>> This month, Vogue Russia September 2008 celebrates the top Russian models in "10 Years Later" by pitting childhood photos taken ten years ago against recent photos taken by Terry Tsiolis.  Sasha Pivovarova, Natasha Poly, Snejana Onopka, Vlada Roslyakova . . . they're all there — and if you're looking for a model who went through an awkward phase, you'll be severely disappointed.
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>> In the second installment of Vogue editors styling models as themselves for the August 2008 issue, may I introduce Tanya Dziahileva as fashion director Tonne Goodman.  The stick-straight blonde hair, solid-colored clothes, and sunglasses are all spot on.

Karen Elson as creative director Grace Coddington still takes the cake, though; Filling out the rest of the editorial are Sasha Pivovarova as Elissa Santisi, Raquel Zimmermann as Marie Amelie Sauve, and Maryna Linchuk as Tabitha Simmons, none of which are as well-done. 
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>> In a fun riff on Carine Roitfeld's iconic Vogue Paris editorial with Snejana Onopka posing as Anna Wintour, the August 2008 issue of Vogue has an editorial featuring five models styled by five different Vogue editors in their own style.  Sasha Pivovarova, Raquel Zimmermann, Maryna Linchuk, Tanya Dziahileva are all involved, but first up, Karen Elson as Vogue's cat-loving creative director Grace Coddington.
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>> Jean Paul Gaultier was high energy yesterday at his Fall 2008 Couture show, exuberantly explaining his choice of outfit to Hilary Alexander pre-show, and running through the fluorescent green laser beams that panned the runway post-show, poking Coco Rocha on the way. 

For all of JPG's exuberance, I am less than excited about this sci-fi, cage-inspired outing.  Underneath all the decoration were a few solid pieces, namely a coral lace-like cage dress worn by Patricia Schmid and a tux suit worn by Sasha Pivovarova, but for the most part, a lot of it ended up looking less than luxe, especially if croc was involved. 
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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.

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>> Usually Christian Lacroix's designs are a little too overwrought to speak to me, but something about this set sits just right. 

Maybe the scarlet backdrop is to blame, setting off all the intricate detailing with its vivid hue: the peekaboo lace sleeves, the bell-shaped cocktail dresses, the gossamer tufts; or maybe I've just gone buggy for Lacroix's insect-inspired fantasy world. If so, I'm not the only one: the attendees showered the designer with carnations at the end of the show.

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>> Transparency is still the word, in John Galliano's mind.  The beanie-sporting designer had Lisa Fonssagrives, wife to Irving Penn and oft-credited as the first supermodel, in mind when producing his typical voluminous dresses, but with layers of light chiffon, rather than the heavier, stiffer fabrics Christian Dior couture has boasted in recent seasons. 

Frequent collaborator Stephen Jones, meanwhile, looked to Eduardo Garcia Benito, famous for his '20s Vogue cover illustrations of women in cloches, when creating the accompanying skull cap-cum-cloches.

Peplums were aplenty and Galliano couldn't help himself, sneaking a little leopard print into the bunch.  But the unifying thought with this collection seems to be: What will we see on newfound Dior client Carla Bruni-Sarkozy first?
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