The Black Swan Effect

I have been following Valeria Picerno's work since 2007 via her flickr and am always in awe of her next photograph. I recently stumbled upon an interview with her on toomuchchocolate and have since been trawling her archives rediscovering her raw talent for capturing a moments of simultaneous light and dark. She was also photographed by the Sartorialist which makes me fall in love with her a little more!

Which photographers are inspiring you at the moment?

The black swan is the idea that something is very unique, completely unpredictable, that is considered almost impossible. So I like the idea of putting together things that are not really connected to each other and creating a new thing, a little new world. - Valeria Picerno

(all photographs by Valeria Picerno from the black swan archives)

Le Garçon Manqué

As a Vogue collector and a student of French, I have always been an avid reader (i.e. flicking through the editorials) of Paris Vogue. I am therefore naturally familiar with the exceptional and inspiring work of Emmanuelle Alt, the fashion director of the magazine. However, it wasn't until recently, when perusing the archives of Jak & Jil Blog that I discovered her own personal style. She is the epitome of effortless, Parisian chic - one of those revered women who wears a definite uniform yet miraculously never seems predictable. The stylist seamlessly juxtaposes both high and low end pieces (such as her trusty Topshop skinny jeans with a Balmain blazer) proving that true style exists regardless of how much money you have to spend. Her beauty lies in her simplicity, don't you think?

Forget trendy designer labels. Jeans, a sweater or a t-shirt worn under a jacket that seems welded to you. When it's just right, when you don't see the effort, it's irresistible. - Emmanuelle Alt

(photos from Jak & Jil)