Claudia Schiffer Bares Baby Bump, Nude & Clothed For Karl Lagerfeld.

Supermodel mother of two, Claudia Schiffer, is pregnant with her third child, due later this month, with husband Matthew Vaughn.

The blonde statuesque model graces both the cover and much of the interior of the 2010 June issue of Vogue Germany.

For the cover Claudia, who has been a longtime muse of Karl Lagerfeld's, is nude and very pregnant in a pose strikingly reminiscent to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair Cover shot by Annie Leibovitz.



While the magazine's interior editorial features more shots of the model by the likes of Ellen von Unwerth, Camilla Akrans, Francesco Carrozzini, and Jan Welters, I'm going to share with you the hauntingly beautiful shots by Karl Lagerfeld taken on April 22nd of Claudia, some of which are featured in the editorial and others are not.



With obvious religious overtones, the model channeling the Madonna, is shown in classic black and white Chanel.








all images, except the cover shot, courtesy of Chanel.

To see other images of Claudia from the published interior editorial by other photographers, go here.

Fashion Designer Kenzo Takada Exhibits His Paintings In Paris

above: Japanese fashion designer and painter Kenzo Takada poses with three of his paintings, on the first day of the exhibition. Wednesday June 16, 2010

Designer Kenzo Takada, who founded the upscale Kenzo label, has tried his hand at painting, with a Paris exhibition titled "Un Certain Style de Vie" ( A Certain Way Of Life) which showcases his eight self-portraits.


above: Japanese fashion designer and painter Kenzo Takada poses with one of his paintings, on the first day of the exhibition:" Un Certain Style de Vie", A Certain Way of Life, Wednesday June 16, 2010

The large-scale paintings shown at the Studio 55 gallery in Paris feature the Japanese-born designer in a series of flower-printed kimonos that recall the kinds of prints his label is known for.


above: detail of one of the 8 self-portraits in the Un Certain Style de Vie exhibit at Studio 55 in Paris

"Art and fashion are really not that different," Takada told The Associated Press in an interview.

A few of the self-portraits:


Details/close-ups:



Images from the exhibit at Studio 55:




Kenzo, who was born in 1939, leapt to fame in the 1980s with a high-end ready-to-wear line that gave Western garments an eastern touch. He says he started painting 10 years ago, after he sold his label to French luxury goods giant LVMH and subsequently retired.

The exhibit runs through July 10.

STUDIO 55 (en résidence chez Pierre Cardin)
3, 5 et 9 rue de Duras - 75008 PARIS
Métro : Champs-Elysées Clémenceau

special thanks to the Associated Press for info and some images, Pure Trend for some images and Getty images.

Earlier artwork by Takada:

PSST! By the way, the press keeps spinning this as if Kenzo had not ever created art before, but only clothes. Not true at all. You can see some of the couturier's previous art works, which were auctioned off in 2008 here.

Wearing Your Weaknesses With Cast Of Vices Jewelry

Whether you've kicked the habit, or still indulge, the jewelry from Cast of Vices is a hand crafted reminder of our vices, be them smoking, drinking, pill-popping, snorting - or even chewing on a pen cap.

Cast in sterling silver or gold, the pendants, bracelets and pins are detailed representations of our culture's obsession with self-medicating. The fly is said to serve as a reminder of the 'stench of our addictions' and is available on any piece shown.


Cigarette butts:

Beer Bottlecaps (Corona, Budweiser and Miller High Life):

Pills, pills, pills in gold or sterling silver:


Pills bracelet:

With flies:

Fly pendants and cockroach pin:

Pen cap and pouch pendants:

Vials with sterling silver caps:


All pieces are hand-crafted in the USA with sterling silver or 14k gold using the lost wax casting process.


To find your nearest stockist, go here.

Hyper Realistic Paintings Of Retro Barbies By Judy Ragagli

Artist Judy Ragagli paints original paintings of nostalgic Barbie dolls, from the retro years of 1959 to 1970. Whether it's Barbie in Bora Bora or Hollywood, on Prom Night or dressed for an Enchanted Evening, the paintings at first glance appear as photographs and upon closer inspection are incredible detailed oil paintings. Ragagli captures the smooth perfect plastic skin and uses colored backgrounds, clothing and/or venues- that compliment the clean and bright world of Barbie.



According to Judy, "I see nostalgic Barbie as possessing a soul and positive spirit; her true persona extends beyond the plastic facade."



Judy's goal, she explains, is to pay homage to this surviving icon of modernity, femininity and style. "I want my viewers to recognize Barbie as an important and positive influence within American society on both the individual and aggregate levels," she notes. By presenting nostalgic Barbie through portraiture in oil on canvas, Judy's aim is to create a vision of Barbie that is still and noble. I strive to elicit veneration for Barbie's legacy while painting a mark of beauty and grace into the world."

The paintings:













You may not be able to afford her original oil paintings which run approximately $3,900.00 but she offers fine art prints of her paintings starting at an affordable $150. USD.



This Limited Edition giclee on canvas, shown above, features a 1964 Barbie originally painted on canvas in oil by Judy Ragagli. "Platinum Swirl" is released in a limited edition of 50. The size is 20" x 16," inches, varnished with a UV protective coating and stretched on 1 1/2" stretcher bars.

Ms. Ragagli's paintings can also be viewed in the newly released hard-cover book titled EdgyCute: From Neo-Pop to Low Brow and Back Again by Harry Saylor.

Visit her website here