Kirsten Dunst for W Magazine by Sofia Coppola

There have only been a few Hollywood starlets who have managed to remain relatively normal and likeable in the presence of fame and fortune; and Kirsten Dunst is definitely one of those stars. At 31 years old now, she has spent over 25 years in the film industry and she is just as hot property now as when she first arrived on the scene debuting in an uncredited role in Woody Allen’s New York Stories in 1989. She also had several small roles in television in the 90s. Having worked with Oscar-winning director and writer, Sofia Coppola, way back in 1999, Kirsten was interviewed by Sofia for the May edition of W Magazine, which was also guest-edited by Sofia.

Sofia met Kirsten when she was only 16 years old and auditioning for a role in The Virgin Suicides, in which she was cast as the lead opposite Josh Hartnett, in Toronto. Kirsten was Sofia’s first leading lady – although she was just a girl.

Sofia grew up loving photography and fashion, which obviously stems from her passion and affinity for art and, more importantly, making good art in her own way. Sofia wanted this May issue of W Magazine to pay homage to the world that she grew up in as a child – a world of glamour that is still refined where we take time out to enjoy life and live well.

The interview by Sofia is revealing and shares quite a bit of insight into Kirsten’s career and how she got started in Hollywood, having been urged by her mother to start early in the business. Kirsten’s latest film, The Two Faces of January, was released earlier this year and Sofia’s last directorial work was The Bling Ring released in 2013. If there’s one thing that these two powerhouse women have in common, it’s their discernment for picking films that will add quality to their body of work.

Sofia says that she has filled the magazine with things she loves and admires, having grown up reading the magazine and admiring the strong female figures represented on its pages. With Kirsten’s images shot by regular W Magazine contributor, Juergen Teller, she looks every inch the essence of old-world Hollywood glamour and sophistication. While Sofia also looks the part of ace filmmaker and magazine editor in her shot for the magazine taken by Andrew Durham, another regular photographer for the magazine.

Sofia says that Kirsten is her favourite California blonde while Kirsten says that she looks up to Sofia’s fashion sense. The bond the two share is one of female camaraderie and understanding. Having both got their breaks in Hollywood so young, they know what it is like to spend most of their lives in the spotlight.

Lady Gaga – A Revolutionary

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, has become a household name in the 4 years that she has turned out hit after hit and international number-one singles. But apart from her music, influenced by artists like David Bowie and Madonna, which is both critically and commercially acclaimed, she has become infamous for her fashion sense and public image.

Going from hit-or-miss style, who could ever forget the meat-dress?, to the cover of Vogue has set Gaga as one of the fashion icons of our time and will be ingrained as part of this generation’s radicals. One of the things that make her so interesting and unique is her refusal to remain the same or to be ordinary. Gaga's always working her own special ratio of naked to fully obscured, and weird to mega-weird. We may have a perfectly open view of her undergarments, but her face could be completely hidden from us. Nothing she does, whether in music or fashion, ever quite makes sense but it gets the world talking and taking notice – like a true radical does.

The March 2012 edition is probably the most arresting cover that American Vogue has produced in years. It’s weird and gorgeous and gives you some of that quintessential Gaga give-and-take style – she'll portray a classic model pose, and a somewhat tame frock, but she'll do it without eyebrows and a pink bob haircut and you will love it.

Now Gaga is taking her fashion-sense and turning it into her own clothing line. Lady Gaga is teaming up with her younger sister, Natali Germanotta, 19, a fledgling fashion designer who has just completed her first year studying fashion design at Parsons – The New School for Design in New York. The two have worked together before, with Natali making a cameo appearance as a prison inmate in Gaga's 2010 video for the hit Telephone. Natali is apparently even edgier than Lady Gaga but the collection is said to be relatively normal and wearable. Gaga came up with the idea of remodeling the styles of classic icons from the past; like Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Katharine Hepburn. Rumoured to feature in the collection is a rubber version of Marilyn Monroe's white halter-neck dress from Some Like It Hot, and the iconic black Audrey Hepburn shift, redesigned with a plunging neckline.

While there has been no official confirmation of the collaboration, it has been hinted at as an upcoming project on Twitter. If the collection is indeed as wearable as reports suggest, the toned-down approach could suit Lady Gaga given her current incarnation.

Since forming a friendship with Versace matriarch Donatella Versace, the singer's style has become altogether more ladylike of late. The strong bond came after praise for Gaga from Donatella, who said she was 'honoured' that Lady Gaga chose to wear Versace Vintage throughout her The Edge of Glory video.

No matter what the collection has in store for the fashion world, Gaga will always remain unafraid to push the boundaries, draw her own line in the sand, and create an original vocabulary by merging fashion, music, theatre and art into a garment. And fans are definitely looking forward to this at the upcoming South African tour she is set to play at.

ADDED: After watching the concert this past Friday at Soccer City in Johannesburg i can conclude that Gaga did not disappoint. It was everything I expected and more. I'd highly recommend anyone that has the opportunity to see her live - get your tickets! She really has a very inspirational message to share once you get past all her crazy antics!