The past few ad campaigns by Brazilian label Osklen have been either very static and boring or just way too conceptual, but it seems that for spring 2011 the label finally got it right. The ads photographed by Gui Paganini featuring Estevão Loff and Lovani Pinnow are cool, fresh, and not pretentious. The stark white background paired with the models' pale skin and platinum hair provides the perfect contrast for the hand-dyed fabrics and all the shades of blue used in the collection.

View more images after the jump.

I am not really big on the cover shot by Jacques Dequeker, but the story with Gisele lensed by Gui Paganini for the October issue of Vogue Brazil is by far the best editorial the magazine has featured in the past couple of years. The styling is interesting, the hair looks fresh, and it feels effortless. It is everything the magazine should turn into now that it is moving next month to its new publisher formed by a joint venture between Editora Globo and Condé Nast. Thank God for La Bündchen and her 15 years of experience.

PS- There is a second editorial with Gisele in the issue photographed by Jacques Dequeker which I will not be posting because it is incredibly mediocre compared to the pictures above.

What Brazilian labels should actually be doing is sticking to the Brazilian girls and perhaps spending more money flying in a foreign photographer or hiring a decent art director.

Above the spring/ summer 2011 ad campaigns for Lança Perfume and Alcaçuz, featuring Karmen Pedaru, Catherine McNeil, Marloes Horst, and Lisanne de Jong.

Both campaigns were photographed by Gui Paganini, who basically shot 80% of all ads in the country this season. I happen to be a big fan of his work, but after this season (in which he also shot those atrocious Colcci ads with Gisele covered in baby oil and the equally unimpressive Arezzo campaign), it is pretty clear that the guy needs to either take a break or start selecting his jobs better. There is just no excuse for making Catherine look like this.

We still haven't seen Rosa Chá's new ad campaign also lensed by Mr. Paganini, featuring Chanel Iman, so let's hope it's a good one. Also still waiting to see the new Osklen campaign and the Forum ads with Natalia and Marlon shot at the beach in New York by Mert and Marcus. My guess is that will be the best ad campaign in the country this season.

• FFW has an exclusive preview of the Osklen summer 2011 campaign, featuring Estevão Loff and Lovani Pinnow photographed by Gui Paganini. It already looks much cooler than last season.
• Gisele was looking radiant in São Paulo today while fulfilling her contractual obligations with Pantene.
  
• Rodrigo Santoro goes surfing in Rio.
  
• Max Motta in the T by Alexander Wang fall 2010 campaign.
• Newcomer Santi Waine by Fabio Pamplona.
• Models.com interviews Andrew Richardson.
• Calvin Klein interviews Marc Jacobs for Harper's Bazaar.
• Os Gêmeos are painting a massive mural on west 21st street in New York in partnership with Futura.
• Brazilian artist Bruno9Li is opening a solo show tonight at Galeria Thomas Cohn in São Paulo.
• Download The Ru-Mix: Alive.
• Watch the Scissor Sisters' video for Any Which Way.
• Don't miss the Rocky Horror Show edition of Bootie Rio tomorrow night at Fosfobox.

A 90-page solo guy feature in the May issue of ffw Mag! followed by several bookings at São Paulo Fashion Week and a story in Brazilian magazine Criativa this month prove that João Zavaski is on his way up, and  that the kid can certainly deliver. 

All pictures from the August issue of Criativa by Gui Paganini via WLM.