The Proof's in the Pudding

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I missed this when it came out.

"Repton Boxing Club" by Alasdair McLellan for British heritage label Sunspel, featuring Ryan Pickard (2011)

Boxing is one of those old-school sports I feel like I should be repelled by -- just the thought of a broken nose makes me cringe -- but even knowing next to nothing about it I find the whole enterprise totally fascinating and even romantic. (And this is not because I watched Rocky as a kid, because I didn't.) There's so much ritual to it, and so much reverence for the past. From an outsider's perspective it seems like it requires a physical and mental discipline that verges on the religious. Maybe it's so ugly that it comes full circle to beautiful.

While we're on the topic of beautiful destruction, another movie I want to see again:

Raging Bull (1980)

Dirty Clean

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I'm really feeling Proenza Schouler's fall ad campaign (photographed by Alasdair McClellan and featuring model Meghan Collison – love her).

Somewhat unrelated, the ad for Proenza's new Madison Avenue store, which I also really like. The image and colors feel strangely reminiscent to me of the label's recent collections, and the way the concept is stripped down to a bold image and simple type makes me think of the way the brand has been steadily working towards a tighter, clearer identity:

Issues

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Three new ones:

A. Emanuelle Alt's first cover as Editor of French Vogue, succeeding Editrix Carine Roitfeld. Gisele by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin.

B. The third issue of The Gentlewoman – Adele shot by Alasdair McLellan. I'm not really on board with this whole Adele thing (so much singing...) but it's a good photo and the minty color is winning. Seven women I would have rather seen on the cover:
1. Emily Shepard Smith
2. An editor from another magazine, someone like Giovanna Battaglia or Cecilia Dean or Suzy Menkes. There are certain editors at fashion magazines who are more complex than you'd expect, and make for interesting interviews. Maybe it's kind of weird to put someone from another magazine on your own cover but who cares.
3. PJ Harvey? New album, and seems cool.
4. Sarah from Colette in Paris. Possibly too obscure but I guarantee she would be a great interview.
5. Sofia Coppola. Maybe too obvious, but the truth is, she always has interesting things to say.
6. Miranda July.
7. Lauren Hutton or someone else who has been chic since before I was born.

Feel free to chime in with your own suggestions, all 11 of you, if you feel like it.

C. Self Service no.34. Just a great cover shot (also by Alasdair McLellan), and gold foil to boot. Still my favorite magazine, maybe of all time.