this week was the debut of Lady GAGA’s new video Bad Romance directed by Francis Lawrence and styled by Nicola Formichetti.

lawrence, who has also worked with other artists such as: Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, Janet Jackson, Gwen Stefani and the Pussycat Dolls to name a few. Besides working on music videos he has also directed feature films, his 2005 debut was the movie Constantine starring Keanu Reeves and recently I Am Legend starring Will Smith. With such a long list of clients and projects, he can now add the amazing miss Lady GAGA to his reference.

with lawrence behind GAGA’s team comes Nicola Formichetti’s styling work. Formichetti who works as an editor for a long list of amazing fashion magazines (Dazed & Confused, Vogue Hommes Japan, Another Man, V, V Man, Another) was born in Japan. his unique style, due to his upbringing is recognized around the fashion world, lending his powers to get great names like: Alexander McQueen, Rachel Barrett, Shinji Konishi, Vava Dudu, Franc Fernandez, Keko Hainswheeler, Benjamin Cho, Jaiden Rva James, Nasir Mazhar, Alex Noble, Carrera and RP Encore to contribute to the amazing and awe inspiring music video brought to you by the HAUS OF GAGA.

images taken from the blog of the stylist himself http://nicolaformichetti.blogspot.com/2009/11/lady-gaga-bad-romance-fashion-credits.html

personally i think the video is amazing but thats because i’ve become such a GAGA fan nowadays. her over the top stage presentation and fashion attitude is something influential to some of the now boring and “oh so serious” attitudes of some other pop stars. im sorry britney, but 3 is just not competing with this, was it ever?? well with the team of names just behind this video its hard not to, with the jackson thriller dance and early 90’s sound its hard not to get hypnotized into GAGAism. if not the clothes that pulled me in, it was surprisingly her eyes that got me as well, seeing how this was the first time i truly saw her bare without any strong makeup or sunglasses to cover them. im truly looking forward to GAGA’s next video although, hearing her newest single Alejandro, i dont think it will be such eyecandy, good song still but hmm…. ill have to wait and see, that is if there will be a video coming out for it. oh lady GAGA, so good! and to add to this new love i just found out that she was born just a day before me… minus 2 years. could it be destiny? lol.

lyx sends love to this amazing project. well done!

What do you see when you look at this picture? Homoeroticism? Another tired, erotic editorial? Do you see cheap objectification of the male form? The revenge of women’s lib? Lust? Admiration and jealousy? Would you like to spit at it?

Of course, fashionistas will tell you that the general feeling of uneasiness pictures like this bring is what makes image-making more fun and challenging. They push boundaries, besides the fact that they coincide with the burgeoning of the menswear industry.

The good thing about these images is that they show beauty from another perspective, which doesn’t always have to be charged with sex.

While bondage has been created by men and initially exploited in images of women, I must admit that it is still quite disconcerting to see roles reversed: for the predator to become the prey, though of course this has always been the case in a world without women…

Mind you, I do not find all of these images interesting. Some are already twice removed from “original” (if that is possible) pastiche. Though this next picture may be a portrait of a senator from the Star Wars Galactic Republic, his eyewear rather looks like something from one of Lavazza’s teaspoon posters. Here is the complete picture of an earlier image. But why the candles?

Some I am partial to.

The equation is age-old: man = muscle = animal. The masculine should be harnessed.

Of course, since that is too convenient, another is adopted: man = woman, therefore harness with a bodice.

I suppose this proposes that rope isn’t just for choking; you must also wear it.

This is the best image to tell you what the stylist is really up to: the bride is the groom who comes to mourn his/her own wedding = the man is the woman who refuses to see his own beauty, thus he is shackled.

This nearly escapes one too, but you can see that he is meant to be a horse.

Bondage is real and its implications are beyond the sexual. Its psychological resonance deep and complex.

And are these rectangles supposed to be provocative? I understand that the magazine is circulated in Japan, which is not tolerant of such exposure, but the archaic imagery evoked is lost because of the red intrusion. Another pose? Doesn’t he make you imagine a goalkeeper in Roman times?

I love the boots.

Now it’s time for inversion of a different kind.

Baptiste Giabiconi, Karl Largerfeld’s latest male muse, needs no introduction. Here he his photographed for Purple magazine once again by the designer of Chanel — not just in dresses but also in heels, and nothing else.

This is more provocative than the first editorial, though some may say that this is certainly not original.

All it takes are heels and some props, like a wineglass, to make you look again. And stare.

At least Karl Lagerfeld has some sense of humor necessary to keep fashion fun and fresh.

Otherwise, this would be more Gods and Monsters.

Light-headed enough to be prepared for this.

Well maybe not this, but you get the point.

Beauty is many-sided. It is equivocal.
It is physically dictated.

War, the military, torture, humiliation: all inflicted by men.
Sure you see an ass, and many things besides.

Sure you say these images are just meant to sell stuff.

But these images dig deep into the collective psyche, the zeitgeist.
Studs and rings and rivets may have been prevalent in various pieces of many labels, but designers have merely responded to what’s been happening around.

The truth is still muffled and restrained in a straightjacket.
The pictures here represent recurring events. (This one reminds me of an Italian painting of the great fire in Rome.)

The hazy prospect of peace?

The state as the modern-day inquisitors and crusaders out to persecute their labeled heretics.

War has no endgame.

Only munitions and casualties and temporary victors.

And so did David Bowie, but this is more about the vanity of all of it.

Good and bad, messiahs and demons.

The Animal Farm begins in one’s own barn.

Or yard.

No image is as innocent as it seems.

Posted by Miguel Paolo Celestial

]]> http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/09/american-history-xxx-the-censored-works-of-mr-steven-klein-by-navo/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:08:21 +0000 Arts + Culture + Politics + IceCream http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/09/american-history-xxx-the-censored-works-of-mr-steven-klein-by-navo/

THE THREE CENSORED “WARRIORS”

Went to the beach today and it was a very relaxing Sunday for a workaholic, being a magazine addict I grabbed a couple on my way out and devour the pages laying on a beach towel while waiting for some friends to grab some grub. I’ve seen the “Bondage Warriors” from the September 2009 issue of VOGUE HOMMES JAPAN magazine before and maybe because of my last entry “Pork, Jews and Porn: Censorship in Saudi Arabia” I realized the obvious irony of it all. The 30-page-spread, S&M-inspired story of male bondage photographed by the iconic image-maker Steven Klein and styled by the very talented Nicola Formichetti has 3 full frontal nude shots in 3 different pages that will never see the light of day. Whether its good for Christianity, Government of Japan, or the main artistic statement of “produce-full-frontal-nudes-of-men-and-make-it-look-like-it-was-published-in-Saudi-Arabia-with-the-red-marker-pen” concept, I’m underwhelmed to say the least.

BREAST VS PENIS

Klein (self-portraits on the left), an american photographer based in New York is one of my personal heroes when it comes to pushing the envelope in the world of fashion, as a young photographer,  I’m perplexed when Lady Gaga’s breast (as shown above) appeared in the same issue and it’s not censored since breasts have been fair game in fashion for a long time, and penis have popped-out here and there, and not in porn mags but in blue chip magazines and ad campaigns like “supermodels” Evandro Soldati (Ford NYC) and the latest Calvin Klein Model, Jamie Dornan’s (Select London) full frontal nude (as shown below) for Visionaire #52 photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Andres Velencoso Segura (Wilhelmina NYC) by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for Arena Homme Plus magazine, Alex for Hercules Magazine photographed by Paola Kudacki, and martial arts star Samuel de Cubber in full glory with his legs apart and yes with his penis visible for Yves Saint Laurent men’s fragrance M7 “eight years ago” in 2002 created by the American designer Tom Ford. In an interview Ford said: “Perfume is worn on the skin, so why hide the body? The M7 campaign is really pure… it’s a very academic nude.”

"Supermodel" Evandro Soldati and the latest Calvin Klein Model, Jamie Dornan's full frontal nude for Visionaire #52 photographed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

"Supermodel" Andres Velencoso Segura by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for Arena Homme Plus magazine.

Alex full frontal for Hercules Magazine photographed by Paola Kudacki and Martial arts star Samuel de Cubber in full glory with his legs apart and yes with his penis visible for Yves Saint Laurent men's fragrance M7 "eight years ago" in 2002 created by the American designer Tom Ford

PULP OF AMERICA

Widely published from 1896 through the 1950s, PULP magazines pushed the envelope of sex, violence and gore in America. The inexpensive fiction magazines might be the granddaddy of all magazines in the business of “pushing envelopes” in american publication. Pulp magazines are a little over 1000 titles, including digests, one-shots and girly magazines. Things calmed down a little in the early 40’s when the Victorians got involved. The overt sadomasochism and racy sexual content got toned down considerably. Twenty one years later Steven Klein was born and like many other iconic fashion photographers being rebellious and controversial with their images they continued the legacy of the idea of “artistic rebellion”.

A Before and after censorship in a PULP Magazine in the 40's.

SELF-CONTRADICTION

In the book “Censoring sex: a historical journey through American media” by John E. Semonche, two quotes from the introduction pops up:

[A] sizable portion of the American public accepts censorship as an imagined “quick fix” solution to moral drift and other social ills… Fears of unbridled…sexuality, of a world without clear moral compass, and of the impact that a gigantic multimedia universe is having on our children, have contributed to the continued scapegoating of speech in America. (Marjorie Heins, 1998)

As a result of our ignorance, apathy, and fear, sex has to a great extent become by default the intellectual, moral and legal property of politicians, clerics, and ideologues. (John Heidenry, 1997)

As for me, the idea of pushing the envelope for the sake of art  to be pushed back by religion, government or self-contradiction is like re-living 1940’s again… in 2010, but thats only my two cents, I still love Mr. Klein regardless and my friends arrived with the paper bag of deliciousness from the nearby Deli.

_________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

me seguraaaaa

Pra quem não conhece, Ahley Stymest é um modelo inglês de apenas 18 aninhos que vem aparecendo em capas de revistas como a Vogue Hommes Japan e em editoriais da Dazed & Confused há mais ou menos um ano. Não bastando ser lindo e muito conhecido pelas suas tatuagens (lindas também!) ele é skatista e baterista, que tal?

Aaaah Ash, larga essa baranga e vem cá AGORA!

ps: Ash é definitivamente o muso desse blog, vou me segurar pra nao postar uma foto dele por dia, aloca

Meio que onipresente nas publicações de moda Lady Gaga está com tudo em mais um ensaio fotográfico. Em imagens artísticas, a cantora aparece em meio a pinceladas nas páginas da Vogue Hommes Japan. As fotos são assinadas por Nobuyoshi Araki, com styling do excelente Nicola Formichetti.

Só para exemplificar as outras publicações nas quais a artista emplacou este mês, Gaga está na V Magazine, no editorial “Gaga Over Gaga”, na Out no editorial “The Lady is a Vamp” e na revista espanhola NEO2 (foto ao lado).

Como sempre chama bastante a atenção a sensualidade com que a cantora é mostrada nas imagens. Tanto na V Magazine quanto na Out, por exemplo, em algumas das fotos da cantora a nudez foi sempre explorada. A mesma regra é válida também para o ensaio da Vogue Hommes, onde ela aparece com os seios de fora.

Abaixo, algumas imagens do incrível editorial de Lady Gaga para a Vogue Hommes Japan:

Fotos: Reprodução

Via: thefashionspot.com.

Hedi Slimane.

There is so much you can write about him, that I don’t know where to start. Instead of words, I’ll give you pictures:

source: www.hedislimane.com/ & www.voguehommes.jp/

These are some of my favourites that I found again- [the last picture was the teaser cover for Vogue Hommes Nippon #3]; I think his work for the fashion industry and his photography is seriously great. I accumulated a pretty big collection of pictures Mr. Slimane had taken over the last few years; I was mighty sad and frustrated when the the hardrive of the computer where I stored everything became broken internally recently and could not be fixed So now I have to start from scratch; but to think optimistically, when I go and admire Mr. Slimane’s work again, I will no doubt find so many awesome new photos as well as my old favourites, so no love lost there.

Go visit Mr. Slimane’s Official website: www.hedislimane.com/ and prepared to be overwhelmed by his amazing ability to capture all sorts of things with his camera. I can’t say enough of much I like his work.

J

Está para sair mais uma edição semestral da sempre incrível, assim como todas as revistas japonesas, Vogue Hommes Japan.
E a revista trará em sua 3ª edição um editorial pra lá de provocante…”Bondage Warriors”, com fotos de Steven Klein e styling de Nicola Formichetti, vêm cheio de audácia e fotos ”reveladoras”…

Também na Vogue Hommes Japan, Lady GaGa serviu de pano de fundo para um editorial cheio de pinceladas, chamado ”New Star”, com fotos de Nobuyoshi Araki, direção de moda também de Nicola Formichetti e styling de Shun Watanabe.

Sadomasô na pauta!

1. SHE SAID SHE IS OFFENDED PEOPLE THINK SHE HAS A …GAGA!

2.SHE IS ALWAYS INVOLVED IN THE MOST CREATIVE THINGS…PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE NOTE OF HER!

Photos via Nicola Formichetti

Two of my loves combined: Bondage and Lady Gaga.  She looks amazing in the new Vogue Hommes Japan.

I’m so sick of people talking shit on Gaga.  What other pop stars do you see rocking Japanese bondage one day and shouting lyrics like a mad woman on Jonathan Ross the next?  Yeah, exactly.

NSFW under the cut

Having posted critique about the Lady Gaga editorial by Vogue Hommes Japan, I came across the remaining shots and thought it befitting that I post these photographs (after the jump). Enjoy!

Photo: Nobuyoshi Araki via Vogue Hommes Japan

Lady Gaga is quite the popular celeb posing pretty in three September Issue covers, all in one September month. First there was scantily neon Lady Gaga (V magazine), then there was scantily va-va-vamp Lady Gaga (Out magazine) and rounding it out is clothed S&M Lady Gaga (Vogue Hommes Japan). You shouldn’t feel compelled to send me hate mail when I tell you that I’m biased and not ashamed to admit that her Out cover sucked the competition dry. How so? For starters, the conclusion of Lady Gaga’s September high in Vogue Hommes Japan, fizzled. Nobuyoshi Araki strapped Lady Gaga in trendy leather and rope, and no doubt the bondage theme is burgeoning, but in an editorial perspective, I don’t get it. I for one am not aroused. What happened to Lady Gaga, the sex icon?

First, the positioning of her face is reminiscent of Facebook ‘Myspace Angle’ shots. Secondly, Araki revisits a Britney Spears-esque crotch shot that was soooo 2007 (and yes, I just compared her to Britney Spears – once again, don’t leave hate mail please). Finally, why is Gaga wearing loose fitting leather? Shouldn’t she be ashamed?

Now, I’m inclined to wonder if the splashes of paint were thrown in as a compliment for an otherwise banal black and white shoot that Kazuhiro Saito, with his chief editing power, desperately attempted to futilely excite. Is she supposed to be the restrained pop star, bubbling to break free and take men and women alike to bed (that’s old news to me)? Or is she a kinky pop star relishing the praise of mainstream masses (no new news there either)? Or did they throw Gaga into an S&M set just for shits and giggles? Is my editorial eye too shallow or am I thinking too hard? I’ve asked too many questions, and that’s not a good sign. What do you think?

Photo: Nobuyoshi Araki via Vogue Hommes Japan

P.S. If you’re not convinced about the Lady Gaga’s Out cover, The Cut quipped, “Out magazine, which is hosting the party and published what is possibly the greatest Gaga editorial to date in this month’s issue.“ You can’t object to that now can you?

– Francis Bea

lady gaga appears in the AW09 issue of vogue hommes japan.
art direction by nicola formichetti.
images shot by nobuyoshi araki.
styling by shun watanabe.

imagesource | TFS

ryan koning, oraine barrett, colby jamar & jason morgan
all featured in the third issue of vogue hommes japan.
all represented by major model management.

imagesource | majormodels

amping the release of vogue hommes japan’s thrid issue, a slew of models is said to appear within the pages of the japanese mens style publication. alan carey, dean sibrizzi, jake madden, kerry degman, keleb, pablo , roy pratt, ryan bertroche, alexander johansson, shin-han, andrew ruffin, ethan james, joseph culp, keith hernandez, marshall brockley  & philip huang are all slated to appear within the third issue. seen above are images of the AW09 issue, styled by shun watanabe. photographers josh olins, steven klein & mario vivanco were all enlisted.

Vogue Hommes Japan (Photographs by Steven Klein - Styling by Nicola Formichetti)

It’s never easy for me to help others in any kind of capacity. I hate being outdoors, I hate heavy lifting and I hate any activity that involves “exercising patience”. However, I like to think that I can cast aside my prissiness to lend myself to a friend when they are in need of a few extra dainty hands.

I’ve recently become associated with a pretty yet sensitive Canadian girl that constantly lifts her skirt up like a capricious toddler. This is fine, but when my eyes are accidentally caught in the supple, ivory crossfire I feel pervy and weird despite the fact that I have no interest in vaginas or, for that matter, Canadians.

Anyway, I assisted with wardrobe and make-up for her sweaty film shoot today. I spent 38 of the 39 hours that I was there listening to my iPod and reading a book. Every so often, however, I would take in my surroundings. Skirts were lifted and costumes were shamelessly changed in front of one another. Naturally, my first thought was “What a bunch of sluts” and I finally realized that while a majority of these people do in fact slut out on occasion, they weren’t the problem. I am.

Vogue Hommes Japan (Photographs by Steven Klein - Styling by Nicola Formichetti)

I think it’s pretty odd that I am a borderline alcoholic yet I am absolutely terrified of physical contact at all times. I’d like to fix this particular issue of mine, so I have decided to interview those of my friends who are currently on AIM. My goal is to scare myself into a position where I either rush to fuck somebody ASAP to face the fear or give up on the concept of intercourse entirely.

I’ve allowed these people to choose aliases. Let me tell you something, guys. An alias might protect your identities, but it wont protect you from being assholes.

“Corey”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“one time i was making out with a guy, and he goes “ur pimple just popped” and yes indeed it did and blood was on my face.”

Did you guys continue to make out after he called you out on your fucking disgusting popped pimple?

“no.”

“Missy*

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“oh jesus, the first time i ever gave head i got totally skull fucked and i started crying. overall i think it was a good experience though, because everyone is bound to get skull fucked at some point and it’s like way better to get it out of the way towards the beginning. i didn’t even tear up the second time it happened.”

Alright.

“Janet”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“I got stuck in a fucking tire swing and this piece of shit crystal meth addict came up from behind and let himself backstage behind the meat curtains. but it like wasnt necessarily rape i guess, because i didn’t cry or scream or anything.”

“Mackenzie”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“I got date-raped while confined to a full leg-cast.”

“Viktoria”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“I sort of of pooped myself a little during an orgasm.”

“Kimber Marie”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“A nun saw me give my ex boyfriend road head.”

“William Shatner”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“the first time i ever porked a girl i never came, but i pretended i did so we could stop.”

“Kevin”

Describe your most upsetting sexual encounter.

“one time i dared this bitch to go down on me at my parents house, but when he did i freaked out and kicked his gay ass out”

It is important to note that “Kevin” is, in fact, referring to me.

Vogue Hommes Japan (Photographs by Steven Klein - Styling by Nicola Formichetti)

A revista Vogue Hommes Japan está super fetichista em sua edição de setembro/2009, da capa ao recheio da publicação. Com a genialidade do top fotógrafo Steven Klein, o modelo Ryan Koning e o styling de Nicola Formichetti o resultado não foi outro: imagens instigantes e cheias de fetiche em um editorial que não poderia ter outro título a não ser “Bondage Warriors“.

Abaixo, algumas fotos da publicação:

Fotos: Reprodução

steven klein shot images for the third issue of vogue hommes japan. though barely recognizable models stephen novok, travis hanson, oraine barrett, jason morgan, doug proter, colby jamar & anthony gallo are all slated to appear editorially within the FW09 issue. above is one editorial, aside from the fact that i recognize anthony gallo’s abs in the second to the last photo down, i dont see oraine barret or colby jamar. this set completely blurs the lines of fashion & experimentation. im not sure exactly how this is suppose to translate into something fashionable, but i respect the level of creativity with the usage of props & the casting of the models that have been identified. honestly, i was expecting something a little more fashion related. im still waiting for someone to take the depiction of menswear to that next level, instead of stripping them of their clothes someone should be styling them. 

what yo’ name iz? travis hanson, bryce draper, ryan koning
images by jeremy kost for vogue hommes japan

imagesource | TFS