Together Again: Sofia Coppola And Vogue Italia

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.

Introducing… Janine M, Contributing Editor

I am honored to present Janine M., a new contributing editor for I Want To Be A Coppola. A longtime follower of Sofia Coppola, her work, and her style, I am thrilled that Janine will now share her perspective on our icon through these pages. Please join me in welcoming Janine to IWTBAC!

Janine M.
Contributing Editor

Hi! My name is Janine. I live outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and work as an editor in finance by day, makeup artist (when asked!) by night. I am very excited to join the team at IWTBAC!

I’ve been a fan of Sofia Coppola’s esthetic since the 1990s when I discovered the show Hi Octane on Comedy Central, which she hosted with Zoe Cassavetes. I remember telling my friend that I just had to add white-blonde highlights (one on each side of my part) along my hairline like Sofia’s. Then I discovered Milkfed, X-Girl, and Heaven 27.

This same friend recently said to me that we tend to gravitate, style wise, to people who look and dress similar to ourselves. And it’s true. I think I’ve always been interested in Sofia Coppola’s style and choices because I prefer that very simple taste for myself. It’s not easy to be simple in such a fast-moving world, with zillions of products and visuals. Some of us prefer a simpler esthetic, with specific, well thought-out choices. Sometimes those choices take up five drawers, but that’s okay.

My own esthetic tends towards the 70s and mid-80s, with a bit of 90s grunge. The people I look to for inspiration and guidance, when I need a spark, are those women we became aware of in those very specific periods where we were all free of care and criticism. For example, Ali MacGraw, Lauren Hutton, Madonna (pre-fame, circa 1984), Kim Gordon, Winona Ryder, Deborah Harry, Tina Chow, Kate Moss (the greatest)… and Sofia Coppola. Each one has a very specific style you can visualize immediately. None ever needed or used a stylist. They’re all very much themselves.

I love makeup, photography, film, all kinds of design, and art. Plus, I enjoy writing and editing. Did I mention I love makeup?

Thank you for reading my introduction. I’m so thankful to have been invited on board. Thank you, Kellina!

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Sofia Coppola photograph by Jean-Baptiste Mondino for Numéro Magazine, June 2013.

Gia Coppola: Coach New York Stories

Gia Coppola: Coach New York Stories
By Francesca Berti

Tutti a New York hanno una storia da raccontare e quella di Coach, leader luxury brand mondiale di borse e accessori, è iniziata nel 1941 in un loft di Manhattan. Per la stagione autunnale 2013 Coach si è ispirato alla città e alle storie di alcuni personaggi fashion che avessero un proprio “New York style”. Una di queste New York story viene raccontata dalla regista, fotografa e sceneggiatrice Gia Coppola.

Gia racconta i motivi per i quali ama passeggiare e perdersi tra le vie della città, infatti spiega che la sua più grande ispirazione proviene proprio dalla strada.

Mi piace questo suo atteggiamento di chi gira per le vie con l’entusiasmo e gli occhi curiosi di chi vuole sorprendersi nel trovare qualcosa di nuovo che lo ispiri. In una città come questa ti può capitare di vedere tutto, basta solo girare l’angolo!

E’ come sapere già in anticipo che camminando prima o poi ti imbatterai nella cosa che stavi cercando o troverai l’ispirazione di cui avevi bisogno!

Sai che questo momento deve arrivare per forza in una città frizzante come New York, ma è un istante imprevedibile e Gia è pronta a immortalare l’attimo con la sua Polaroid.

Coach è sinonimo di stile Newyorkese senza sforzo e Gia passeggia con abiti del marchio, da lei selezionati e acquistabili on-line, che rispecchiano appieno il motto del brand, come la felpa con le maniche a tre quarti che ha disegnato al centro del petto il logo del brand in pelle e la zip nella schiena, oppure la clutch leopardata, perfetta per la sera, ma anche sufficientemente capiente per poterla usare come borsa da giorno.

Questo è lo stile di Gia e questa è la sua New York story!

Everyone in New York has a story to tell and that of Coach, the world's leading luxury brand of handbags and accessories, started in a loft in Manhattan in 1941. For the Fall season 2013, Coach took inspiration from the city and the stories of some fashionable personages that have their own “New York style.” One of these New York Stories is told by the film director, photographer, and screenwriter Gia Coppola.

Gia tells the reasons that she loves to walk and gets lost among the streets of the city, in fact she explains that her biggest inspiration comes really from the street.

I like her attitude of those who roam the streets with the enthusiasm and the curious eyes of those who want to be surprised to find something new that inspires. In a city like this you can happen to see everything, you just need to turn the corner!

It is like knowing in advance that in walking sooner or later you will encounter what you were looking for or find the inspiration you need! You know that this moment has to arrive by force in a fizzy city like New York, but it is an unpredictable instant and Gia is ready to immortalize the jiff with her Polaroid.

Coach is synonymous with effortless New York style and Gia walks in a dress of the mark, selected by her and purchasable online, that fully reflects the motto of the brand, like the sweatshirt with three-quarter length raglan sleeves that has designed in the center of the chest the logo of the brand in leather and the zipper in the back, or the leopard clutch, perfect for the evening, but also sufficiently capacious for using it as daily bag.

This is the style of Gia and this is her New York Story!

[Editor's note: Julia Restoin-Roitfeld is also among the fashionable personages that shared their own New York Story for Coach.]

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Gia Coppola photographs © 2013 Coach, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Sofia Coppola: Vogue Italia February 2014

Brava to Franca Sozzani for she has created a few of my all time favorite images of Sofia Coppola, in collaboration with photographer Steven Meisel and fashion editor Karl Templer, for the February issue of Vogue Italia. Titled "Effortless Style," the cover image and the editorial show a sleek and sophisticated side of Sofia that I love. I was intrigued by the details of the shoot so I wanted to share them… particularly the exalting of her complexion, this is exactly what I need right now!

From the Vogue Italia site

The charm of personality. The charismatic allure of Sofia Coppola is enhanced by  maquillage that concentrates on the gaze. Around the eyes, the smoky nuances of The Eyeshadow Duo, n. 120, are rendered more intense by Passioneyes Duo Mascara, black, while the eyebrows are redefined by The Brow Liner, n. 3. To exalt the complexion: Perfection Veil Pressed Powder, soft sand, an evanescent powder that optimizes the make-up. On the lips: Classic Cream Lipstick, n. 49. All Dolce & Gabbana The Make Up.

Minidress with cut-out embroidery over black brocade, Dolce & Gabbana. Ring Lynn Ban; bracelet Tango in pink gold and brown diamonds, Pomellato. Hair Guido for Red­ken. Maquillage Pat McGrath for Dolce & Gabbana The Make Up. Manicure Jin Soon Choi for JINsoon. Fash­ion editor Karl Templer. On setPRODn @ Art+Commerce.

This month’s issue of Vogue Italia will be on newsstands on February 7 in Milan and shortly after in the rest of Italy.

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Sofia Coppola in Vogue Italia editorial images © 2014 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Devoted To Sofia Coppola And Phoenix

A loyal reader of IWTBAC and a passionate fan of Sofia Coppola and Phoenix, Mary from Argentina will share her devotion through her artwork in today's guest post. As luck would have it, today is her birthday... Happy Birthday, Mary, thank you for all your amazing fan art!

Devoted To Sofia Coppola And Phoenix
By Mary (from Argentina)

This artwork is a part of my soul, my inspiration is my admiration of Sofia Coppola and Phoenix.

I began to work with photographs a long time ago, I think since I bought my computer, I've made wallpapers of my favorite singers, actors, and actresses. It's nice to make your own point of view about the ones that you admire.

Since I became a fan of Sofia and after of Phoenix, my artwork is a real wonderful thing for me, it's very cool to show to other people how much I love them, because through my artwork I'd like to say something, to be heard in some way. Sofia means so much for me, some people don't understand me, and I don't know why. When I'm doing my artwork I feel good in my heart, through this work I think that I'll be heard, that's the most important thing for me. Time stops for me when I'm doing my artwork.

When I began to be a fan of the fabulous Phoenix, I began to make artwork about them too, they're so cool for me, and I love their music, so this artwork shows my thoughts, I think. My artwork is my way to shorten the distance between Sofia, Phoenix, and me, it is a way to reach them, to tell them how important they are for me.

Words are not enough to tell other people the admiration that I feel about Sofia Coppola and Phoenix, I think that's the reason that inspires me when I'm doing this artwork. I'm really proud to be a fan of Sofia, she is so important for me, and Phoenix too.

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Sofia Coppola, Thomas Mars, and Phoenix photo collages © 2014 Mary. All Rights Reserved.