Actresses in fashion magazines.

To be honest, I don't like it. I mean, I know that the actresses images sell a lot of magazines and everything, but I still feel like they are “invading” a territory that is not theirs. Sounds stupid, eh? But if you stop to think about it: Vogue's last three covers were shot with actresses (Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Drew Barrymore), each of them having a major spread in the magazine. What about the models? An actress can do a good job playing model but, at least for me, someone that actually works with fashion can do it immensely better.

Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford. Those were the good days.

Take SJP's issue. She had an amazing spread with Chris Noth called “Rebel Romance”, shot by Annie Leibovitz. Gorgeous clothes, exquisite New York sceneries... As one would expect from Vogue, it's an impeccable fashion spread.

I feel sorry for Chris Nolan. Those bags look heavy.

However, a few pages later, there's another spread. “Falling Off the Map”, shot by Patrick Demarchelier in Patagonia, featuring Caroline Trentini. It's just... breathtaking. The picture where she stands in the front of the boat, with the huge iceberg behind her is almost poetic. And the last picture, with Trentini in the middle of the horses wearing the purple Banana Republic dress just blew me away. It's fashion, it's selling the clothes, but there's something else. It's not the photographer, since Leibovitz is just as good as Demarchelier. It's not the set, 'cause even though Patagonia and New York are quite opposite places, both were shown in a way that takes the best of each one, and adds it beautifully with the rest of the shot. So, what is it? I like to think it's the model.

Or maybe I just love Caroline Trentini. That could be it too.

Text originally written in 24/06/08