Richard Avedon Foundation...priceless fashion stills to be auctioned!

 

The largest collection of original Richard Avedon photographs have been catalogued for auction at Christie's in Paris next week (November 20th).

The unprecedented offering (sixty scintillating stills in total) boasts seminal portraits of sixties icons such as Twiggy and Veruschka (featured in a Bill Blass dress circa 1967).

In addition, collectors will - no doubt - jump at the rare opportunity to bid on a handful of unforgettable fashion images Avedon rustled up with his searing insightful lens which include:

*Dovina and Elephants
  Evening Dress by Dior

*Cirque d'Hiver
  Paris

Richard Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish-Russian family.

Curiously, the imaginative photographer started taking snapshots for the Merchant Marines (for identification purposes) with a Rolleiflex camera which was gifted to him by his father as a going-away present.

In 1944, the talented visionary artist began working as an advertising photographer for a department store, shortly before being discovered by Alexey Brodovitch, the art director for the fashion magazine at the oh-so-chic Harper's Bazaar.

Lillian Bassman also saw promise in Avedon and later promoted his highly-stylistic photographic images as well.

Avedon launched his own studio in 1946 - at which point - he began to accept assignments for fashionable upscale magazines such as Vogue and Life.

Within a scant few years, the remarkable Avedon became the chief photographer for Harper's.

Part of Avedon's success arose from his tendency to break away from standard photo-shoot techniques utilized by his fellow contemporaries at the time.

Avedon preferred to photograph models expressing a full range of emotions - smiling, laughing, and in action - whenever possible.

This was his signature style!

In 1966, Avedon became a staff photographer for Vogue magazine, and later on headed up the whole shebang!

As a result, Avedon's stunning images ended up gracing dozens of the most memorable covers at Vogue Magazine from 1973 through 1980.

Avedon is infamous for having shot the Calvin Klein Jeans campaign featuring 15-year-old Brooke Shields which caused quite a sensation at the time.

In May of 1992, Ms. Shields told Interview magazine:

"When Dick (Avedon) walks into the room, a lot of people are intimidated. But when he works, he's so acutely creative, so sensitive. And he doesn't like it if anyone else is around or speaking. There is a mutual vulnerability, and a moment of fusion when he clicks the shutter. You either get it or you don't".

I do!

If only I had the moolah to snap up one of his dazzling stills.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I?




Twiggy & Avedon in a candid moment!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Miley Cyrus...paper tigress or manipulative temptress extraordinaire? Pornification not a word, folks...

Annie Leibovitz sleazy perception of Miley!

A dude can't even log off for a second or two, slip into a Thai eatery in Westwood for a feast on a serving of mouth-watering Kung Pow Chicken on a mound of white rice, or stroll under a dreamy romantic night-sky without missing a watershed event.

Miley Cyrus suggestively straddled a pole on a Fox Network Stage (not unlike a bitch on the prowl in heat) and in the throes of the scandalous coming-of-age sexual tease - shocked a scorned four million viewers- including a prudish Perez Hilton who screamed at the boob tube "slut".

But, a handful of Hannah Montana fans gave the nubile young Cyrus star the benefit of the doubt.

Oh, she was hanging onto that pole to maintain her balance, of course!

To some, she was simply a classless bump 'n grinder, a stripper with all the wrong moves.

A provocative tease, quipped an amused by-stander.

Fox TV executives - hyper-sensitive to the potential fall-out - anxiously instructed camera-operators to capture the blossoming sexpot above the shoulders to avoid a brewing controversy.

Ah, shades of Elvis.

When his swivelling hips first hit the stage on the Ed Sullivan show, critics yowled.

Church Leaders warned that the "pelvis" would corrupt the youth of American, in one fell swoop.

Miley Cyrus?

A paper tigress or temptress extraordinaire?

Some parent advocates referred to the sensual blow-out on stage last night as a sly attempt at "pornification of the culture".

Say what?

Is pornification actually a word?

Or, just an imagined scenario concocted by puritans, to put a lid on freedom of - um - expression?

A flip through the dictionary confirms it.

No such word in the English language.

Uh-huh!

For starters, hysterical folks wagging their fingers non-stop around the water-cooler during coffee break, shouldn't be tossing the blame solely on the bimbo babe.

Before her, strumpet Bridgett Bardot rocked the sexual mores of the day when she flounced across the silver screen in Lolita, if you recall.

Brooke Shields didn't escape scorn (or the glare of the searing critical spotlight either) when she left little to the imagination in "Pretty Baby" with pretty much nothing on.

Gwen Billings, editor of Cynopsis Kids (a trade publication that covers the beat for children in the entertainment industry) probably said it best when she assessed the tawdry amateurish sexual strut this way.

"I can't imagine something like this (performance) gets all the way to the stage because a teenager says this is something I want to do. Someones got to provide the pole."

It is quite possible the routine started out as a squeaky-clean tribute to Shirley Temple - and her awesome hit "The Good Ship Lollipop" - in wholesome Disney-style.

Somewhere along the line, just betcha, the lollipop was transformed into a pole for some unknown reason (you know how obsessive these musical directors can get) and the cutesy two-step dance number was jazzed up to breathe a bit of pep and zest into it.

The producers exercised a bit of harmless artistic license, that's all.

But, pornification?

Naw.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Brooke Shields...pushes Latisse! Magic in a tube may result in George Maharis eyelashes...

So, 'ya thunk that Brooke Shields was blessed with thick lustrous eye-lashes naturally, eh?

Maybe yes! Maybe no!

When Allergan, Inc. (Botox bottler) announced their intent earlier this year to introduce a product (available by prescription only) that would add a bit of fluffy appeal to ultra-thin eye-lashes (ugly sparse wisps of hair) there was a flutter around the cosmetic landscape.

The buzz reached a fever pitch when manufacturers of "Latisse" (a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) signed glamour gal Brooke Shields to launch the lash-growth wonder treatment.

Latisse is applied to the base of the eyelid similar to eyeliner and contains an active ingredient (bimatoprost) which hastens growth and thickens the eyelashes.

Is it worth batting-an-eye over?

You betcha!

Sales hit the $12 million mark the 1st year shelves were stocked at pharmacies around the U.S.

Industry-insiders excitedly gush that there was quite an unexpected big-bucks bonus in the wings that took even savvy cosmetics execs by surprise.

Nope, didn't see it coming.

Lo & behold, once Allergan (the distributor) began filling the bulk of the Latisse orders, sales revved up in all-other-things lash-related, too.

Over-the-counter eyelash conditioners, curl-inducing treatments, and false eyelashes are all-the-rage in salons and high-end pampering spas right now.

The trend is here to stay, according to industry analysts.

"When you have a big company such as Allergan launching a product such as Latisse with millions of dollars in advertising , it is giving credibility to the market segment," Talika president (U.S. Division) Francois Laurent pointed out to fashion editors on a press junket in recent days.

No doubt - landing perennial beauty Brooke Shields as spokesperson - fluffed-up the Latisse image to lustrous new heights, too.

In the final analysis?

There's nothing like the real thing.

Just ask actor George Maharis.

Fans of the Hollywood sex symbol, who once starred in the popular TV series Route 66, were always (and still are, no doubt) smitten by his handsome chiseled face set off by sexy eye-catching lush eyelashes.

In fact, on the first occasion I met George in person, I was beside myself with envy.

Up-close and personal, they're even more astounding!

When I broached the subject, he chuckled.

"People accused me of using olive oil to enhance them."

That remedy apparently works, according to an old wives's tale.

So, for those of you who are not inclined to spring $120 for a 3 ml bottle (one month' supply), give it a whirl.

It's a less-harmful approach to achieve beautiful eyelashes than the chemically-based one offered up from Latisse, for starters.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books...is a family afffair with Snobbles, Disney Booth & Clifford the Big Red Dog! Brooke Shields to attend...

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is not just a forum for old bookworms to nose their way through racks of stale old tomes in search of a good read!

In fact, there are a handful of stimulating wholesome events scheduled for next weekend for parents and kids alike, which are just right for a family outing on the weekend.

For example, authors Erika Gragg and Jason Dobkin will be on hand to sign their latest book (and publicity stills) from the latest "Snobbles" desert expedition to the Snooze patch!

In this lighthearted tale, Snobbles (a snake) and Scoot (a scorpion) set off on an new exciting adventure to save their friends from an evil mongoose

The book is beautifully illustrated (see for yourself!) and the tale itself is a real tongue-twister sure to captivate children of all ages.

Info: http://www.snobbles.com

Meanwhile, at Booth # 035, there will be special appearances by "Clifford" the Big Red Dog.

If you saunter by next week during the book fest, you'll be able to snap up a free Clifford book!



Also, families can win passes to an advance screening of Disney's new feature "UP" which opens in Theatres on Earth Day, April 22nd (2009).

Info: http://www.Disney.com/Up

But hold on to your horses, kids!

If you want to experience the "Battle for Terra", stop by Booth # 704, for a chance to enter a drawing to win an invite to a screening of the much-anticipated adventure in real D 3D.

Of course, the Target Children's Stage is back again this year with top performers, more yucks than you bargained for, and a host of educational activities and animated readings by a handful of the Nation's most popular authors (in the Family Zone!).

Celebrity writers slated to read and sign books include actor "Fonz" Henry Winkler, Brooke Shields, Sabrina Bryan of "Cheetah Girls", and Yeardley Smith, the voice of "Lisa Simpson" on "The Simpsons."

The "SqueeGees" will also perform songs, jokes, and interact with audiences in a show that focuses on the environment.

And, last but not least, kids visiting the Los Angeles Times Kids' Reading Room (situated near the Reading by 9 booth) will learn how to create a newspaper from scratch!

The Staff will discuss newsroom technology - at which point - all future journalists in the crowd, will have the opportunity to not only write articles and poems, but create eye-catching illustrations to spruce up their editorials and make 'em more personal.

See 'ya there!

Info: http://www.latimes.com/festivalofbooks

http://www.julianayrs.com