Grace Coddington

It has been reported this morning by WWD that Vogue legend Grace Coddington will be penning a memoir. Now this, my friends, will be a MUST READ! I am a latecomer to the GC fan club. She has been working as the Creative Director of Vogue US since 1988 as Anna Wintour's right-hand woman. 2009's The September Issue, saw Grace become the breakout star as she stole every scene she was in. You will know her work as she has created some amazing spreads over the years.

I love how all of Grace's work tells a story. This recent spread with Natalia Vodianova and Ewan McGregor (Vogue US July 2010), tells the story of a husband and wife who seem perfectly happy but beneath the surface lurks a darker side to both of them. It reminds me a lot of Don and Betty Draper from Mad Men (which I am OBSESSED with FYI, so expect a few Mad Men related posts in the none too distant future).

I have also just come across these images of Lara Stone for the September 2010 issue. I love how one minute she can look sweet and subdued and the next like a full throttle vamp. Curves and boobs in Vogue US, who'd have thunk it?

I also love this shoot titled 'Call it Love' (Vogue Nippon June 2010). One of my favourite photographers (if not my absolute favourite), Ellen Von Unwerth, is behind the lens for these shots. I love how much life there is in the pictures. I know the point of fashion editorials is to advertise the clothes but pictures like this appeal to me so much more than boring overly posed shots.

Again, there is a narrative running throughout the sequence of pictures featuring Tom Ford's new IT boy, Nicolas Hoult, and supermodels Raquel Zimmermann and Caroline Trentini.

My favourite shots are the second and third above. I love the effect on the second shot, kind of blurred a bit, or like too much light has got in? I don't know, as always I'm sure there is a technical terminology for it, but it just looks hazy and pretty to me. The model (Raquel) is full of vitality and it makes the clothes look so much more appealing than the surly teenagers that are usually reserved for a new season review. Clothes on a happy looking model = ooh I'll buy that because then I'll be that happy. At least that's how I assume a customer's mind works.

The third image I love simply for the look on Caroline's face and her endless legs. Super cute.

Which is your favourite spread? Or do you have another favourite piece of Coddington's work?