Annie Leibovitz: Our Favorite Fashion Photography Icon

By Paige Mckirahan 

 

 

One of our favorite fashion photographers of all time took the industry by storm in 1970 when she landed a job at Rolling Stone at the tender age of 21; Annie Leibovitz, born in Connecticut in 1949, is a world renowned portrait photographer most famous for her jaw dropping editorials that have dazzled the public for decades. Prior to the start of her high-profile career, Leibovitz studied at the San Francisco Art Institute where she discovered her passion for photography. After being offered a position as a staff photographer at Rolling Stone, she was quickly promoted to chief photographer after a mere two years and held that title for the following decade. Her success at the company gave her the opportunity to document the Rolling Stones band on their international tour in 1975, solidifying her icon status only a few short years into her professional career.

 

 

The Rolling Stones by Annie Leibovitz (Pinterest)

 

During her time at Rolling Stone, Leibovitz slowly began developing her legendary aesthetic that features bold primary colors and mind boggling poses. Many of her magazine cover shots are considered to be collector’s items; pop culture aficionados fight everywhere to get their hands on original issue of John Lennon Wrapped around Yoko Ono, which was the final photo taken of the Beatle before his death in 1980.

After leaving her position with Rolling Stone shortly after in 1983, Leibovitz was hired by Vanity Fair where she was presented with a wider variety subjects to feature in her enchanting portraits. Her over the top shoots would feature everyone from the president of the United States to teen heartthrobs that graced the pages of TigerBeat. Though her stunning photos have captivated the attention of millions, many are also famous for their controversial compositions; a very pregnant and nude Demi Moore, Caitlyn Jenner's first photoshoot as her true self, and Whoopi Goldberg half-submerged in milk all brought Leibovitz criticism after the profiles were released.

 

 

Whoopi Goldberg by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair (Vanity Fair) 

This amazing artist has also shot photos for a multitude of famous marketing campaigns, including a collection of American Express portraits depicting Tom Selleck, Elmore Leonard, and Luciano Pavoritti that won her a Clio Award in 1987. As woman of many talents, she has also taken photos at the Olympics, published multiple books featuring her work with accompanying essays, and became the first woman ever to have a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. in 1991.

Residing in New York City, Leibovitz is still hard at work today and remains an iconic figure in the photography world. With such a grand portfolio, we her knew work would feature the best of the best photos depicting some fabulous fashion accessory moments. Here are our top five favorite Leibovitz fur and glove shot finds! See anyone you know?

 

Lady Gaga By Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair

 

Sofia Vergara by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair

 

Uma Thurman by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

 

Cameron Diaz by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

 

Drew Barrymore by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

 

If these amazing photos have you feeling inspired, head over to our collection to snag some fur and gloves of your own that would be sure to stun in any Annie Leibovitz portrait!

Sources:

Annie Leibovitz. (2016, January 08). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/annie-leibovitz-9542372

Designer Spotlight: Mandana Mani

By Paige McKirahan

 

 

In the wake of our discussion regarding the top influencers of 2018, we were left wondering if there are any designers that use their platform to operate their own store (similar to our model!) After some research, we came across the fabulous Mandana Mani; this Iranian fashion designer born on January 12th, 1978 (Happy Birthday Mandana!), hails from Tehran and is the owner and creator of her namesake clothing brand, Mandana Mani. Mani posts her contemporary, classic designs on her Instagram account to over 300,000 followers almost daily and invites them to contact her where they can purchase the clothing directly as her pieces are exclusively sold online.

 

 

Her Instagram is vibrant and appealing as her stories feature great style inspiration that go hand in hand with her personal designs! Working as her own model, she commonly posts product photos of her wearing her pieces as part of a full outfit, giving the viewer a great idea of how the piece is tailored. She also is active on Telegram, where she frequently posts photos and videos of her clothing to supplement her Instagram feed. Her designs are mostly revolve around outerwear and she makes stylish coats for every season and gender.

 

 

Though she is very private about most aspects of her life, we do know that she is a lover of fashion and Jennifer Lopez. She also commonly pairs her beautiful outfits with a variety of colorful headscarves, making her a woman after our own hearts. This elusive fashion mogul was the obvious choice for our spotlight this week because as fellow online business owners and lovers of all things fashion, we could relate to her boss lady ethic! To see more of Mandana and her designs, check her out on Instagram at @mandanamani!

 

Sources:

Editors. (2018, December 5). Who is Mandana Mani? Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mandana-mani-43076.php

Rossignal's Ski Success

 

Wherever you may be, are you surrounded by snow? If not, we will take you on a trip to Las Leñas Ski Resort, a beautiful spot in Mendoza, Argentina.

Today, I am sharing a personal experience from my teen years when I visited the beautiful Las Leñas for my first ski trip. My dad and I spent 15 days in the mountains going up and down all day long, as any typical first timer would do.

At night, we would go out around the resort area; most of the evenings my dad went to play cards, while I went out dancing in the some of the most fantastic nightclubs around the globe. What a blast it was! Some of these places were incredible-- I'm talking glass buildings with multiple activities happening on every floor. The music, people, clothes (it was 1986 so you can imagine); everything was amazing!

It was during that trip when I got hooked to Rossignol Sunglasses. My first pair featured mirrored lenses held by a black frame. Rossignol, a French ski goods company, was founded in 1907 by Abel Rossignol; as a carpenter who was an avid skier, he used wood products from his textile company to craft a pair of skis out of solid wood.

Abel began selling his wooden skis, capturing the attention of recreationalists all across Europe. His work was highly regarded and sold well, putting his factory at the forefront during World War I when skis were needed for the Army. The company was shot to true global fame in 1937 when Frenchman Émile Allais became triple world champion using Rossignol Olympic 41 skis. 

Allais began collaborating with Rossignol, and together they created dynamic designs and brought in a new partner Boix-Vives, a lift builder. He began funding their factory and Allais and Abel worked create laminated aluminum skis and then in 1964, the brand released its first fiberglass ski dubbed the Strato. In the following decade, Rossignol became the world’s largest ski manufacturer after the construction of an American distribution company. 

Even though the company does not currently still hold that top spot, they remain one of the strongest ski brands in winter sports. The brand’s line of cold weather wear that includes skis, sunglasses, and other slope accessories has withstood the test of time and has been a cornerstone of the industry for over a century. With more Olympic and world titles than we can count on both hands, Rossignol is undoubtedly a trustable brand that delivers great products time and time again (and we attest to that!). Want some of this iconic ski wear of your own to help you brave the winter winds? Check out our Rossignol collection!

 

Sources:

Masia, S. (n.d.). 100 Years of Rossignol. Retrieved from https://www.skiinghistory.org/history/100-years-rossignol

Skis Rossignol. (2018, December 20). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skis_Rossignol

The Benefits of Consigning Your Jewelry and Vintage Accessories

By Paige McKirahan 

 

Looking to get rid of any pieces collecting dust in your closet? Look no further! Here at TalkingFashion, we are always looking for fun, fresh inventory to join our collection. We accept high quality women’s and men’s vintage or antique jewelry, as well as bijoux accessories. If you don’t see the designer of your piece on our A-Z Designers List, not to worry; if you have an unmarked or unknown piece that is unique or valuable, we would be happy to take a look at it! Wondering how you can consign? You can take your pick of our three easy methods below:

1. Schedule a free in-home pick up with a team member. (Columbus, Ohio residents only!)
2. Ship your items to our office directly
3. Come into our office for a free valuation and drop-off.

Once we receive your piece, one of team members will carefully evaluate your item to ensure it is properly identified, authenticated, photographed, and priced. We will then market and ship your piece once it is sold, and you can be paid by online cash transfer, direct deposit, or site credit (which earns you an extra 20%!). Our commission rates vary by item price, and you can view our commission structure here.

Consigning in general has great benefits as it is a sustainable practice that extends the life of pieces, putting their beauty back on the map. When you consign with us, the list of benefits only seems to grow; our high commission rates makes us the obvious choice for all your vintage and bijoux consignment needs! Have more questions? Email use at consign@talkingfashion.net and we would be happy to help!

Fashion & Style Photography Spotlight: Richard Avedon

By Paige McKirahan

 

To get off ground the launch of our new photography-focused column, we have elected to spotlight Richard Avedon to kick off the new year! As an American fashion and portrait photographer who was best known for flawlessly capturing his subject’s personalities, he shot over 148 Vogue covers throughout his prestigious career. With humble beginnings as a photographer for the Marines during World War II, he then moved on to become a quintessential photographer at Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and The New Yorker. Born in 1923, this New York City native’s meticulous eye for detail and great ability to convey emotions through photography landed him the position as one of legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland’s staff photographers. Her wild visions and eccentric fashion stories were given a new life under Avedon, and his position in the fashion world was secured with her approval. Though most of his work was created before the our current century, his piece's iconic compositions and notable subjects have allowed them to survive the tests of time. Wondering where you have seen his work? He produced a Calvin Klein campaign with 15-year-old Brooke Shields, Revlon’s ‘The Most Unforgettable Women’ campaign, and an advertisement series for Gianni Versace beginning with the spring/summer campaign 1980.

Sources:

Hardy, U. (2016, April 04). 10 Iconic Fashion Photographers. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/10-iconic-fashion-photographers/