2008: Valentino Is The Best of First New Ads

It's that time of year again -- when the new ad campaigns break in the glossy magazines. Ads are the one place I don't really mind seeing celebrities. Particularly if they are styled out of recognition. There's an honesty in using them for what they are today -- tools for selling stuff. But the Marc by Marc Jacobs ads starring M.I.A. leave me cold. Marc Jacob's men's campaign with Harmony Korine eating a burger was the best of the M.J. lot. But my favorite of the campaigns I have seen so far use models. Mert and Marcus's retro "girls and cars" ads for Louis Vuitton feature Eva, Naomi, Natalia among others. But my favorite by far are the Valentino ads shot by Inez & Vinoodh. They used famous models -- Amber, Shalom, Anja and Raquel -- and then covered their faces with the products. There's a nice honesty -- and humor -- in making products the stars of the show ...