>> The 96-page September issue insert The Imagist teased back in June turned out to be for V: Paul Rowland, founder of Women and Supreme agencies, photographed 19 of his models in studio back in April with help from stylist Nicholas Grasa.  His inspirations were "Joel-Peter Witkin, paganism, mysticism, vampires, witches — all the things I love," and V has a video of the shoot in action, which required Hannelore Knuts to have raw meat draped over her chest and the rope holding it together lit on fire on both ends. The supplement will be available with V61 in select cities. 

Maybe this whole project is the start of a move into a new arena for Rowland?  As V puts it: "Rowland, whose lavish and intricate agency show packages are the talk of the industry each season, has a creative verve that extends beyond model agency moving and shaking, and into photography and fine art. After this outing, however, he might need his own magazine as well."

>> We had a few clues as to who made the cut for Terry Richardson's 2010 Pirelli calendar when he shot it last month in Bahia, Brazil, but now Italian Vanity Fair has the details on the full cast, which includes Daisy Lowe, Georgina Stojiljkovic, Eniko Mihalik, Catherine McNeil, Lily Cole, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Miranda Kerr, Ana Beatriz Barros, Gracie Carvalho, Marloes Horst, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Terry produced thousands of images from the shoot with the girls holding sloths, fruit, roosters, and holding hands while running through waves in little else than a bikini bottom.  The goal this year was to use "no makeup, no reflectors — only the flash of the camera — no branded clothes or jewelry, no girls altered surgically," said Andrea Imperiali, manager of Pirelli on the set. Fifty images will make the final cut when the calendar is debuted Nov. 19 in London, but until then the gallery below — which is NSFW — and a video of the shoot will have to do.

>> Chanel and Dior may go full-out with couture presentations, but Donatella Versace prefers to do private appointments in January for Atelier Versace.  A gown from her pleat-centric Fall 2008 collection made it to the Oscars on Marisa Tomei last weekend, and now that that's over, it's time for the big reveal: Spring 2009.  The collection, modeled by Georgina Stojiljkovic, who seems to be Donatella's favorite couture model, focuses on ruffled red carpet-ready gowns, with a couple of whorled cut-out confections thrown in for good measure.  Sketches included.

>> The 2009 Vogue Paris calendar — which comes as a supplement to the December/January issue — arrived a little early.  Fourteen different girls are featured, photographed by Terry Richardson and styled by Carine Roitfeld as pinups in Louis Vuitton lingerie and shoes.  Jourdan Dunn is a sexy nurse, Ali Michael a sexy cheerleader, Eniko Mihalik graces the cover as sexy kitten — Carine even included a spread for the solar months, with patrons saints Alber (Elbaz), Gareth (Pugh), Lara (Stone), and their ilk celebrated.

Gallery is NSFW.
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>> Amongst significantly less hubbub — no Net-a-Porter selling his clothes right off the runway this time — Roland Mouret debuted his second collection yesterday under his new RM by Roland Mouret moniker.  The new set of dresses are definitely cut from the Mouret cloth — sheaths tailored with precision, oragami shapes — but for a man who's been using the same silhouettes since 2005, it's time to grow the aesthetic, not stand still in time.

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>> Alessandra Facchinetti's first couture collection at Valentino represents a nerve-racking, generational hand-off, but Giorgio Armani was there in the front row to lend support and represent the old guard. 

The collection had the palpable feel of a different designer, as it should — more structure and pared-down tailoring, with most of the detail left to the back of the garments, and more subdued colors than the pastels Valentino had been playing with. However, Alessandra did stay true to the three most guiding parts of the Valentino aesthetic: femininity, ruffles, and of course, Valentino red.  In fact, that same Valentino red painted the final look of the collection — a stunning chiffon number.

*image: source