Makeup Beat

I did the makeup and styling for this photo in the 1970s.

Makeup by Face Atelier, Hair by Federico Salon, Shoes by Vanessa Noel Couture.

Wearing a classic red lipstick “very old Hollywood”.

FACE ATELIER

Alexander McQueen, the iconic British fashion designer, was found dead Thursday inside his London home after reportedly hanging himself.

May his soul rest in peace.

The ad campaign, conceived by James Gager, senior vice president and creative director of MAC Cosmetics, was shot by Ellen von Unwerth. It will begin running in April fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines, as well as a few weeklies later this month. “Cyndi looks sexy, I look sexy — I think it’s a more feminine side of me,” says Gaga.

This year, Viva Glam is focusing on the increased risk women face in terms of HIV/AIDS infection, notes John Demsey, group president of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. and chairman of the MAC AIDS Fund. “The litmus test for this campaign is that each person has to be able to stand in front of a MAC audience and be passionate and believable about this,” he says. “Because both of these women are so iconic in an alternative world as well as with young people, the juxtaposition of the two of them takes Viva Glam to a new level.” source: WWD

According to WWD Andre is to come on board as a judge for cycle 14, which premieres March 10 on The CW, it was an easy sell. “I’ve seen the success of Tyra in many facets of her life,” said Talley, who first met Banks backstage at an Yves Saint Laurent show when she was 16. “So I felt maybe I could contribute something to it that had not been on the show. I just felt that it was a way to step out of the box and associate myself with a very important American success story, a very important brand — Tyra Banks.”

Though he’d never watched “Top Model,” he had “no hesitations at all.” Nor did his Vogue boss, Anna Wintour. “Her reaction,” said Talley, “was, ‘Fine, André. Just let me know when you’re going to do it and how it’s going.’” (Reached for comment, Wintour said through her spokesman, “André is always onto new things on television, and I think his latest adventure sounds like a lot of fun and I look forward to watching him on the program.”)

In cycle 14, Talley succeeds J. Alexander (who instead coaches the wannabe strutters) on the judging panel, which also includes Banks, photographer Nigel Barker and guest judges such as Whitney Port, Rachel Roy and Sally Hershberger.

Describing Talley’s appeal, Banks said, “A lot of people can speak about fashion, but it doesn’t necessarily translate to strong television. But André speaks about fashion and he has such a passion, and the words — the adverbs, the adjectives — he uses! I know it’s going to make the viewer at home go, ‘Wowww.’” Banks added, “It might go over their head, but he’s educating them about a time, bringing them back to a place when fashion was life.”

And Banks is betting that Talley, who signed on for three cycles, will help steer the show in a more high-fashion direction. “Reality television is very commercial. It’s very mass,” she noted. “The fashion industry is very elite, but I feel the fashion industry is catching up to reality television.”

For all things Quentin Crisp, please visit CRISPERANTO / THE QUENTIN CRISP ARCHIVES. Photo by Devin Elijah.