Glam Girls for Vanity Fair

So here it is, my pride and joy, the one cover that had eluded me until now: the prestigious Vanity Fair with a few of my favorite ladies – in bed together!

Truth be told, a booking like this can be quite daunting since there might be a lot of studio and celebrity politics involved. How does one keep everyone happy and pampered? How does one figure out a look that works for each person and yet is cohesive for the picture?

Vanity Fair, May 2012   photo: Norman Jean Roy   makeup: Brigitte Reiss-Andersen

Luckily I have known Julianna Margulies for many years. She’s a lady after my taste: cosmopolitan, smart, humble, funny and with a competitiveness in the friendly game of charades that can only be described as ruthless. I have always been a fan of her work on screen, but then she invited me to see her in a play, “Intrigue with Faye” directed by Jim Simpson, also a friend of the family. She was absolutely terrific in it and it showed her talent is as broad as it is solid. Her current success is just proof that good things happen to good people.

I had another ally on the shoot, the lovely Claire Danes whom I also have known for quite some time. We have done many a shoot and press event together. I recall once keeping calm in a frenzied situation due to a wardrobe malfunction and ending up sewing her into her dress. I can’t even tell you how often my one-year experience working at the costume department in the film business has come in handy. I admire Claire for her intelligence, talent and down-to-earth-ness. She is also involved in a charity that is close to my heart: Afghan Hands. My favorite movie? That’s a hard choice but her Temple Grandin is a very special performance. I also saw her act on stage in Pygmalion in which she was splendid.

I hadn’t met Sophia Vergara until the day of the shoot and I was very excited. There had been many close calls but no cigar as they say. I love sexy women who are really funny and have some distance to the effect they have on people. It’s a fine line to walk, stay feminine, classy and yet fearlessly hilarious. And Sophia has added a whole Latin twist to it. Well, she owns it and I have joined the ranks of devoted fans. Absolutely my cup of tea! She was as delightful as I had hoped and I think she looks glamorously gorgeous on the cover.

When mentioned, the name Michelle Dockery creates a sort of a murmur of awe among Downton Abbey followers. I had noticed that reaction on several occasions. But before the VF cover shoot I had not watched a single episode and was therefore quite ignorant of the hoopla that surrounds the show. Well, Michelle was so beautiful and so charming to work with; it inspired me to start watching it. After the first episode I was obsessed and I dragged my family into the obsession with me! What great writing, fantastic performances, filming, costumes! Michelle, with her alabaster skin and jet-black hair, is just exquisite on and off-screen and I’m certain we’ll be seeing her in a lot of great roles in the future.

Anyhow, back to makeup. Considering the high-glam effect with the coiffed hair and high-wattage jewelry, my best strategy was to focus on the eyes, mainly around the lash line and give the lips just enough presence to keep the look chic. In my opinion a red lipstick on set with the white sheet and all would have been too heavy and retro looking.

Tip: When you are unsure of what makeup to wear for a particular occasion (job interview, meeting with future mother-in-law, public speech) it is always a winning strategy to stick to the neutral approach with an emphasis on the lash line. Use a brown, gray or charcoal pencil and draw right in between the lashes and smudge. Curl the lashes and apply a couple of coats of mascara. Leave the lip color as natural as you can with a tinted lip balm or just clear lip gloss. A nude shade of lipsticks might take this look to a “sexy place” that may not what you’re after…..that day!

Tags: Celebrity Looks, Claire Danes, COVERS, Julianna Margulies, Michelle Dockery, Sofia Vergara, Tips & Tricks, Vanity Fair