The Curious Case of Kate Moss and Lara Stone

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I'm sure by now many have seen the cover for the new edition of Katie Grand's LOVE, with Lara Stone, Kate Moss and photographed by Mario Testino. Grand is known for her risk-taking, boundary pushing covers when it comes to editing LOVE (cue Beth Ditto). I suppose this could be seen as something of a departure. Kate and Lara, hugging, not making out with androgynous models. Wearing comfy denim jackets, not trippy angelic getups like Hailee Steinfeld, Elle Fanning or Chloe Moretz. With FRECKLES and CAT EARS.

As much as I like this portrait, the more I look at it, the more I can't escape the feeling that it is completely false. Testino seems to have forgotten the age difference of his two models: Kate is 38, while Lara is basically a whole decade younger. Yet here they look like twin sisters. I'm not saying that Kate is old and grey and wrinkly, I'm sure she isn't (I've never laid eyes on her) and 38 is not old! I'd happily sign up to the statement that she is the greatest British model of my generation. And yet, and yet. I do think that a photograph should be a true representation of a person's image, and while I admire Testino's work, I think that in his last few shoots he has become overly enamoured with photoshop, especially in his latest shoot with Karlie Kloss in this month's Vogue UK.

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Again, I like this picture, if not the whole shoot. It is almost disgustingly lavish, and a strong antidote to the whole 'recession, thou shalt not spend any money' schtick. But after looking through several pages of a grainy Karlie 'falling' onto various sofas and chairs, I began to get bored. I missed the clear-cut photography techniques that Testino had used with Lana Del Ray earlier in the magazine.

I think that it is after watching a BBC4 documentary on David Bailey that I have suddenly become critical of over-photoshopped fashion plates. I'm not against tweaking the light and shadows (don't lets get technical because I'm not THAT clued up) but please stop before it becomes obvious! The finished LOVE cover is slightly ridiculous. I prefer these portraits taken by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot. Harder and harsher, but more impressive.

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