Magazine Madness ELLE USA: Penélope Cruz es la Madre Original

ELLE USA February 2024 

Ella es una joven monja embarazada que trabaja en un refugio en Todo Sobre Mi Madre de Pedro Almodóvar, ella interpreta un hermoso sueño en la película española Abre Los Ojos de Alejandro Amenábar de 1997; Ella es la madre original, ella es Laura Ferrari y ella es la increíble vista con Brad Pitt en el comercial de Chanel.

 

Alongside with Adam Driver at Michael Mann’s FERRARI, this is not Penélope Cruz’s debut to portrait a biographical figure, and certainly not her premiere “homage to a woman in a difficult situation”, still, Cruz felt the weight of “giving Laura Ferrari a public voice for the first time”, she arrives on screen bereaved, already grieving the loss of her never recover from. Relatively Laura is subdued for Cruz’s characters she has been through, while the sorrow reflected on getting dressed in every scene, making this film as a photonegative of Cruz’s works with Pedro Almodóvar, that built on primary colours. 

 

There’s a “back-and-forth dance between fiction and reality,” which Penélope Cruz realizes her hypersensitivity on “plays into a certain stereotype” of actors, but that doesn’t make it any less true, since she has been fighting for her traumatic memories with her long-lost sister from a tragic car accident. 

 

Cruz has been a mother under the public gazes before she became an actual mother. Almodóvar saw that strong, inevitable instinct of Cruz, either her motherhood character a divorce, abandonment, an unwilling or unfertile. 

 

Under the lenses of Photographer Zoey Grossman, by adapting the soft focus, which symbolize the subtle and sweet touch of Penélope’s personalities, according to the author Sloane Crosley, Cruz excels polka dots romper by BALMAIN, glittering evening dress by VERSACE or as global ambassador of House of CHANEL, she nails perfectly either on swim top, tweed suit or collection of fine jewelry. 

As for magazine cover photography, CHANEL No°1 travel size tube 5ml serum, 2023 limited edition of high lighters, Le Vernis Boy de CHANEL, No°5 body soap and CHANEL Exclusive Eau de Parfum 5ml are the tribute to this new face of CHANEL, while the addition of AESOP travel sizes tube 20ml and CHLOÉ brass triple rings and X pedant brighten up the rather bleaker autumn season. 

Having been a fan of Penélope Cruz since Pedro Almodóvar’s Todo Sobre Mi Madre, it’s a great loss of her absence at FERRARI premiere of the 80^th Venice Film Festival. While having my holiday in Taiwan, uncontrollably, I supported an overpriced ELLE USA (420 TWD), merely in order to collect another glimpses on the fragile yet elegant of Los Abrazos Rotos.

Fashion Fun Amsterdam! Burberry Wool Scarf, Calvin Klein Jeans, By Malene Birger Coat & Chanel Accessories

Chinese New Year 2024 
Amsterdam

Happy Chinese New Year! My greatest gratitude to the CHINA AIRLINES cabin crew that though the last-minute yet the warmest invitation makes the weekend holidays rock and roll in Venice of the North---Amsterdam! 

Located in the Dutch province of North Holland, Amsterdam was founded at the mouth of the Amstel River, which was dammed to control flooding. Originally a small fishing village in the 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse of the 17th century. Nowadays Amsterdam has been holding a long tradition of liberalism and fetishism, we gang stroll at Red Light District, dine in the freshest seafood and shop but not to drop until midnight. 

The outfits in Amsterdam during the Chinese New Year are CHANEL 54% virgin wool and 46% cotton in navy blue, with CALVIN KLEIN 100% cotton Mom’s Fit high-waist jeans in indigo blue. For the outwear, the Guldknappen Award winner BY MALENE BIRGER offers both chic and soft personalities from the essence of fine fibers. The black long coat with slightly puffy sleeves during the weekend holidays contains 34% kid mohair, 34% wool, 27% polyamide and 5 % of elastane, and the label By Malene Birger carved on the bleak buttons, bestows the Nordic design of both detailed simplicity and high quality.

 

Made in Italy, BURBERRY PRORSUM 91% wool and 9% silk long scarf presents merely the off-white Equestrian Knight logo, is one of the best bargains I hunt at FINNAVIA duty free sales. Its 188x33 cm size is easy to wrap around the neck and the shoulders or the lightweight touch is comfy to place on the taps as an instant blanket during the dining time, and the black wool fringes gives out the rather feminine touch, surely dexterously to balance the Calvin Klein baggy shape of Mom’s Fit.

 

Though in July 2024, Burberry company announced a profit warning and suspended dividend payments, while under the accusation of using Uyghur forced labour camps provided by the Sunrise Manufacture Group Cooperation for production of clothing, still, my genuinely invoke that traditional houses of fashion altogether refuse to accept the cheap offers, due to the sustainability for the environment and the support of humanity. The clients would be very pleased to appreciate the good quality of craftsmanship rather merely the surprise on the price tags.

 

As for CHANEL accessories, AW22 espadrilles in black raffia outer soles, with pastel denim, sewn in golden threads CC logo complete navy and blue tone of outfits, and the rather both thicker inner and outer soles of new materials enable me to walk smoothly without hesitation in chilly windy Amsterdam. 

 

Third time in Amsterdam, second visit at RIJKSMUSEUM, and now the first time to stay at NOVOTEL AMSTERDAM CITY, for my lovely night watch. 

TOP TIP 1: Always carry a fine cashmere sweater in case of the midnight chill during the winter trip

TOP TIP 2: Tucking the sweater inside of rolling-up baggy jeans, showing off the ankles to reduce a rather puffy silhouette

Special Thanks: Cécilia