Noomi Rapace’s Blackbook December 2011. The Original Dragon Girl

Just in time for the Hollywood remake of the controversial and much awaited Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movie, Noomi Rapace, the acclaimed actress who was the first Lisbeth Salander on the big screen, in the original Swedish movie is on the cover of Blackbook magazine!

And even if she uses the controversial remake as a cover title, Noomi is there to talk about her Sherlock Holmes role (she’s starring in the second installment of the successful franchise directed by Guy Ritchie) and more (Prometheus, the prequel to the Alien movies). I wonder how she feels, though, being the original Dragon Girl and living to see another version of the tormented Lisbeth through Rooney Mara!

It sorrows me to say that although I highly appreciate Florence Welch, this cover is a huge disappointment. It has that Farrah Fawcett air you just can’t get away from (doesn’t it)?

In short: Florence Welch does Vogue UK January 2012, photographed by Mario Testino and highly praised, as the cover mentions “The Florence phenomenon”. Good for her – she’s very talented and the music she makes is really special. The inside pictorial is surprisingly ethereal for someone like Florence who always looked like someone very tellurian and well… rock solid (I mean that not in a bad way but in reference to the solid state and hardly moldable, floating nature of a rock). The colors they used, the poses and the outfits blew me away! I couldn’t have suspected such transparent sensibility from Florence. Could you? – hit the jump to see where my surprise comes from! (click the picture for larger view)

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And so the January issues of our favorite fashion magazines have started pouring in. And there’s really no stopping – they have these big, festive approaches ready to seduce us all. Take Elle‘s Christmas-sy red writing on an almost all white cover! It’s been a while since Katherine Heigl hasn’t been on the cover of a fashion magazine – there she is, now, looking all strange on the cover of Elle US, the January 2012 issue as photographed by Carter Smith.

Luckily, the inside pictorial is much more interesting than the cover and I’m hoping the interview will prove as well surprisingly catchy. After all, it’s Katherine Heigl, deny it all she wants, she still is America’s Sweetheart. One of them, anyway! Come, come, click through to discover the beauty inside!

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This year’s Viva Glam campaign wasn’t about Lady Gaga anymore (you know, it was about Nicky Minaj and Ricky Martin). However, Lady Gaga couldn’t rest at the thought of her past Glam-ness. So she’s keeping her relevant status on by spawning a dress.

No. A Masterpiece of a dress! With, biensur, Nicola Formichetti. (in short – the dress uses fabric printed with the faces of Gaga’s fans who responded at her appeal to send pictures of a loved one who is suffering from AIDS). The dress in itself, called “One of a Kind” hails from a very brave and noble initiative and they should get standing ovations for their involvement in M.A.C. Viva Glam’s campaigns (trying to raise $250 Million for the foundation). It’s the hypnotic presentation that troubles me (watch it right after the jump). Oh, and … that’s a dress (by any couture standards)? I’ll have to adjust my closet accordingly – level up my lingerie drawer as evening gowns!

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Not the average magazine cover you’d expect Angelina Jolie to land on! Newsweek’s current edition showing a perfect portrait of Angelina could make you pick up the magazine (which you can actually do, starting today).

However, the pictures taken by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello accompany an article / interview about the horrors of war. Yes, Angelina is talking (again) about her movie. Didn’t she just do that on 60 Minutes? Ah, yes, she did! And there she goes at it again.

The unavoidable marketing mechanism started by Angelina Jolie won’t fail, I’m certain. Her movie, although slightly unusual for a near Christmas release, will most certainly get the crowds in the dark theatre rooms. And I’m beginning to think any means are perfectly justifiable when it comes to drawing attention to sensitive matters like refugees, war abominations, famine and so forth. Things need to be done. Things need to be fixed. How about you? Honestly? Will you go see her movie? (click the image for larger view)

While you may be tempted to go around this, being just another one of those Victoria’s Secret related topics, I suggest you don’t. It’s really not your typical models – wearing lingerie thing; this time it’s different!

It’s about their photographer. Russell James has been with Victoria’s Secret as their photographer since 1997. That should say something about the brand and, most of all, about Russell himself. And the video below is his short story, as told by Russell himself while he was actually shooting Victoria’s Secret Holidays campaign, for a segment of Dream Jobs. I was watching the video and all I could do is think about Steve Jobs‘s words – “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust in something.”

I have no idea what drove Russell James throughout his adventurous life, what I do know is that he seems to have found his path and he’s staying true to it. And that, my lovelies, is way beyond any VS story you’ve heard before. Isn’t it?

Loving Tiffany & Co’s Holidays campaigns has become a bit of a cliché, but I don’t mind. Clichés are good, especially during the Holidays season!

The 2011 Holidays Ad Campaign from the iconic jewelry brand brings Laetitia Casta into the spotlight. Flawless, unbelievably charming Laetitia in one of those fairy tale like love stories with a happy bling ending. I must say, though I appreciate Laetitia and usually love Tiffany’s campaigns, between this one and Tiffany’s weddings one, I’m definitely sold for the latter. Shown earlier this year, Tiffanny & Co’s video was really magical! You could feel the sparkle. This one – not. No sparkle. The girl is beautiful, the jewelry is exquisite. The campaign is impeccable overall. Only the “True Love Grows” dream was more believable to me. Am I the only one?

When you read the first part of the title you thought she was modeling for them, didn’t you? Well, at least that’s what I initially believed when I popped into the story. Sasha Pivovarova for Gap – sounds just like one of those campaign announcements where the model is being tied to the brand and voila! As simple as that.

There’s more to this story, however! Sasha Pivovarova doesn’t just model for Gap! She’s modeling for Sasha Pivovarova’s Gap Collection! Wow, right? Sasha’s sleepwear collection for Gap is a bit unconventional than you might expect as it features prints hand drawn by Sasha herself. It’s a six pieces charming collection, classic pieces with a twist. How do you like it? Will you be willing to pick the traditional pajama gift from Sasha’s collection this Christmas?

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