The Softer Side of Lara Stone

This post is dedicated to Birthday Girl Deanne at Dream Sequins, who adores tulle. It's also an act of contrition for (accidentally) sending her my photo for her virtual tea party 24 hours late. D'oh.

When I received my December issue of British Vogue the other week, it took me a few seconds to recognise the delicate flower of a cover girl - Lara Stone. And that's because Lara Stone usually looks nothing near delicate - moody, intense and sometimes almost succubus-like:

 

The girl is definitely high fashion. Mario Testino shot the cover and editorial for the issue and its fairytale princess quality with the soft pink header makes up for a few earlier covers that made my eyes sore, like this one.

So here's what we found out about our Lara:

• She went to rehab for alcoholism earlier this year. "I am a complete alcoholic," she says. Hmm...we didn't know, but then again it's not exactly shocking that a model may require the services of rehab at some point.
  
• She's "shy". I've seen her body without clothes more times than my own. So she's obviously dealing with it.
  
• Lives in London, been there done that with Paris, and "hate, hate hates" New York (ouch).
• Modelling since the age of 15 (discovered at 12 on the streets of Paris), she quit the business seven years later. On the advice of an ex-boyfriend two years ago she switched to IMG and moved to New York. She was a hit. Carine Roitfeld dedicated an entire issue of French Vogue to her.
  
• About being a bit bigger than the other models: "I'm different because I am fat." I'll show you fat, Lara. 
• "Men don't like me. I haven't been on a date in six months." The pity party just isn't happening. Sorry. "I figure out what they hate most and then I do lots and lots of that." Hmm...it's not really a mystery then, is it Lara?
  
• Forget alchololism, here's the real shocker: David Walliams (of Little Britain and previous title holder of Shagger of the Year) was waiting to take her out after the interview. 
• Don't get in her way, especially near stairs: "This Belgian girl was in my way, posing for the cameras. I kept saying 'Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me' because I had to get to the catwalk, but she just kept posing. So I pushed her. It was only a few stairs." It was only a few stairs!

When I saw Lara after the Chanel haute couture show in July she looked like a different Lara then we're used to seeing; she wasn't either of these extremes. It's really quite a show she's putting on for us when she's in front of the camera. I think I like her.

In Nina Ricci. She reminds me of a young Vanessa Paradis here

In Dior haute couture

Scans by McQueezy @ tFS from Models.com

Comments

[Anne]

Love it, so beautiful.

[Marta]

I must admit I still have mixed feelings about her... She is very versatile though. I think I like her sweet side after all.
xx

[Cynthia]

oh wow! amazing! i also didn't recognise that was her either!! how strange, my friend once compliemented me that i have lips like her.. i was very very flattered (seeing i don't like mine very much)
i think i prefer her more extreme side though, more of an ugly pretty there...

[Denise @ Swelle]

Anne - it is beautiful, isn't it?

Marta - I know what you mean! I guess as a model it's good to create a strong reaction than none at all.

Cyn - that's funny, because in the article the interviewer referred to her lips as 'pornographically full'! She definitely makes her impact with her 'ugly pretty' but it is nice to see the other side, one I didn't know was there!

Denise ♥