Kirsten Dunst for V Magazine

Whatever happened to Kirsten Dunst?

THE ART OF BEING KIRSTEN DUNST”
V Magazine # 64
Photographer: Mario Testino
Styling: Nicola Formichetti

"Hollywood’s bored and beautiful blonde has become an icon for a generation, but this year it’s all about reinvention. Art muse, rising director, even serious dramatic actress—you can be anything when you’re Kirsten Dunst."

This is the classic "I'm still here" move put together by a publicist. Nothing wrong with that. It's a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of Hollywood. It's pretty funny in its grandiosity, though. "The Art of Being Kirsten Dunst?" "Icon for a generation?" Honey, please. But if you're going to put together an "I'm still here" piece you could do a lot worse than getting Mario Testino to shoot you. We actually gasped a little when we saw the pictures. Take a look:

Gareth Pugh Spring 2010 Collection
Model Karlie Kloss

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2010 Collection
Model Chanel Iman

Givenchy Spring 2010 Collection
Model Kasia Struss

Rodarte Spring 2010 Collection
Model Alla Kostromicheva

Balenciaga Spring 2010 Collection
Model Anya Kazakova

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2010 Collection
Model Dorothea Barth Jorgensen

Louis Vuitton Spring 2010 Collection
Model Anastasija Kondratjeva

Giorgio Armani Spring 2010 Collection
Model Phenelope

Kirsten is a blandly pretty girl made more interesting by the fact that her face has an unsual quality. When its in repose, she looks like the saddest creature on the planet. It's a trait that's served her well as an actress, making her look like she's emoting when she's not, and it's a trait that Mario wisely exploited with these pictures. The other interesting thing about her face is that it represents a style of beauty about 80 years out of fashion. Certain faces go in and out of style and she has the pursed lips, luminous eyes and heart-shaped face of a silent screen star from the '20s. Stylist Nicola Formichetti also wisely exploited this by styling her in such a way as to be modern and old-fashioned at the same time. In fact, the whole editorial represented smart decisions all around, resulting in haunting and arresting images that you can't look away from. It's one of the best editorials featuring an actress who isn't Tilda Swinton that we've ever seen. Compare these pictures to that bland and boring piece on Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner last month.

[Photos: Mario Testino/vmagazine.com/style.com]


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Labels: Kirsten Dunst, Magazine Cover/Editorial, V Magazine