Together Again: Sofia Coppola And Vogue Italia
mercredi 26 mars 2014 
Together Again: Sofia Coppola and Vogue Italia
By Dara Block
A few months ago, in an interview featured on I Want To Be A Roitfeld, I was asked the question, "Who would I like to see on the cover of Vogue Italia?" and of course I said Sofia Coppola... I mean wouldn't she make an excellent choice? After all, it was 22 years ago that she was first featured on their December 1992 cover, which happens to be one of my all time favorite issues. I don't know if Franca Sozzani (the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia) actually read my interview, but I must thank her for putting Sofia Coppola on their February 2014 cover.
The cover and the editorial goes above and beyond and I love that Steven Meisel once again got to photograph Sofia Coppola. It's quite exciting to see them reunite again for this gorgeous cover and editorial. So with all that said, let's take a detailed look inside this editorial.
First, we must start with the cover. It's simply titled "Effortless Style" and features Sofia Coppola with smoky looking eyes all done so immaculately by make-up artist Pat McGrath. I love how casual she looks with her hand on her hair. The look is very in the moment and I don't know why, but it feels like Sofia Coppola just went for a ride on her motorcycle and took her helmet off. I think it has to do with the texture of her hair. She just gives off a casual cool vibe that seems very nonchalant and so effortless... that term was indeed correct. Perhaps, the best part about the cover is that it opens up and we see yet another image of Sofia Coppola with her hand on her head and the other hand is decked out in diamond jewelry. This Sofia Coppola looks very sleek and sophisticated, almost like she is in a daydream and I love the details of her black Dolce & Gabbana dress. She looks so Italian chic and I love the idea of two Sofia Coppola's for the cover!
The editorial was styled by Karl Templer and I think he did an excellent job at putting her in looks that are so true to her style and that also represent the ideal Vogue Italia woman. The opening image features a stunning black-and-white close-up of Sofia Coppola with dark eyes and vamp lips. She gives a beautiful look to the camera and I love the Rolex watch that she is showing off. This image feels very 1970s Helmut Newton to me... maybe it has to do with the combination of her make-up, accessories, and the way she is wrapped in that fur coat... very vintage glam!
When you turn the page you will see yet another image of Sofia Coppola looking casual chic in a Miu Miu fur coat. She looks so calm and comfortable in that jacket and I think the shape of that collar is quite spectacular. This feels like something she would wear in her real life, not just for the editorial.
The next look is my favorite from the editorial. Sofia Coppola is wearing a form-fitted Azzedine Alaïa black dress and she is beautifully accessorized with a Balenciaga bracelet. I think the silhouette of that dress is perfection and I feel like this image is very reminiscent of a 1960s Richard Avedon photo. She just looks so classic and sophisticated like one of Avedon's muses. I can very much see her wearing a look like this to a red carpet event.... it's so her style!
Next, we get to see six Sofia Coppola's with various expressions looking noir chic in a Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent suit. I love this image because it looks like perhaps they were outtakes from some test shots for the magazine. She totally embodies the idea of the Saint Laurent woman in this image... I feel like this could easily be the campaign for the label, it's got such a Hedi Slimane type of sensibility!
Turn the page, and we then get to see an amazing profile shot of Sofia Coppola with her hair slicked back in a black Chanel top. What I admire about this photo is that she very much represents beauty in such a non-traditional way. I love that she never fixed her nose or succumbed to Hollywood's idea of beauty. She has always had a look that is all her own and I think that definitely adds to her appeal and part of what makes her such a beauty and style icon. This image clearly shows why natural beauty is always the best and why it's important to work with what you've got!
Following that stunning profile shot, we again see Sofia Coppola looking very 70s Helmut Newton chic in a Chanel blouse and Louis Vuitton pants. I think the feathers over her shoulder remind me very much of Catherine Deneuve back in the 70s. Perhaps that is what Steven Meisel had in mind when he took this photo.
The next image is of Sofia Coppola in a gorgeous black dress and I can't help but admire the way this Valentino kaftan looks on her. There is such movement and fluidity with this gown and I love all the extra details of that collar and those Prada heels. Karl Templer did such an amazing job with the styling... again, we get to see noir chic at its finest.
The editorial ends on a very high style note, with Sofia Coppola looking sporty chic in a striped top with Louis Vuitton baggy pants and some Chanel sneakers. It's tomboy meets high fashion and I love the side glance and pose she is giving to the camera. She perfectly represents what modern minimalism is all about and I think Steven Meisel captured all that and so much more with this editorial.
It's obvious, that whether it's 1992 or 2014, Sofia Coppola will always be considered a style icon and what I find so interesting about Vogue Italia is that they rarely ever feature a celebrity on the cover, so for Sofia Coppola to grace the cover means that she is doing something right. Hats off to Franca Sozzani for conceiving this brilliant issue and for showing her readers how modern and focused Sofia Coppola's sense of style truly is. If you haven't seen this issue, do yourself a favor and check it out. It is very much a collector's one, much like her December 1992 issue. It's also very inspiring to see Sofia Coppola's style evolution throughout the years and how she has very much remained true to herself. I think all that is beautifully displayed in both issues. I guess it's safe to say that minimalism and simplicity will never go out of style... Brava to Sofia Coppola and Vogue Italia for yet another brilliant collaboration!
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Sofia Coppola in Vogue Italia editorial images © 2014 Condé Nast. Sofia Coppola Vogue Italia cover montage © 2014 Dara Block. All Rights Reserved.
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