MartinaSaysMaude

Porcelain Raft covers "Come as you are"

2011-09-19T01:18:00.002+01:00

This is special.

* Jason Webley at the Underbelly - 25th August 2011

2011-08-29T21:32:00.002+01:00

Ha.

I was looking forward to this one.

Not only because live music is necessary to one's life, but also because Jason is probably the best live performer around.
I was in Reading yesterday for the festival and Muse closed the three muddy days in excellence and a raving crowd. One could feel the energy from miles away, and the set, the lights, the visuals, the fires... I appreciate all of this, it's show-biz, right?
and yet, when it comes to really, *really* loving a musician, it's people like Jason that really touch my heart. With his accordion, his feet stomping on the ground, the intimate venue and his heart poured on a silver plate for those who are willing to listen to him.
Maybe it is the fact the he is approachable. Maybe it is the fact that you see the roads he traveled through his eyes, or hear the mighty trombones in his voice. Maybe it's how much he give to the audience and their incredible response. Maybe... it is his willingness to explore everything whilst staying close to his essence. Maybe i'm wrong. But maybe not. And if i'm not, maybe it is just that Jason is awesome, end of story. No special effects required.

Ps. Jason was supported by another wonderful artist: Thomas Truax. He has a one night per month in Soho at the Spice of Life. I am going to see him there soon, i look forward to finding out more about this artist.

JIGSAW campaign by Bella Howard :)

2011-08-04T19:01:00.003+01:00

Photos by Bella Howard

Styling by Margaret Crow

Hair Alex Brownsell

Make up Martina Luisetti

Photo assistants Olivia Richardson and Jessy Boon Cowler

Stylist assistants Anna Walker and Jeanie Annan Lewin

Make up assistant Kristina Vidic

Hair assistant Stef Gaffa

Models: Anna Brewster @ Union

Clara Paget @ Union

Julia Johanson @ Elite

Click here for Bella's blog

* This one is SPECIAL.

2011-06-26T03:12:00.000+01:00

Ooooh this was a little too much to take, i must admit.

My granpa's letters keep popping out from forgotten drawers and i keep scanning them, to send them to my family, as a memory of that wonderful crazy man he was.
But this one somehow is special and it brought me down on my knees big time.
Biggest laugh through tears i had in a long time, thank you Granpa.
I'll come by the Nelson statue soon.
And you'll be happy to know i have voted against Berlusconi too. I didn't even have to leave the house, cause in England you can vote by post.
I can hear you ranting against Berlusconi for hours, i find it quite awesome that you would find the strength to lift your ass from bed to vote against him. Cause that's important.

I love you so much.

"Dearest Martina,

I have lost your address and so do you know what i am going to do? I make an appointment with you in front of the statue of Nelson, let's say tomorrow at midday. . .
I am joking, in front of Nelson you would only find my soul and so much love for my dear niece, who i miss dearly, i confess.

I immagine you working hard, walking around seeing things, making a career out of what you love.
Great. You will tell me everything when i see you in Rome, soon I hope.

Here life goes on through its inevitable paths, for me at least: 'Sedentary man' is my job title, but also because of some unwanted and maybe undeserved lack of health.
Tomorrow we go to vote, and it is already a great motive to leave the house. To swindle Berlusconi is something that doesn't happen everyday! Although in Italy a polling station is never out of hand, if you want to tell people you really don't like them.

As for our more modest things, what can i say to you that you don't already know?
The granma is at the hospital where she has had an operation only yesterday at her legs' arteries: they were slightly obstructed and therefore she was struggling to walk normally. The operation went well and hopefully within two/three days she will be dismissed.

A big kiss to you. I hug you tight, hoping that once in a while you have a loving thought for this granpa who is far away and a little annoying too.

Guido Senior.

Rome, May 27th 2006"

* What the hell am I doing here.

2011-06-10T23:46:00.002+01:00

* One of my ones.

2011-03-31T00:21:00.003+01:00

My heart became a drunken runt
On the day I sunk in this shunt
To tap me clean
Of all the wonder
And the sorrow I have seen
Since I left my home

My home, on the old Milk Lake
Where the darkness does fall so fast
It feels like some kind of mistake
Just like they told you it would
Just like the Tulgeywood

When I came into my land
I did not understand
Neither dry rot, nor the burn pile
Nor the bark-beetle, nor the dry well
Nor the black bear

But there is another
Who is a little older
When I broke my bone
He carried me up from the riverside

To spend my life
In spitting-distance
Of the love that I have known
I must stay here, in an endless eventide

And if you come and see me
You will upset the order
You cannot come and see me
For I set myself apart
But when you come and see me
In California
You cross the border
Of my heart

Well, I have sown untidy furrows
Across my soul
But I am still a coward
Content to see my garden grow
So sweet and full
Of someone else's flowers

Sometimes I can almost feel the power
Sometimes I am so in love with you
Like a little clock that trembles on the edge of the hour
Only ever calling out "Cuckoo, cuckoo"

When I called you
You, little one
In a bad way
Did you love me
Do you spite me
Time will tell if I can be well
And rise to meet you rightly
While, moving across my land
Brandishing themselves
Like a burning branch
Advance the tallow-colored walleyed deer
Quiet as gondoliers
While I wait all night, for you in California
Watching the fox pick off my goldfish
From their sorry, golden state
And I am no longer
Afraid of anything
Save the life that, here, awaits

I don't belong to anyone
My heart is heavy as an oil drum
And I don't want to be alone
My heart is yellow as an ear of corn
And I have torn my soul apart
From pulling artlessly with fool commands
Some nights I just never go to sleep at all
And I stand
Shaking in my doorway like a sentinel
All alone
Bracing like the bow upon a ship
And fully abandoning
Any thought of anywhere
But home, my home
Sometimes I can almost feel the power
And I do love you
Is it only timing that has made it such a dark hour
Only ever chiming out "Cuckoo, cuckoo"

My heart, I wear you down
I know, gotta think straight
Keep a clean plate
Keep from wearing down
If I lose my head
Just where am I going to lay it

For it has half-ruined me to be hanging around
Here, among the daphne blooming out of the big brown
I am native to it, but I'm overgrown
I have choked my roots on the earth, as rich as roe
Here, down in California

* Tom Waits inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2011-03-25T21:01:00.006Z

This is a GREAT day for music.

"They say that I have no hits, and that I'm difficult to work with. And they say that like
it's a bad thing."
Tom Waits

The thing is... One has got to give it one's all.
If you ask me: Tom Waits is all there is to know about life.

"And to be honest, it’s only when artists like Waits get in that we find ourselves caring—when we get the feeling that an outsider has crashed the party."

(Matt Melis)

Read the hommage to Tom Waits

* -I have lived for Love, I have lived for Art.-

2011-03-21T21:24:00.001Z

I took this picture on a grey day somewhere in the woods, my beloved Ellen Rogers was shooting.

I looked at her creating this wonderful set, these poses, with such care, such love.

A bond somewhere in between art and love and i couldn't wait to see it through her eyes also.

Useless to say: the pictures she took were incredible.

You can see them on the latest Vice Magazine.

This is for Ellen from me.

* Le parole di un amico.

2011-03-18T13:38:00.000Z

Mi viene in mente una bambola, il suo sorriso che stona con gli occhi spenti, eppure e' li.
Se vedeste quello che c'e' dietro davvero chissa' cosa ne pensereste.

Queste da un amico che ovviamente ha intravisto qualcosa.
Si pensa che la corazza sia inpenetrabile senza il proprio permesso, poi qualcuno accenna qualcosa di questo tipo e ti ritrovi spiazzata, e ci continui a pensare.

E pensi che, forse, se lo scrivi da qualche parte lo elimini dalla tua memoria.

Dubbiosamente, vediamo un po'.

E poi, ancora parole. Belle bellissime parole.

E' una questione di incredulita', that's all it is.

Because I believe in altruistic love ONLY.

The Invitation.

2011-03-16T14:08:00.000Z

"it doesn’t interest me

what you do for a living.

I want to know

what you ache for

and if you dare to dream

of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me

how old you are.

I want to know

if you will risk

looking like a fool

for love

for your dream

for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me

what planets are

squaring your moon...

I want to know

if you have touched

the centre of your own sorrow

if you have been opened

by life’s betrayals

or have become shrivelled and closed

from fear of further pain.

I want to know

if you can sit with pain

mine or your own

without moving to hide it

or fade it

or fix it.

I want to know

if you can be with joy

mine or your own

if you can dance with wildness

and let the ecstasy fill you

to the tips of your fingers and toes

without cautioning us

to be careful

to be realistic

to remember the limitations

of being human.

It doesn’t interest me

if the story you are telling me

is true.

I want to know if you can

disappoint another

to be true to yourself.

If you can bear

the accusation of betrayal

and not betray your own soul.

If you can be faithless

and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty

even when it is not pretty

every day.

And if you can source your own life

from its presence.

I want to know

if you can live with failure

yours and mine

and still stand at the edge of the lake

and shout to the silver of the full moon,

“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me

to know where you live

or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up

after the night of grief and despair

weary and bruised to the bone

and do what needs to be done

to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me

who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand

in the centre of the fire

with me

and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me

where or what or with whom

you have studied.

I want to know

what sustains you

from the inside

when all else falls away.

I want to know

if you can be alone

with yourself

and if you truly like

the company you keep

in the empty moments."

Oriah Mountain Dreamer

* Piers Atkinson Look Book AW11

2011-02-19T10:37:00.001Z

Amazed.
Once again.
<3

* Eye Opener.

2011-02-12T12:58:00.000Z

I cannot stop listening to this track. It's just perfect.
For so many reasons...................

The Alchemy Series: Concept and Photography by Jez Tozer. Styling by Kim Howells.

2010-12-17T12:57:00.001Z

Another collaboration with the wonderful Kim Howells :)

Jez Tozer launched his new project (part one of four) of the Alchemy series called Negredo: a fusion of art and fashion, if you ask me, of the highest levels.

The independently produced project will be hard to find and sent only to a very selected part of the industry... so keep an eye out ;-)
And also check Jez's other collaboration with Showstudio.com called Raven starring Billie Piper and styled by Karen Binns.

What a great way to end the year :)))

The Alchemy Series: 1.1 Negredo - concept and photography by Jez Tozer. Styling by Kim Howells.

Model Kasia Wrobel @ Select
Hair Adrian Clark @ CLM
Make up Martina Luisetti using Mac
Make up assistant Amaranta Bea
Set Alun Davies
photographic assistant Rik Patel
Hair assistant Mel Pearce
Set assistant Xan Ashley
Hand processing Barb Wilson
Deconstructed colour landscapes, re-printed using silver emulsion by the artist Walter Hugo
Special thanks to Cassandra Maxwell @ CLM
Production Edie Rohl.

Photo 1: Headpieces by Pam Hogg and Piers Atkinson, Dress by Craig Lawrence
Photo 2: Headpiece by Keko Hainswheeler, Catsuit by Hannah Marshall, Shoes by Pam Hogg
Photo 3: Customized headpiece using mask by Piers Atkinson and props by Alun Davies, Dress by Hannah Marshall
Photo 4: Headband by Keko Hainswheeler, Dress by Dr Noki

* collaboration with Piers Atkinson for Machine A

2010-12-09T17:03:00.001Z

....Kim called and asked if I didn't mind popping around to stamp a golden lip on a mannequin for Piers windows at machine A... Knowing the team i'd have spent a day with I said yes right away.
The result was...Hot as Hell, Is it ok to say I quite fancied the mannequins myself?? super sexy stuff.

(The first two pics are from Anna Trevelyan's blog, mine came out all red and not nice at all...)

Anna's pic

Me and Piers with... Kate.

windows credits

Kate's lips <3

The Team: Piers Atkinson, Kim Howells, Alun Davies, Reuben Esser, Daisy Newman. Models Kate and Neil.

* the Screaming Dead - Paint it Black

2010-11-27T14:02:00.000Z

Thanks to Paul Joyce for sharing this gem. I have looked for it online everywhere in a digital version but couldn't find it... so I uploaded a link to it, and here it is:

paint it black mp3

* Piers Atkinson Look Book photos by Ellen Rogers

2010-11-18T02:24:00.001Z

Everytime I think Ellen has surpassed herself and she could not impress me any more... She manages to pull something like .......THIS.

I gasped when i saw the pictures.
And here I say this is the best job i've ever been part of.

Piers's works of art are something i could build my house with. Basement to roof.

A perfect day... And a perfect team.
and kudos to Kim Howells for linking everything together and Alun Davies for creating the magic set in what became the garden of wonders.

Awww...this whole shoot is exactly the reason why i want to do my job.

Client: Piers Atkinson
Stylist: Kim Howells
Model(s): Chloe Watson
Model Agencies: Storm Models
Set Designer: Alun Davies
Make Up: Martina Luisetti
Hair: Kenna
Make up assistant: Chiaki Azuma
Stylist assistant Reuben Esser

* Know that when you leave, by blood and by me, you walk like a thief.

2010-11-09T04:13:00.004Z

* 160, Higham Hill.

2010-09-30T18:03:00.003+01:00

I lay there on the sofa, the sun is coming in through the blinds, i think of the people who will truly understand what this post means... and one of the worst times of our lives, a time we all shared in that place. I hear kids playing outside in the schoolyard.

Time stands still in this house, as nothing happened.

But i recognize the light, the odours, the space, the colours, the sounds that my steps make.

I lay there and a song comes to mind: a song i want to dedicate to this people, to us, to say how proud i am of what we all became and how much i love you.

Iggy, Fab, Mandy: this is for you with a big smile. And a toast to more and better times that will bring us even closer, I love you..

xxx

The Last Tuesday Society's Danse Macabre.

2010-09-23T23:17:00.000+01:00

Danse Macabre - October 29th, 2010.

I borrowed a song.

2010-09-20T20:02:00.001+01:00

I borrowed a song, i'm lending you a song.

Possibility.

* 'Discorso nel cielo.'

2010-09-06T03:26:00.000+01:00

5 Gennaio 2006,

Un regalo prezioso.

* Later that same day the

2010-08-30T23:24:00.001+01:00

girl who smelled of honey and smoke sat at the desk and lit fires to the town. She had Bianca start at one house and work in a descending circle, burning it all down. She then collected the papers in a stack, tied it with ribbon, and placed it in a box she titled Light Box.

(Shayne Jones)

* A poem from Nonno Guido for you, Martina.

2010-08-27T03:16:00.001+01:00

This poem has been on my beloved Musante picture frame for at least one year now, I used to read it once in a while, it was one of the sweetest things I have ever read and it's a poem from my grandpa.
We used to write to each other often, old school letters with a stamp and everything, I would seal mine with sealing wax, red, or purple, cause grandpa understood all forms of art.
Sometimes I'd put pictures of my London life that I had printed and hand-cut for him and not long ago he had found one and he put it in his lounge, next to all the the ones he liked the most: it was a picture of me and my mum near the house of parliament when she came to visit me in London.

We stopped writing letters to each other when I was working too hard and doing ridiculous hours, but it was always on my mind. I need to write to him, I'd think, in the middle of some job or travel, but just wouldn't do it most of the times. I have no regrets, he knows how much i loved him, but tonight unspoken words are on my mind and in this case, like in others, they are a reminder of how much i hate them.

Unspoken words are always damaging.
Tonight I don't want them, It's too lonely here for unspoken words. Tonight I want to hear the ones that make me go home in a heart beat.

"A poem from Grandpa Guido for you, Martina: Your return to London."

The plane has landed
on time, by memory,
and in London has landed
your young story.

Another flight, another journey,
your english life
preceded by wisdom
through your courteous emigration.

A wanderer's path
that blossoms with time:
the Patience, the value of
wanting to know more.

But already your thought comes back here
where you turn your face,
while up north flies
your sweet smile.

Guido Montana

(I miss you so much.)

* The past is a grotesque animal.

2010-08-20T01:39:00.001+01:00

Drew once shared this song with me.

* August 19th, 2010. The Distance.

2010-08-20T00:34:00.000+01:00

Cards of a woman holding a shield.
And a man, holding a shield.
There is an angel between them, pouring water on the dirty shields that fell to the floor.
They can only find each other through Distances.

I go away,
I look back.
I leave footprints in the sand: signs of thoughts that felt like warmth.
The field is too vast and the sea is too far.

So i go again.

The footprints washed away.
The warmth taken by the northern wind.
The man swallowed by his field.

* His heart beats.

2010-08-12T03:19:00.001+01:00

I took this photo at Big Chill festival, it was one of those perfect split seconds to be lucky enough to catch.

I love it so much i probably cannot explain... It's purity, happiness, bliss, unawareness, desire to be back to that special place, for one split second.

Thank you little kid for this picture, i wish i could find a way to give it to you.

love,

Martina.

* BABALON: A collaboration with Ellen Rogers, Tomihiro Kono, Rose Ford.

2010-07-27T14:05:00.003+01:00

.....I have no words for the beauty of this.

Photos by Ellen Rogers
Head pieces/Hair by Tomihiro Kono
Styling by Rose Forde
Make up by Martina Luisetti
Model Francesca *

* Random facts and thoughts.

2010-06-24T04:38:00.001+01:00

Facts:

1) If i had to be portrayed by Robert Mapplethorpe with all of my favourite things in the same picture it would be a very crowded picture. Does that make me an enthusiast? I guess. People often confuse that with lack of clarity in one's mind but it actually is, in this case, an excessive enthusiasm towards beauty in life and things. I don't know why i'm such an enthusiast of certain kind of things. What would i put in that picture? I'm not sure. But i would like to test the answer, one day i'll try to nit pick and i will ask Cesare to take a picture. He's not Robert Mapplethorpe but on the other hand I'm not Patti Smith.
(Her 'Just Kids' book would definitely be in the picture.)

2) I have not blogged about seeing Pavement live with my best friend and that's because writing needs to come to you, not the other way around. But it was special, I just want to make sure it's recorded.
Cesare handed me Pavement CD's one after the other and before anybody else had even noticed their existence, as it often happens with him. I loved to be part of this 'secret' world and i miss it sometimes, when it doesn't find me for a long time.
Seeing Pavement with Cesare was ...simply beautiful and something i probably can't even write about because the memories and the roots are too many and it's nice to keep them in my heart after all these years, though i will admit that when Atlas Sound paid Pavement a tribute with their "we dance" i hugged Cesare and tears of joy streamed down my face for the simple fact of having someone who knows me so well in my english life even for just three days. That's something i miss every day, every minute, every, every minute of my english life. It was beautiful.
And the fact that Nicola came with him too, that was also beautiful and it meant a lot to me. Being with them was "home" while it lasted. From the bus in the car park to the hostel in Bristol.
I guess i'll never quite find these feelings with the people i know over here: It has something to do with growing up together and sharing the 'beginning years'.

3) I have bought another six books which i probably will end up reading in a few years time. Why do I always keep on doing this??

4) Last week i have let someone very special pass me by. I don't know why i did it: I guess I'm not as free as i like to think that i am. And I also think it's for the best but it made me really sad.

5) Today I gave some money to a busker at Oxford circus tube: He was in the tunnels, playing his guitar, his voice reminded me of Chris Isaacs'. He didn't notice me until he heard the coins falling on other coins, he said thank you and I briefly looked at him. He saw i was sad, smiled and sang: "Pretty woman, won't you pardon me, Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see, Pretty woman
That you look lovely as can be Are you lonely just like me Wow
Pretty woman, stop a while
Pretty woman, talk a while
Pretty woman, give your smile to me". I walked away after I smiled at him, I felt recharged and back on sync with the things around me: Kindness of strangers.. The guy made my day.

6) I really want to do the "Night of one hundred records": will have to find the right people to do it with though. Someone from the Chelsea hotel would be ideal.

7) I'm buying way much more music than i can afford and I cannot feel guilty about it no matter how much I wish to.

* Absynthe Makes The Heart Grow Fonder.

2010-06-07T17:47:00.000+01:00

Absynthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder(c)1999 by Jason Webley
After a couple glasses, The floorboards don't feel so secure. And I'm afraid I could really go down tonight. I'm out-numbered by the ashes, Held hostage by the door. And the air in here is so damn loud tonight.
But I've got this old four-by-six photograph, Your face pressed up against my shoulder, Little pools of salt mark where tears have dried. And I've got this big needle stuck in my chest, So deep it's starting to tickle. I'm a thousand miles from the chimera I chase. Love is a sadness with a face.
There's a darkness in all wanting, My intentions all feel stained, And the Devil keeps filling my glass tonight. My adrenaline is clotting, And the faces in here all seem strange. But I just want to touch something that'll last tonight.
If I could just taste one sip of an answer, Maybe I could break out of this drunkard's prison. I'm homesick for a place I might have never seen. Something more than these old feet brought me here, So these feet can't take me away. No I didn't get here on my own, Whoever brought me here's gonna have to bring me home.
I'm a thousand miles from the chimera I chase. Home is a sadness, not a place.

* Songs to shave your head to.

2010-06-01T02:10:00.000+01:00

When i finally met Robyn Tunney the first thing i said was: "I shaved my head because of you, my mum wasn't happy!" she laughed and i laughed and for a second that memory came back stronger than ever. But i had forgotten the film i did it to ("Empire records") and the song i chose playing in its background.
It was "The ballad of El Goodo" and now, with my long locks, i want to celebrate for one moment that Martina who was a very cool girl, more than she knew, back then.
She thought that having a big heart was complicated but never once she let go of it and I'm so proud of her...with my long locks.
I want to tell her that heart ever left, like she thought it was set to do.

<3 to "MattiMia" <3

(I also want to tell her one day the roles in this picture would totally reverse... and in permanent ink!!! ;)

* Sometimes London is also This.

2010-05-28T03:36:00.001+01:00

* Sigur Ros - Hoppípolla

2010-05-25T00:56:00.000+01:00

Stealing Ierepovi's words:

"Be happy, it's free and a great option. Listen to this music and try to understand it =) Wish you the best. "

Wish you all the best. <3

* Ellen Rogers and the Modern Primitives for Vice magazine.

2010-05-22T00:24:00.005+01:00

I have three favourite photographers: Henri Cartier Bresson, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Ellen Rogers.
I guess.....we're talking another level of beauty imagery that draws from inner beauty itself and the importance of the moment. I did this with Ellen and i am in love with these images, thank you Ellen <3

I Especially LOVE this last picture.

Photos
Ellen Rogers
Styling
Sam Voulters
Hair and Headpieces
TOMIHIRO KONO at Balcony Jump using Kiehl's
Make-Up
MARTINA LUISETTI using MAC

Photo Assistant
Hayley Brown
Stylist's Assistant
Emmanuel Balogun, Derek Martin
Hair Assistants
Chiaki Azuma, Tomoko Ueda

Make-Up Assistant
Dave Waterman
Models
David Gant, Betty at Models1, Abena Afari, Alex Voulters, Alice Goddard, Eleonore Desnos, Kenny Kenc

http://vicestyle.com/en/features/shoot/gallery/modern-primitives

* Chris

2010-05-10T15:57:00.001+01:00

Toyin: this should indeed be a poster for a film. You never fail to blow me away with your vision of beauty. :***

Photo by Toyin Ibidapo, fake punch on Chris's face by me :)

* stranger girl

2010-05-09T01:19:00.002+01:00

A very special dedication <3

* Something personal.

2010-05-08T18:33:00.000+01:00

"Hush my love the rain now
Hush my love was so true"

Tom Waits, Kings of Convenience, getting used to new sensations, living an impossible reality, tasting the amazement and obsession of it, breathing the dream and erasing it altogether, my shy heart that stops the time for one still second, one tiny second where everything is wrong and everything is right. And everybody around is blissfully unaware of the music in my head.

I cannot change the beauty of this.
I do not want to.

I just wish you'd understand.

* Perfume, Bodies, Heat, Paint, Skin...

2010-04-28T03:15:00.000+01:00

"Temperature" and "Heat" were the key words to create the look for Hanna Ter Meulen's video.

Temperature... Heat... Two bodies wrapped around one another discovering new surfaces, provoking thoughts and feelings. The stuff Beauty is made of.

Filmed by Malcolm Pate, who is not a stranger to experimental art and conceptual work, I jumped at the chance to be part of this loving project! Will Westall was styling and the lovely Vale Aleman was helping me with the body painting that Malcolm had envisioned for this project.

I loved doing this shoot... Plus put together the team that we had for the day and you're granted a nice, relaxed, fun time!

Ellis's back garden was only a matter of hours away to get some well deserved rest at the end of the day :)

Titlel: H-3AT

Director: Malcolm Pate (http://www.malcolmpate.com)
Styling: Will Westall (http://www.anothermag.com)
Make-Up: Martina Luisetti (http://www.martinaluisetti.com)
Hair: Michael Jones (http://www.someonejones.com)
Models:
Boy: Matt Law @ mandpmodels
Girl: Juliana Cardoso

no images from this video may be used without prior consent of the copyright holder.

* I was a Amanda Palmer virgin

2010-04-26T03:11:00.002+01:00

...And very glad to have been "baptised" with her art. Make sure you check out her work with Jason Webley on their group Evelyn Evelyn, just brilliant!

Amanda is special. This song - a cover of a Momus song if i'm not wrong? - is special.

Oh: and it goes in my top 5 love songs of all times.

* Vice Magazine cancer fashion feature on Sarah Lewis

2010-04-23T01:47:00.000+01:00

...And speaking of my previous blog these were the images by Holly Lucas portraying designer Sarah Lewis wonderful pieces. Please have a look at the article in full here: http://vicestyle.com/en/news/today/post/cancer-fashion

PHOTOS: HOLLY LUCAS
STYLING: SAM VOULTERS
HAIR: HIROSHI MATSUSHITA
MAKE-UP: MARTINA LUISETTI

* Backstage shoots

2010-04-23T01:40:00.000+01:00

...It's funny: the things I see while working backstage or on locations, while the photographer is shooting, i like to catch the moments in between, right before the actual frame that will be chosen for the magazine.
I like that naturalness. If this words even exists in english.
To be fair all i do is a reportage, since i haven't decided the spot where the model is going to be nor the styling for the shoot.
I like what comes out though... sometimes more than the polished final images no offense to all the great photographers i work with, i hope :) I just like the awkward moments in between:the leg that is not quite right, the arm that's moving, the model talking etc... and i hope they won't mind me publishing the things i see on set.

I took this one on location for a shoot for Vice magazine: the styling was by Sam Voulters, The photographer on set for the shot was Holly Lucas and it was a feature on fashion designer Sarah Lewis.

I love it SO much.

xx

* Daniel Johnston @ The Troxy

2010-04-06T14:17:00.001+01:00

I went to see Daniel performing, i wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Jeffrey Lewis was the support act and i must say kudos to him: his music is brilliant and i only had heard of him but wasn't familiar with his work and....wow! I love it when this happens, when you can look forward to a new musician to get addicted to. I find this very rarely happens to me lately.
Daniel could barely sing, he wasn't in great shape, still he gave it his all and the respect he got back from the crowd was enormous and very touching...Until a fake blonde prick shouted at him from across the theatre:" Come on Danieeeel! Give us mooooore!" Daniel smiled and said "I'm trying.....I hope you are enjoying yourselves tonight" and the cheering from the crowd luckily booed the fake blonde prick.
I shouted at the fake blonde guy (which looked so annoyingly a product of these fashion days) to SHUT UP. I wasn't going to be in that "us", no way. I was feeling lucky already that Daniel managed to do this tour, given the obvious weakness of his body. SOME RESPECT for fuck's sake!
ah well. Nevermind. The blondie was put back into his right place when Daniel came on stage for his encore singing "true love will find you in the end".

Shut up blondie.

* Ewan McGregor on Live Magazine

2010-03-29T16:06:00.001+01:00

The latest job i did with my favourite: Ewan McGregor.
He never disappoints: He's the best, the nicest, the cutest and every other good word you can think of. :)

LIVE magazine - (The mail on sunday) hasn't bothered giving us all credits so here they are:

Photos: Ian Derry

Styling: Rachel Bakewell

Grooming: Martina Luisetti

Representative for Ewan: Matt Lebov

* Show Time with David Gant

2010-03-17T01:34:00.001Z

Today it has been a special day. Comes 9am and I’m at the Brewery road studios where photographer Mark Gostick is surrounded by bags of equipment and coming from afar I see David Gant in all his captivating presence: he looks like he stepped out from another time and greets us with the savoir-faire that belongs to the greats without possibly knowing that he certainly belongs to the category. As he mentioned later on speaking of a singer he loves “the Greats don’t have to prove themselves to anybody. They just are.”
David’s CV is as long as my arm and we remember him in roles from “Braveheart” and “Jane Eyre” to mention but a few but this is something abut him you can easily find on line.
I would like to speak of a few hours spent with the marvellous man behind the actor with his silver hair and interesting facial lines I couldn’t wait to work with. The lines on his cheeks tell the story of a thousand laughter and the ones on his forehead make him look like a child surprised by life. No lines of a stressed or an envious man And while I speak to him I realise that he’s lived way more than 9 lives… Once he even endured an 8 hour make up test in order to become a 200 yrs old man for Discovery Channel! He went to the British library and sat there listening to the tapes of people who were over 100 years old in order to understand his role better and what caught his attention was their voices: strong but calm altogether, confident and trembling from age. He smiles and says: “the first one I heard was the one I kept on going back to, it’s strange, I would always go back to that one in spite of the others. It’s a matter of instinct: if something works I know it within 5 minutes”.
And you can tell. David is one of those people that enter a room and illuminate it with a glance, a face that tells a million stories between its lines. The first thing he did when he arrived on set was wondering in the studio by himself touching the furniture and the lights, the camera – sometimes – , the walls, bare feet – sometimes - to familiarise with what was going to be his home for a few hours “to feel part of it. Be in it.” Just like being at home where one doesn’t need to switch the lights on and knows where everything is. “things are a reflection of ourselves”.
Then he asks Mark if he’d rather him moving around the set or standing still, how much freedom of action he has. And with such intense features and charm it is only obvious that Mark lets him free to do what he knows how to do to perfection: Adapting to the mood but also creating it: “adapting to the music or the *absence* of music” as he says “creates a whole different feeling inside. One day for a photo shoot we had the Rolling stones playing in the stereo. I’m not necessary a fan of the Stones but on that occasion I wanted their music to be loud and on repeat: the music was setting the mood. I prefer music to be loud and I love jazz.”
And speaking of jazz he describes to me one of the best night of his life: in my beloved Rome, under a starry sky listening to jazz music. Like the time he had the honour to accompany Adelaide Hall on stage for a show: he recalls her arriving on stage for rehearsal and going to the microphone. She puts her handbag on the floor to the side and simply started singing. Just like that. “boy could she sing!”
And David talks and talks about small anecdotes, stories from his past… and one could listen to him for hours. The banker that decided to quit the safety net of a secure job to study at the academy of music and drama in Glasgow when he was 30 yrs old.
The actor that shot the Guinness campaign thanks to which was requested by german designer of menswear Doris Hartwich for her aw 1999/2000 fashion show. And so it is that David becomes a model at 57 years old. He keeps a separate line between acting and modelling: “they are two different things but I like them both: it’s about loving what you’re doing when you are doing it. I enjoy everything I do…”
And you can see that too: David is INCREDIBLE in front of a camera: he is limitless, he is not afraid of the “mistake” as such he knows that the best shots happen sometimes because of it. He experiments his body with moves and dialogues also, it helps him to get into the character he’s improvising. Mark shots him restlessly, he lets him free to be and the energy in the room is tangible, we are all in love with his charisma, we can’t take our eyes off of him: we are witnessing one of those moments where art is above everything. David says “Showtime!” and gives us 100 per cent and we return the favour happily.
I don’t need to ask him any more questions. As he said this morning: “sometimes is better not to know. It takes away the mystique.”

Find David in the men section of www.models1.co.uk
The stylist for our shoot is none other than Steph Wilson: www.onemakeuphairandstyling.com/#/stephwilson
And here is a link to our wonderful photographer www.markgostick.com
Credits for the hair and the good mood of the day go to the fabulous Teddy Mitchell! www.good-head.co.uk
Art director is lovely Kate ……………..

* Vice magazine shoot

2010-03-01T03:15:00.000Z

Now this was more of a party at a friend's house than a day at work!
I think we giggled pretty much all day and made london sunny again. Thanks guys!

and this is Paolo at work and below are the published pics:

Paolo Zerbini

http://www.viceland.com/fashion/2010/02/townie-girls/

VICE magazine
PHOTOS: PAOLO ZERBINI
STYLING: SAM VOULTERS
HAIR: YOSHIHIRO TAKEUCHI
MAKE-UP: MARTINA LUISETTI USING MAC
PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANTS: PAOLA GRECO AND MATT WALSH
STYLING ASSISTANT: ROSS McLAUGHLAN

* Milan AW10-11: Les Copains, Just Cavalli and Emilio Pucci.

2010-02-28T00:12:00.001Z

My Milanese season has started well with a great lip-look by Charlotte Tilbury @ Just Cavalli... perfect and expensive luminous skin and a rockabilly red lip with tons of bright red glitter pressed into it and in some cases a twist with a touch of purple glitters mixed on the red...it was love at first sight and i'm very happy to see glitters back in action, they've been used at John Richmond, Roksanda Ilincic and more shows i can't think of right now as i'm practically falling asleep on my own two feet. I feel like Mr. Bean in his latest film, with matches to keep his eyes open...
but here it is...my make up for Charlotte's uber glamourous look:

and the make up demo:

Then one of those good days that hit us once in a while...this morning Les Copains with Lloyd Simmons which i love endlessly and to conclude the day the right way the cool Lisa Butler for Emilio Pucci.

Lloyd is in my top 5 of favourite make up artists ever which includes Topolino, Val Garland, Ida Montanari and Pat McGrath... and today @ Les Copaines he showed us all again the wizard he is when it comes to beauty: His approach to make up is extremely technical, nothing is left to chance, not even mistakes.

His precise application is à la certosina, his hands move around the face as if they were going through water... Basically one of those artists that make everything they do, look easy.

Then of course there is the personality factor...which to me is as important as the art itself: how many of us have come to hate a marvellous make-up look because of the stress it created backstage? The list is long.

Lloyd has created the digital version of the 60's this morning: his steady hand made me wonder if he had his caffeine dose for the day already, given that we were all an army of zombies with brushes and black pencils in our hands.

My first model unfortunately has not stopped moving AT ALL, not for one second, which made this very enjoyable look a total nightmare for me..It was taking me longer to fix the mistakes caused by her sudden movements than it would to have done three of those looks.

Oh well...it could have been worse i guess: always look at the bright side: I could have NOT be there, for instance, and not have experienced once more the old school tricks that Lloyd pulled: blending a base of eye pencil into the socket and intensifying in all the right places with the same colour but in powder texture.

Here is Lloyd at work (j'adore...) and my make up for him: not bad considering the two hours sleep and the "ballerina" in my chair, huh? ;)

Then...Lisa Butler finished off my day in total beauty and cool make up:

Despite the fact that 15 of the most important models at our show were going to be delayed by Gucci's clash in schedules and that we had less than an hour to get them all ready in hair and in a tiny backstage area...the show was still a great success: the clothes were to die for, as sexy as it gets.

Lisa wanted the girls to be made up the DIY way: a mineralised skin allowed opacity without heavy textures, the blusher was as close as it gets to a sudden compliment thrown the models way and lips of the same colour granted a "twist", as Lisa sarcastically pointed out.

tons of black mascara on super curled lashes and a greeny-musky eye pencil on the waterline finished off the look. True to the diy effect that's also always slightly worn in, we then added more green on the inner and outer orners of the waterline...basically what happens to non make-uppy people trying to do make up.

Of course, when the models casting looks like a massive tribute to the campaigns of the last few years it become easy-ier to be slightly messy and play with artistic licence.

Total highlight of my day: doing Freja's make up, which i believe is one of the most beautiful women walking this earth. Freja seems to wear this look as a black velvet glove. Certainly even a pie on her face would manage to look glamorous and feline on her...but that's another story.

Tomorrow my last show of Milan Salvatore Ferragamo with beloved Tom Pecheux. Stay tuned.

* Charlotte Gainsbourgh and Johnny Depp.

2010-02-26T15:26:00.000Z

Another form of beauty.

* Richard Sorger look book preview

2010-02-18T14:14:00.001Z

I'm sitting in Richard's beautiful flat and outside is "grey as a dead pigeon" - my friend Michel would say.
It's been raining all day, our hopes to take some photos for Richard's look book outside are slimmer by the hour.
But lovely Bella Howard is definitely determined to make this day work and she goes around the house finding cool spots to give justice to Richard's amazing outfits. And what better place than this beautiful home that Richard and his partner have done up to designer's standards. The wallpaper in the lounge is just to die for...And the Marylin-red kitchen is no second best.
As I enter the room where the clothes are kept I feel like i'm entering a little hidden heaven in Angel. Richard tells me abut the hand made work, the embroidery, the Damien Hirst-esque skulls he made on vests and dresses of which i'm already a massive fan. I've been promised one and that made my day so much so that i have a smile turned into a cramp while i touch them with my own two hands.
Bella is a multi tasking talented girl, as well as one of the loveliest first impressions i had on someone: I talk to her about her life and what she would like people to know about her.
Without hesitation Bella tells me about her fanzine called Bellazine: she hand makes it and hands it around at gigs, it features her thoughts about music, fashion, art and interviews to bands. As she said to TimeOut she makes 100 copies which makes them collectible items already, really, and i'm so curious to get my claws on one :)
Bella also writes a few blogs/websites: http://thefashionisto.com/blog/category/photographers/bella-howard-photographers/ and http://bellahoward.blogspot.com/ aaaand http://bybellazine.blogspot.com/.
If it wasn't enough she is also a Dj and a film maker: one of her favourite things is to go through a film frame by frame and take the frame that's in the exact moment in space and time. Which is a very documentaristic approach of someone trying to catch the perfect moment, the one that tells a story more than any other.
It comes as no surprise as she LOOOVES travelling and her ideal life would be to have enough money to travel and take pictures, she gets restless if stuck in one place for too long...typical of a soul that's always searching and needs visual stimulation to feed her inspiration. Bella is from Yorkshire and she loves going back home to see her family and friends, going to punk gigs, admiring diversity and coolness all around her. She started off in Paris where she took her photography course and then knocked at I-D's doors where she started interning for them...next up for her is...modelling for Matt Irwin! As i look at her attention to details and curiosity towards everything that surrounds her I have a feeling that this girl will always have amazing stories to tell... :)
While we chat, our model Frankie has changed into another great outfit and stylist of the year 2009 Grace Woodward is ready to see Bella's magic happen.
Grace has got something in store for us... She will be part of the judging panel for Britain's next top model! Grace IS the fashion expert and it's only due that after years of practical fashion (hands on every amazing outfit in the fashion world) she would move to the next level of the Intellectual side of fashion. Grace has got a lot to share with the world, a lot of knowledge to entertain us all with so i'm really looking forward to seeing her on the telly. Let's not forget she was head of press for Agent Provocateur! Ok, now i'm officially jealous...and even more so when i hear of a possible collaboration with Stephen Jones for a summer fashion story on theme of "english eccentric"... Stephen Jones has approached her for this and i reeeally hope it happens because that'll be something to look forward to, big time.
On the collaboration with Richard she says she's extremely happy: she considers him an artist of "cutting egde, for cool connosseurs and people who have an interest in fashion rather than following the mainstream".
Oh. And she's lip-sincing all of The Smiths songs: definitely a cool chick. ;)
here is a link to Grace's website: http://www.gracewoodward.com/
As if it wasn't enough...the beautiful american singer Wafah Dufour walks through Richard's door to make a special appearance on the look book. She did her own make-up and it was flawless, all i had to do was add a red lip and with those lips wow didn't she look amazing. She's a pro, you should have seen her posing for Bella, i can't wait to see the pics.
I will be at the show this sunday and after all this talent in one room i must say...I can't wait.
Thanks for sharing all this with me folks!

This is going to be mine!!! but in Black and the grey skull...can't wait!!

our lovely model was Frankie@Profile

Richard at work

http://www.richardsorger.com/gallery/

You should see this in real life...just STUNNING piece of work.

Grace's attentive eye at work

Bella at work with Frankie

Beautiful Bella with Wafah Dufour: Wafah is Richard's special guest for the Look Book.

http://www.myspace.com/wafahdufourmusic

:((( This was one of the flags from the first look book i shot for Alexander McQueen: I couldn't afford the one i wanted at the time and i had put it on my short list of things that would have held a place in a wall in my living room. I guess that's never going to happen now... When Grace walked in with THIS i gasped. Bless your soul Lee McQueen. Another masterpiece.

* Everything with wings is restless.

2010-02-18T03:20:00.000Z

Dedicated to Drew and Whitney Jasmine

* The world of Ellen Rogers

2010-02-16T23:40:00.003Z

Photography is my real passion. I do make-up for a living and i love doing it but photography is my total love. So much so, in fact, that i chose to leave it as such and not make a job out of it.
This is the one area where i decided to stay free to "be", to take my time, to be inspired, to have a break from it if needs being. It is also the area where magic happens and on certain days it just flows from my heart...More than that: "photography is shooting your eyes, your mind, your heart on the same line of fire." like one of my idols once said: the supreme Henry Cartier Bresson...Henri was once laughed at for forgetting to put a film into his camera before starting to shoot: "You are becoming a conceptual photographer now huh!" ...Well, HELL YES.
A very few people have been SO able to capture the moment, to trust their instinct, to ignore the technique in favour of a great scene to document right there and then, as much as he did. One fraction of a second later to regulate the focus and that gaze is lost forever. Henry knew that. Some of his pictures are technically a bit of a mess...nonetheless: masterpieces of the truth behind the most beautiful imperfection of going with the flow.
A conceptual photographer, therefore...It definitely sounds like it...and if i can guess He probably laughed back at the person who said those words, knowing that those images were in his head without the aid of a camera and that the camera is the way for him to share them...like Isadora Duncan once said: "If i knew how to say 'IT' - I wouldn't need to dance 'IT'."
So we dance with Henri, we dance with Isadora, we learn to love our mistakes and to ignore the technique at times in favour of the beauty of the moment, we learn to let our art go from our bodies and we see it embrace the universe...sometimes chosing to not care for the effect it provoques because for some people like Isadora and Henri it was a matter of catching that beauty and let it out of their system for god knows which amazing reason.
Along these lines i feel i can introduce to you Ellen Rogers: I asked her how did she feel about her art and she said she sometimes wouldn't even recognize her works once they were "out" of her system - like this - "oh? did i take that picture?!" i thought this was really cute...mainly because it's part of that need to let go of our art, to let it out of our body...some people instead have a tendency to keep it inside, doodling with their own visions, this is their need. But Ellen lets it out instead...and as she calls herself "a tormented soul" she says it with a smile and i don't see her dark alleys: i see a ray of light standing in front of me, a refreshing approach to being one's self, having the courage of one's feelings. Which of course MUST be a tormented place, i know that too well, but also one that's always worth visiting. As dear Lee McQueen said once "beauty can come from everywhere, even disgusting places".
And i deeply respect people that are not scared to feel and to go deeper than what's technically needed.
So here is Ellen Rogers, a link to her website, which you must visit, love it or hate it (you crazy people) because it's art whatever you think. Ultimately art IS free expression.
http://www.ellenrogers.co.uk/
The pictures below are some that i took while she was working at Charlotte Olympia's look book while she was shooting the real deal. That day was one of those days of mine where i have been able to let ..the river flow with my own camera, thanks to the Sets she'd make, the poses she'd choose for the models, the atmosphere she created on set, the freedom she allowed to Morweena and Sophie to "be".
Thanks to Ellen i could not leave my camera alone...and i had to force my self to take only a few pictures in order not to look annoying! In all fairness i made them sepia-tone so that you lovely people couldn't see the clothes too well, mainly because i have to wait for Charlotte's look book to hit the fashion world before i can reveal too much ;) but that's gonna happen next week, so Ellen's beautiful pictures will be up here soon.
Ellen only shoots on film and then works on the printed pictures. Her world seems a tribute to "pic-nic at hanging rock" with a feeling from the 20's and 30's and Fellini-esque earthy creatures that end up in woods or dark cabaret clubs... Imagine this in the style of the silent movies and let those faces tell you a story and just...Listen.

Moi, J'adore.

And this is Ellen. You can't see her. But what did you expect?

MODELS: Morwenna Lytton Cobbold and Sophie Nielander @ Premier agency

Styling: ValentineFillol Cordier, Make-up: Martina Luisetti, Hair: Paul Donovan. All shoes by Charlotte Olympia.

* This is a promise with a catch.

2010-02-12T00:27:00.000Z

("i will never love you more than Daniel Johnston himself: to me he's more than god so I will never love you more.")

* The day Lee Alexander McQueen died.

2010-02-11T19:36:00.004Z

with all my love and respect.

Lee McQueen on the latest issue of LOVE, before he died: "I'm 40 now, but I want this to be a company that lives way beyond me, and i believe that customers are more important to making that happen than press. When i'm dead, hopefully this house will still be going. On a spaceship. Hopping up and down above earth." ♥

* DANSK magazine - issue 23. Photos by Malcolm Pate

2010-02-11T00:08:00.001Z

Malcolm's approach to beauty is unique and contagious: here he is, photographing as well as being photographed <3
Kimi O'Neill was happily styling the whole thing with a pink Katy Eary mummy, brought to life by model Oliver Welton. He could barely move in it but he loved it! And we were all jealous of it, actually.
Then we have the duo, possibly my favourite photo of 2010 so far... Miss Marshall and Miss Martin look like they have superheroes telepathy powers here...and judging by their friendship behind the camera i'm pretty sure they do... like in the Edward Monkton's friendship cartoon.

Photos: Malcolm Pate, Fashion Editor Kimi O'Neill, Make up Martina Luisetti, Hair Koji Ichikawa, Model Oliver Welton @ FM, Fashion assistant Coquito Cassibba, Make up assistant Love Ticklemouse, Photo assistant Jenna McIvor.
(here is the Ed Monkton friendship cartoon!)

* Nick cave and PJ Harvey

2010-01-24T06:13:00.003Z

it's comforting to know that these two superior beings have found each other at some point in their lives.

* martina's haaard work.

2010-01-24T03:54:00.003Z

Ok...back to freelancing with make-up now so doing some honest self promotion. This is what I've been up to for...well...a little while now ;)

hope you like it :*

www.martinaluisetti.com

Love,

- Me -

* Soko: "I Will Never Love You More".

2010-01-22T03:30:00.003Z

This song by french singer Soko was brought to my attention by my friend Nicola. If I remember well his reaction to my "...Who? Soko? Nah, I don't know her.."

was:

"......................what? ...WHAT??? you don't know SOKO??? .........YOU don't know this song?!?!?!"

...and to cut a long story short he showed me the following link on YouTube and after listening to the words I was just as surprised as he was: that - I - didn't know this song. Better late than never, they say. And for my views on relationships...definitely Better now than Later. Or Never!

I took the liberty of writing the lovely lyrics below (for people like me: non-english) and if you're lucky enough you may already be listening to the song AS we speak, since it is on shuffle on my playlist of this blog ;) also here is a link to gorgeous Soko singing live: Soko: "I will never love you more" - Live

I will never love you more than the drummer of flaming lips
I will never love you more than Woody Allen movies
I will never love you more than the White album of the Beatles
I will never love you more than God only knows

I will never love you more than DVD's night with my girlfriends
And we talk about stupid things like feelings and men
I will never love you more than my boyfriend when I was 14
Even if he's now an asshole, I will never love you more

And you say, you love me more than everything
And compared to me everything is nothing...

I will never love you more than meeting Paul McCartney
And we asked him to play a song on my Ukulele
I will never love you more than my Scandinavian Tour
Which was more than paradise, I wish you remembered it too

I will never love you more than dancing to Phil Spektor
I will never love you more than my Casiotone keyboard.
I will never love you more than Daniel Johnston himself
For me he's more than God, I will never love you more

And you say, you love me more than everything
And compared to me everything is nothing

Ohh this is sweet, I just wonder what it means

You say you love me more, than all the girls you have had before
Even more than music, even more than yourself
Even more than everything, but it's just a lie
So I will never love you more, than anything

I will never love you more than singing in the shower
I will never love you more than my Mac computer
I will never love you more than having a daughter
I will never love you more than peanut butter

I will never love you more than kisses all day
I will never love you more than cuddles all night
I will never love you more than kissing girls lips when they're really pretty!

* Skyping with Bianca at 6am.

2010-01-21T06:04:00.003Z

Weird things happen when we chat.

She is part of DA PEOPLE now.

* Mina: The one and only.

2010-01-21T03:23:00.010Z

Last year i did a make up master class for MAC cosmetics and i was asked to chose a topic. I sat down with make up genius Terry Barber and i told him about my love for this unusual woman and how surprised i was that not many people knew of her in England. I grew up in Italy and Mina was there since i was born...one of those constant presences that are with you your whole life. A bit like Michael Jackson or dirty dancing did, for people of my generation though i'm not comparing Mina to him as it'd be like comparing ice to fire.
I don't remember a day when i switched the radio on and i didn't catch one of her songs. The woman has been around from 1959! (even though she didn't make any public appearance since 1978, the year i was born.) Also, I could always remember how "weird" she was...her look was unique and her make up....OH HER MAKE UP!!! i think Mina was the first person, other than my mum, that made me realise just HOW powerful make up can be. So, i decided to do my class on Mina...and the world of the 70's "underground" make up.
I started researching and..........my love for this amazing woman grew and grew ...and grew some more.
Louis Armstrong was quoted calling her "the best white female singer of all times" and there's an interview on youtube where Liza Minnelli names Mina "her number one". Frank Sinatra was supposed to duet with her in America but Mina had a nervous breakdown that year so, that, unfortunately is a gem that we're all going to miss out on...
She recorded over 110 albums, sold over 76 million records and scored over 70 singles. She was the first italian female rocker, hehe, the first to "dance" in front of a camera (at the time singers used to sing with a hand on their heart and Domenico Modugno -the popular author of "volare" got in trouble for even raising his hands on tv!), the first to shave her eyebrows off completely in Italy which started a major fashion trend. I love that throughout my research, which lasted for a couple of months, my mum FORGOT to mention that she was with her on the day she first shaved her eyebrows!!! Mum said that she arrived in the make up room to go to her then-make up artist and said "so...what do we do today??" and he said to her "Mina! what else can i do on you!!! i've done every possible make up...the last thing left to do is to shave your eyebrows off!" and laughed at that thought. She said "OH. Ok. Let's do it." I love this about her: She wasn't pretty but she had the courage to use her un-pretty features and instead of hiding them, enhancing them to an extreme. I mean....Imagine doing a corrective make up on Greta Garbo.........pretty...but you'd KILL her glamour!!!!
I know for a fact that make up artists used to try and give Mina the fashion's liquid liner which was "à la Marilyn" and she hated it, it just wouldn't suit her. My godmother was one of the first make up artists to start drawing her eyes "downwards", something that genius make up artist Stefano Anselmo completely made into a statement for her later on.
Mina and Stefano found each other, artistically speaking. He became her loyal make up artist till the last time she appeared on stage. And Mauro Balletti her photographer of choice. There is a book i have: "Mina nelle fotografie di mauro balletti" who should NOT be missing from make up artists book case...it's expensive but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!
In 1963 mina was banned from singing in public (???!!) because she refused to hide her pregnancy and relationship with a married actor (yes those where the times where one would have to face a trial in court if found adulterating on his/her partner...but i'm not surprised, given that one would get in trouble for dancing on telly!)
Record sales though were unaffected and the audience forced to lift the ban.
To the "bad girl image" Mina responded with her new image on live tv: dyed platinum hair, shaved eyebrows and the first cigarette to appear on screen.
Mina decided to "retire" from public appearances in 1978, never appeared again, up to date,and never commented on as to why she withdrew from public life.
In 2001 she appeared briefly on line with her new album and the website had to shut down the same night because of internet traffic...Millions had log on to see their idol and crushed the site!

I don't only love Mina for her unsurpassed voice. I love her for being true to herself, for being the emancipated woman she always has been - the tiger of Cremona - for changing italian laws and attitude towards women and marriage, for sending back a blank check to that super-dubious italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who gave it to her hoping she would sing for one of his parties (lol!), or...for some of the best make up i have ever seen and will ever see in my career: the intensity of the 1920's, the downwards lines of the 30's, the glam-rock of the 70's...all combined to make her as powerful-looking as it gets. Her eyes were leaning towards her cheekbones, not her temples, her cheeks were drawn to a straight strong cut on the face, her lips -the erotic element- annulled or darkened in an impertinent shape. All of this on a nearly white pancaked foundationed skin.
Mina IS the reference of champions, full stop.
The first photo is of her without the make up that made her a beauty icon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cx_dhPGlSM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXj1cg-OR58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO-sZDlZEJI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jPl22_7UTM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzzg6LyOIZs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFR3SxnvTs4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ayOIHnLBs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNhDBURIf8I

"With Mina a word became.....THE word, a note became...........THE note."

* the PostSecret project

2010-01-20T02:58:00.009Z

This is very cool.
Nearly as cool as "the 1001 journals project"...but that's for the next post.
Frank Warren has handed out blank postcards to strangers, asking them to reveal their deepest secrets anonymously and to send them back to him... obviously, knowing what human nature is like, it comes as no surprise that the experiment worked extremely well and he published the secrets online as well as a book where even darker secrets have come to life.
I don't have many secrets, in fact i can't think of any right now but i know i must have some. Some words that i never said or some thoughts that i push at the back of my mind... nevertheless i completely surrender to the fascination towards secrets and all that they represent. Whether it is about getting something off your chest or about the truth granted by anonymous writing...this site is still pretty interesting. Enjoy xx

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
http://www.postsecretcommunity.com/

all images are copyright of Postsecret

* Siobhan Fahey for Ponystep.com

2010-01-19T19:18:00.010Z

Very happy to have worked for Ponystep :)

Photography: Jermaine Francis.
Styling: Richard Mortimer.
Hair: Lok Lau at CLM for Taylor Taylor London.
Make-Up: Martina Luisetti using Laura Mercier.
Photo Assistant: Ben Etridge.
Digital and Retouching: Full Metal Jacket Digital.
Lighting & Studio: ProVision and ProLighting.

http://ponystep.com/music/article/Sequinsorlam_416.aspx

* I just started a journal.

2010-01-19T18:58:00.003Z

Soooo......
This blog thing.
I have no idea what to do with it...I guess it'll be just pictures and thoughts and links to things i want to share.
My new journal is one of them so i'm just posting these for now.
I have a fetish with journals: it's like Mel Gibson in that film...Conspiracy theories i think it was called. The government sets his brain to be compelled to buy Catcher in the rye every time he sees one around. Something has set my brain to buy journals and most of the times they just lay there in my book shelf, beautiful ad untouched, smelling of "new" and the pages are always smooth. Sometimes i start one, then leave it. In the past i used to finish writing them, now i don't, it seems, anymore.
Pen are another thing my brain is set to buy.
Oh, and brushes........in fact one job i would definitely do if i wasn't doing make up is to work in a cartoleria, i don't know how you say that in english. And a record shop, a small one, possibly working with John Cusaack, Jack Black and Todd Louiso.
But that's moving away from the Journal thing...