the textual siege.

i think i'm in love with the french vogue that sam's mom brought all the way from...you guessed it...france. it would be my only reason to pick up french because while there may be online translators, try as i might, some things will still be lost in translation.

the issue i have is the dec/jan 07 one. also known as the one john galliano edited. the surprise bonus was the 07 calendar featuring 12 gorgeous pics of karen elson with her alabaster skin suspended in fine lingerie and bondage.

there's just something markedly different from vogue francais and american. this is especially apparent in the spreads, where there is a darker undercurrent with hints of cheekiness, as if everything is an inside joke. vogue US, while commendable for striving to be edgy without isolating their more stuffy readers, still remains very diplomatic and 'safe' in that one doesn't need an understanding to 'get'. noticeably, both mags are extensions of their editors. the one with the elfin face and signature bob who always looks put together and the other one with the brown hair and ungroomed eyebrows and penchant for black leather.

this issue is especially interesting because it is somewhat of an editorial retrospective, an homage in gloss if you will, to galliano. it is incredibly interesting to see his ideas, self portraits and pictures with other famous friends put together like a stylish scrapbook is really something. no other designer will deign to swing down like a swashbuckling pirate at the end of his own show from the rafters in keeping with a pirate/nautical themed collection.

kudos to vogue fr for having a designer, and not a celebrity, guest-edit. and they've just won me head over heels over for having the venerable, irreverent, irreplaceable [will there ever be enough superlatives?] force of nature do the issue.