The Early Bird: Givenchy Casts Julia Roberts

photo via @givenchyofficial

There’s a reason that Julia Roberts is seen as an icon — she has a classic beauty, unparalleled talent, and a trademark look: she’s always beaming up at me from the latest Lancome ad or from being named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” (she achieve the latter a record 11 times, tied only with Halle Berry). When Riccardo Tisci, the creative force behind Givenchy, chose her as his Spring/Summer 2015 covergirl, there was no surprise there: she has the fashion chops to pull off any look, after all. However, there’s something startling about the actress in the shots, just released today.

First off, they’re shot entirely in black-and-white. This is clearly not nothing new, but part of me is used to seeing Julia Roberts in color: she’s very commercial, typically portrayed as bright and bubbly (unlike Kendall Jenner’s turn in the spotlight, where she went from commercial to high-fashion). Having her in black and white almost seems counterintuitive. Then, it’s what she’s wearing: more “boyish” garb, with a minimal approach to her makeup and hair. This isn’t the overly coiffed or too-made-up Roberts that we know (and, to be fair, love) — this is a high-fashion, take-no-prisoners approach that we haven’t seen from the actress. Tisci sought to portray her as “more intellectual, more serious, more pure,” he told WWD, “It’s a different, fresh, new way to see Julia — really cool and urban, I think.”

The ads will premiere in the March issues of international editions of Vogue, as well as a slew of edgier titles including Love, CR Fashion Book, Purple, Interview, and more.

What do you think of the ads? Let us know in the comments below!

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