The cover star of Carine Roitfeld Fashion Book's 'Classic Eccentric'-themed Issue 7 needs no introduction. Lady Gaga, pop music's reigning queen (and queen of much more, if you were to ask us) was photographed by the legendary Bruce Weber, making this her first-ever completely un-retouched cover story. In a concept dreamed up by our editor in chief, Lady Gaga—the soon-to-be devoted wife—appears on both our front and back covers as a bride dressed in classic white versus a bride dressed in off-kilter black.
Between the two covers, you'll find the sort of unique cast of characters that CR is known for assembling—some eccentric, some classic, and some an intriguing blend of both—but who better to lead the pack than Gaga? She has always stood out for her originality, her boldness, and her ability to help us celebrate our own oddness and eccentricities through music. After her third studio album ARTPOP made her the world's most successful pop artist,
In a lengthy interview, Gaga discusses her transition from pop star to artist, noting, “I always used to say to people when they would say, and she also elaborates on her latest—and probably most unexpected—career move: The decision to record jazz classics with Tony Bennett:
‘Oh, she’s the next Madonna’: ‘No, I’m the next Iron Maiden. Some people think about music and they think pop, rock, rap, and hip-hop, and they just list them off like categories, but music deserves the same freedom that a fine artist would have with paint—no rules, a blank canvas. That’s jazz. It was totally what I needed at a moment in my career when I felt like a caged animal. And I knew I could do so much more outside of that cage than inside,”
THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND THE NEW EDITION
The new Issue is classic/eccentric—why did you feel now was the time to discuss classicism and eccentricity in fashion?
The theme for the issue is classic/eccentric because I am interested in what happens when you mix the two. I am fascinated by people who represent both extremes at the same time . . . It is always better to be a little bit of both. Take me, for example: I love eccentric fashion, but in reality I am quite classic.
Why was Lady Gaga the perfect cover star for this issue?
Lady Gaga perfectly represents what I mean by the classic eccentric to me. She is completely Gaga, but she is also a lady. In her music and art, she is so creative, always pushing the envelope . . . And yet she is classically trained, as well. As we saw with the jazz music, she can be both the modern pop star and still play the classic songs, giving them a modern twist. That is always what I love.
Since Gaga is a woman who’s reinvented herself so many times, why did you want to depict her on the covers as a bride and widow on the front and back covers?
She is actually a bride on both covers. One is the classic bride in white, the other is the eccentric bride who chooses to wear black . . . I decided to style her in that way for two reasons: The obvious one, of course, is that she is getting married soon, but also it represents how in this new era in her career, how she has come to marry these different sides of herself—how she has become free.
Why was it important for you to publish the Gaga photos unretouched?
It is the same idea about freedom. I wanted to show her completely natural, all herself.
Are there any anecdotes from the shoot you can share?
During the shoot, she gave me her diamond engagement ring to keep safe. I wore it the whole day next to my own diamond ring that my grandmother gave me. I felt like it was a big sign of trust between the two of us—and quite an expensive moment!
You'll have to wait until CR 7 hits newsstands on September 3rd to see the full cover story, complete with Gaga's revealing interview. But you can Pre-order a copy now.
