CHEETAH PRINT ANKLE BOOTS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

HOW DOES ONE DESCRIBE AN ANNA DELLO RUSSO ENCOUNTER? I THINK RUPAUL WOULD PUT IT BEST, “EXTRAVAGANZA ELEGANZA!!!”

FASHION MONTH FOR ME WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT ANNA DELLO RUSSO. SHE IS A FASHION WEEK OF HER OWN AND HER JAW DROPPING WARDROBE IS CALCULATED SHEER BRILLIANCE. AVERAGING AT THREE OUTFIT CHANGES PER DAY DURING FASHION MONTH, SHE KEEPS THE STYLE PAPARAZZI BUSY ON THE EDGE OF THEIR FEET ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE UNVEILING OF HER NEXT ENSEMBLE. DELLO RUSSO’S PASSION AND UNDYING LOVE FOR FASHION IS INSPIRATIONAL AND ASPIRATIONAL. HER PRESENCE EASILY TRANSFORMS A TYPICAL STREET SETTING INTO A GLAMOUROUS PHOTO SHOOT OR EVEN A FILM SET. FOR ME, EVERY STEP SHE TAKES IS A FRAME NOT WORTH MISSING.

HERE IS A RECAP OF MY TOP 3 ANNA DELLO RUSSO MOMENTS OF 2009

06.21.09 9AM BOTTEGA VENETA MEN’S SHOW
I USUALLY CAN NEVER DRAG MYSELF OUT OF BED TO CATCH A 9AM SHOW BUT THIS DAY I WAS GOING TO MAKE AN EFFORT AND BE ON TIME IN HOPES THAT I COULD SNAP SOME GOOD SHOTS. I ARRIVED ON TIME DESPITE GETTING LOST INITIALLY AND MAKING IT MOSTLY ON FOOT FROM THE METRO. I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR SOME PICTURE WORTHY LOOKS. IT WAS LOOKING KIND OF BLEAK BUT THEN FROM THE END OF THE STREET I SEE BRIGHT RED CHERRY LANVIN. IT’S 9 FREAKING AM AND ANNA DELLO RUSSO IS WEARING A ONE SHOULDERED LANVIN FROCK. THE FASHION GODS ARE SMILING AT ME. I AM ON HER LIKE A HYENA. DOES SHE NOTICE ME DOCUMENTING HER EVERY STEP? I DIDN’T CARE BECAUSE IT WAS SOLID BLOG GOLD. THIS WAS SINGLE HANDEDLY THE BEST MOMENT OF MILAN MEN’S FASHION WEEK.

09.27.09 3:15PM MISSONI WOMEN’S SHOW
I THOUGHT I WAS LATE FOR THE MISSONI SHOW BUT LUCKILY EVERYONE WAS STILL RUNNING LATE FROM THE ETRO SHOW AND I HAD ARRIVED JUST ON TIME FOR THE ARRIVALS. THE MILANESE SKY WAS CLEAR AND THE SUN WAS CASTING A NICE GOLDEN HAZE OVER THE FESTA DEL PERDONO. I WAIT PATIENTLY AND THEN I SEE IN THE DISTANCE ANNA WALKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH HER ASSISTANTS. I, OF COURSE, DOCUMENT THEIR EVERY MOVE AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY CLOSER TO THE ENTRANCE BUT THEN I SEE THEY’RE NOT WALKING TOWARDS THE DOOR AND THEY’RE MAKING THEIR WAY TOWARDS ME. I AM THINKING AT THIS POINT THAT THIS IS THE CLIMATIC MOMENT OF CONFRONTATION WHERE THEY DECIDE TO TELL ME TO STOP PHOTO STALKING THEM. ANNA PAUSES AND SAYS, “YOU ARE TOMM?” I REPLY SHYLY, “YES…” ANNA SMILES AND SAYS, “GOOOD WORK!” THEY WALK AWAY AND I AM LEFT IN SHOCK WITH MY JAW DROPPED DOWN TO THE COBBLESTONE.

10.02.09 6:30 PM LANVIN WOMEN’S SHOW
THE SHOW HAS JUST FINISHED AND EVERYTHING IS RUNNING BEHIND LIKE ALWAYS. EVERYONE IS DASHING OUT OF THE HALLE FREYSSINET VENUE AND ALL THE STREET STYLE PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE ALL LINED UP MAKING WAY FOR CARS TO EXIT. I STAND THERE WITH MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES EYEING SHARPLY THE EXITING CROWD. SEVERAL BLACK LUXURY SEDANS DRIVE BY BUT THEN ONE STOPS ABRUPTLY IN FRONT OF US THE AND THE BACK SEAT WINDOW ROLLS DOWN. ANNA WEARING SUNGLASSES POPS HER HEAD OUT AND WAVES, “CIAO TOMM!!!” I FEEL NOTHING BUT WARM AND TINGLY AT THIS POINT

DESIGN BY JUST JR

I’M GOING TO DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY TODAY: TALK ABOUT MY PHOTOS. I DON’T EVER REALLY LIKE TO ELABORATE ABOUT MY PHOTOS JUST BECAUSE I HATE WRITING BUT TODAY I’M FEELING ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE AMAZING MOMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED THIS PAST YEAR AND BY THAT, I’M REFERRING TO THOSE MOMENTS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE ON FILM. I WON’T GET INTO JUST YET BUT WHAT EXCITES ME THE MOST STILL TO THIS DAY IS BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO.

TO GET THINGS STARTED, LET’S BEGIN WITH SHOES. YES, SHOES ARE INDEED ONE OF MY FAVORITE SUBJECTS TO PHOTOGRAPH. I’M BEST KNOWN AS THE SHOE FETISHIST OR SHOE PORNOGRAPHER TO MOST PEOPLE WHO COME VISIT MY BLOG. I LOVE SHOES DON’T GET ME WRONG BUT WHAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO START PHOTOGRAPHING SHOES WERE MOMENTS LIKE THESE TWO IN PARTICULAR. OUT OF ALL THE IMAGES OF BEAUTIFUL SHOES I’VE PHOTOGRAPHED THIS PAST YEAR, I CHOSE TO HIGHLIGHT THESE TWO JUST BECAUSE THEY CAPTURE WHAT ONE FAILS TO SEE AMIDST ALL THE CHAOS. THERE’S SOMETHING QUITE PERVERSE AND GRATIFYING ABOUT GETTING INTO AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION TO PHOTOGRAPH A SHOE AT IT’S BEST AND WORST. BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. WHETHER I’M KNEELING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A STAMPEDE OR OBNOXIOUSLY CHASING AFTER A COMPLETE STRANGER, I GET MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE THRILL OF CAPTURING AN IMAGE THAT MAY UNPREDICTABLY TURN OUT BETTER THAN EXPECTED. THAT’S THE BEAUTY OF IT REALLY; YOU JUST HAVE TO RISK IT, POINT AND CLICK AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

NATALIA VODIANOVA IN VALENTINO WITH HUSBAND, JUSTIN PORTMAN

PARIS VOGUETTE, JULIA VON BOEHM, CARRYING A GIVENCHY STUDDED STRAP HANDBAG

THOM BROWNE PAILETTE COAT FROM SPRING/SUMMER 2010

DESIGNER/STYLIST LOTTA VOLKOVA

MODEL NATASHA POLY AS NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL AS SHE IS.

BONDAGE STRAPPY SANDALS BY GIVENCHY