Whenever Steven Meisel and Gisele Bundchen join forces for Vogue Italia you know you’re in for a treat. The June issue delves into beauty with a satirical look at the pleasures of primping – from your basic treatments and manicures, to controversial extremes like the much discussed ‘vampire’ facial. Meisel shoots in his signature high gloss style, while Lori Goldstein mixes in pieces from Louis Vuitton, Fendi alongside a few larger-than-life Chanel Joaillerie sparklers. Given the subject matter the dream team of Pat McGrath, Guido Palau and Jin Soon Choi are naturally a big part of the action – their elegant touch keeps Gisele looking flawless, even in the middle of chemical peels and deep conditioning masks.

View the Covers + Behind the Scenes Video on Vogue.It

A look back on Gisele’s Vogue Italia covers.

June 1999 & August 2001 | Ph. Steven Meisel

December 2009  & December 2010 | Ph. Steven Meisel

In addition to designing for Chanel, Fendi, his eponymous line, shooting editorials, traveling the world and elevating his cat to superstar status, Karl Lagerfeld also manages to be something of a fashion historian. Look at his work you’ll see references to countless bygone eras and sartorial icons of yesteryear. In his latest story for Harper’s Bazaar, Lagerfeld looks to legendary American socialites Mona von Bismarck & Millicent Rogers, women so revered for their good taste that whole museum collections exist to catalogue their stylish lives. Imagining a fictional meeting between the two legends, Lagerfeld creates sumptuous images overloaded with decadent ensembles.

With a shock of silver hair and a penchant for labels like Balenciaga, Givenchy and Vionnet, Mona was one of the most celebrated style icons of her time. Immortalized by Dali and Truman Capote. She’s brought to life in the story by Anja Rubik, in a series of dramatic looks chosen by Andrew Richardson. The glamorous Millicent Rogers, Standard Oil Heiress and toast of NY society, favored esoteric lines like Schiaparelli and Valentina, mixed in with standards from Mainbocher & Charles James; Melissa Tammerijn plays the blond beauty with grace in Lagerfeld’s story.

The Real Mona von Bismarck & Millicent Rogers

Countess Mona in Balenciaga

Millicent in Charles James

The ads keep on coming, check out a few more of our faves from the season – take a look back at our previous campaign favorites post too.

Balenciaga

While we can’t imagine either Nicolas Ghesquière or Steven Meisel spending a lazy weekend at the shore, the Balenciaga campaign is set in such an idyll. Fresh faces Anniek Kortleve, Linn Arvidsson, Hirschy Hirschfelder, Julier Bugge, Juliet Ingleby and Rosie Tapner lay out on the dunes in those eccentric looks from F/W.

Chanel

Simple, clean and led by a stellar cast, Chanel’s fresh ads feature Kati Nescher, Lindsey Wixson & Cora Emmanuel as styled by Carine Roitfeld. Naturally, Karl Lagerfeld is behind the camera – which depending on your perspective you either love or hate, that said the casting on this is flaw free.

Dolce & Gabbana

A taste of Italian nostalgia shot by Giampaolo Sgura and featuring Monica Bellucci, Bianca Balti and Bianca Brandolini – each image feels like a still from a Pasolini film.

Valentino

Valentino once again gives us a vision of pure class from the iconic Deborah Turbeville. Elegantly color coordinated looks on Jac Jagaciak, Caroline Brasch Nielsen and Frida Gustavsson - what’s not to love?

Fendi

When you have Joan Smalls and Karl Lagerfeld you don’t really need much else. With the natural setting and powerful poses, this new ads remind us a bit of Anja Rubik‘s S/S 10 ads for the luxe line. 

Well on his way to becoming a household name, Baptiste Giabiconi has given us many outrageously, over the top moments in the past three years. Here are 10 shining Giabiconi highlights, in high fashion (and not), throughout the years.

Humble Beginnings

We were treated with just a taste of what Baptiste could really do in the March 2009 issue of Vogue Paris

Barbie Girl

Chanel’s collaboration with doll retailer Barbie brought yet another side out of Baptiste. Spring 2009

Purple

After that earlier Vogue Paris teaser, Baptiste gave us everything in his editorial for Purple Fashion and left very little to the imagination. Fall 2009

Peel & Reveal

Readers were able to pull back the interactive cover of Wallpaper Magazine to reveal a clothes-less version of the newsstand issue. Fall 2009

Icon in the Making

Embodying some of the icons of the music industry for L’Officiel China, photos by Xian Sun. Spring 2010

Showtime

Baptiste takes a venture into the music industry with his video debut for his single “Showtime”. Watch him take a bow and be a singing motorcycle hero. (Buy his single “Showtime” here)

Showing that he can pull off just about any look, Baptiste is be-wigged by Thomas Lohr for Dansk. Spring 2011

Magnum

Baptiste immortalized in chocolate by Karl Lagerfeld. Need we say more? Spring 2011

Danse Avec Les Stars – Tango

Baptiste’s latest venture:  reality television for France’s version of Dancing with the Stars. Spoiler alert: he ends up shirtless and covered in glitter

Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello take us on a trip to the Sierra Nevada with Anais Pouliot and Nyasha Matonhodze for the latest issue of Numero. The two stars are styled by Samuel Francois in nomadic looks from Celine to Fendi as they take you on a tour through the scenic desert. With pigtail braids and faces full of glitter by Gemma Smith-Edhouse, who would have thought this solitary place could be so glamorous?

Mariano Vivanco presents Anna Selezneva as the ultimate vixen in Vogue Russia. Dressed in minimal looks by Fendi and Jil Sander, Anna manages to radiate over the top elegance with her skilled posing. The all white styling by Ekaterina Mukhina works beautifully with the opulent locations, as do those incredible color-blocked Louboutins.