborated with Vezzoli on a reinterpretation of
the campaign, this time with photographer Sølve Sundsbø behind the camera, and
Kristen McMenamy brawling with herself over the bottle. Simon Castets
SIMON CASTETS With this V story, another layer of reality is added to Greed. It enters the
realm of high fashion as a legitimate fragrance. How does it feel to see your brainchild take
on a life of its own? FRANCESCO VEZZOLI When I did the pilot for a fake reality show with Catherine Deneuve and
Jeanne Moreau, one of the main reality TV hostesses in Italy complained to one of our contestants
that she had taken part in another show. She was referring to ours. That was exciting for me. But
this project with V is the best infiltration I can think of. It is the first time that something like that is
happening to my work. It would be as if Oprah had invited Sharon Stone on her show as a fake
candidate (Democrazy, 2007). It’s quite a fantastic progression to push further the existence of
this nonexisting perfume in people’s imaginations. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to penetrate the
field of reference so well. It is as if the trailer for Caligula would have played in theaters.
SC This is not your first take at fashion photography. For Veruschka Was Here (Venice
Biennale, 2001), you worked with the supermodel Veruschka and restaged a famous 1969
cover of the German weekly Stern.
FV It was a little dream. I was invited to the Biennale for the first time. The idea was to take a fashion picture and dig out the roots of the image. We got Veruschka, we got the same dress from the
Valentino archives, and the same hair extensions from the same Roman hairdresser. Veruschka was
a great performer. She perfectly understood the spirit of the project. She was just sitting there doing needlework on the bench that Luchino Visconti used for Senso (1954). It was like a milkshake
of references: Veruschka, Visconti, Valentino, Vezzoli. It was all just too much.
SC This Greed story features Kristen McMenamy, who belongs to the following generation of icons.
FV Ms. McMenamy has an incredible presence. She is to be reckoned with. No matter how much
hair and makeup she gets, she is always Kristen McMenamy. She just isn’t malleable. Her personality is larger than life. She’s perfect for this kind of All About Eve scenario. In Italian, the title
is Eva contro Eva. That’s very Greed!
SC According to Webster’s, greed is “an eager desire or longing,” but its object is unspecified. What type of craving do you have in mind for this perfume?
FV You can be greedy for money, sex, food, alcohol, all sorts of compensations. I was looking for
a politically incorrect feeling to express, something unmarketably marketable, a human feeling
that is completely unacceptable. Gucci did Envy. I went for Greed. Envy was a bit tame, Greed
is more corrupt.
SC You mentioned that you tried to find a scent for Greed, but that none of your attempts
was as convincing as the fantasy.
FV At the beginning I had planned to do the perfume, but then I realized that it shouldn’t exist.
It’s like spending three years organizing a dinner party and leaving when the first guest arrives. It
serves as a proof of strength. I was so excited about Natalie and Roman and Michelle, I got carried away. I thought I couldn’t create a perfume that would match the perfect excitement we had.
Taking the perfume away was putting my signature on it.
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2/13/09 11:32:59 AM
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2/13/09 11:33:00 AM
From left:
Dress Versace
Bracelets Mawi
Shoes Louis Vuitton
Bodysuit MaxMara
Belt Fendi
Cuffs Pebble
Shoes Gucci
Tights Wolford
Makeup Miranda Joyce (Streeters)
Hair Samantha Hillerby (Streeters)
Model Kristen McMenamy (DNA)
Manicure Sophy Robson (Streeters)
Photo assistants Karina Twiss,
Ashley Reynolds, Chicko Ohayon
Stylist assistants Siobhan Lyons
and Sivan Currie
Digital technician Luke Cartledge (Republik)
Retouching Digital Light Ltd.
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2/13/09 11:33:00 AM
The new fragrance
by Francesco Vezzoli
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2/13/09 11:33:00 AM