Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2012 i ELLE

Friday, December 7 SPY GAME In the BBC/Sundance Channel miniseries Restless , Michelle Dockery, better known as Downton Abbey resident Lady Mary, sheds her period costumes to play a young woman who learns her mother is leading a double life as a British secret service agent. Friday, December 7 ROCK PAPER Today, quirky-cool publishing house McSweeney's debuts Beck's Song Reader , the alt-rocker's new album that exists solely as hand-illustrated pages of sheet music. Frame them, or take it as an opportunity to pluck "Do We? We Do" on your ukulele. ON THIS WINTER'S NIGHT Grammy-collecting country trio Lady Antebellum play with a full orchestra on their first full-length holiday album. CEELO'S MAGIC MOMENT Gnarls Barkley's front man enlists a cappella-ers Straight No Chaser on "You're a Mean…

In October, one of the all-time great public personalities, James Carville, stopped by the Hearst Tower (Hearst is the parent company of ELLE) with his writing partner, Democratic pollster and intellectual stud Stan Greenberg, for an afternoon tea on the occasion of their new book, It's the Middle Class, Stupid!, with the company's executives and editors. Carville is nothing if not opinionated, and in his opinion, as he kept reminding us, the single most important thing about this election is that there's a real distinction between the candidates, which is better for a healthy democracy than two sides arguing for the same middle. By the time you read this, the voters will have chosen which path they want the country to take—and the pollsters will know how well, or poorly,…

NAME: Linda Yablonsky PROVENANCE: Greater Philadelphia NOW: New York City PROFESSION: Writer THIS MONTH: "Sight Reading" (page 306) BONA FIDES: BA, theater and English literature, New York University; work has appeared in The New York Times, T Magazine, and W, and on Artforum.com; author of The Story of Junk: A Novel SHUTTERBUG: "I take all my own photographs for the Artforum.com column 'Scene and Herd'; I started out with a lousy camera, not knowing anything, but I've learned a lot about taking candid pictures of people at parties. Some of the shots are really good. I snapped Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes when they were still together, and James Franco before I even knew who he was." ART APPRECIATION: Henri Matisse's The…

Iran native Nojan Aminosharei knew his Tehran-bred great-aunt as a vivacious figure who had a dicey relationship with the hijab. As recent stories of women either throwing off or taking up the veil came in from around the world, he had to examine his own relationship to it When I was a toddling boy in Iran during the mid-'80s, I spent my days in a modest but handsome house in North Tehran with my great-aunt Aghdash-joon. I referred to her as my third grandmother, but she hardly looked—or acted—the part: A curvaceous gal with thick cascades of dark brown hair and an easy laugh, Aghdash-joon was a snapshot of a certain type of Iranian woman at a certain moment in our history. Born in 1924, she was middle-class, secular, and…

THE HEEL THING Joana Vasconcelos If you happen to be in Fiesso d'Artico, Italy—a small town near Venice—don't be alarmed if you stumble across an outsize shoe. Vasconcelos' sculpture stands in the center cloister of Louis Vuitton's factory there. Fellow artists have also designed work for Vuitton's maisons around the world, from Teresita FernÁndez's hanging glass installation in San Francisco to Alyson Shotz's glass-and-plastic sculpture in Kobe, Japan. Fans of the artworks commissioned by the house can look forward to 2014, when its art foundation will open in Paris. GREY MATTER Manish Vora, Kyle DeWoody James Nares for Coach, Rob Pruitt for Jimmy Choo—art and fashion have never been chummier. Enter Grey Area, a gallery-slash-boutique in New York's SoHo that is, according to the company mission statement, dedicated to this…

1 . Cotton-blend shell, TRACY REESE, price on request, visit tracyreese.com | 2 . Lace flat, MANOLO BLAHNIK, $595, collection at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide | 3 . Lace flat, MANOLO BLAHNIK, $595, collection at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide | 4 . Lace bag, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $2,295, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | 5 . Floral drop earrings, ERICKSON BEAMON, $480, at Beyond 7, NYC | Model at left wears : Lace top, $3,170, shorts, $1,595, leather belt, $420, all, JASON WU, visit jasonwustudio.com. Cord and gold bracelet with sterling silver, CHARLOTTE BJORLIN DELIA, $1,100, visit store.charlottebjorlindelia.com. Leather bag, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG, $265, visit dvf.com…

1. Bead and raffia necklace, TORY BURCH, $650, call 866-480-8679 | 2. Crochet bikini, SHOSHANNA, $88 (sold with matching bottom), visit shoshanna.com | 3. Silk and wool shorts, JENNI KAYNE, $325, collection at shopbop.com | 4. Wood inlay clutch, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $1,495, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | 5. Crepe de chine and linen sandal, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $2,885, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | Model at right wears: Silk gazar peplum top, $1,495, cotton sateen skirt, $875, both, PRABAL GURUNG, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC. Leather and raffia bag, TORY BURCH, $395, call 866-480-8679…

1. MatelassÉ and raffia flat, TORY BURCH, $325, call 866-480-8679 | 2. Brocade bustier, price on request, shorts, $295, both, TORY BURCH, visit toryburch.com | 3. Stone, wood, and mother-of-pearl earrings, HOUSE OF LAVANDE, PALM BEACH, $975, collection at Marissa Collections, Naples, FL | 4. Blue stone slider bracelet, LELE SADOUGHI, $240, visit lelesadoughi.com | 5. Teal column slider bracelet, LELE SADOUGHI, $325, visit lelesadoughi.com | Model at left wears: Silk jacquard dress, RICHARD NICOLL, $1,190, visit harveynichols.com. Yellow gold earrings with chrysoprase and diamonds, IRENE NEUWIRTH, price on request, collection at Barneys New York. Malachite cabochon ring, CHARLOTTE BJORLIN DELIA, $1,100, visit store.charlottebjorlindelia.com. Jade cabochon, citrine, and…

THE WOMAN: Maria Gabriela Brito, 36, New York City THE JOB: Founder and CEO of Lifestyling by Maria Gabriela Brito, an interior-design and art-consultation company that sources contemporary pieces for high-profile clientele, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Sean "Diddy" Combs. And when you're the one suggesting how the rich and famous should spend their millions, it can lead to some surreal experiences. Last year, Brito accompanied Diddy on what she calls a "wild" 36-hour tour of Art Basel Miami Beach (which this year starts on December 6). THE UNIFORM: "I like having the freedom to look whatever way I want while still being respectful to my clients," says the Venezuelan-born Harvard Law School grad. "I'm not going show up wearing a miniskirt—but also not in a black, corporate-looking suit." In her…

JASON WU Best gift he's given: For my partner, Gustavo Rangel, the Cartier Roadster watch he'd been eyeing for a year. Best gift he's received: A vintage 1930s sewing machine from my dad, which I have on display in my office. Worst gift he's received: A box of holiday candy from Duane Reade. Set of three Christmas ornaments, $49.99 MARCUS WAINWRIGHT AND DAVID NEVILLE, RAG & BONE Topping Marcus' wish list: A Ferrari 458 Italia…in my dreams. Best gift he's given: The Buzz Lightyear doll my wife and I gave our son Noah. Topping David's wish list: Snow! Best gift he's received: A black Gucci motorcycle jacket from my mum when I was about 21. Flask, $29.99; set of four shot glasses, $19.99 PRABAL GURUNG Worst gift he's received: I'd…

LITERARY JUNK FOOD, ART'S WONDER WOMEN, AND MORE… When 22-year-old Brit Samantha Barks beat the likes of Taylor Swift and Lea Michele for the coveted role of tragic tomboy-on-the-barricade Éponine in Tom Hooper's big-screen adaptation of Les Misérables (out December 25), she had no idea who she was up against. "I knew there were loads of other girls," says Barks in a rasp that belies her rafter-rattling belt. "But I didn't want to know who they were. Ignorance is bliss." Those rival hopefuls didn't know who they were up against either. Barks took third place in 2008's Andrew Lloyd Webber–helmed UK singing competition I'd Do Anything, which sought to cast the part of Nancy in a West End revival of Oliver! She then landed the part of Sally Bowles in…

A sleek, surreal sensibility composed of equal parts romance and cynicism powers Canadian writer Zsuzsi Gartner's second story collection, Better Living Through Plastic Explosives (Pintail). The strong title story, about a "recovering terrorist" furtively tending the garden in her front yard, handily illustrates this intriguing dichotomy. The tale begins, "Wisteria hangs over the eaves like clumps of ghostly grapes. Euphorbia's pale blooms billow like sea froth. Blood grass twists upward, knifing the air, while underground its roots go berserk, goosing everything in their path." The five angels who come to earth—messengers inhabiting the bodies of teenagers—in "We Come in Peace" make an unexpected discovery: "With at least 3.8 million millennia of combined experience, the one thing we had never suspected we were was naive." In "Once, We Were Swedes," a…

INSIDE PRETTY PARTY MAKEUP, THE ART OF FRAGRANCE, AND MORE… Sometimes two wrongs do, in fact, make a right. P&G global creative design director Pat McGrath's bold-eye/bright-lip pairing for Raf Simons' fall Dior couture show challenges popular beauty wisdom by emphasizing two features at once for a look that couldn't be more appealing. The secret to nailing the high-drama duo? Play with texture, balancing shimmery eye shadow with a matte lip color. Customize the lid look with Aqua Cream Waterproof Cream Color in Silver and Intense Blue, both by Make Up For Ever. For lips, try a blend of Rouge Dior lipstick in Blazing Red and Rare Amber, both by Dior, for a toned-down take on the fiery hue. So go ahead, break the rules.…

At Dior Beauty's Operation Smile fete, celebs and makeup artists united for an afternoon of charitable chatter. By night, L.A.'s Chateau Marmont is the scene of tabloidworthy debauchery and bungalow trysts. But on one recent afternoon, the garden terrace colonnade played host to a bevy of celebs—all on their best behavior. For Dior Beauty's fourth-annual Operation Smile charity luncheon, starlets and their makeup-artist BFFs came together for a session of beauty-secret swapping to support a noble cause: For each duo in attendance, Dior donated the funds for a cleft-palate surgery to the charity—20 in all. CAT DEELEY (SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE) AND AMY STROZZI CAT: I'm wearing Dior lipstick in Blazing Red. AMY: Actually, we're both wearing it! It was one of those mornings—we needed a pick-me-up. CAT:…

Where is all that talk, talk, talking in therapy really getting you? In an era of constant noise, the latest solution is, in fact, the oldest: the silent retreat. Olivia Stren checks in and shuts up I dressed for my first time on The Couch like it was a first date. It was a sunny June day, I was 26, and I wore a geranium-colored dress—I wanted to look nice for Dr. J, an impulse that surely pointed to a multipack of psychological deficits. I went into therapy to discuss the usual grab bag: fear of commitment, fear of not committing, boredom, fear of boredom, guilt about the bourgeois nature of my neuroses, etc. But most pressing was my insomnia. And as Dr. J learned about my sleep disorder, I…

Faye's neck arches out from beneath the sheets, her skin clear and young and alabaster except for the marks—deep and red and descending the length of her nape. One, two, three—I count seven hickeys before Faye, in her sleep, must sense me standing over her. She turns her head away, her blond hair falling across her pillow as she sleeps off whatever happened the evening before. A one-night stand? A lover she's been hiding from us? Had she been drunk? Stoned? Does she even know his name? "Here," I say when Faye—then 18 and soon off to college—emerges from her bedroom, sometime that afternoon. I hand her a concealer stick. "This should help." Silently, she takes it. "You can have good sex without getting your neck sucked off," I say,…

Balancing creativity and commerce can be an art in itself. Just ask the cross-cultural muse Stephanie Seymour, who has inspired everyone from Victoria's Secret customers to Azzedine Alaïa and artists Jeff Koons and Maurizio Cattelan, and who poses here on the grounds of her husband's art foundation—wearing Alaïa, naturally—in front of Urs Fischer's Untitled (Big Clay #3). Or consider our cover girl, Jennifer Lawrence, who has proven herself equally adept at art films and blockbusters—though as she reveals to Deputy Editor Maggie Bullock, she almost didn't take the career-making role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. "I felt like I was at this crossroads and I could either go [with] indies and have a low-maintenance life and my [future] kids would never be affected by my job, or I…

Kerry Washington is searching for something to knock on—wood, preferably—to secure the bout of good fortune she's been having. "It's amazing. I'm so, so blessed," says Washington, who finds it daunting even to consider her can-you-believe-my-luck moment. She's the first African-American woman to headline a major network drama since 1974. Her show, ABC's sexy political thriller Scandal, averaged 9.1 million viewers in its first season and is well into a nail-biting second. And to add to the windfall, Quentin Tarantino chose her as the female lead in this month's spaghetti-westernized view of the antebellum South, Django Unchained. Washington takes a right place, right time view of her situation: Scandal, she says, wouldn't exist without the three women powerful enough to bring the series to life—Judy Smith (the DC PR guru…

COVERS White stretch jersey dress by Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière, $3,450, at Balenciaga (NYC), call 212-206-0872. Silk crewneck dress by Narciso Rodriguez, $1,995, visit narcisorodriguez.com. THE LOOK Page 143: Dress by Marc Jacobs, at Marc Jacobs (NYC). Earrings by Hutton Wilkinson for Tony Duquette Jewelry, $23,000, at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide. Slingbacks by Valentino Garavani, at Valentino boutiques nationwide. TRENDS AND ACCESSORIES Page 144: Belt by Jason Wu, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Bag by Valentino Garavani, at Valentino boutiques nationwide, visit valentino.com. Earrings by Erickson Beamon, call 646-619-6857. Page 146: Dress by Valentino, $6,980, visit valentino.com. Bracelet by Hutton Wilkinson for Tony Duquette Jewelry, $40,000, visit tonyduquette.com. Espadrilles by Valentino Garavani, at Valentino boutiques nationwide. Jacket by MM Couture by Miss Me, visit missme.com. Watch…

Thursday, December 20 PEAK OF CHIC London's Browns Hotel got a holiday boost from shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood, who designed custom ornaments for its annual tree. Stiletto tree toppers, anyone? brownshotel.com Friday, December 21 FORTUNE-TELLER Astrologer to the stars (clients include LeeLee Sobieski and Mena Suvari) Aurora Tower is branching out into stationery. If we had to predict, we'd say you'll love her correspondence notes, available engraved with each zodiac sign. brightstarlights.com Tuesday, December 4 LADY IN RED Diana Vreeland mania continues: Hot on the heels of filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland's documentary, The Eye Has to Travel, author Amanda Mackenzie Stuart takes an in-depth—419 pages!—look at the legendary editor with Empress of Fashion. harpercollins.com Saturday, December 15 KNIT WIT There's still a month left to check out…

GOTTA GET BRIT It's Britney, bit—oh, never mind, you get it by now. Whether she's up, down, or somewhere in the middle, were we ever not rooting for Britney Spears? In our October cover story, "The Brit Factor," the queen of pop gave an exclusive interview to Senior Editor Claire Gutierrez, opening up about her new gig as a judge on The X Factor, her kids, and even her engagement to Jason Trawick. And Britney fans, forever loyal, were thrilled as always. "Finally she's on the cover!!!!! LOVE her!!!!!!!! <3"—kjbl, Justjared.com "She's looking flawless."—fight4thislove, Ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com "Strong and sexy, Britney Spears on the cover of ELLE, October!"—@Versace, Twitter "She looks great! Better than she has for a long time. She is really turning her life around. Good for her!"—Lightwins, Huffingtonpost.com "omg…

If anyone deserves a break, it's Jason Wu. In the past year alone, the 30-year-old cranked out four collections for his eponymous label, a furniture range for beachy-luxe home store Canvas, a diffusion line, a fast-fashion one-off for Target, and an orchid-scented candle for Neiman Marcus. And yet, "The absolute longest I can take off for vacation is a week," says the Taiwan-born, New York–based designer. "Otherwise my office starts e-mailing me with all sorts of questions." Luckily, Wu maximizes his precious time off with VIP status at the St. Regis, for which he's served as Connoisseur (aka brand ambassador) since 2011. (For the record, Wu, who's whipped up a chic travel tote for the chain as part of his duties, was a St. Regis fan long before he was…

When artist Rob Pruitt—whose tongue-in-cheek, often pop-culture-obsessed paintings and sculptures have resulted in, among other things, glitter-covered humping cartoon pandas and a chrome statue of Andy Warhol—turned his artistic gaze toward Paris Hilton in 2004, his approach to the subject was downright Method. "I wanted to understand her world by seeing how it felt to wear a pair of high heels," says the 48-year-old Pruitt. He found a pair large enough to accommodate his men's 11-and-a-half foot on a Payless sale rack; the result is an enamel-on-vinyl portrait titled Paris, Red Carpet, Fox Party. Eight years later, on a sunny fall afternoon at his Brooklyn studio—which is covered in panda glitter and neon paint splats from his color-gradation paintings—Pruitt recalls how that research came in handy for his latest project,…

One could say Stefania Bortolami has made an entire career out of mixing unlike things. The 45-year-old Italian-born art dealer, who got her big break in the '90s as Larry Gagosian's second in command, has made a name for herself in the art world thanks, in part, to her knack for unexpected pairings. Walk into Bortolami's eponymous five-year-old gallery on Manhattan's West 20th Street and you might find, say, a stark black-and-white fabric installation by conceptual artist Daniel Buren alongside a canvas of rainbow-colored, Jackson Pollockian splotches by abstract painter Richard Aldrich. So, when asked what she enjoys about entertaining, Bortolami's answer isn't all that surprising: "The fun is in deciding who's coming. 'Oh, this person would get along with this person,' or 'They don't know each other, but maybe…

1. Lace espadrille, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $475, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | 2. Lace jacket, MM COUTURE BY MISS ME, $88, visit missme.com | 3. White gold and diamond watch with cloisonnÉ face, PIAGET, price on request, visit piaget.com | 4. Straw and lambskin bag, CHANEL, price on request, call 800-550-0005 | 5. Lace espadrille, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $475, visit valentino.com | Model at right wears: Floral tulle dress, VALENTINO, price on request, at Valentino boutiques nationwide. Embellished straw hat, EUGENIA KIM, $305, visit eugeniakim.com. Peridot, amethyst, and diamond bracelet, HUTTON WILKINSON FOR TONY DUQUETTE JEWELRY, price on request, collection at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide…

1. Cotton lace shirt, STELLA MCCARTNEY, $2,165, call 212-255-1556 | 2. Lace and lambskin drawstring bag, CHANEL, price on request, call 800-550-0005 | 3. Nylon-blend lace shorts, DKNY, $255, visit dkny.com | 4. Suede sandal, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $1,255, in other colors at Charlotte Olympia, NYC | 5. Blackened silver, platinum, and white gold cuffs with diamonds, Michelle Ong for Carnet, circa 2000, FROM SIEGELSON, NYC, price on request, visit siegelson.com | Model at right wears: Dotted swiss tulle blouse, price on request, satin trousers, $1,425, lace and calfskin oxfords, $1,595, all, GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Rose gold and oxidized silver necklace, WORKHORSE, $286, visit workhorsejewelry.com…

Zebra-print calf-hair moccasin, GUCCI, $795, visit gucci.com Velvet and calfskin slipper, DOLCE & GABBANA, $475, call 877-70-DG-USA Printed flat, LOUIS VUITTON, $715, visit louisvuitton.com Embroidered velvet flat, MIU MIU, $650, visit miumiu.com Ponyskin flat, CÉLINE, $650, collection at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide Silver embellished loafer, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $895, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide Leopard-print pony-hair slipper, TOD'S, $745, call 800-457-TODS…

DESIGNERS, SHOPS, HOT SPOTS, AND MORE… STOCKHOLM If the frenzy surrounding previous H&M designer collaborations is anything to go by—sidewalk campouts, eBay bidding wars, general hysterics—we can't wait to see what the Maison Martin Margiela x H&M collection will bring, besides the elegantly draped minimalist staples of the avant-garde label, of course. hm.com STOCKHOLM If the frenzy surrounding previous H&M designer collaborations is anything to go by—sidewalk campouts, eBay bidding wars, general hysterics—we can't wait to see what the Maison Martin Margiela x H&M collection will bring, besides the elegantly draped minimalist staples of the avant-garde label, of course. hm.com VIENNA Yoko Ono can now add "jewelry designer" to her lengthy résumé. The artist has created a limited-edition key-themed line for Swarovski Elements. Ever the optimist, Ono themed…

Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater typically plays host to symphonies and ballets—and, two weeks a year, fashion's biggest names. But on the night of September 7, Azealia Banks' "212" was shaking the marble floors as models strutted the runway wearing labels you haven't heard of—yet. At ELLE's third annual FASHION|NEXT show, the culmination of a months-long design competition for undergraduates (this year, from New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology [FIT]), students showed capsule collections inspired by the city itself—from Joshua Myrie's shell-like jackets to Kieran Dallison's floral prints and Rosa Ng's 3-D knits. The judging panel—including Alexa Chung, Peter Som, and Neiman Marcus senior vice president and fashion director Ken Downing—eyed everything closely, taking notes like veteran fashion editors. A few judges were reminded of their younger selves…

FANTASTIC VOYAGE In an implausibly successful masterstroke of moviemaking, acclaimed director Ang Lee has turned the surreal and fantastic novel Life of Pi into a ravishing, hallucinatory, state-of-the-art film triumph. Karen Durbin reviews In Ang Lee's spectacular 3-D adaptation of the best-selling novel Life of Pi, a lonely teenage boy looks up at the vast night sky and sees his mother's face emerge, the stars configured in a new constellation. The moment is so beautiful it takes your breath away, even while it breaks your heart. The boy is Pi, short for piscine, the French word for "swimming pool." But the pool he has to navigate is the Pacific Ocean, after his family has disappeared—along with the broken ship that was taking them to a new life. Not that he's…

There's a running joke in my family that no matter what problem you have, my dad, a philosophy professor, will solve it by asking, "You know what Emerson has to say about this?" Growing up, if I lost a soccer game, I would hear about Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance." If I had a fight with my best friend, Emerson's "Friendship" would appear on my nightstand. If I were sad about a boy, or struggling with a teacher at school, or just generally being teenaged, chances are someone associated with the Concord School would have some insight. In my household, ideas were medicine, and I took mine happily. From a very early age, I would never go anywhere without books from multiple genres, Rory Gilmore–style. I wrote earnest confessionals to Little Women's…

How does Sui He (above), the new face of Shiseido, keep her complexion camera ready? "Shiseido Multi-Energizing Creamrefreshes my skin after long flights," says the 22-year-old Chinese model. And under makeup? Shiseido's Urban Environment Oil-Free SPF 42. "It works like a primer and also offers SPF protection." BLACK MAGIC "When women wear my fragrance, I want their message to be totally obvious, like, 'I'm sexy, let's f--k,' " proclaims the never-lost-for-words Lady Gaga. Her fragrance, Fame, a sweet concoction of belladonna fruit, apricot nectar, honey, and jasmine, is the first (and soon to be only—a patent is in the works) perfume with a black juice that sprays or rolls on invisible. Says Gaga: "I wanted it to stand out on my mom's vanity." HOME IMPROVEMENT Save your co-pay for Retin-A:…

Although we can't afford a Picasso, most of us can pick up a Piguet. From florientals to fauvism, colognes to cubism, April Long reinterprets fragrance through the prism of art history On a sunny day in May, there is no place on earth quite like Le Domaine de Manon, a family-run farm in the famously fragrant countryside near Grasse, France. Low rolling hills carpeted with bubble gum–pink Rosa centifolia blossoms unfurl like a decorative border beneath distant mountains, and the smell—ah, the scent of thousands of roses!—radiates upward and outward in waves so heady and gorgeous they're practically visible, like heat emanating from asphalt. It's the sort of dreamy locale that might inspire a landscape painter to pick up his brush, or a poet to brandish her pen, yet the…

With seductive scents, smoky eyes, and plenty of sparkle, December beauty comes alive after dark. SMOKE SIGNAL Nostalgic Diptyque Volutes Eau de Parfum references cofounder Yves Coueslant's childhood scent memories, from Egyptian tobacco to ocean-liner fumes. NIGHT BLOOM Think of Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir L'Elixir's lush floral fragrance as a precious stone: multifaceted, enduring, and elegant. STRIKE GOLD An ultrafine streak of Dolce & Gabbana gilded glitter along the top lash line offers a modern update to shimmery lids. SMEAR CAMPAIGN CK One's slick, smudgeable Dark Matter Gloss Eyecolor imparts high-shine black pigment for the sexiest smoky eye. BRIGHT SPOTS Designed to illuminate dull skin, Guerlain Météorites Perles du Dragon includes six pearlescent shades. FETE SET Monsieur Dior's legendary parties live on with Diorific Vernis nail polish in Diva and…

She was supposed to be a new kind of first lady—for the country and maybe even for the world. An average Frenchwoman, albeit a striking one—middle class, twice divorced, a mother of three who'd always worked hard to make ends meet—who was perfectly matched, in utter unremarkableness, by her paunchy, balding boyfriend, who just happened to be the newly elected president of France. He'd sold himself as "Mr. Normal"—an unassuming bureaucrat who'd bring modesty and humility back to the office of the French presidency. Together, Valérie Trierweiler and François Hollande, France's first unmarried First Couple, were set to usher in a new era in Paris' Élysée Palace, where they took up residence in May. No more of the glitz, glitter, or emotional fireworks that had characterized the time of Hollande's…

When Jennifer Lawrence springs through the mirrored doors of a nondescript office park, out of breath and damp of brow, the sight is so action-sequence familiar, you almost want to cheer—until you see the too-real hunted look in her eye, the slight tremble of her hands. "Welcome to my new life," Lawrence says in a wobbly voice, dropping onto a couch with an apologetic chuckle. "It's…awful." It is the day before her twenty-second birthday, and she has just been besieged at a gas station by paparazzi. Peeking through the one-way window at her dozen or so pursuers, now biding their time in the parking lot, Lawrence regains control of the ready sense of humor she wields as both charm offensive and self-defense system. "All the paps drive Priuses," she muses,…

Metallic and cotton jacket, Camilla and Marc, $750, visit shopbop.com. Pavé crystal bib necklace, $375, pearl and crystal necklace, $275, both, Fallon Jewelry, visit shopbop.com. Dark stone deco necklace, Alexis Bittar, $595. Leather pumps, B Brian Atwood, $350. Wool-blend jacquard dress, Diane von Furstenberg, $485, visit shopbop.com. Nubuck sandals, Calvin Klein Collection, $895. Metallic polyamide dress, $995, tuxedo jacket, $895, both, Rag & Bone, visit shopbop.com. For details, see Shopping Guide. Beaded tulle dress, Reem Acra, $3,400, visit shopbop.com. Leather jacket, Versace, $2,995, visit shopbop.com. Wool sweater, $685, polyamide and lace skirt, $1,295, both, Rochas, visit shopbop.com. Pavé crystal bib necklace, $375, pearl and crystal necklace, $275, both, Fallon Jewelry, visit shopbop.com. Dark stone deco necklace, $595, Lucite double-pendant necklace, $195, both, Alexis Bittar. For details, see Shopping Guide. Crepe…

Though a testy full moon might sting a little, the new moon joined by Uranus out of retrograde is the holiday gift that keeps on giving. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22–Dec 21) Despite Sagittarius' loner tendencies, the eclipse that occurred on November 28th has set off a commitment trend, making you rightfully optimistic about combining energies with the person dearest to your heart. If you aren't dating seriously, this same eclipse may have you thinking about forming a solid business association. For those who are single and ready to meet someone, look to the new moon on the 13th, which, being your annual birthday moon, will put you in the spotlight. Mercury, the Sun, Venus, and—finally!—Uranus out of retrograde (and in your true love sector) will join this new moon and staunchly…

ELLE.COM/HOLIDAY Whoever said it's better to give than to receive did not take into account the dizzying amount of gift options available this holiday season—or the amount of legwork required to sift through them all. With that in mind, ELLE.com has taken the hassle out of the holiday-gift hunt, whether you're shopping for the outdoorsman in your life or an impossible-to-please boss. Curated by our team of hawkeyed editors, ELLE.com's budget-specific gift guides offer click-to-buy ideas for everyone on your list: from art-deco wine stoppers for that entertaining-obsessed cousin, to a Milly by Michelle Smith tree ornament perfect for a label-loving in-law, to the one festive sweater your boyfriend will actually wear (thank you, Gant). Take our out-of-the box advice and we guarantee you'll get the Chicest Stocking Stuffer superlative…

With the kind of features that stun even in the grittiest of films (Winter's Bone, anyone?), Jennifer Lawrence is undoubtedly one of the sexiest young stars in Hollywood these days—which is why ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee knew the 22-year-old would have no trouble playing the bombshell next door. Lawrence may have made a name for herself by portraying tough, tragic characters, but this month's cover shoot proves Zee right. On set at an ultramodern Los Angeles residence, Lawrence—fresh from attending her first couture show, Raf Simons' debut for Dior—showcased her shape in sleek, curve-conscious clothes by Dolce & Gabbana, Narciso Rodriguez, and Alaïa, paired with bold red lips and sun-kissed skin that radiated cool, contemporary poolside glamour. Hairstylist David Babaii amped up her natural waves with IT&LY Purity Design…

Everyone has a favorite James Bond. Mine is Sean Connery, because, well, he was my first. In Goldfinger, my inaugural 007 feature, with that rogue accent, the dangerous streak, the glamorous settings, and the slick aesthetic, he had me at "Bond, James Bond." Espionage thrillers are hardly my genre of choice, but that Bond enigma is irresistible—like a Tom Ford ad before there was Tom Ford. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Bond series, which now boasts 23 films in its canon. And while, over the years, there have been six dashingly heroic Bonds (Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and, now, Daniel Craig), everyone knows they'd have been nothing without their women: The countless damsels in distress and, even more inspiring, the femmes fatales—those…

When the multimedia artist Pae White purchased a sheaf of 1,200 lottery tickets at her local 7-Eleven, onlookers probably took her for a compulsive gambler. But she wasn't betting on scratch-off dreams; in fact, the tickets were art supplies, bought to decorate a Baguette she was designing for Fendi. The must-have It bag, which recently celebrated its fifteenth birthday, has always been an art object; over the years, artists such as Tom Sachs and Jeff Koons have had a swing at reinventing it. For this project, Fendi hit the West Coast, commissioning a trio of artists—White, Chaz Bojorquez, and Kenny Scharf—to create one-of-a-kind versions for auction at Maxfield, this past fall, with proceeds benefiting The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. "The Baguette changed the perception of the bags women…

RICH BROCADES, FESTIVE FRINGE, AND MORE… Lace—traditionally strictly for girly girls—is expanding its repertoire: quirky, sporty, and, in the case of this Technicolor, '50s-inspired Marc Jacobs dress, delightfully daring Lace and satin dress, MARC JACOBS, $2,500, visit marcjacobs.com. Florite, peridot, and coral earrings, HUTTON WILKINSON FOR TONY DUQUETTE JEWELRY, price on request, visit tonyduquette.com. Floral ring, ERICKSON BEAMON, $355, collection at Ikram, Chicago. Studded slingbacks, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $845, visit valentino.com…

1 . Sunglasses, JASON WU, $295, visit modoshop.com | 2 . Crepe dress with lace overlay, ERDEM, $2,325, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | 3 . Lace-wrapped satin clutch, KOTUR, $450, visit bloomingdales.com | 4 . Stone necklace, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $675, visit valentino.com | 5 . Glitter and lace sandal, JIMMY CHOO, $1,095, call 866-524-6687 | Model at left wears : Floral lace coatdress, J. MENDEL, $4,200, call 800-J-MENDEL…

1 . Diamond and rock-crystal corsage brooch, Cartier, circa 1913, FROM SIEGELSON, NYC, price on request, visit siegelson.com | 2 . Sunglasses, CHANEL, $650, call 800-550-0005 | 3 . Denim jeans with lace detail, CHRISTOPHER KANE, $736, collection at Opening Ceremony, NYC | 4 . Diamond bow brooch, Cartier, circa 1904, FROM SIEGELSON, NYC, price on request, call 212-832-2666 | 5 . Lace evening bag with Swarovski crystals, RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION, $2,500, visit ralphlaurencollection.com | 6 . Lace and silk boot, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $1,160, collection at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | Model at left wears : Cotton tweed jacket, $4,989, culotte skirt, price on request, both, CHANEL, at Chanel boutiques…

Jacques Arpels, nephew of Van Cleef & Arpels founder Alfred Van Cleef, had a maxim: ''To be lucky, you must believe in luck.'' Well, if it's your good fortune to find any of the haute talismans from the jewelry house's new Palais de la Chance collection in this year's stocking, you'll have plenty of reason to believe in the goodwill of the universe, too. The collection is organized around three themes. The highlight of the first, "Your Lucky Star," is the Étoile Filante, a shimmering white gold and diamond brooch in the form of a shooting star. "Lucky Legends" pays homage to the Far Eastern influence on Van Cleef's jewelry in the 1920s with pieces such as an eight-strand ruby-bead necklace accented with diamond pan chang "knots," ancient Chinese symbols…

Once upon a time, young designers would lull themselves to sleep with dreams of starlets, like so many sugar-plums, sporting their wares on the red carpet. And make no mistake, getting one's frock on the slim frame of a Rooney or a Keira can still be a ticket to the big time. But ever since well-known bloggers such as the Sartorialist, Tommy Ton, and Phil Oh started stopping traffic outside Lincoln Center and the Palais du Louvre, the right placement on a street-style star can be just as much of a shot heard round the world. Susanne Ostwald, 33, and Ingvar Helgason, 32, know this phenomenon well. The codesigners of Ostwald Helgason and a couple of nine years, they have seen their designs embraced by blog favorites Leandra Medine (aka…

WRAP IT UP: FINDS FOR YOUR LOVER, YOUR BOSS, YOUR BESTIE… In honor of ELLE's Women in Art Issue, our annual gift guide takes its cue from the color wheel, spectacularly represented by this Dior cocktail ring—designed to resemble a crumble of precious gems. In a rainbow of options—108 of which are exclusive, ELLE-only finds—we've covered even the most-difficult-to-buy-for people on your list. For the sophisticated kid at heart, how about a silver-plated yo-yo? And for that kitchen-vixen foodie friend, may we suggest Olympia Le-Tan's incredibly realistic "caviar tin" clutch? If you're looking for gifts that will keep on giving, we've got 12 items whose proceeds benefit worthy causes. And, of course, we're serving up plenty of ideas on what you yourself should ask for. From the cheerful pick-me-up (a…

The greatest golden age musicals told big stories in big ways. Think Oklahoma! and Show Boat and The Most Happy Fella, with their casts of 50 or more and their canvases as wide as America. More recently, serious has usually meant small, which suffices for intimate stories about, say, a wife's mental illness (Next to Normal, with six actors) or a doomed Dublin romance (Once, with 14). But what if you're an adventurous, award-winning composer-lyricist and you're handed the idea of adapting a musical from an epic novel whose very title is Giant? Actually, in 2001, when Michael John LaChiusa first considered the project, based on Edna Ferber's 1952 tale of oil and racism during 30 years of turmoil in Texas, he thought: Oh, no. How could that be done?…

THE ACTIVIST Alison Klayman AGE 28 • DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER • NEW YORK One year ago, Klayman was a freelance radio journalist. Today, she's an internationally recognized filmmaker, known for her debut documentary, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, about the Chinese dissident artist. In the spring of 2011, Klayman, who'd met Ai through a friend, was editing the film when he was detained by the Chinese government for 81 days—they say for tax evasion; he says for his critique of their human-rights violations and censorship of free speech. The following January, Never Sorry premiered to a standing ovation at Sundance and widespread critical acclaim. Next up, Klayman says she'd like to tell more stories about "freedom of expression and truth tellers in our society." HOT TOPIC The poster for Ai Weiwei: Never…

Brainy beauty Jennifer Connelly shares her no-nonsense formula for looking flawless—both in and out of the spotlight. Jennifer Connelly is one of Hollywood's most immutable beauties: Flash back to 1986's Labyrinth (in which she costarred with a gaggle of Muppets and a spandexed David Bowie). She already possessed the gleaming hair and perfectly groomed brows that she has on the fall afternoon when she arrives at a tony Manhattan restaurant, clad in a close-cut Roland Mouret dress, to be introduced as the new face of Shiseido skin care. "I actually have a really long history with the brand," she says. "Back when I was a teenager, they had a makeup line called Perky Jean, and I modeled in ad campaigns for it." Connelly's diverse acting résumé spans dark, thoughtful dramas…

When Holly Millea goes MIA inside Cirque du Soleil, she learns that making up isn't hard to do. Flying? That's another story Yes, I know these pictures of me flying through the air in a pale gray unitard will skyrocket sales of this month's issue—nothing says sexy like a woman in her prime, smiling through a hot flash, with her heinie hanging over an iron hoop. Even Emily, ELLE's Beauty & Fitness Director, was wowed: "You'll be getting lots of letters from your prison fans!" No offense to those incarcerated chubby chasers, but I'm suing the magazine, because I was promised beforehand that the photo department would Photoshop my head onto the body of Olympic superstar Gabby Douglas. I have this in writing somewhere, along with the guarantee of a…

FANCY CATS, VINTAGE TREASURES , AND MORE… To walk the streets of Paris is to bask in grandeur—from the gray limestone of its hôtels particuliers to its carefully curated shops, the City of Light is every traveler's clichéd dream of elegance. So it's something of a shock (in the best way possible) to walk into fashion designer Jessica Ogden's compact flat on an impeccably Parisian street in the impeccably Parisian First Arrondissement, just around the corner from the Louvre, and find an almost violently un-French mix of cat-shaped teapots, Hoosier cabinets, thrift-store paintings, and patchwork quilts. A less grounded inhabitant might have given way to pressure and tidied away the knickknacks, but Ogden's style is an expression of her character. Growing up in Jamaica as the daughter of British expats,…

MIX SOME WONKINESS WITH YOUR SEXUAL POLITICS DEAR E. JEAN: I'm a political science undergraduate in my final year. To help pay for my education, I took part in various awkward arrangements with a string of sugar daddies. These men distracted me from accomplishing anything worthwhile. Worse, they made me feel inept. It was difficult, but I managed to end my easy-money addiction and rededicate myself to my studies. The reason I'm writing? The political campaigns have fired my imagination like nothing else! I've been working as an intern for a senator and have now decided to make politics my career. But I'm terrified that somewhere along the line someone will find out what I spent my first two years of college doing. I have absolutely no justification for the…

KIKI SMITH The Guiding Light Photographed amid Chorus (2012), an installation in midtown Manhattan When Smith speaks, the star and dot tattoos on her hands do some of the talking. Other delicate drawings appear elsewhere on her skin—"all over," says the protean 58-year-old artist, whose visceral representations of women's bodies in wax, paper, glass, or bronze have made her an art world legend. Last summer, Smith brought handblown colored-glass stars down to earth in Chorus. Strewn across a vacant lot, the sculptures—up to six feet in height—startled passersby back to Times Square's past, when theater marquees were "explosions of color and shooting stars," Smith says, and Josephine Baker performed the kind of comic spectacle that "didn't threaten, but celebrated sexuality" before porn took over. Starting in November, one of Smith's…

Fashion people are nothing if not controlling. One of the few things they can't control? The weather. And for Ferragamo's showing of its 2013 resort collection at the Louvre in Paris in June, the forecast showed a rainy week.. Was it the French way of giving the Italian company the cold shoulder for being the first to be allowed to show in the colonnade of the Louvre rather than in the Carrousel in the museum's basement, where many have shown before? The day before the presentation, with the skies about as dark as a little black dress, Massimiliano Giornetti, Ferragamo's creative director since 2010, held a preview of his resortwear. "The clothes are all about the dryness of the sun on your face," he said of the collection, whose palette…

You know Kellan Lutz as a cold-blooded vampire and a red-blooded CK underwear model. But Mickey Rapkin finds that beneath those pecs beats the heart of a softy When Kellan Lutz appeared as a god in Immortals, it was practically typecasting. He's just an absurd specimen. Born in North Dakota, Lutz started modeling in high school—segueing from local catalogs to Bruce Weber shoots for Abercrombie & Fitch. Acting was the next logical step, and he's made the most of his somewhat modest screen time in the Twilight megafranchise, now concluding with Breaking Dawn—Part 2. (Lutz, 27, plays Emmett, the protective older-brother type to Robert Pattinson's Edward.) He smartly parlayed the worldwide freak-out over the vampire series into a high-profile Calvin Klein underwear campaign and front-row seats at fashion week. Next…