mario testino

>> Mario Testino photographed 10 out of Vogue's 12 2010 covers, but he also has loyal customers in the British royal family. The photographer, who captured candids of Princess Diana for Vanity Fair in 1997, Prince William on his 21st birthday in June 2003, and Prince Charles for his official Christmas card this year, took the first official photos of William and Kate Middleton last month after their engagement was announced.

A spokeswoman at William's office confirmed that Testino had taken "some engagement photographs." It is believed they are set to be released before Dec. 25.

>> Rumors popped up last week that Lady Gaga is set to shoot the March 2011 Vogue cover overseas with Mario Testino later this month, despite the fact that Anna Wintour complained on national television in September that Gaga, who was to perform, held up the Costume Institute Gala. But when asked last night at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund gala if the cover rumors were true, Wintour replied: "We never talk about our future covers, but I’m a great fan of Lady Gaga’s so ... [changes topic] All the finalists are here!” [The Cut]

>> While launching his first exhibition in Madrid, "Todo o Nada," on Monday, Mario Testino cited Kate Moss as a great influence, “not just because of her beauty. There are thousands and thousands of models, but very few with her attitude toward life.” While those comments do nothing to rock the boat, his stance on the problem of undernourished models surely will: “I think the world has greater problems than anorexia. Fashion uses young models, it always has, and of course they’re skinny. I was skinny too at their age.” [WWD]

>> Mario Testino Thinks Kate Moss Is "A Freak," Anna Wintour Is "Shy" —At the recent opening for his new exhibition "Kate Who?" featuring 18 portraits of Kate Moss, Mario Testino opined about his frequent collaborator Moss: "Believe it or not, she is shy. I go to events with her and I am, like, what's the matter with you?' and she is, like, shaking, nervous. I'm, like: 'You're a freak, because I am not shy at all.'" Testino says the same goes for another fashion figure: "Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, is, you imagine, the most secure person, but she is shy, too. Often people mistake her shyness for coldness." [Telegraph UK]

Kate Moss was the guest of honor in London last night at the opening of Mario Testino's new exhibit called "Kate Who?," which is a collection of photos he's taken of her over the years. She arrived at the event with her boyfriend, Jamie Hince, while Mario himself kept company with Gwyneth Paltrow — check out who else turned out for the bash. It was a particularly social weekend for Gwyneth, after she joined Beyonce Knowles and Madonna to see Jay-Z's performance during the Wireless Festival. Kate changed from her LBD into fashionable Summer stripes today for a celebratory lunch with Jamie at their favorite Japanese restaurant.

To see more Kate, just read more

>> Mario Testino doesn't speak publicly often, but a sold-out crowd gathered at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston last weekend to hear him do just that. He touched on his methods — before photographing a famous subject, he researches portraits they've done in the past to see “what they can give me that they haven’t given anyone else” — as well as his detractors: “I’ve been criticized for pretty, smiley photographs, but at least someone is happy. In my mind, I am always giving the image to the sitter.”

He talked about meeting Gisele Bundchen and trying to get editors to use her at the end of the grunge-waif era: “It was, ‘Uh, no, the nose, the waist, the breasts.’ They saw problems everywhere. A year later, everyone wanted her.” He also recalled his first meeting with frequent collaborator Kate Moss, who was 14 at the time and crying backstage over getting only one runway look in a John Galliano show.

Does he have plans for retirement? »

Penelope Cruz was under the watchful eye of Mario Testino this morning as they collaborated on an ad for Lancome at Paris's Hotel de Crillon. The French capital is a hot spot to film beauty campaigns, after Jude Law was recently in the city shooting for Dior. Penelope was working hard in front of the camera despite it being her 36th birthday! She was able to get a head start on the partying over the weekend in LA with Javier Bardem, though hopefully their pet emergency didn't put a damper on the celebrations.

To see more pictures of Penelope just read more

>> Karlie Kloss Back for Round Two with Fall 2010 Christian Dior Campaign —Even though there was speculation otherwise, longtime Michael Kors face Carmen Kass will be back for the brand's Fall 2010 campaign, which was shot last week by Mario Testino in Los Angeles. Also pulling a brand repeat: Karlie Kloss, Christian Dior's Spring 2010 face, will be be back for Dior's Fall 2010 campaign, reteaming with Steven Meisel and Edward Enninful for the occasion. [Vogue.it]