Mario Testino Explores the Edwardian-Era Elite in “Deauville Rendevous” for Vogue UK

Fall Cometh – so let the fashion stories begin.  Nothing ushers in the all important season of style like a great avant-garde editorial by, Mario Testino.  For Fall 2012 he’s begun with a tale of fancy called, “Deauville Rendezvous,” in the September Issue of Vogue UK.  Celebrating the post Victorian time period known as the “Edwardian Era,” Marte Mei van Haaster and Stella Tennant portray turn of the century, ladies of style, with a variety of looks that mimic the wardrobe of the day. Known for it’s dedication to the Art of Fashion, Testino captures the period of “Belle Époque,” with his divine attention to details.  He has managed to take the trends of today and pay homage to the theatricality of the time, without resorting to costumes.  Capturing the spirit of the fashion-elite, he paints a picture of women who had the luxury to indulge in high-end decadence, and enjoyed showing it off. Giving us a real taste of the sartorial landscape, these images are a fun look back at the state of style. However, while this tells one story, much was happening in the women’s movement – and many changes were on the horizon.  To this end, the Edwardian Era would represent the last time in history that we would see tight corsets & long skirts worn by females in their daily life.  But as we see, they have continued to be a great influence on modern trends/designs.