Natalia Vodianova, Raquel Zimmermann and Edie Campbell are among top models to star in a new collection of black and white untouched images, celebrating the official launch of Viva Model agency in London. Each of the company’s girls has been photographed by Scott Trindle – without any make-up, hair or styling.

“It doesn’t scare me that the images aren’t retouched, it adds another layer of interest and intrigue,” Trindle told us. “I’m as guilty of a slight polish in post as any, but having beautiful woman sit by a window doesn’t fill me with unease. The fear that surrounds an un-retouched image is quite amazing – and again I’m no martyr. So much can be adapted in post, and so I suppose the main benefit is its purity.”

Over the past year, each model has been asked to have their portrait taken by Trindle when visiting London – a slightly less glamorous setting than some may have been used to: in his Dalston flat.

“I suppose there is a level of irony having supermodels like Natalia and Raquel traipse through a £5 carwash and a cloud of Angel’s barbecued jerk fumes, and I can’t deny buying some flowers on the odd occasion to lighten the setting,” the photographer said. “Even after three flights of stairs everyone was really receptive, and I think on the odd occasion welcomed the break from a hectic schedule of go-sees.”

Viva’s director Natalie Hand is thrilled with the results.

“His images stood out because it was just so interesting and rare for us to see the girls like that; he shot them with no additional hair, make-up or styling,” she explained. “They were shot exactly as they were in person, exactly how they were when they walked through his door. And they looked really beautiful. The blemishes added to their charm. And you could definitely learn something about the model’s real character from the pictures.”

Source

Natalia is on the June cover of L’Officiel magazine. Thanks to ANV, I’ve added both the cover and the editorial to the gallery. Below you can also find an English translation of the article that appears in the magazine. Thanks to Valentine27 from TFS for the translation!

Gallery Links
Magazine Scans > Covers > 2011
Magazine Scans > Editorials > 2011 > L’Officiel June

We’ve met for the first time in her manor of the English countryside. Her children were 8, 3 & 2 years-old at the time. I’m seeing her again this year, 2 years later, on a beach in Phuket. She’s still walking and has just signed again a collection of lingerie and swimwear. A difficult life yesterday, beautiful today. From my deck chair, I’m observing her. Natalia plays in the pool with her 2 cadets, she’s wearing a tee-shirt in Néoprène and a sun block. She looks like an teenager that doesn’t care about her look. Seated on the sand, a bob on the head, she’s building sandcastles.

How has your collaboration with Etam evolved since our last meeting?
Today, I have a better approach about the creation of a collection. When I started, I’ve been told : “Do what you want”. I had trouble focusing on only one thing. I wanted to create several different lines, each with a precise theme. I wanted everything to be beautiful all together. Finally, I realized it was a mistake. Now, I only choose one theme around which I’m focusing for the whole collection. And it works much better, because everything is more fluid, people understand clearer what I’m trying to do.

This collection is called “Paradise”, why?
I’ve been inspired by this name from my trips in places like Thailand, Bali, Brazil. This collection is about emotions, thoughts, things I’ve seen, sort of a collection of experiences.

(more…)

Style.com gets the story behind the supermodel’s Cannes Beauty Look. Click to begin the slideshow.

Natalia Vodianova joins Freja Beha Erichsen and Lara Stone as one of the three cover stars on the first ever multi-cover issue of Vogue this month. She wears a Vivienne Westwood wedding dress for her ninth cover appearance.

The mother of three was born into poverty in Gorky, in the former USSR, in 1982 and sold fruit from a roadside stall – where she was famously discovered at the age of 15. “Sometimes we had no food,” she told the Times in 2008. “Most days, I was on the streets. We didn’t have anywhere to go – only deserted buildings and basements where teenagers were drinking. It wasn’t depressing then, but it is depressing to look back on.”

She married English aristo-artist Justin Portman in 2001 and together they have three children – Lucas Alexander (born November 22 2001), daughter Neva (born March 24 2006), and son Viktor (born September 13 2007). Her deprived childhood led her to set up the Naked Heart Foundation, which aims to provide safe and inspiring playgrounds for children in rural Russia.

Currently the face of Calvin Klein and Guerlain – and a designer for French brand Etam – Natalia has gone from poverty to the cover of Vogue with a marathon run and a cameo role in Hollywood blockbuster Clash of the Titans along the way. Here, we chart the rise and rise of the woman who Vanity Fair named “the first supermodel of the 21st Century”.

Source

Source

The 29-year-old model keeps in shape by eating well and exercising regularly, but still found she was having problems with her stomach five years ago. Someone told her to give the blood group plan, which bans food that doesn’t suit your blood type. The star wasn’t sure at first, but has since been astounded by the results.

“It’s absolutely changed my life. I’ve cut out foods such as mangoes, bananas, red peppers plus yeasty and acidic foods,” she explained to the May edition of InStyle.

“Things like game and liver are really good for me and I’m allowed my weaknesses, caviar and coffee, thank God! The wrong foods definitely shake my system.”

Natalia has three kids with her husband Justin Portman, and although she’s always been slim her babies took a toll on her figure. She has found yoga invaluable in strengthening and toning her body and practices it every day.

“Yes, I’m naturally very slim and I’ve always had a flat stomach, but after having three children I just didn’t feel that strong here in my core,” she explained.

“Since doing yoga every morning I feel 16 again – everything just feels together.”

Despite posing in just her underwear and a pair of bunny ears, model Natalia Vodianova insists that it is “almost impossible to make me look vampy”.

The rags-to-riches philanthropist, who was nicknamed Supernova by fashion photographer Mario Testino, posed as the Easter Bunny for Tatler magazine.

She signed her first modelling contract at 17 and has used her status to campaign for several good causes. She founded the Naked Heart Foundation for deprived Russian youngsters and will run the Paris marathon to raise money for it.

Vodianova, 29, who has three children with property heir husband Justin Portman, donned a bespoke pair of ears made by milliner Philip Treacy. She said: “I look so sweet, it’s almost impossible to make me look vampy.”

From the May issue of Tatler, out on Monday.

Source

Source

Diane von Furstenberg invited in Zhang Huan’s studio friends and celebs for a Gala ball. Photostreaming from Shanghai.

Shanghai once again acts as the setting for important events blending fashion and art.

Designer Diane von Furstenberg, after taking part in the recent party thrown by gallerist and art collector Pearl Lam in her honor has hosted a Gala ball in the studio of Zhang Huan, one of the best-known and most appreciated Chinese contemporary artists.

For the occasion, the entrance hall of the 3,500 sqm atelier has been decorated with long red tents. Among the guests were Jessica Alba, Natalia Vodianova, Betty Catroux, Ming Xi, Franca Sozzani and Jonathan Newhouse. Transsexual dancer Jiing Xin gave a performance during the evening.