La Mamounia ... Candids

As you may well know, Daria was at the reopening of the La Mamounia hotel in Marrakech, Morocco this past week. And though I thought that the excitement over that sighting had died down, there are now new pictures from this event (and then some!). 

Vogue columnist and party fixture Derek Blasberg posted a few candids on his twitter as well as the style.com blog. His reports make this sound like an interesting time ... "Every night ended at the leopard-heavy downstairs lounge, the Churchill Bar, where Daria Werbowy, Matthew Williamson, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, and Carine Roitfeld belted out everything from Grease show tunes to Sarah McLaughlin. “Leopard carpet, cognac, and a piano? I think I found my new favorite bar ever,” Werbowy said." 

My thoughts are going wild imagining Carine and Daria singing a duet together! I've always heard that the fashion world is brutal, but this is quite hard to believe when you can find a Vogue editor, photographers, a designer and a model belting out music from seventies movies ... something makes me think that Anna Wintour would not be as up for it ...

Daria and Matthew Williamson ... look familiar?Jacquetta Wheeler, Daria Werbowy and Derek Blasberg. I love Daria's laidback style!

AIDS International 25th Anniversary Dinner

It is Daria overload as of late! It seems as if our favourite model has racked up quite the number of flyer miles this year. Right now I can recall events in Milan, Toronto, New York, Paris (and New York again!) just in the past few months! Just on the 26th of November Daria was present at the La Mamounia hotel inaguration in Morocco, where it is rumored that she shot a DSquared campaign. 

Apparently, that isn't the only work that she did while in the beautiful country ... rumors abounded that Daria shot an editorial for an upcoming issue of Vogue Paris with (who else but) Inez and Vinoodh. I guess there really is no such thing as rest and relaxation in the modeling business - it is clear that models often mix work and play together! A plane flight and a few hours later Daria was in Paris for the AIDS International 25th Anniversary dinner. 

It is quite surprising to see Daria at such a large number of events this year - she was virtually non-existent on the part circuit all throughout 2008 and 2007! But when it is for a such a good cause then I can really appreciate it ... plus, any event with a performance by Jane Birkin and I would be there as well! Hmm ... and Daria is wearing Balmain SS10 ... I hope this means an ad campaign in the near future!

Behind the Scenes of Vogue Nippon

If you've been reading this blog for a while (maybe even the past few days) you will probably know that I always gravitate towards candid shots rather than a finished project. This is one of the many reasons why I love Vogue Nippon - a covergirl always gets a "making of" feature in which one can see the goings on in making a cover. And it's always interesting to see a before and after!

I've also made this post as an update to readers ... you may have come across new pages and some differences in the site - I'm trying to build up the archives in what little free time I have. Hopefully with the holidays I can post some more images and extras, but for now I've updated the cover section, added a Lancome page as well as a Photographers page (I love this idea as a means of showcasing Daria's work with singular visions). For now I've decided that the editorials I do add to the site will be either my top favourite works of Daria's career or images in very high quality, so you will see images interspersed with links. As always, enjoy and keep checking back!

Vogue Nippon covers so far ... hopefully there will be a sixth!
sources: Before and After compiled by The Daria Files, Vogue Nippon scan by a.t. at tFS, cover collage images via fashion-iconography.net

La Mamounia Hotel Inauguration ... Daria in Morocco

Along with a bevy of Hollywood party goers (Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow) Daria was on hand at a party for the re-opening of La Mamounia Hotel Morocco. Like any person spending Thanksgiving in Morocco I'm sure she had a good time!

Daria arrived with fellow Canadias Dean and Dan Caten, designers of Italian label DSquared (I am sure you remember them). The group was in town to shoot the Spring Summer 2010 DSquared campaign. A news article hinted that Daria would be the new face of the campaign and it would make sense considering Dean & Dan were in Morocco, but this isn't 100% confirmed. If it is true though, that would be two campaigns for the springs eason ... Stefanel and DSquared!

Apparently other party goers weren't as enthusiastic at the event (Daria finally smiles!) ... despite urging from the crowd Brian Ferry of Roxy Music fame declined to sing karaoke at the fete. I guess its like a psychiatrist being asked to diagnose everyone at a cocktail party - the requests must get annoying! 

Vogue Nippon January 2010 : Going Nomad

The Vogue Nippon cover was posted at theFashionSpot and I am pleasantly surprised. It is quite a departure from Daria's previous cover for January 2009. The styling is more relaxed as is the pose and I think this pertains to Daria style much more. And albeit the fact that the omniprescent "G" is still there, it is not as distracting as January 2009 ... in fact I've become quite used to it! As is habit with Vogue Nippon covergirls, there is no editorial inside, but hopefully a "Making Of" the cover story scan will be posted! Which do you prefer? January 2009 or January 2010?

image scan: a.t. at tFS

Vogue Nippon January 2010

It seems that Vogue Nippon is establishing new traditions ... Daria will be on the January 2010 issue of Vogue Nippon! This comes a year after her Vogue Nippon January 2009 cover which can be seen below. Hopefully, this latest cover will not be as layout-challenged as the last cover was - I think we all remember the hate that oddly placed 'G' stirred. The majority of Vogue Nippon cover girls don't get an editorial but hopefully Daria will be the exception. After all, she did have her top editorial of the year in this Japanese magazine. And the cover is shot by Inez and Vinoodh ... all signs point to something great.


image credits: scans by magstyle at theFashionSpot

Behind the scenes of the Vogue Nippon January 2009 cover ...

I'd also like to write a few words on an unfortunate event that happened late last week ... I am sure a few of you have heard of the untimely demise of Korean model Daul Kim. This news came as a shock considering that Daul was a brilliant personality and always seemed full of vivacity. She was a beautiful model and who's career I followed closely. To hear of her death was a surprise but yet again a reminder of the harshness of the fashion industry. Daul, I just want to say that you were amazing and you will be missed. Stay gold.

Happy Birthday Daria!

Today is Daria's 26th birthday! I want to make a post just to say happy birthday Daria (who knows - maybe you've come across this site once), and many more to come! I also want to make a quick shout out to all the readers of the site - thanks for coming everyday and bearing with my odd musings here and there. It's always a nice surprise to see a new follower or a comment.

The Age Issue
Vogue US September 2004
Ph by Steven Meisel

And also, a thank you to Daria who keeps inspiring me to run this site. Ever since I first became interested in models and fashion Daria was the first model I really noticed. She has managed to remain the most beautiful and interesting of the bunch! And because no post is ever complete without a picture I wanted to include this editorial. It was the first time I learned of Daria the model, and coincidentally this editorial was also the first issue of Vogue that I bought. It was the Age issue and I remember devouring every article ... particularly one feature in which Daria talks of her modeling experiences so far, and her life as a twenty year old woman. Who knows, maybe one day she'll be featured in the "Thirties" section! But for now enjoy your birthday D!

Vogue US December 2009 : Point Break

After a few restless days and multiple visits to The Fashion Spot I finally have my hands on Daria's latest editorial in Vogue! 

Point Break
Photographers: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Styling: Edward Enninful
Model: Daria Werbowy

When word got out that Daria was photographed by the duo of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot an already formed theme came to mind. Mert and Marcus are well known for their stylized and powerful depictions of woman. Though I like the editorials Daria does with Mert and Marcus - they always bring out a sense of athleticism and strength - I always feel that they are missing a humane aspect. Daria is oft found looking into the distance and there is no real connection established between the viewer and the model. Suffice to say I always find images that are able to make a connection make a larger impact. 

If you can recall the April 2009 Vogue US editorial "The Deep End" (both were shot by M&M) it has a similar tone and theme. The opening shot is quite dominant, but it is diluted in the later images. It isn't necessarily a bad thing though. I find myself gravitating towards this editorial more ... perhaps it is the quirkier styling or less static poses, but I find Point Break to be quite entertaining.

source: scanned by sister-d at bwgreyscale.com

Field of Dreams

So finally, after more than a week of strenuous schoolwork, and then actual work on top of that I am able to write a little bit about Daria's latest editorial "Girl of the Golden Field". To be quite honest, I have been waiting for an editorial like this for a while! I feel that this year has not yielded for many memorable works, save for Iron Maiden and Uptown Girl.

Yet this work of photos makes such an impression because there is an obvious thought behind the process. Despite being placed in such an empty setting as a barley field there is a sense of intimacy, and of sensuality in the pictures. It is interesting to note that albeit Daria being nude or partially covered in each shot, this editorial is not about exposure in the most literal sense. 

Girl of the Golden Field

Vogue Nippon December 2009

Ph Inez and Vinoodh

I find this work to be less about the clothes or the setting, but of Daria herself. It is evident that there is an understanding between the photographers and their subject, and it seems as if the photographic pair just stumbled upon Daria on a trip through the fields. Inez and Vinoodh have made me interested in their work yet again ... hopefully we can see more of this in the future!