We’ve had the Balmain Army, featuring Rosie Huntington -Whiteley and Adriana Lima; the dream team of Naomi Campbell and Jourdan Dunn for Burberry; and Karlie Kloss joining the ‘Supermodel Supper Club’ for Jason Wu. Notice a (good looking) pattern developing? These are just a few of the fashion elite who have all been recruited for upcoming Spring/Summer 15 campaigns.
It’s a roll call of the most beautiful and in-demand models of the moment, so who did Riccardo Tisci manage to secure to be the face of the Givenchy Spring/Summer 15? None other than an A-lister of the Hollywood variety, Julia Roberts.
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Obviously, Roberts is a gorgeous choice. Known for her wide, eternally sparkling smile and youthful energy that belies her 47 years, Roberts has long been a favourite amongst beauty brands, having previously worked as a beauty ambassador for both L’Oreal and Lancome. Being chosen as the face of Givenchy however, is certainly an inspired choice, and perhaps a role less familiar for Roberts. Tisci stated that Roberts is the “perfect match for Givenchy’s code of modernity”, which is undoubtedly true, given her proven track record of timeless, classic red carpet choices and continued style evolution over the years.
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Roberts is also a long-time Givenchy fan (which probably helps) and wore a black Givenchy couture gown to this years Oscars. The look created in the Spring/Summer 15 campaign however, is far removed from the glamour and luxury of the red carpet that we are used to associating Roberts with. Tisci specifically told Roberts there was to be ‘no hair, no makeup and no smiling,’ and considering Roberts’ smile is exactly what the general public are used to identifying her by, this is a big departure from the Roberts universally recognised and adored.
This is what makes the campaign so successful and striking; pared back and au naturale, Roberts is still a inimitable presence, and quite surprisingly, has an uninhibited and captivating fashion manner. After apparently turning up in casual jeans, men’s shirt and oversized jacket, Tisci told her that is essentially what she would be shooting in. Of course, the clothes were entirely Givenchy, and the jeans and shirt were swapped for a tuxedo style suit, but it is that exact relaxed, yet still effortlessly stylish look that Tisci was hoping to capture.
The result is a black and white image that speaks to everyone. It gives an insight into the real Julia Roberts, away from the Hollywood veneer, and also tells us a lot about Tisci, whose desire for an ‘honest’ and ‘pure’ campaign had him searching for that perfect, non-model muse. It is almost certainly going to be heralded an iconic image, respected and admired for transforming Julia Roberts into that ideal Givenchy woman, powerful, yet with a fine balance between femininity and masculinity.
You’ll forget supermodels even existed after this campaign, Julia Roberts is the face fashion needed.
Images via: usmagazine.com, popsugar, stylenews.com, modainfo.es.
