Mariacarla Boscono, Saskia De Brauw, Kristen McMenamy, Paul Boche, Anais Pouliot, Lara Stone, Jed Texas, Guinevere Van Seenus, Xiao Wen Ju & Angus Whitehead star in ‘What Lies Beneath’, lensed by Mert & Marcus for LOVE #6.

Katie Grand styles this exploration of repressed sexuality and social restraints. I love the concept but feel the execution is lacking. Fashionistas will hate it, correctly arguing that it’s too artsy and does nothing for style.

From my perspective, it’s too dreamy and sexually inferential (some amazing provocation if you look closely) that doesn’t hit the target. So I’m thrilled with the direction and concept but not the execution.

From what I’ve seen of their work, Mert & Marcus doesn’t excel in sexual editorials, despite their many other talents.  A LONG editorial such as this one should be a feast for the senses, ripe and luscious, forbidden and provocative, searing and sorrowful. There is no emotion and deeply personal connection in these images, little intellectual thought, no minds changed.

I would love to know what Bruno Dayan would have done with this shoot — as one example. Consider his shoot for the 125 Magazine Religious Issue, which was also picked up in Tisci’s Visionaire #60 religious issue. Editorial continues in part 2.

Anne