In truth, a lady

This photographic post is respectfully dedicated to dear O.,  a woman by whose innate feminine highness and by her very special sophisticated personal taste and sensibility inexorably magnified my own inspirative and creative universe.

- F.

◊

— Charlize Theron —

“Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier in her gown specially designed for the 2012 Golden Globe Awards, Christian Dior Haute Couture special creation.”

◊

— Charlize Theron —

“Photographed by Alexi Lubomirski, wearing a dress inspired by a design from the Christian Dior Prêt-à-Porter Collection by John Galliano, Fall/Winter 2008.”

◊

— Charlize Theron, for Interview US, June/July 2012 —

◊

— Charlize Theron, by Mario Sorrenti —

◊

— Charlize Theron, by Dusan Reljin —

◊

— Charlize Theron, by Bruno Dayan —

◊

— Charlize Theron, for Vogue España, June 2009 —

◊

— Charlize Theron, by Vincent Peters —

◊

— Charlize Theron, by Patrick Demarchelier —

◊

And for more about Charlize Theron’s awesome photographic work, I strongly recommend to read and to contemplate the gorgeous post Confessions, from the beautiful blog A day with me inspired by beauty…, by Olesja

◊

— Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood —

First and second images: sources to be defined

Third and fourth images: by Erez Sabag

◊

— Juju Ivanyuk, for Harper’s Bazaar España, June 2013 —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for Amica Germany, January 2009 —

◊

— Diane Kruger, by Kate Berry —

◊

— HSH Princess Grace of Monaco —

“Photographed by Howell Conant, on her tenth wedding anniversary in 1966. She is wearing a Christian Dior special creation by Marc Bohan, in ivory silk with stylized veined-leaf motifs in gold lamé.”

◊

— Ekaterina Vilkova, by Erez Sabag —

◊

— Elena Melnik, for Vogue España, October 2010 —

◊

— Lily Donaldson, for Pirelli Calendar, 2008 —

◊

— Lindsay Lohan, by Mert & Marcus —

◊

— Laetitia Casta —

First image: by Mario Testino

Second image: by Driu & Tiago

◊

— Natalia Vodianova, for Vogue US, May 2009 —

◊

— Natalia Vodianova, by Michael Thompson —

◊

— Natalia Vodianova, by Ellen von Unwerth —

◊

— Sasha Pivovarova, for Interview US, April 2013 —

◊

— Elizabeth Debicki (sources to be defined) —

◊

— Hana Soukupová, Vogue China, October 2005 —

◊

— Women (sources to be defined) —

◊

— Jessica Stam, for BCBG, Spring/Summer 2006 —

◊

— Agnete Hegelund, for Van Cleef & Arpels, 2009 —

◊

“The result was a plethora of comparisons to goddesses and nymphs – (…) At least two writers chose to cite the famous passage in the Aeneid when Venus appeared incognito to her son Aeneas. But as Venus turned away ‘by her gait she revealed that she was, in truth, a goddess’ (vera incessu patuit dea). The novelist and essayist Sénac de Meilhan was reminded of Virgil by the Queen’s manner of walking, so light of foot and yet so majestic. Horace Walpole would never forget seeing her following Louis XV into the Royal Chapel, how she ‘shot through the room like an aerial Being, all brightness and grace and without seeming to touch earth.’ Madame Vigée Le Brun, watching her outdoors with her ladies at Fontainebleau, thought that the dazzling Queen, her diamonds sparkling in the sunlight, might have been a goddess surrounded by nymphs.”

Excerpt from Antonia Fraser’s Marie Antoinette: The Journey, Chapter 9

◊

— Charlize Theron, for J’adore Dior campaign —

◊

Vi ses!

The enlightened sweetness of a woman

— Gemma Ward, for Vogue US, June 2005 —

◊

From an intuitive practice of personal aesthetic insight. The search, gathering and application of subjective beauty conceptual principles and feelings. A binomial intentional state of paucity of written words and profusion of visual hyperexpression.

- F.

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, at Central Park, NYC, by James Houston, 2012 —

◊

— Toni Garrn, for Madame Figaro, April 13, 2013 —

◊

— Toni Garrn, for Vogue Italia Beauty, April 2012 —

◊

— Snejana Onopka, for Vogue Italia, November 2005 —

◊

— Luthienelve Photography, by Aga Kacprowska-Konobrodzka —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for InStyle US, April 2013 —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for Harper’s Bazaar Russia, May 2013 —

◊

— Naomi Watts, in the role of Ann Darrow, King Kong motion picture, 2005 —

◊

— Rachel Weisz, for Harper’s Bazaar UK, March 2013 —

◊

— Kasia Ratajczak Photography —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for Interview Germany, April 2013 —

◊

— by Anthony Maule, for Flair Italia, April 2013 —

◊

— Jessica Stam, for W Magazine, January 2013 —

◊

— Katie Fogarty, for Harper’s Bazaar UK, May 2013 —

◊

— Masha Novoselova, for Vogue Nippon Beauty, May 2008 —

◊

— Sasha Luss, for Harper’s Bazaar Mexico, May 2013 —

◊

— Sasha Martynyuk, for Harper’s Bazaar Mexico, June 2012 —

◊

— Ophelie Rupp, for Stil Leben, of Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— by Richard Avedon —

First image: for Harper’s Bazaar, 1957

Second image: for Harper’s Bazaar, 1958

Third image: for Harper’s Bazaar, 1965

Fourth image: Ingrid Boulting, for Vogue, 1970

◊

— Dóra Jóhannsdóttir, from Iceland —

◊

— Hannah (DNA, NYC), for L’Officiel Ukraine, November 2012 —

◊

— Anmari Botha, for Vogue Thailand, May 2013 —

◊

— Anmari Botha, by Remi Kozdra & Kasia Baczulis —

◊

— Anmari Botha, for Jones Bootmaker —

◊

— Anmari Botha (undefined source) —

◊

Vi ses!

Her serene highness

— Caroline Trentini, for Marie Claire Brasil, April 2013 —

◊

Serene highness as a possible noble adjectivation of a very special and unique human potential which comprises the subjective and powerful ability of aesthetic grounded observation of the external world and the collection and personal interpretation of multiple pleasant kinesthetic stimuli through which, in practice, we translate and reveal, at least a little, our own intimate profiles and genuine personal tastes.

The communication phenomenon between our inner vivid personality and this referred exterior world, whether through the written language or the pictorial non-written graphic expression – with special mention to photography, as a main existential foundation of this blog – is laborious, productive, surely enjoyable and so much rewarding, in the immaterial sense of the term. Each visual composition and all of its related details have a value and significance to their selector, not always obvious to all who look at them… So, the research and assortment work to gather many sets of remarkable images is usually not an unguided or a randomic procedure. In fact, this work has an intentional and meticulously predefined “script”, which is played in a, at the same time, spontaneous, coherent, sensitive, intuitive and personal emotive complex way.

This post opens with the more than beautiful Brazilian model Caroline Trentini (aka Carol) – love her! – who was born in a tiny city of Southern Brazil and is, undoubtedly, a wonderful consolidated international top model. She is an example of a living proof that the sparkling of a true light of a dear person has no range limits, by definition. These and other objective or subjective exposed “reasons” allow us – in a so very special, contemporary and plausible manner – to share a same, often mutual, gigantic sphere of knowledges, tastes and feelings, regardless of our sometimes huge geographical distances – in other words, to speak the same language!

- F.

◊

— Caroline Trentini, for Marie Claire Brasil, April 2013 —

◊

— Flavia Lucini, for Glamour Brasil, April 2013 —

◊

— Isabelli Fontana, for Glamour Brasil, April 2013 —

◊

— Isabella Lindblom (Elite Italy), for Vogue Russia Журнал, Он и она online article, April 13, 2013 —

◊

— Irina Funtikova, by Calope —

◊

— Jessica Stam, for i-D Magazine, September 2004 —

◊

— Photography by Vlasta Pilot —

Source: Vlasta Pilot Photography Portfolio

◊

— Carey Mulligan, for Interview Russia, May 2013 —

◊

— Amy Adams, for Harper’s Bazaar Argentina, April 2013 —

◊

— Moa Åberg, for Vogue Italia, March 2013 —

◊

— Alicia Kuczman, for Marie Claire Brasil, December 2012 —

◊

— Alicia Kuczman, for Marie Claire Brasil, June 2012 —

◊

— Laetitia Casta (undefined sources) —

◊

— Kirsten Dunst, for Bullett Magazine, Volume X, Spring MMXIII —

◊

— Kirsten Dunst (undefined sources) —

◊

— Her Serene Highness, The Princess of Monaco — Grace Patricia Kelly (undefined sources) —

“His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH) is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918. It was also the form of address used for cadet members of the dynasties of France, Italy, Russia and Ernestine Saxony under their monarchies. Additionally, the treatment was granted for some, but not all, princely yet non-reigning families of Bohemia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania and Russia by emperors or popes.

In a number of older English dictionaries, serene as used in this context means supreme, royal, august, or marked by majestic dignity or grandeur or high or supremely dignified. The style Serene Highness has an antiquity equal to that of Highness. However, in some, excluding the Latin language countries, Highness was considered a higher treatment than Serene Highness.”

Text source: Wikipedia

◊

— Mirte Maas, for Dior Magazine #2, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— Kinga Rajzak —

First image: for 10 Magazine, Summer/Autumn 2012

Second image: for Harper’s Bazaar Korea, September 2012

Third image: for Vogue Italia, March 2013

◊

— Nadja Auermann —

First image: by Herb Ritts

Second image: for Vogue US, September 1992

Third image: undefined source

Fourth and fifth images: for Elle France, August 15, 1994

◊

— Malgosia Bela, for Numéro Tokyo #66, May 2013 —

◊

— Natalia Vodianova —

First image: for Numéro Tokyo #13, April 2008

Second image: for Vogue Paris, April 2010

Third image: by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

◊

— Natalia Vodianova, for Numéro #141, March 2013 —

◊ ◊

— A few music videos —

Cœur de Pirate (Béatrice Martin) | Track: Place de la République | Album: Blonde (2011) | Language: French

◊

Chisu (Christel Martina Sundberg) & Kiira Korpi | Track: Tie | Event: Plan Finland (Plan Suomi) – Because I am a Girl (Koska olen tyttö),  Ice Gala 2012, at Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland, April 19, 2012 | Language: Finnish

◊

Kent | Track: Kärleken väntar | Album: Vapen & Ammunition (2002) | Language: Swedish

◊

Dido (Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong) | Track: End of Night | Album: Girl Who Got Away (2013) | Language: English

◊

Vi ses!

Envisioned by her heart

— Lexa Shevchenko —

(source/infos: below the next photoset and videos of hers)

◊

— A few – just a few – classic and not so classic facts and statements that make feminine fashion editing and publishing a kind of real artistic entity itself…

The continuous and necessary valuation of the model as the main protagonist of a fashion magazine issue or similar/equivalent publication, in other words, the focus on woman (a model) who must be on the cover and/or in the selected and specific editorials and photo essays. A high carat fashion publication should not be a predictable extension of the current and ephemeral showbiz as it happens in many countries unfortunately.

The elevation of the fashion photographic production work – and its complex teams, techniques and resources related to it – to a true and sophisticated state of the art specialized level condition.

The application of the concept whereof outfits and creations (prêt-à-porter or haute couture), accessories, jewelry and eyewear are in respectful function of the women and their objective and subjective expectations, aspirations and dreams, unless otherwise purposeful intentioned.

The identification and the portraying of the rich and large range of equilibria which possibly can exist between naïve and natural spontaneity – in a static or dynamic way – and intentional and often unusual programmed idealistic pose of a depicted model in a photographic work.

The enhancing of the freedom to experiment new and revisited aesthetic concepts in a fashion photographic work as well as the exercise and improvement of the ability of a model to express and to evoke a plenty of human feelings – whether candid and ingenuous or almost unconfessable and provocative ones – through her own personal talent and gifts and acquired career experiences in the performance of her work.

- F.

◊

— Lexa Shevchenko —

All Ms Shevchenko’s quite beautiful materials are displayed under her kind permission

Main sources and references of photographic works: Lexa Shevchenko’s Modeljourney blog and Facebook personal page

— Thank you, Lexa, for sharing with us your own special, laborious and fascinating journey through the professional modeling world and life – since its very beginning in Russia – in such personal, authentic, human and positively beautiful manner!

◊

— Kate Moss, for Vogue España, December 2012 —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Elle France, March 8, 2013 —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Vogue España, September 2012 —

◊

— Léa Seydoux, for Elle Korea, April 2013 —

◊

— Photography by Cihan Alpgiray —

◊

— Ingrid Kristine, by Solveig Selj —

◊

— Photography by Norbert Schoerner —

Second image: Erin Axtell, for Condé Nast Traveler, Spring 2012

◊

— Jacquelyn Jablonski, for Vogue Russia, October 2012 —

◊

— Kate Moss, for Dior Addict Lipstick ad campaign, Summer 2011 —

◊

— Sasha Pivovarova —

First image: for Vogue UK, December 2007

Second image: for Vogue Russia, April 2008

◊

— Sóley Sigurþórs, by Cecy Young —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for InStyle US, April 2013 —

◊

— Karlie Kloss, for i-D Magazine, Spring 2013 —

◊

— Natalie Portman, for Miss Dior campaign, photo shoot at Palais-Royal, Paris, June 26, 2012 —

◊

— Jennifer Lawrence, for Dior Handbags, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— Meg Marie Cionni —

First and second images: by Chris Schultz Studio, New York

◊

— Viola (EC Management), for Design Scene, UltraViolet Session, by Koty 2 photostorytellers —

◊

— Her Royal Highness, The Sublime Sovereign of Icy Kingdom —

Images from the brilliant and crystalline Snow Queen and her snowflakes post, of A day with me inspired by beauty… blog, idealized and published by Olesja

◊

Vi ses!

Proceed to gate

— from Aeroflot 2012 Calendar (Календарь Аэрофлота 2012 года, “Для влюбленных в небо”) —

(models: below the next Aeroflot’s photoset)

◊

As a sign of more than necessary evolution and improvement – and as a part of the once heralded “journey towards changes” – this blog will be aired under a new name from now on: Halldóra. The former one – Réflexions dans le Petit Trianon – has nobly served to its purpose and will remain in the field of good past memories.

Just to mention, Halldóra is a first name of female gender and Icelandic usage and can also be written as Hallþóra in ancient Scandinavian language. Naturally, the choice of this particular beautiful name for my blog was grounded by intimate and very meaningful reasons. Nevertheless, the blog itself and all of its characteristics – with the exception of few details of visual programming – and profile (as well as the blogger!) are kept carefully preserved…

- F.

◊

— Marina Azarova, Irina Kobzeva, Natalya Yarunicheva, for Aeroflot 2012 Calendar (Календарь Аэрофлота 2012 года, “Для влюбленных в небо”) —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Chantelle, Fall/Winter 2012 —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Elle France, March 8, 2013 —

◊

— Jenny Skavlan, by Kilian Munch (first image) and by Solveig Selj (second and third images)—

◊

— Renata Litvinova, by Urs Wyss (first image) and for Interview Magazine Russia, September 2012 (second image) —

◊

— Photography by Julia Morozova —

◊

— Anna Martynova, for Commons & Sense, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— Anne Vyalitsyna, for Allure Russia, March 2013 —

◊

— Anna Jagodzinska, for Glamour UK, November 2010 —

◊

— Charlize Theron (unknown source) —

◊

— Codie Young, for Lula Magazine, Fall/Winter 2011 —

◊

— Jodie Foster, by Peggy Sirota —

◊

— Diane Kruger, for Flare, April 2013 —

◊

Vi ses!

Graceful highlights

— Eleonora Rudakova —

(source/infos: below the next photoset and video of hers)

◊

It is fairly well known and studied the power of speechless instantaneous communication which potentially can be provided through a special conceived image modality (a photography, drawing, illlustration, painting…), a motion picture (with special mention to short movies) or a written work (after all, a language is a more than beautiful and profound form of cultural encoded expression of a people).

To reflect about who are the real people behind and depicted on these wonderful works from the field of visual programming is a rewarding and aggrandizing exercise. In this way, these refered works and masterpieces acquire a kind of aditional life meaning and breath which goes beyond their presented pure aesthetic beauty.

This post, as its previous ones, is notably dedicated to very special women who, whether acting in a focused professional way or in a spontaneous, as well devoted and intuitive manner, are brilliant and very beautiful models, photographers, fashion illustrators, designers, writers, musicians, performers, actresses, composers, fashion developers, stylists, etc, and often at the same time, in their daily formal lives, practice different types of roles and positions in various fields of expertise and knowledge levels (frequently unrelated to their wonderful artistic expressions and particular talents and skills).

- F.

◊

— Eleonora Rudakova (Элеонора Рудакова) —

All Ms Rudakova’s wonderful photographs and video are displayed under her kind permission

Main source and references of photographic works: Eleonora Rudakova’s VKontakte (VK) personal page

Also visit Allure, beauty & inspiration #2 – Russian edition and Allure, beauty & inspiration #7 – Mastering the art of heartfelt contemplation posts for more previous featured photographs of hers on this blog

— Спасибо тебе, Eleonora, for the kindness of your support since the earliest days of this blog!

◊

— Daria Strokous, for AnOther Magazine, issue 24, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— Dolce & Gabbana, RTW Fall 2013 —

◊

— Natalia Vodianova, for Numéro 141, Spring/Summer 2013 —

◊

— Heidi Mount, for Elle US, March 2013 —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Allure, November 2012 —

◊

— Eniko Mihalik, for Vogue España, September 2012 —

◊

— Anja Rubik, for Vogue Latinoamérica, October 2010 —

◊

— Anja Rubik, for Vogue Nippon, March 2008 (first image) and March 2010 (second image) —

◊

— Lily Donaldson and Sasha Pivovarova, for Vogue US, March 2006 —

◊

— Sasha Pivovarova, for Vogue US, March 2008 —

◊

— Sasha Pivovarova, for W Magazine, March 2007 —

◊

— Uma Thurman, for Louis Vuitton, Fall/Winter 2005 —

◊

— Nadine Ponce, for Elle UK, December 2012 —

◊

— Hair design —

First image: by Gordon Ritchie, Scottish hairdresser of the Year 2011 finalist

Second image: by Milica Maksimovic-Shishalica, hair designer

Third (coloured highlights) and fourth (turquoise with sparkling snowflakes) images: unknown sources

◊

— Kirsten Dunst, wearing a D&G’s floral headband at the 65th annual Cannes Film Festival (2012) —

◊

— Red (unknown sources) —

◊

Vi ses!