A lot of people criticize Mario Testino’s photography, but Testino has created some really beautiful and iconic work over the years. I think it just depends on the subject, and perhaps it depends on the magazine too. I can’t say that this Cara Delevingne Vogue UK cover is Testino’s best work, right? September covers are usually the best covers of the year, because the September issue is the biggest issue for all fashion magazines. And Vogue UK gave it to the modeling industry’s It Girl and England’s very own mouth-breathing Angry Baby. Cara makes me miss Agyness Deyn, for the love of God. To give Anna Wintour some credit, she still hasn’t put Cara on the cover of American Vogue. But Cara did have a feature in American Vogue last month, and it was a MESS.
Cara actually makes history with this cover – this is her THIRD Vogue UK cover in 18 months, which is a feat that even Kate Moss has never achieved. Usually, Vogue UK just gives Moss a cover once a year. Cara must be special. So why does she seem so underwhelming? Is that part of her appeal? She looks like thousands of girls in America, England and Europe?
Cara was named the newest face of Topshop this week. Ha, I feel like Cara is coming for Kate Moss, don’t you? Like, there’s a new, younger, cracked out hot mess in town getting all of the modeling contracts.
Photos courtesy of Vogue UK.
Good grief, that cover photo brings back the movie CARRIE in my head. I think she looks HORRIBLE!
Thank you for this Smoky. COMPLETELY AGREE.
I don’t quite get the “hate” for Cara, I think she’s striking, certainly a lot more memorable and recognizable than a lot of other models. People probably take against her because she’s so omnipresent. I do think Mario Testino’s photography is incredibly boring, though.
Check out the work he did for Vogue Brazil in July last year with Gisele Bunchen & tell me if you think that is boring to?
Because she’s wearing leather and is oiled up doesn’t mean it’s interesting photography. It’s less boring than what he usually does, I’ll give you that. He also shot the recent Vogue Brazil cover with Gisele and Neymar and… yawn is all I have to say.
No, she really is an underwhelming model. Samey expression everytime. She looks like a cross Posh Beckham/ Margaux Hemingway minus the interesting part. I find her very pretty actually but she’s not really modelesque. I initially thought she’s a celebutante like Kendall or Paris and that’s the reason why she’s getting fashion assignment. You know socialite Lydia Hearst is getting modeling jobs b’c of her parentage but at least Lydia can actually model – even w’o her pedigree.
^^^ This. I was looking at her and thinking she looks like a blonde Posh with creepier eyes. Never noticed how piggy she is in the nose.
And coming from the Ireland post, another one who pulled ranks but this one did it through old school social ranks. Only in England I swear.
Striking is the word that comes to mind when I think of Cara as well. I don’t think she’s classically beautiful (whatever that really means), but she has an interesting face. I disagree completely that she looks like thousands of girls in the UK or US. I don’t see many people who look like her at all, though one commenter said she reminded of them at Susan Dey, and I also found Susan uniquely beautiful.
Personally, (and I know I’m dating myself here! lol), I think she looks like a very young (and blonde) Susan Dey (though Susan Dey was a lot prettier and fresher looking at that age).
I remember clocking Cara’s face back when she was just another Asos model, and thinking, “god, why does that girl just look so pissed off all the damn time?!” Every shot, just glowering at the photographer. She’s perfectly fine but nothing special. Don’t get the appeal at all.
She was a great ASOS model (I wanted whatever she was wearing), but she’s a bit too vacant for true supermodeldom. The great ones look like they’re thinking.
Kate was (is?) a party girl, but she wasn’t really a mess like Cara often is. Not sure it’s a fair comparison to make. I really like Cara’s look but I think her career thrives a lot off her ‘celebrity.’
From yesterday on the Huffington Post UK:
“Kate Moss ‘Blags Her Way Onto Easyjet Flight’ From Turkey While ‘Drunk’.
The supermodel caused a stir at Bodrum Airport, when she reportedly arrived ‘drunk’ and blagged her way onto the flight, after spending a week at a super-healthy detox resort.
Kate arrived at the airport without a ticket and spoke to the duty manager for a considerable amount of time before being ushered onto the plane.
Kate Moss was often a mess, still is occasionnally and has no longer the excuse of being 18 having fun.
Cara is no Kate. The camera loves Kate. Cara looks hard to me and not that pretty.
Blah.
Double blah! Do not get the hype over her.
triple blah
Just don’t get the appeal
I still think she looks like a 12 year old boy who hasn’t pooped in a week and is playing dress up in his mama’s clothes
Ugh. Can’t stand her.
Can someone more familiar with fashion explain why the fall /September issue is the biggest issue of the year? Why fall?
And she’s really working off her celebrity status. I don’t find her to be a good model; at least not that good.
September is symbiotic of the changing of season (and clothes). It’s also when designers’ look books come out and New York Fashion Week kicks off all the other shows. Lots of content = lots of advertisements = Anna Wintour back stroking in a vault of cash.
Great documentary called ‘The September Issue’ which follows Vogue magazine in 2007 as they put together the September issue.
I think you mean “symbolic” 😉 not “symbiotic.”
The September Issue is amazing, Grace Coddington forever.
Although there are a lot of symbiotic relationships in the fashion world. And that’s not a good thing!
Yep, Azurea! Ooops. Symbolic.
Please close your mouth, Cara.
I don’t get the hate on her. She’s 21 and isn’t boring like some American models I could mention. European fashion likes a little more edge to their girls. Lol.
This. And from what I’v eseen in USA, I definitely don’t think she looks like “thousands of American girls”, nor does she look like thousands of European ones for that matter. To be a good model does not mean one has to be a striking beauty or have perfect features. It takes a love affair with the camera and a variety of expression which is a completely different story.
Yep I agree. So many “perfect” looking models are dull, Cara is really striking.
I think it’s beautiful. Sorry!
What disturbs me about Cara and many other models is her baby face. It bothers me that she looks 14/ dressed as 25. I just think there’s something sick in our society when we dress up children and use them as “models” for the ideal woman. I imagine she is older than she looks, but that’s not the point. Why do we want someone who LOOKS 14?
Completely agree. I saw an advert (commercial, sorry) for the some perfume the other day that enraged me – apparently, a 14 year old girl with a boy’s body is the peak of feminine beauty and grace that I should aspire towards.
I do, however, think the cover is a beautiful photo. It’s her eyes.
Yes, I think she’s quite pretty, I’m just disturbed by the sexualization of children and by being told that the ideal woman looks 14, as you said.
I agree with this completely! Some women are naturally slender and younger looking, and that is great, lovely, etc. But also lovely is a variety of other body types that never get any play at all, just labeled “fat” or “undesirable” because they are not super slender and boyish looking.
I do also think that a lot of the models look young because they ARE young. Like 14, 15, 16 years old. I remember watching a documentary about the modeling world and it showed that fashion gets girls super young, who are extremely slender and haven’t really developed yet. When, naturally, they start to age and get hips and curves, the fashion industry throws them away for the next young thing. It’s so bizarre, because women are essentially told that the standard of beauty to hit is one that is physically unattainable past the age of 18 for a lot of women, no matter what you do.
…”She looks like thousands of girls in America, Europe…”
I don’t agree. I recognize her face every single time and I’m not interested in models and their life stories
Agree. She has a distinct face. Now someone like Suki Waterhouse I never – EVER – recognize.
Her eyes look pretty on the cover. Don’t really get the fuss over her though.
She’s got the look, the attitude and that Lady GaGa thing of knowing what to say to fans on social media to create a mini cult.
She doesn’t look like other run of the mil supermodels. I don’t claim she looks better or worse since it is entirely subjective but I can pick her apart in a crowd of supermodels. That’s her appeal IMO.
Nepotism. That is why she gets all this work. She is a rich girl from a posh family. Her mom is BFs with her model scout.
I think Cara is pretty, but not a good enough model to warrant all this attention. Her partying helps though.
Would love to see Hind Sahli, a Morrocan model get a Sept. cover, or any model of color.
Wow Hindi Sahli is stunning! Thanks for that! North African models would be a huge step forward.
Yeah I was thinking Jourdan Dunn, Emanuela De Paula, Lais Ribeiro… I don’t understand the necessity to have a “white girl” on the cover. Seriously, I’m white, and that doesn’t make me relate to her any more?! We’re all women first. I’d rather see more variety representing our diverse population (whether it’s the UK, US, France, wherever…)
This is another argument I don’t get with f-cking your way to the top. What do you assume people think when they get her under millions of dollars worth contract? “Your parents are rich so it is OK if we lose money because of you”? I don’t want to sound as if I am attacking you, I am not. Jus geniunely curious. I know rich parents get children many opportunities other children won’t get but that’s where it ends. Cara had to bring value to these opportunities.
Nepotism isn’t based on the idea that a company or employer would just throw money away on someone just because of a family connection – rather, that those connections would get someone in front of anemployerr otherwise be extremely difficult to even be seen, amd that also said recipient of nepotism is essentially just held to the standard of doing an adequate job, whereas ifsomeone made it on merit alone they could potentially do a stellar job. Because lets get real: modelling and acting aren’t that difficult, and they’re jobs where someone can be trained to do a decent job.
Also, when employers hire her they don’t necessarily see her as the best model for the job, they see her significant gossip column presence and social media following and know that they’ll get a lot of bang for their buck so to speak. She’s not a fantastic model, but she’s serviceable and a lot of people see her work beyond what a normal ad would reach.
The lack of variety in Vogue really annoys me. Kate Moss covers it more than once a year (seriously, tired of seeing her everywhere), Cara’s there all the time apparently too (she’s also everywhere)…. can’t we make a rule that you can only appear once a year on the cover? Give someone else a chance.
She has a strong resemblance to the old Susan Dey cover photos. Anyone else see that?
I’ve picked that a long time ago (depending on the angle or the make up).
I’ve just watched some episodes of LA LAW and every time Susan Dey was on screen, I thought, hey Cara Delevingne’s sister.
I just posted that above, too! It’s the eyes and that baby nose.
I don’t hate her, but I don’t get the hype. At all.
For all of Kate Moss’ personal issues, you have never heard or read a story that she was not prepared for work or falling asleep on the job. Her work ethic has been great in the regard.
I know some people like to bag on her but I feel she was the last of that generation of The Supermodel. These others now a days cannot hold a candle to the ladies of the 80’s and 90’s.
When I see a photo shoot with Kate Moss, the woman just has….it in front of the camera. It proves in her staying power.
If I am still talking about Cara and her ilk in the same way in 20 years, I will eat my hair.
She looks a bit feline to me.
LOOOVE her eyebrows!
I don’t get the hate for Cara either. She’s a beautiful girl and I think she models well (always recognize her in the ads). As a rule, fashion model’s DON’T smile (I don’t know who made that rule, but just watch a runway show to know it’s true). She does live an unconventional lifestyle since she’s the only top fashion model I can think of who doesn’t mind being labeled a lesbian (or at least bi-curious). I actually like that about her. Never hide who you are.
I think that Cara is a cute girl, but she does absolutely nothing for me. I find her very underwhelming. She doesn’t ooze charisma like the modeling “greats” do. I find pictures of her super boring.
I think the cover shot is really beautiful – she looks like she actually got some sleep the night before. I just wish she would close her mouth! But the fingers clawed in her mouth in the other pic is gross and Lohan-style.
you know England is in Europe, right? 😀
‘Cara makes me miss Agyness Deyn, for the love of God.’
100% this!!!!