Balmain Spring Summer 2010 + Candids

This post has been accumulating on my dashboard for a while as I've been waiting for a proper image from the Balmain Spring Summer 2010 campaign to give my opinion. Its a far stray from previous Balmain campaigns and sadly not the greatest effort from the brand.

Balmain's duty to Daria is unfailing and I see her as the perfect face for the brand - both feminine and boyish, an aesthetic that is identifiable to Balmain. Yet none of these characteristics are quite present in this campaign. Yes, the SS10 collection was inspired by both the army and a sense of the outdoors but I think that the art direction in this shoot was a failed interpretation of that theme. It was as if Inez and Vinoodh decided to throw in any emblem synonymous with battle in a foreign country (look a Jeep! Palm trees!) into one photo and call it a day. Of all of the campaigns this season I am least impressed by this one.

Also I didn't want to be the one to say it but seeing as how many people have brought up the topic ... Don't get me wrong - I am never one to bring up a models appearance or weight in a negative connotation but I can't help but feel that this campaign is projecting a rather unhealthy image. To be honest, Daria hasn't looked this thin since her 2005 year of modeling but in this campaign she looks downright emaciated. I am hoping that this is just the studio lighting combined with the rather unfortunate hair and makeup but this is just one of the reasons why I don't really like this ad.

But enough about Balmain - there are great new candids of old events below. Thanks to some intense sleuthing by Megan from the Daria Werbowy gallery more candids from Daria in Morocco have appeared as well as behind the scenes images from Loewe's website. Its nice to see that Daria had some fun during her work in Morocco! The candid of Daria and the long haired fellow and the one of Daria arriving at her Loewe shooting happen to be my favourites. I've said it before but I'll say it again - I love Daria's laidback style.

Behind the Scenes of Loewe

sources: Balmain ad via fashionweekdaily.com ; Morocco candids from jamesdkelly.com via mm6789 ; Loewe candids screencapped by me via Loewe.com

More Loewe : Behind the Scenes of the SS10 Campaign

Just as I was really starting to look at the latest Loewe campaign, a new bundle of pictures surface on the web and this time they are from the making of Daria's latest campaign. Stuart Vevers, creative director of Loewe, has developed a crush on Daria and as such, Vogue.uk has a behind the scenes look at the shooting of the campaign ...

Its always interesting to have a glimpse of the goings ons of the fashion industry and these pictures are no exception. From the warm colours of the clothes to the bright flowers garlanding the set, I think we can expect a very Spanish infused campaign - it seems as if Loewe is truly going back to its roots.

Speaking of roots I've taken to reading of the brands history ... warning, there is a little fashion history lesson in this post. Established in 1846 by German crafstman Enrique Roessberg Loewe, Loewe is a brand with a fruitful history, from a partnership with the Spanish Royal House to a ready-to-wear collection launched in the seventies. It is a luxury brand that is best known for its leather accessories. But with the appointal of Stuart Vevers as the newest creative director the brand has a lot more in mind ... With a seemingly discreet presence on the fashion scene I hadn't heard of Vevers before this campaign, but reading his resume I realized that he's made quite the impact.

Vevers has worked everywhere from Calvin Klein to Givenchy but most notably his presence at British brand Mulberry should be noted where he invigorated the almost forty year old brand with innovative campaigns by Steven Meisel and a much hyped accessories line. And apparently 160 year young brand Loewe believes he can do the same thing. But history lesson over for now! If you want to know more though, Loewe has a pretty interesting website. By the way, did you know that in German Loewe means lion? Perhaps the brand took this as a literal reference when styling Daria's hair?

image credits: backstage pictures from vogue.co.uk via x_baldez at tFS

Loewe Spring Summer 2010 : Daria Werbowy by Inez and Vinoodh

It's that time of year again, when the February issues of fashion magazines are just starting to come out and we get our first peaks at the faces of the latest ad campaigns. Rasa has landed the coveted Prada spot, Freja and Claudia have snatched up Chanel yet again and now Daria has ... Loewe? It was a no brainer that she would land Stefanel - we had been hearing news on that since last September - the DSquared campaign is confirmed and there is a strong chance that Daria has landed Balmain. So it was a surprise, if anything,  to see Daria as the face of the Spring Summer 2010 Loewe campaign.

Behind the lens are photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (you have no idea how oddly facile it is to spell these names now :P). Considering Daria is their muse of sorts then it is quite fitting that they collaborate yet again for this campaign. On first glance, there are obvious bones to pick ... "Why does Daria's Stepford-esque hair seem as if its pasted on her head?" ...but apart from this minor detail, no pun intended, the campaign is a pleasant surprise. It's always great to see a favourite model of mine racking up the campaign numbers amidst the competition of newer colleagues. Like any other campaign though, I'm as yet undecided until I see more pictures.

It is also interesting to note that this is the second campaign this season in which Daria has replaced Gisele Bundchen - first Stefanel and now Loewe ... I had hoped for Versace as well but rather unfortunately that went to newcomer Georgia May Jagger. Either way this campaign season is much more exciting than last, where Daria had only one, rather superior, campaign with Longchamp. I can't wait to see if there is anything more in store .... But enough of campaign talk! I want to say a quick Happy New Year to all of the readers! Hopefully 2010 will be a great year for Daria, this blog and you the reader :)

source: thelovemagazineblog