2012 Chess Olympiad
Reports | January 15, 2011 19:17

The name is Carlsen. Magnus Carlsen.

The name is Carlsen. Magnus Carlsen.Continuing his fashion career for G-Star, this spring and summer Magnus Carlsen will be seen on posters together with 'Bond girl' Gemma Arterton. Arterton replaces Hollywood actress Liv Tyler, G-Star's female model in the fall/winter campain. Carlsen is still G-Star's male model. We spoke to Magnus yesterday at the opening of the Tata tournament.

We'll start with G-Star's official press release, in which Carlsen's 'new girl' is introduced.

G-Star’s new Spring/Summer 2011 global advertising campaign introduces rising British actress, Gemma Arterton, in images captured by the iconic photographer and filmmaker, Anton Corbijn.

Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2007, Gemma (1986) has rapidly established herself internationally on both stage and screen. Her feature film debut came in St. Trinian’s alongside co-stars Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, followed by roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Clash of the Titans and James Bond: Quantum of Solace. She has starred in the acclaimed independent films Tamara Drewe and The Disappearance of Alice Creed and, on stage, she recently performed Kenneth McLeish’s translation of The Master Builder, a classic tragedy originally written by Henrik Ibsen, at London’s Almeida Theatre.

Her diverse career choices, as well as her ability to remain grounded and aware of her working class roots despite her meteoric rise in the industry, mirror G-Star’s philosophy of combining unexpected influences and contradictory elements – chic and RAW, street wear and couture, denim and silk – to create something fresh.

Gemma’s assured, independent style and authentic femininity perfectly embody the modern G-Star woman and underscore the ad campaign’s theme of RAW Elegance. As she says:

‘I feel like a tough girl in a fancy frock sometimes, and I think G-Star is the same. I like the contradiction between glamour and durability. Sometimes people are shocked when they meet me because of this contradiction.’

Gemma Arterton
Magnus Carlsen

Yesterday at the opening of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament we spoke with Magnus Carlsen about his fashion career. At the end of this brief interview Magnus looks forward to the strong tournament that starts today in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.

[audio:http://www.chessvibes.com/audio/tata11/magnuscarlsen.mp3]

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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2012 Chess Olympiad

Comments

furBurglar's picture

furBurglar

1 year 4 months ago

Are they going to give him a new babe every year?

calvin amari's picture

calvin amari

1 year 4 months ago

Glad - but not surprised - that G-Star is sticking with RAW talent.

spiros's picture

spiros

1 year 4 months ago

maybe Magnous wants to be a star rather being world champ. if this makes him happy its ok.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

hehe, actually noone ever sees Carlsen with girls except for when he is working at the G-star thing (what does the "G" stand for anyway??)
So he works with girls and I suppose he is very fashionable. But as far as girls go he is way behind his fellow prodigies who are all married or in a relationship. He takes his dad with him to tournaments and spends his free time with old guys like Kasparov. Bond doesn't need to be worried.. ;)

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

Good points.

Though if Carlsen gets a girlfriend I wonder if people will criticize him for not spending enough time on chess. :D

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

G-Star was originally named Gap Star. I don't know what Gap stands for. ;)

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

Thank you, but are you sure it was written with a "p" ?

max's picture

max

1 year 4 months ago

Not Gape Star? ;)

James's picture

James

1 year 4 months ago

He did a photo shoot just before a chess tournament. He is indeed very lazy then. I think kasparovs recent comments are right. Also, magnus seems to have forgotten how much effort it took him to do well, and now just seems to assume he has the talent and thats all he needs.

lefthandsketch's picture

lefthandsketch

1 year 4 months ago

What if that is all he needs? Frightening thought, but maybe he is the opposite of kaspy in this respect. While Kasparov researched and worked constantly on openings and novelties in order to stay on top, what if Carlsen can get the same results by playing things like 5.d3 in the Spanish and beating players like Topalov without the aid of deeply analyzed novelties?

That would leave him time to do....whatever it is this g-star thing is...

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

The photo shoot was in august.

Mathijs's picture

Mathijs

1 year 4 months ago

give the guy a break, hes 20 years old. I'm sure that if all these critics had the same opportunities they would also choose a more diverse path. Do not forget that in spite of his 'laziness', he has won more tournaments in 2010 than anyone, and continues to be the number one on the rating list. These comments are so narrowminded and stupid that I'm almost ashamed to reply to it.

Rodrigo's picture

Rodrigo

1 year 4 months ago

Fully agreed. The guy had won almost all important tournaments, is again #1... what else ? It's sad that people prefers to see ''ghosts'' in any place.
He is actually the best and no matters others opinions, numbers are numbers...
Still...he is NOT world champion, that is Anand, with merits.

Sergio's picture

Sergio

1 year 4 months ago

Indeed. If i was still 20 and got offered the choise to go on photoshoots with great looking girl or prepare for a chesstournament, the choice would be very easy.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

Well, he is not no1 on the live rating list. Anand is the highest rated player in the world again. Not that it matters, as I don't think that a photo shoot takes that much time anyway and your point remains valid even if he is not highest rated.

Zacalov's picture

Zacalov

1 year 4 months ago

My friend, the Live Ratings are NOT OFFICIAL. The live ratings can swing left, right and center during a tournament. FIDE's bimonthly published ratings are the only official standings- let us get that straight. Carlsen is the only #1 player in the world right now, lets be clear.

Macauley's picture

Macauley

1 year 4 months ago

As a side note, there's an open thread about this point on The Full English Breakfast Facebook page. Might be a topic for a future show:
https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=109658349097710&topic=68

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

I block everything to do with facebook, what were they saying?

Coeuz's picture

Coeuz

1 year 4 months ago

If any of you had bothered to listen to the interview, you'd have heard Magnus say that the shoot was done months ago. And he stayed number 1 on the rankings long after the photo shoot.
I think this is just a matter of jealousy, why can't you just accept that he lives his life the way he prefers to live it. He doesn't have to sit in a cave preparing openings all life, you know. Maybe some breaks from that clears his head so he stays fresh and creative on the board.

Cheesus's picture

Cheesus

1 year 4 months ago

G-Star takes women from Bond and gives to Carlsen.

Scandinavian mafia heheh...

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

Yes, who said chess was bad for picking up girls? ;)

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

Carlsens hairdo in that photo reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's new haircut.

test's picture

test

1 year 4 months ago

Correction: the G-Star link goes to IMDb.

noone's picture

noone

1 year 4 months ago

I think Carlsen might be gay. Really.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

Someone alledgedly well informed suggested the same on chessgames-and that was even before he went into fashion. Anyway, it's his own bussiness but I'm afraid you give the fanboys hope for nothing ;)

catfishcore's picture

catfishcore

1 year 4 months ago

I think you're talking more about yourself than Carlsen. Could this be your coming out.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

well, that would only make his theory more likely, as they say, it takes one to know one..

christos (greece)'s picture

christos (greece)

1 year 4 months ago

This discussion is pathetic

noone's picture

noone

1 year 4 months ago

Do you people have something against gays?

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

Did anyone read Hammer's lyrical report on Magnus his performance in Nanjing?
I wonder why they seem both so distracted playing together (was Hammer at the Olympiad too?!)

Knallo's picture

Knallo

1 year 4 months ago

Another strange person unsure of his sexuality has been heard from.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

Well, it's a little strange that a very succesful and ok looking guy of 20 is never seen with a girl, despite getting a lot of media attention.
Add to that the earlier rumours in the chess scene, and his interest in fashion and you have 3 reasons that give "noone" every right to think this about Carlsen.
And since "noone" doesn't make a judgement, I just not see why Knallo, Catfish and others should be so hostile about it.
Die Gedanken sein Frei, oder ?

noyb's picture

noyb

1 year 4 months ago

Very sad that Carlsen's not interested in applying himself fully to Chess as he clearly has the talent to be the best who ever lived, perhaps by a large margin. But, that's his choice to make!

Macauley's picture

Macauley

1 year 4 months ago

Why must they be mutually exclusive? There are only so many hours one can devote to chess. Having variety in life can be creatively stimulating, and need not be a hindrance to improving his play.

S's picture

S

1 year 4 months ago

It's true, you don't hear those guys complaining when it comes to gossip about MC and Liv. Double standards..

John's picture

John

1 year 4 months ago

In most other sports the top men have different comercial
activities. Why not chess players? Normaly this is what they are
striving to achieve. If chess had attracted more sponsors then
maybe we could have had a more professional tournament cyclus, with
more money, interest from the media and prestigious grand slams.
It's just to compare the tennis grand slams to the Chess grand
slams to see that something has gone completely wrong
somewhere.

Mejnour's picture

Mejnour

1 year 4 months ago

Looking at Magnus face, he joined the dark side!

michael collins's picture

michael collins

8 months 2 days ago

Magnus is an amazing young guy whatever his proclivities. Who cares? Well, I guess everyone has to be interested. He is such a prodigy. We are all so stuck on putting people into categories. He might be bi now and later either one. Who knows. Anyway now is the time for him to live and find out.

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