It's been a while since I've seen photographers utilize whatever is left of Stam's versatility. Although her publications have remained top-notch (Numero, Vogue, Harper's, V mag, etc), I find that photographers tend to veer away from putting her in risky shots, it's almost as though they refuse to make her 'ugly' or Jessica's features are almost incapable of being edgy these days.
The following three editorials all came out in publications within the last month. Had they been published months between each other, I wouldn't have noticed but because of their close chronological proximity, it has prompted this blog post. (actually, I was supposed to have done this post last week. I kept obsessing over my Nitendo DS/Nitendogs)
The various characters portrayed in these issues are each distinctly different, judging by the general mannerisms that Stam has chosen (or the photographers have directed). Unlike much of Stam's recent editorials which are photographed to showcase the clothes (more common in publications such as Harper's or any Vogue Korea/Nippon, China, etc) and not the character/setting, these focus a tad more on the girl wearing the clothes (or in Vogue Uk's case, both the clothing and the character compliment each other).
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Another Magazine FW 2007
Ultraviolet Garden
Photographer: Craig McDean
While there's no sole character featured in this set (instead, there is three. Possibly more since she has 6 shots in this set), it has to be noted that this is the first time an editorial has featured Stam without her blond hair since 2005. In fact, the last time she donned a wig was Another Magazine SS 2007. I think I might be seeing a pattern here . So who is Stam in this editorial? A sporty SKA girl attempting some sort of an odd windmill dance, a violet-haired nymph with an extraterrestrial nipple or an old-world hippie looking a tad bit constipated/superior? That's really for you to decide *mwahahahha* Obviously, this editorial wasn't photographed to be pretty or easy to 'understand', it seemed to be photographed for the sake of sheer oddity. If this appeared in Vogue, it would be labeled as 'utter crap' but stick it in a 'foreign' or 'edgy' publication and ZOMG IT'S ART.
Don't get me wrong, I do like it though :p
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Vogue Men SeptemberThe Blonde, the boat and the Aussie GolferPhotographer: Tom Munro
Ahhhh, the ol' the rich suburban kept woman, the young aristocrat with the Michael Kors tan, aviator glasses and Colgate smile. I was surprising pleased (yeah, I can be surprising pleased with Stam) to see how well this turned out considering the fact that it's an advertisement for a lifestyle less than 10% of the world's population can reach. (estimation, of course. Please don't pull up statistics and batter me over the head with it *hides*)It's a little out of character of me to find this type of editorial appealing but I think the main cause is that yes, Stam may be playing a trophy wife but it's not in the category of 'gold-digger' It's more in the style of a laid-back, distinguished upper class glamor. Note how nicely her body photographs in print as opposed to on the runway.
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Vogue Uk October
Golden Year
Photographer: Corrine Day
A very Nicole Kidman-esque type of photoshoot with no precise point except to showcase the various Haute Couture (further embellished by matching backgrounds) pieces of FW 2007. Although I do admire the general posing Stam herself displays throughout the editorial. The 2nd picture in the first row is really the one that's worth looking at, the unzipped dress in the back, the emptiness pieced with the wintry delicacy of the reflecting mirrors. For no good reason whatsoever, I'm very fond of the last picture. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever but Stam retains a sense of coolness with her slung back Gaultier dress and her decrepit hitchhiker sign.
Nonsensical photography FTW :p
By the way, I also find it interesting that the last editorial
(entitled '
Color Council' ) Corrine Day did with Stam (back in 2005) also featured the same idea of clothing+background similarity.
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Overall, 3 very decent editorials in 3 impressive publications. Each distinctly different, featuring (of course) the same model. While they may not be particularly interesting if you look at them individually, when you put together together and judge them side-by-side, the versatility Stam showcases is still worth a second look.
