Vogue

Michelle Williams graces the cover of Vogue's October issue, opening up about Heath Ledger for her first magazine interview since his death. The actress looks gorgeous as she promotes her pushed-back Shutter Island and provides us an in-depth look at how she and Matilda are dealing with their life after Heath's passing. She reveals she is no longer dating Spike Jonze, but sounds like she's staying strong as a single parent. Here's more:

• On dealing with Heath's death: "I have been severely accident-prone over the past 12 months. I fell downstairs, broke a toe, put my fingers in a blender — seriously distracted. [I would often] cry, nap, sit and stare, try to figure out what to make [Matilda] for dinner, talk to friends on the phone. I was holding it together by a string and a paper clip in the Fall and Winter. I didn’t know if I could keep it all together."
• On grieving with Matilda: "I just don’t see the upside to this. You console yourself by saying it’s all a deepening process. But it’s weird. After the first year, the pain is less intense; it’s less immediate. But the magical thinking goes away, too. And that’s a whole new reckoning. But every time I really miss him and wonder where he’s gone, I just look at her."
• On splitting with Spike Jonze: "The timing was impossible. I thought falling in love again was the only thing that was going to save me from the pain. This erroneous idea: it just makes things more complicated."

To read what Michelle had to say about her break up with Heath and her future just read more

>> Vogue Cover Possibility for Rachel McAdams? — Is an upcoming Vogue cover — perhaps the January 2010 cover — in order for Rachel McAdams?  She sat next to Anna Wintour at Alexander Wang today, then between Sally Singer and Virginia Smith at Altuzarra before heading to Boy/Band of Outsiders.  Her next big movie, Sherlock Holmes, comes out Dec. 25, so a January 2010 cover would be right if it's in the cards . . .  

Now this is a movie about fashion. Not glorifying it, not mocking it, not fictional. If you too consider fashion to be your number one, you will thoroughly enjoy this film. I'm not saying you're going to want to run to NYC and join the ranks at Vogue, but you will witness what happens behind the scenes, meet the players, and, finally, meet Anna, glasses off. I was lucky enough to chat with the film's director, RJ Cutler, after I viewed the film, and he shined many a light on how the film came about, how it changed his perception of the world of fashion, and how fascinating of a story it is. This is the story of The September Issue . . .

It's a given the film reveals the extensive work that goes into creating the biggest issue of the year. Along the way we visit with Anna, her daughter Bee Shaffer (briefly), and other masthead characters. Most notably, the magazine's famed editor Grace Coddington and comic-reliever André Leon Talley.

To read the rest of my review, read more

>> Rumors of slashed budgets and diminished celebrity attendance have already plagued the 2010 Costume Institute Gala for months, but we've finally got some concrete details about the first Met Ball that recently-appointed Vogue director of special events Sylvana Soto-Ward will spearhead.  Themed "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity," the gala will take place on Monday, May 3, 2010, with Gap's Patrick Robinson and Oprah Winfrey co-hosting alongside Anna Wintour.

The theme is already drawing questions of whether Michelle Obama will make an appearance, but for sure populating the exhibit are roughly 75 outfits, culled based on the idea of "how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation."  The pieces include designs by Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, Madeleine Vionnet, Madame Gres, and Paul Poiret and come exclusively from the new Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection; many haven't been on view to the public in over 30 years.

>> Juergen Teller has regular work in Vogue UK, Vogue Paris, and of course W — but it's difficult to recall the last time he was published in Vogue (besides his ad work for Marc Jacobs).  A quick search turns up a Vogue editorial with Christy Turlington — but dated 1994.  His comments to The Moment about which of his ad series for Marc Jacobs were most controversial may provide clues as to why:

Funnily enough the most complaints were about the series with Dick Page and James Gibbs because they are a gay couple. Men’s Vogue even refused to publish it. Dick is a very close friend of mine and I’ve known him for 20 years — he’s been part of the Marc family for 20 years. And I like the idea of having a gay couple in a men’s ad because it makes sense. And I wanted the ads to be like they are — very romantic, tender and sweet. I certainly didn’t want to have anything provocative, not at all. The only other controversy that comes to mind also involved Vogue — the women’s one — over an ad of a clothed Cindy Sherman and me in which I am grabbing her breasts. That caused a stir. Go figure.

Although many suspected the Spring 2007 set with then 12-year-old Dakota Fanning would have caused Teller trouble, he says not so: "The Dakota ones caused nothing, and they are pretty hard-core. They are on the border of being too much, even for me. I don’t remember hearing much about it, but if there was any controversy it was very under the radar."

>> Victoria Beckham For October Elle, Not Vogue; Michelle Obama to Be on Vogue Cover Again? — Though rumors placed Victoria Beckham on the October issue of Vogue, she's said to be fronting the October issue of Elle instead.  And Michelle Obama, whose March 2009 cover of Vogue sold 560,000 newsstand copies (by comparison, Vogue's September 2008 issue sold 559,000 copies) may be back soon for another cover.  This month's i-D hints: "In New York, the staff of American Vogue put finishing touches on an unprecedented second cover featuring a sitting First Lady who is black and beautiful." [The Cut, TFS]

>>  Andre Leon Talley, self-professed "big proponent of the man-bag" and owner of a custom-made Diane von Furstenberg caftan, is also a big proponent of shopping high and low, he tells Time Out New York: "You cannot live your life in the elitist world of fashion and not step out or you’re disconnected. You have to realize that fashion is not the endgame. I started wearing Uggs two years ago. It’s a cozy shoe. Also, they’re only $98."  In fact, at home, he wears "Juicy Couture shorts, a Ralph Lauren polo shirt and Uggs."  But don't expect him to wear Crocs. "I draw the line at Uggs."

He took up horseback riding and tennis after Anna Wintour prompted him to lose weight, but isn't afraid to split a chocolate creme brulee "just for a taste!"  When Time Out asked him if he though of the Vogue offices as "a mecca of skinniness," he responded:

The Vogue offices are full of what I call very annnnnnnngular women wearing stilettos, and maybe that’s just the consciousness — that people think that they need this look when they work at Vogue. But Grace Coddington does not fit that mold and she’s elegant. Look at Michelle Obama, she’s the most fashionable woman in America. But she’s not a fashion plate.

Golden Girls is "one of the greatest shows ever" »

>> Plans have been in motion to spin Vogue.com off from Style.com for a while now; last month, the move was postponed to next year.  This morning, Vogue.com — which was already redesigned once this year — rolled out a new, white backgrounded layout to cap off the magazine's increased blog content of the past few months — the Vogue Daily blog, for which Anna Wintour approves all images that are published.

Already, there has been talk that Style.com may be folded into Vogue.com — much like it was announced that Men.Style.com would become part of GQ.com and Details.com in October — although it was said then that Style.com would continue to stand alone, and a spokesperson reiterated a week ago that the company's current plans wouldn't affect Style.com.  But only time will tell — Conde Nast is making a move away from its web-only brands to print brand names online.

• Anna Maria Jagodzinska in a Diane Keaton-inspired Vogue Paris — Refinery 29
• Street scenes: Alice in the Flatiron District — Racked
• Would you wear acid-washed jeans like Ashley Tisdale? — Off the Rack
• The perfect 3.1 Phillip Lim dress — Lucky
• Elle gives homeless girl an internship — The Cut
• Liberty and Hermes — Fashionista
• Fashion victims: Taking it to the streets — Jezebel
• Katy Perry and her fruit salad fashion — Stylelist
• Exclusive: Chanel Iman's vacation photos — Teen Vogue
• Support Dress For Success with a click! — Bag Snob
• I Heart Ronson by Charlotte Ronson for JCPenney collection — Nitrolicious