Russell James

Donna Karan On Hand As Nomad Two Worlds Exhibit Opens In Los Angeles

Filed under: Events, Art

In our modern, high-speed culture, we lose track sometimes of what came before. How do we bridge the gap between how we live now and the ways that indigenous people have lived on this planet for millennia? A new exhibit in Santa Monica, California showcases art as a form of communication. Nomad: Two Worlds opened last night at Pier 59 Studios West in Santa Monica with a presentation that combined art with strong messages about what we lose when we forget our collective past.

Tags: aboriginal art, donna karan, nomad two worlds, Russell James, urban zen, Urban Zen Foundation

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Miranda Kerr, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & More Go Nude at Necker Island

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

The world's sexiest new supermodels pose sans clothes at Richard Branson's Necker Island paradise in a massive new monograph from famed photographer Russell James. V2 from uber-luxe publisher teNeues showcases the girls James believes will be the superstars of the new era, including Miranda Kerr, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Candice Swanepoel and Brooklyn Decker (on the cover, above). The Australian lensman, a connoisseur of the female form, has shot numerous ad campaigns for Victoria's Secret as well as sizzling spreads for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. In V2 he presents the gifted goddesses in the natural splendor of Necker Island, Vrigin mogul Richard Branson's luxe tropical retreat. We're sure Branson was only too happy to play host to the bevy of naked beauties. See the gallery for an SFW preview (you'll have to buy the book to get the full treatment).

Gallery: Russell James: V2

Tags: books, Brooklyn Decker, Candice Swanepoel, coffee table books, Island, Miranda Kerr, models, Necker Island, nude, photography, Richard Branson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Russell James, supermodels, teNeues, Victorias Secret

The Fashion Statement: Fashion's Priciest Coffee Table Books

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

What to get the stylish woman who has everything? (And let's just say you've exhausted gifts like precious gems, haute couture and yacht excursions to St. Barths) Well, then, what about a super collectible, really expensive fashion coffee table book? Here, a list of some of the priciest tomes out there.

1. Couture Fashion Drawings by Hubert de Givenchy, published by the house of Givenchy, Paris, in 1980: This is signed by the late designer himself and includes hand-colored haute couture fashion sketch plates from the period of the '70s to the '80s including original fabric swatches. The book was part of the Estate of Nan Kempner, a New York socialite who died in 2005. Price tag? $9,000

2. Valentino Garavani (hardcover) by Suzy Menkes, Matt Tyrnauer and Armando Chitolina, published by Taschen in 2007: This is the coffee table book version of Valentino: The Last Emperor, a documentary film by Vanity Fair writer Matt Tyrnauer. It's an homage to Valentino's legendary career and includes images from his archives, drawings, advertisements, portraits, documentary photographs as well as newspaper and magazine articles. International Herald Tribune's fashion writer Suzy Menkes interviewed 20 of Valentino's closest collaborators and friends, including his life partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Price tag? $4,500

3. Russell James (hardcover deluxe edition with Gisele Bundchen photoprint) with forwards by Heidi Klum, Donna Karan, and Sharen Turney, published by teNeues in 2009: Who wouldn't pay big bucks to Gisele in the buff? This book highlights the work of Russell James, a photographer who is well-known for his nudes and fashion portraiture. The volume is encased in a clamshell box and contains one of only two numbered and signed limited-edition large prints that show his study of human beauty. Price tag? $3,250

Tags: Anna Wintour, giancarlo giammetti, gisele bundchen, Givenchy, grace coddington, Matt Tyrnauer, Nan Kempner, pierre berge, Russell James, Suzy Menkes, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent

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The Art of the Nude Supermodel

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

Russell James has what is indisputably one of the best jobs on Earth - photographing naked supermodels for lots of money. The Australian lensman has shot numerous ad campaigns for Victoria's Secret as well as sizzling spreads for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. His amazing new XL monograph is just out from teNeues, publishers of the beloved Luxury series. Gisele Bundchen (on the book's cover, above) and Heidi Klum start stripping at the mere mention of his name, it seems. Aside from the eye-popping images, however - we wish we could show you some - James' story is also inspiring, as told in his introductory essay, "Trash Cans to Supermodels in Nine Easy Steps." Actually it's a lot more complicated than that. You can order a copy here.

Tags: gisele bundchen, GiseleBundchen, heidi klum, HeidiKlum, nude, photography, Russell James, RussellJames, sports illustrated, SportsIllustrated, supermodel, supermodels, victorias secret, VictoriasSecret