Lady GaGa, Nicola Formichetti, Stephen Gan & Inez & Vinoodh for V #71 Summer 2011

There has been a lot of controversy over the cover for V#71, which features Lady GaGa in an editorial shot by Inez and Vinoodh with creative direction from Nicola Formichetti.

As this was supposed to be the ASIAN ISSUE, shouldn't they have featured an ASIAN MODEL on the cover? I love the styling, but wouldn't have looked just as good on an Asian celebrity or model?

In his defence V Magazine co-founder and creative director Stephen Gan had this to say:

"Honestly, we searched high and low for Asian celebrities, and we seriously did our homework. But stars who are big in Asia rarely come to America, and getting someone shot over there the way we like things done, started to look tougher and tougher. Gaga and I were emailing the day “Born This Way” came out and I said, “You deserve another cover!” It turned out our Summer issue was coming out ten days before her new album was due to hit. And so I turned to Inez & Vinoodh to come up with an idea that showed her as 3 different characters: herself, a Japanese butterfly, and a Bollywood Shiva goddess. This was their idea, and it just seemed to fit so naturally."

Is he seriously trying to tell us that there are no Asian Stars living in America?

Nicola Formichetti's Muse Rick Genest AKA Zombie Boy for Vogue Hommes Japan

I wonder how long the media's obsession with Nicola Formichetti’s male muse Zombie Boy AKA Rick Genest will last?

I personally think he looks amazing so here is a Mugler spread for Vogue Hommes Japan, the magazine where Formichetti works as fashion director. Formichetti, of course, styled the shoot, which was shot by photographer Mariano Vivanco.

Hedi Slimane for Vogue Japan

'The Americans' is a shoot from the March issue of Vogue Hommes Japan by Hedi Slimane, with great styling by Nicola Formichetti. The lighting is absolutely gorgeous throughout so I had to share it. I am not sure what the significance of putting the model Victor Chambon in a wolf mask while he is holding two American flags is but I can probably take a guess. What do you guys think?