Spring 2011 ad campaigns

>> A trio of first campaigns have popped up for Spring 2011: Shu Pei Qin's premiere ad as a Maybelline model; Peter Copping's first ever Nina Ricci ad image, featuring Malgosia Bela shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin at New York's Greenwich Hotel ("She looks contemporary, modern, sensual — all those things I see for the Ricci woman,” Copping explained); and Alexander Wang's first ever print ad, featuring Aymeline Valade shot by Craig McDean. Although Wang doesn't like his four images, styled by his show stylist Karl Templer and creative directed by Fabien Baron, to be called a campaign. “We restrained from using those words, because you set yourself up for doing things in a systematic way — like rolling out ads in the magazines certain times of the year,” said the designer, who instead uses the term “image piece.” All those — and for good measure, the full Spring 2011 Versace campaign, featuring Abbey Lee Kershaw by Mario Testino — in the gallery.

>> Gisele Bundchen has turned up in another Spring 2011 campaign to pair with her only-girl Balenciaga: Isabel Marant. A first peek at that, plus new images of Bundchen for Balenciaga, a Chanel ad of Stella Tennant spraying a nude Freja Beha Erichsen with a hose — and more — in the gallery (NSFW).

>> Arizona Muse's star has been rising at rocket speed — in the past month alone, her Spring 2011 Prada and Yves Saint Laurent ads have come out, she's been on the January 2011 cover of Vogue Italia with Freja Beha Erichsen, and had only-girl spreads in Vogue UK February 2011 and Vogue China February 2011. Now, Anna Wintour is touting Muse in her February 2011 editors' letter as "the breakout star at the Spring 2011 shows last Fall," adding: "When I look at Arizona, I see shades of Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova, but most of all, I see her, a gorgeous, smart grown-up. And how could anyone resist someone with that name?" If Muse keeps this up, she, Lindsey Wixson, and Karlie Kloss could be bringing American models back in a big way. A selection of her aforementioned work in the gallery.

>> Now that the full set of Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 2011 ad campaign is out, the images together are quite something. Garance Dore noted earlier this week that both the Chloe and Valentino Spring campaigns show models who are actually smiling, and with Dolce, the models are also actually showing emotion, but of a different kind: Steven Klein captured Isabeli Fontana, Alessandra Ambrosio, Maryna Linchuk, and Izabel Goulart mid-yell in more than one image, and Alessandra goading Isabeli in another. Of course, there are the requisite sultry looks — this is Dolce & Gabbana we're talking about — but it's worth noting that models are starting to be given some freedom of expression when it comes to ads.

>> Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell sparred in DSquared2's campaign shot by Steven Meisel a couple of years ago, and it appears that Meisel was feeling like a catfight again this season — except this time, with more of an erotic undertone. He captured Kinga Rajzak and Iselin Steiro for Lanvin's Spring 2011 campaign pulling each other across a rug, kicking at one another . . . and one image shows Rajzak in full-on hiss-and-pounce mode.

>> This morning in the Spring 2011 ad edition: Proenza Schouler released a trio of images featuring ghostly pair Julia Nobis and Melissa Tammerijn by Willy Vanderperre, a new shot of Gisele Bundchen for Balenciaga, a first look at Joan Smalls for Roberto Cavalli, and more.

>> Two colorful campaigns for two colorful collections — but the approach for each is markedly different. The full Spring 2011 ad sets are out for both Jil Sander and Louis Vuitton; while Willy Vanderperre shot a pink-haired Daria Strokous against a washed-out white background, part of her face obscured in many of the images while the clothes take on a watercolored feel, Steven Meisel captured Kristen McMenamy, Raquel Zimmermann, and Freja Beha Erichsen in an environment of opulent excess.