It snowed today in NYC. All the browns and greys, we so beautifully matte and muted.
For Mary Collins, it was 1972 all over again.

Been studying Kim Novak’s hair in Vertigo again. Hitchcock seems to have been set on using it as a character; these loving close ups make it obvious. Many shots are composed around her hairstyles [all delicate wigs] and often the lens in focused on the hair, not the face, keeping the rest of the frame in a depth of field haze. The swirled chignon isn’t mere decoration, it’s structured like a dizzying vortex leading into a dark hole. When she’s in control seducing Scotty, not a single hair is out of place, even on a windy hilltop. When she needs to inspire Scotty’s sympathy and protection, her hair is at its most vulnerable, sad wet tendrils crying on her back. Her hair is a character in the diabolical plot against dazzled, naive, horny Scotty.

Not gone with the wind. Elnett-ed to infinity.

Sad, confused chignon.

Ready for its close up. One of many.

Another miracle of senses is inspired by the two different shots used when Scotty sees Madeleine for the first time. This scene was reshot after filming had been completed [Novak had looked in the camera by mistake] and bears signs of inevitable slips in continuity. Can you guess which is the latter version? It’s the one with the redder background.

Judy is a mere brunette, a lesser breed. She knows it. “I’m just a girl.”

As Judy, she disappears into the background. She has no light.

“I don’t care about me anymore.”

On a parting note, meet Kim’s wig head, on which Max Factor created these Vertigo wigs.

LatelAy, I’ve been meeting my friends at Tea and Sympathy.

Backstage at the VS magazine shoot. This is the back of Judith Bedard’s head. She’s teaching me about macrobiotic foods.

Getting ready for work. No saggy/droopy socks to annoy/distract me.

Shooting for The Ground today.
Epic extravaganza, helmed by Seiji Fujimori.

D magazine shoot w/ Taghi Naderzad.

http://www.pier59studiosblog.com/2011/12/shot-at-p59-taghi-naderzad-for-d-la-repubblica-magazine/

Been traveling much lately. This month it was Italian Vogue, Russian Vogue, Flaunt magazine, The Ground and some others that I’m not ‘sposed to mention.

the Gravure magazine shoot I did with Diego Uchitel is just out.
more images @ http://gravuremag.com/#2179-tenth-muse

Photography by Diego Uchitel
Creative Direction by Alex Freund & Lisa Mosko
Hair by Thanos Samaras for Bumble & Bumble
Makeup by Thorsten Weiss

Incessantly collecting (and using) old school hairstyling tools.
They don’t make rollers like these anymore. These metal ones are from the early 40s. They retain heat and transmit it into the hair long after you take them out of the dryer, making for a tighter curl. Their mesh construction renders them unsuitable for fine bleached hair, as they will leave dents. But perfect for thick, virgin hair. The spring coil ones, are in such rare small sizes, perfect for sideburns, baby hair, nape curls and for sneaking them between large ones where needed. These bad girls have just arrived, to join an army of long forgotten, strange old (very useful) curlers in my arsenal of old tools.
(also, observe the early 30’s pin curl clips, that are formed in a way that doesn’t crush the hair!)

The Intermix holiday lookbook I did, just came out.

photographer Tesh
producer Disco Meisch
stylist Susan Joy
make up Kristin Gallegos
hair Thanos Samaras

Nothing soothes me like touching old, brittle, destroyed hair.

Should I? Hm..

was off doing an Australian movie for a few weeks, then back to NY for shoots, then to Miami for Vogue Italia, then back to NY. It snowed too <3.

we’re happily welcoming the NY cold and wind.