STREET IT GIRL STYLE

Autumn heralds a darker, mischievous mood and here we have two “It” girls shot by two famed photographers more than fifty years apart looking a bit subdued and contracted, twitchy—a neat exemplification of the season.

On the left, we see doe-eyed waif Penelope Tree, credited by some with kick starting the 1960s flower power movement which, in the hands of Richard Avedon (who shot the photo), made her a supermodel. Tree was reportedly never quite comfortable with this designation, which Avedon, master of distilling subjects to their essence, exquisitely captures. Her body, stiff and rigid, is hidden under a pile of pouf. The makeup is severe, almost mask-like, while her expression is distant and inscrutable. It’s as if Avedon is poking fun at what fashion photography is and the ridiculous roles models are so often asked to play—the little girl, the muse, the marionette—making this photo almost subversive.

Current model “it” girl Alexa Chung receives a lighter touch in the hands of Karl Lagerfeld—ironic considering that Chung is a current muse of 'the Kaiser' of Chanel . The photo seems to say he is not interested in playing the Svengali this time. The tastemaker accepts his muse exactly as she is. And what is not to accept? The woman owns laid-back New York City street style.

-Jessie Knadler

2012