The Publisher

It’s all about the people you work with. #quotes #teamwork...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:16:06 -0400

It’s all about the people you work with. #quotes #teamwork #loyalty #leeiacocca #leadership #business101

Special thanks to all the vets as well as the 9-11 first...

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:14:11 -0500

Special thanks to all the vets as well as the 9-11 first responders who have given so much to protect our freedom. God bless you all

W Magazine’s November 2012 Collector’s Edition: The...

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 19:19:00 -0500

W Magazine’s November 2012 Collector’s Edition: The 40th Anniversary Issue

In the November 2012 issue of W Magazine, I am excited to see four alternate covers shot by New York-based photographer Steven Klein. As it is the 40th anniversary of the magazine, each cover represents a decade of fashion that they have covered in their 40 year history: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s. So how did they do?

The 1970s Cover

For the 1970s, W Magazine choose Rooney Mara, whose claim to fame as an actress came with her title role in the 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have no doubt to why they picked Mara. Her role as the lead in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as well asher Oscar-nominated performance (for best actress), her recent addition as a face of fashion-powerhouse Calvin Klein and her look all make for a national magazine cover girl.

To put it mildly, the Mara 1970s cover is outstanding. The white poplin shirt has a complicated, yet easy to understand collared overlay of simple clothing design materials (pins, cloth, sequins). The mixing and matching of these materials is brilliant, which is what you would expect from Prada. The embellished collar leaves a subliminal focal point for the cover itself.

The two, quarter-sized black objects on the cover seem to be made of some sort of plastic, which as a focal point objectify duality. As this decade was a renewed time of female independence, the duality suggests equality of man and women. The simple clothing production materials embellished on the collar represent a leftover from the 1960s, a time where the social progressive values and economic liberty of women in the western world began to grow. The hippie culture began to wane and the socioeconomic effect of varied gender roles in the industrial world led women in America, for the first major instance since the 19th Amendment in 1920, the public opportunity to be independent and equal to their male counterpart.

The Prada silk and wool coat further emphasizes this duality through the pattern of diamonds. The coat is patterned with a diamond within another diamond, so each diamond is actually two. Also, the outer diamond is colored light on the bottom half and dark on the top half, further signaling the notion of yin and yang, which is used to describe the interconnectivity and interdependency of polar opposites. In this case, we are referring to man and woman. The yin and yang is symbolized with the diamond, which is the woman’s symbolism of dedication to her male counterpart and also known as “A girl’s best friend” (made famous by Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes). In this regard, it is clear that the woman is the focus of this duality.

Moving to the hat, the cover is reminiscent of Vogue’s February 2012 cover of Taylor Swift by Mario Testino. In both instances, the hat symbolizes being a woman, not a girl. Mara’s hair represents professionalism, which focuses us back on gender equality with women’s new role in the workforce and graduation from the 1960’s unsophisticated hippie culture. The makeup is soft and natural on the face, yet the dark red lipstick and black mascara compliment the purple hat’s dark shade and highlight both depth and individualism of Mara as a 1970s woman.

The 1980s Cover

As we enter the 1980s, W Magazine represents the decade with actress Mia Wasikowska. Although she may not be a household name, she is well-known as Alice in Tim Burton’s 2010 film Alice in Wonderland. I am not impressed with this choice, yet am not disappointed either. Regardless of the cover girl, we have an entire decade to analyze from one photograph.

For the fashion, let us begin with the bustier, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga. The bustier notions a sense of intimacy with the female form. The square patterns on the top suggest strength, which is key as the woman’s role the workplace increased greatly in the 1980s. The squares are pink and blue, which represent male and females as noted by newborn babies clothing in the western culture. If you look closely, the pink squares are surrounded by blue squares as well as darkness. This represents women in the workplace. The women are surrounded by men as well as darkness, which is the unknown. Where will this socioeconomic change bring women? This uncertainty is the darkness, as the western woman has finally pushed into an entirely new world after an entire history of child-rearing and home-making.

Moving to the face and hair, the gender push into the male-dominated workforce is represented by the short hair. The short hair, along with the rainbow earrings, represents the 1980s shift in the western world to accept homosexuality. The makeup, which is pink and blue, correspond with the bustier while complimenting the earrings. The pink once again symbolizes the woman, while the blue accents represent the colorful decade as well as moving into the man’s world.

The 1990s Cover

Scarlett Johansson represents the 1990s in a cover that depicts her as a gothic, alternative rocker that would fit into the alternative-grunge music and fashion scene in the early 1990s in Seattle, Washington. With the career and death of Kurt Cobain a large influence of this decade, the fashion followed the music and Goth emerged as a new trend. The information age began and Generation X became the voice of the youth.

The dress and bodysuit designer, Dolce & Gabbana, are absolutely meaningless. Other than pay homage to an advertiser and giant fashion brand, a boring black top is what the 1990s grunge look required. The hair is multiple colors, starting with white on top, followed by red ends and a black underlay. The white and black gold rings are perfect accessories for the trend. The nose ring symbolizes the newfound interest of facial and body piercings, which is highlighted with the music video from Aerosmith’s 1994 music video “Cryin’,” where Alicia Silverstone famously gets her belly button pierced then jump off a bridge with a bungee cord tied to her belly-button ring.

The 2000s Cover

Keira Knightly rules the 2000’s in the final cover of the 40th anniversary issue’s collector’s edition. In this final decade of the W Magazine cover set, the western world was represented by globalization, the internet, diminishing resources, the September 11th attacks and proceeding war, the integration of Europe and the global financial crisis.

Cover girl Knightly, well-known as Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s 2005 British film Pride & Prejudice, as well as Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Knightly is quite the celebrity and with her major roles in film, a great choice for the 2000s cover.

The only article of clothing we are given is a Chanel braided tweed jacket. The red lamp which was visible in the other three covers is hidden, yet the red glow is heavy on her heart. So how does this look represent the 2000s?

First off, the braided tweed jacket is fabric that represents women being woven into society. The braids are consistent and even, all one color. The women have made their entrance, have completely passed the stereotype of home-maker and transformed into the new, accepted western culture of socioeconomic equality with men. The color of the jacket is gold, yet Klein’s image also reflects an iron or silver color. This represents globalization, with silver/iron representing manufacturing and industrialization while the gold tint symbolizes the basis of this quest, which is the competitive search for money and riches.

Moving to the accessories, the Fabergé earrings are white gold with ruby and diamonds. They probably cost a fortune, further representing globalization’s quest for riches. The ruby represents the east, as they are the worlds hub for ruby generation, while the diamond represents the west for obvious reasons. Fabergé is also known as the world’s most exclusive luxury brand. It is a brand that originated in Russia in the 19th century and is now owned by a firm based in London. This further ties in the search for riches as well as the East-West interdependence that we know as globalization.

The hair is white with green roots, which are highlighted in front of a green background. There are also three candles present, two white and one red. The cheeks are a supple white and lips are red. The coloration of green and white represents resources, the environment, vigil and growth.

Let’s start with the green roots and background. Green represents resources as that is the color of plants, grass, trees, ETC… It is also the symbol of the environment, as companies during this time began the push to “go green,” or become environmentally friendly.

Moving on to the white hair and candles, white comes from the green, which is the color that represents the combination of all colors, thus redirecting back to the globalization trend of many types of people connected in one world. There are two white candles, representing the two World Trade Center towers from the September 11, 2011 attacks, as well as the vigil held after (white color and the flame). Also, there are white dots of light behind Knightley on both sides of her shoulders. If you count them, they are seven above her right shoulder and two above her left. Add these to the two white candles and you have eleven white lights, which represent the day and the year of the attacks.

The red candle above these lights is placed in a corner and in front of the green wall. This, as well as the red lips and red glow on Knightley’s left breast (where her heart is), represent the centered (lips) growth (candle) of love (breast) for the environment (green wall) and the people of the world (breast).

Conclusion

Using major symbolism, W Magazine truly captured the essence of four decades of western values that they covered in their first 40 years as a publication. In a time where magazine covers have been less than impressive and more focused on the celebrity-cover newsstand sales, W Magazine went above and beyond to create a collector’s edition that focused on the foundation of the fashion world we live in. As always, the world we live in creates a consciousness that fashion embodies on a global scale. With the increasing awareness of our neighbors and the further reach due to globalization, fashion ties in the gap and transcends language.

It is an honor to publicly disclose my thoughts on Klein’s rendition of four major decades that changed the world faster than the thousands before it. Please accept my humble thoughts on this most remarkable set of covers that are sure to keep writers busy for decades to come. As a picture is worth a thousand words, a masterpiece is worth a million introspective thoughts and I’d be happy to hear yours.

Got Klout? Thanks for the heads up @chrism_barwest #kloutscore...

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:34:03 -0500

Got Klout? Thanks for the heads up @chrism_barwest #kloutscore #socialmedia #powerplayers

The Joys of Booking Celebrity Talent for Magazine...

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:12:00 -0400

The Joys of Booking Celebrity Talent for Magazine Editorials

This month we published our July issue of Fashion 5.0 Magazine featuring Jaimie Hilfiger, model and socialite that is also the niece of the fashion magnate Tommy Hilfiger. In this blog, I will demonstrate what we do at Fashion 5.0 to determine the covers, as well as what I learned on this particular shoot.

Jaimie Hilfiger, although she may not be well-know yet, could become a household name one day. The big reasons she was great for our cover are the following: her uncle is a fashion icon, she shares his last name, she is an actual model and she looks like a starlet. So how did we get her?

To get large talent, we started where we could and worked our way up. Tenley Molzahn, our company’s current editor-in-chief, was a big reality television star from The Bachelor (season 14) and The Bachelor Pad(season 1) before she joined us. She was interested in our cover model proposition and ended up on our July 2011 “Summer Nights” issue. She had a great attitude on the shoot and told me about her passion for writing and sharing her thoughts with the public. Within a couple months, she agreed to become our editor-in-chief.

A few months after Tenley joined us, we got our first really big cover. Ali Fedotowsky, known for her roles on The Bachelor (season 14) and The Bachelorette (season 6), agreed to shoot the December 2011 cover. Ali was actually noted as People Magazine’s top 25 most intriguing people to watch for 2010, so this was a big jump for us. To top this off, she was featured on the cover of People the same week our December issue came out, due to her late November breakup with her fiancé Roberto Martinez.

Tenley was actually on the same season of The Bachelor with Ali, so she knew Ali and was excited that we attained such a big star. I asked her what she preferred for the covers after securing Ali, and she said something like, “I like what we have going on. It is really nice having both fashion models and celebrities for the editorials. While the magazine is the size it is, it is good to utilize both models and celebrity talent for the covers. It gives me a good feeling as a woman and provides a great balance for our readers.”

After Ali’s cover came out, Fashion 5.0 got a lot of momentum. We utilized agency models in the spring and then went big again for our May/June 2011 “Summer Guide” issue. Using Ali as a launching pad, we quickly secured Alexis Bellino from The Real Housewives of Orange County (seasons 5, 6 and 7). Alexis is incredibly well-known and part of a reality TV series franchise that is growing at an incredible rate. While reality stalwarts The Jersey Shore, The Apprentice, Survivor and American Idol wereall down in ratings, the Real Housewives franchises were just getting bigger and bigger.

Alexis was amazing to work with! After spending the day with her (disclaimer: I did not see the show and had no idea what to expect), I thought she was a dream wife and mother. I did watch a few minutes of the show after the issue released and am not sure why she was getting negative attention from her fellow cast members. I know they want drama for the show and perhaps she is an easy target. Either way she was absolutely caring with her three children, very understanding with her husband and a total doll to work with. The first thing she said when I got there was “Hi, nice to meet you Morgan. Would you like me to brew some coffee for you guys?” Needless to say we went to Starbucks and pushed her through hair and makeup as quickly as possible. The hospitality and nature of her kindness absolutely made my day. The way she handled her children made her an instant hero in my book, as every good mother should be!

Getting Alexis was relatively easy. We used Ali’s issue as an example and asked her if she was interested. While Ali took an insane amount of time to book, Alexis was down right away and we booked her the instant her schedule permitted. She was perfect for the Summer Guide issue and really nailed the shoot. We were incredibly lucky and counted our blessings.

Before we even saw Alexis in print, I booked Jaimie Hilfiger for the July 2012 “Summer Nights” issue. I got her though her publicist, who had my name from Cision, an email database that publicists and PR companies utilize to find placements for their talent, businesses and products.

Hilfiger’s publicist found me there and sent me an email about a musician she wanted us to feature. The musician wasn’t anything we were looking for, however I was both nice and prude. I thanked her and was honest, then asked if she had any talent that was well-known. She gave me a couple of options, with Jaimie being one. I was like “Duh, get her,” and made the right moves to make the shoot happen.

So now we have had quite a few nice covers and have evolved even more as a company. Our team is learning, growing and getting more and more respect every day. Our fashion editor is now on Fox 5, the local news station, every Friday morning doing style segments as a community expert. Our photographers are evolving and the creative pool we have to choose from is growing fast. Our readership is getting larger and people keep telling us how each issue gets better and better. We are so lucky and I feel so fortunate to be part of such a rad company!

So what did I learn from Jaimie’s shoot? When you have an all-star team and a model who is actually a starlet, just let them do their thing. Watch the time to make sure you get what you need, but let them take care of the details.

Speaking of timelines, you never know when you are going to need to stop shooting when you have celebrity talent! Models are booked for a certain time, but if you are a superstar there are things that will come up so you have to be prepared. We actually needed about five more minutes to complete one more look during her shoot, however her boyfriend showed up and said “We have to go.” So she changed and booked as fast as possible, without the thought of asking him if she could stay for another few minutes.

We still had a slam-dunk cover and high-fashion, edgy fashion editorial that has received incredible response. We live, we learn and we grow. I only hope that my successes can be an inspiration and tool to help others grow.

Does anyone know where this is?

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:30:16 -0400

Does anyone know where this is?

This was the Fashion 5.0 May/June 2012 issue release party...

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:21:11 -0400

This was the Fashion 5.0 May/June 2012 issue release party fashion show at Stingaree Nightclub in San Diego, CA. The fashion was provided by Tease Boutique and the styling was done by A Style Concierge.

I went to Dana Point, CA, to the home of Alexis Bellino from The...

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:01:00 -0400

I went to Dana Point, CA, to the home of Alexis Bellino from The Real Housewives of Orange County, for the Fashion 5.0 May/June 2012 cover shoot. The day was incredible and I cannot speak more highly about Alexis! Her kids were there and they were wonderful. The way she parents is so loving and great. I see and wish for only good things to come her way! Hope you all enjoy the photos!!

Dean Hall, fashion editor for Fashion 5.0 Magazine, highlights...

Mon, 07 May 2012 21:55:00 -0400

Dean Hall, fashion editor for Fashion 5.0 Magazine, highlights this season’s fashion trends used in the May/June issue cover shoot with Alexis Bellino from The Real Housewives of Orange County!

This is my first post about Fashion 5.0, which is the magazine I...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:06:00 -0400

This is my first post about Fashion 5.0, which is the magazine I publish in San Diego. I hope you like our cover editorial and will keep you posted on the next issue.

The model, fashion, background… everything works here. The...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:10:17 -0400

The model, fashion, background… everything works here. The only thing I might change is the tube top to a quasi see-through bra. Super cute!

I have mixed emotions about the Taylor Swift FEB 2012 Vogue...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 06:15:00 -0400

I have mixed emotions about the Taylor Swift FEB 2012 Vogue editorial by Mario Testino. First off, the cover is great! When comparing the APR 2010 Elle cover by Alexei Hay (as well as other past magazine covers), you immediately get the feel of Swift as a grown woman rather than a little girl. Testino’s capture symbolizes Swift’s graduation into womanhood.

Diving further into the cover, the hair and makeup are great. Swift is a natural beauty, however the straight hair with bangs and the clean, sophisticated and polished makeup brings a clean elegance to the table. Testino’s capture of her relaxed posture accompanied with a modestly raised chin supports the mature refinement this new look requires, which is quite a change to the “innocent little girl with her head down” look that we have grown so accustomed to.

The heavy eyeliner increases the depth of her face, which is further expanded by the dimensions of her over-sized hat. Once again, another symbol of her maturity is declared. The absence of light under her hat along used in conjunction with the eyeliner gives a subliminal sense of deepness, which is likely the highlight of the entire cover.

Moving into the editorial, titled “The Single Life” (and adeptly so), we find Swift on a couch playing a ukulele, a small Hawaiian instrument that looks like a mini-guitar. This is ironic, as it could be taken different ways. Did she outgrow her guitar? Clearly not, so the reader is left with only one conclusion. She is bigger now, instead of the 16-year old girl that took America by her innocence, charm and talent in 2006. To top it off, her silky-looking floral dress, white rocker-heels and cast-aside leather cowboy hat add to her grown-up yet on-trend new look.

The first look has a 70’s feel to it, which is enhanced by the location and textures. The couch appears to be suede or velvet, with a backrest that resembles the rear seat of a Lincoln Continental from the same era. The brink background, accompanied by the flooring and rug and to this theme. The angle of the rug, her thigh, the hat, the guitar and the guitar case all point directly to the black void between the brick walls, which makes that dynamic impression of depth that once again reinforces the entire concept of her new image: a grown-up Swift with a new look.

This spread wonderfully compliments the cover and clearly opens the editorial with it’s intended conception, along with all the class and sophistication the reader clearly expects from Vogue. The next look pushes this notion even further.

In the second look, Swift is in a relaxed conversation on a payphone. Payphone are outdated, but in the 70’s it was a different story. The vintage look of this feature is now dominant and the reader new knows it is intended. The fashion is once-again country-rockstar, with her trendy and one-of-a-kind boots, over-sized coat and white-leather tassel bag.

Getting into the depth of this shot, look at how Testino positions Swift as well as the frame. Above and below her left knee, space is created between her leg and the white coat, with shadowing at the top of this space. This leg is also an arrow pointing to the depth of the frame, which is stairway we can’t see but know is there. The bricks on the left wall, the railing, the phone cord, her left arm, her left hand (fingers and thumb), the floor and the posters all point to this void. Further, her body stands out (and the fashion) as the right side of her body, which is closest to the void, as well as her face, is the only part of the picture that contradicts the directional flow of this area. This highlights Swift in all the ways a photographer could ask for in such a setting. This look is great and the way it was captured showcases Swift in another masterpiece and further push into the direction the readers want it to go.

The reason I have mixed emotions about this editorial is summed up in the next look. The third look has a black and white frame, which contradicts the cover and interrupts the introductory nature of the feature. Also, new players are introduced in a dramatic way. The reader has to look for Swift, among many musicians. Her styling is one of the hottest rock-star looks of the shoot, which is too bad because the reader does not convey this with so much confusion and distraction. This shot is an idiosyncratic error that brings about reader anxiety, confusion, lack of interest and editorial disequilibrium. Moving along, the editorial continues to deteriorate and disappoint.

The fourth look is cool with the guitar cases and the clear “I am a traveling musician” look, however we already know Taylor Swift plays guitar and travels. Duh. Enough already, this is not just another “Inside the Box” shoot with Taylor Swift, as any Joe could think of this shot. This is a smiling, one page feature in a local magazine for a smaller artist, who is so excited for the interview she blasts it all over Facebook. One thing this shot is not is Vogue. Not only have you confused the readers with the other musicians and rodeo clowns in the last shot, there is nothing new in this shot. We already saw the same style boots in the payphone shot, as well as the same type of brown hat on the cover. The disassociation with Swift’s “new” look increases as there is little depth, you cannot see her face and the fashion is repeated while blending in to the background.

By the fifth look I have forgotten this is even Taylor Swift. She takes up one-sixth of the frame, her fashion doesn’t scream at the reader, the background is busy and unnatural, her guitar is purple and there is a fake fire in the fireplace.

I transformed from quintessential excitement into a reader left hungry for something better rather than something more. Kudos on a fantastic cover but disappointed on with the way the editorial fizzled right in front my own eyes.

Photo

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:41:00 -0500

Self-portrait 3/2/12, edited with cool and sharpen.

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:46:00 -0500

Self-portrait 3/2/12, edited with cool and sharpen.

Just love these two girls at Coachella last year. Great fashion,...

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:55:04 -0500

Just love these two girls at Coachella last year. Great fashion, can’t take my eyes away!

A beautiful girl sitting on Donald Trump’s Hollywood...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:08:00 -0500

A beautiful girl sitting on Donald Trump’s Hollywood star… is there anything else to say? Allie Gordon from http://agphoto.co pictured, love this girl!

Just a few shots I like from Allie Gordon’s...

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:03:00 -0500

Really cool shot, looks like Hawaii

Red flowered Aloe's with the ocean!

Looks like a thistle, but pink? Love it!

Love this hibiscus!

Just a few shots I like from Allie Gordon’s site, http://agphoto.co/. She is a photographer I met a couple weeks ago when she assisted James Norton on the Fashion 5.0 February cover shoot.