Monroe by Stern

Being a bombshell myself [sarcasm], I've always taken a special interest in Marlyn Monroe. The woman known around the world in her own time, and past it, captivated her audience from the start of her career to her untimely death. Just six weeks prior to that, she sat in three separate sessions for Bert Stern, a photographer who's work influenced 'the golden age of advertising'. The sessions that lasted over a three day period consisted on more than 2,500 photos, some becoming the most iconic images of not only Monroe, but of that time - think a naked blonde rolling around in bed white sheets. A selection of the photos made their way into Vogue Magazine, thus establishing Monroe as an icon of the time, but was unfortunately followed by her death only six weeks after the portraits were taken. Although the loss of Monroe is a travesty, we are lucky to have an abundance of films and images, like these, to remember her.

Country on Fire

City life has it perks, but it also has it's downfalls, which means if you are lucky enough to live in a city, but also have a retreat outside the city, like Jay Fielden of Town & Country magazine, you are in good shape. Mr. Fielden, formerly of Mens Vogue, had a stylish and quaint mid-century modern Connecticut house; I use past-tense because it recently caught fire a year ago, and was completely destroyed. But while it was free from flames, the airy and partially glass-incased home was suitable for a family with children, and just far enough away from the city to not think about the papers piling up on your desk at work. The office in Mr. Fielden's home was actually featured in Luxe's look at luxe home offices a few weeks ago, and has one of the prettiest red and white rugs. So if we can learn anything from this, even good design goes up in flames sometimes. 

Photos courtesy of Curbed.com by Elle Decor

Leader of the Ship, Anna Wintour

Attitude is everything. The woman behind one of the most successful magazines in the world knows how to present herself in the office as well as around town. Anna Wintour is the first lady of style, will tell anybody who wants to hear it. Her strong stoic persona is often misjudged, which can be seen in the documentary The September Issue. She is responsible for all America being stylish, and she couldn't do it without her right-hand women, Grace Coddington, the creative director of the magazine. Ms. Wintour is as calculated and strategic as any woman of business, and she knows exactly what she's doing. Her long career, easily spanning over twenty years is revolutionary, and will hopefully continue to well into the future. 

All images courtesy of Tumblr. Inquire for details. 

Grace Coddington Re-Do

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery which is easily exhibited in this table-turning magazine spread, depicting Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington. Ms. Coddington's creative spirit is so invigorating for a magazine, making her an already living legend. Her pristine eye for detail, color, and wildly vivid combinations makes Vogue one of the most beautiful magazines published. Model Karen Elson paid tribute to Ms. Coddington in a 2008 issue of Vogue, portraying the iconic editor with firery red hair, and cats all around in a shoot aptly named, Graceful Elegance. Enjoy the escape from the imaginative model-driven fashion stories of Vogue and indulge yourself in a autobiographical photo story. 

Images courtesy of style.com & vogue.com

The Dynamic Duo

The one and only Grace Coddington of Vogue, and the supremely graceful model Karlie Kloss are two of my favorite people, and when they have the opportunity to work together, they make some of the most beautiful pictures. Sally Singer described Grace Coddingtin, the Creative Director of American Vogue as one of the greatest living stylists of our time, and she was spot on. Ms. Coddington has made a career out of creating photographs that captivate its audience by telling a story or history in one simple shot. Her ability to style a fashion shoot around the clothes, but will ultimately exhibit a greater message than just clothes, is what makes her absolutely great. And Karlie Kloss is known to be one of the most gorgeous models in fashion today; her long body and exceedingly simple beauty make Ms. Kloss a muse for many designers, and all at the ripe age of 19. When Ms. Kloss and Ms. Coddington work together, they create some of the most gorgeous photographs ever to grace the pages of Vogue.

A Graceful Affair

There is no one better than Grace Coddington, the Creative Director of American Vogue is the epitome of creativity that the legendary fashion magazine strives upon. Ms. Coddington recently celebrated her seventieth birthday this past week, but rather celebrating herself, she was celebrated and toasted by the likes of Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, the boys of Proenza Schouler, the girls of Rodarte, and Vogue staffers including Virginia Smith, and of course Anna Wintour. The guest list was the perfect size, including Hollywood icons, fashion powerhouses, gorgeous models, and revolutionary artists. The festivities were held on April 15, a day after Ms. Coddington's actual birthday. If you didn't have a chance to make the blessed affair, take a look at some of the great photographs that managed to make it up on Andre Leon Talley's page on Vogue's website.