December’s Vogue 2009, on newsstands nationwide November 24th, highlights some of most talented individuals of our generation: dancers, musicians, and actors all beautifully captured by photographer Annie Leibovitz for the annual Arts issue. Now live on Vogue.com, an exclusive peek behind the scenes with Annie Leibovitz and Vogue’s Creative Director Grace Coddington as they discuss the making of the Arts issue and their visually stunning feature of Hansel and Gretel inspired by the Metropolitan Opera’s production opening December 14th.

Actor Andrew Garfield and model Lily Cole play the title characters who come upon a Marc Jacobs clad witch, played by the always dramatic Lady Gaga (and, once again, she doesn’t disappoint). But not all the drama transpired in front of the camera, in the video Coddington describes Gaga’s provocative arrival to the set, “in order for us to have a clean palate to work with, she turned up completely naked under a white rubber rain coat.”

Show: Marc Jacobs Spring 2010
Lead Artist: François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics
Trend: Theatrical Makeup

Inspiration: The look of the Marc Jacobs collection was inspired by the contemporary dancer, Martha Graham: Old-fashioned and theatrical but graceful and precise. At the same time, however, there was a darker side that was shone through: a quality of gothic romance. Ballerinas with a sense of mystery- as if part of them, along with some of their makeup, had been left behind on stage.

Look: Left-over stage makeup. The models weren’t meant to have perfect makeup- rather, they were meant to encompass a “just came off-stage” effect. “Dancers in theater and opera always have white faces, pointed lips and an eye that is drawn outward, not upward-it’s very theatrical, very ballet,” said François Nars. He stressed the importance of the eye for this look, noting that “the shape of the eyeliner is important- it should open the eyes, especially underneath. The slashes of white is something they used to do in the 70s- it brings a 3-dimensional feeling to the makeup.”

 Below are some key products and steps for recreating the look:

Supermodel Brooklyn Deckr attended the 2009 Whitney Contemporaries Art Party and Auction at Skylight New York City, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Brooklyn Decker’s style: Dress: Max Azria. Shoes: Zara. Clutch: Max Azria

Supermodel Selita Ebanks attended the Whitney Contemporaries Art Party and Auction Skylight New York City, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Selita Ebanks’ style: Pants and Vest: BCBG. Shoes: Balenciaga. Jewelry: Ofira

At Wednesday’s (5/27) star studded Fifi Awards at Manhattan’s Downtown Armory attended by Paris Hilton, P. Diddy, Marc Jacobs and Mary J. Blige, the royal couple of home fragrance, Harry and Laura Slatkin competed against each other for the first time in the Interior Scent Collection Category – he for Slatkin & Co./Limited brands, she for Candela Group.

Harry and Laura Slatkin
Photo by Steve Eichner via wwd.com

Laura’s new line Nest brought home the award making the couple the first in Fifi history to both win an award in the same category for different collections. She will proudly place it on the mantle next to Harry’s 2003 Fifi for Elton John’s Potpourri Rocks.

Hair Trends With Redken Fall/Winter 2009 according to Guido, Redken Creative Consultant:

A Strong Presence: “This season, it’s all about the ‘do’…hairstyles that have a strong presence, that push the boundaries. These kind of looks are dependent on the use-and in many cases the overuse-of hair products.”

A Positive Force: “Hair now is a reaction to the times we’re living in. It’s strong, positive and forceful-it’s empowering to women.”

A Way To Update And Adapt: “We’ve taken looks from the 40s, 50s, and 80s and updated them with new elements. Women can adapt these looks for everyday by toning down a bit. If a look has extreme shine, use a little less shine product. If it has exaggerated volume, lessen the height.” 

Hair Trends With Redken Fall/Winter 2009: New Classics: Traditional Styles With A Modern Twist.