subscribe to style file blog via RSSAll That Glitters Is Victoria’s Secret
November 20, 2009 11:19 am
The gates of Heaven, as it were, are guarded by three PR checkpoints and one drug-sniffing dog. Those are the hoops you’ve got to leap through to get to the Angels—the Victoria’s Secret Angels, at least—who I met yesterday as they sat in their 30 makeup chairs, preparing for the HD-filmed, soon-to-be-televised Victoria’s Secret runway spectacular. (Street style photog Tommy Ton was backstage, too; click to see his exclusive pictures.)
The show, says stylist Charlotte Stockdale, is huge. “For a normal fashion show you turn up ten days before,” she says. “In this one, I do about 30 days. Then you get here and you think, ‘It’s under control.’ And then two days before the show, wings are added, dancers are added, fliers are added, and suddenly you’re, like, ‘Oh my God, it’s not under control at all.’ ” But as it turned out, it was. More than one performer took flight during the 45-minute extravaganza, which was run twice last night for the benefit of the cameras. An enormous inflatable pink puppy sprang to life and was deflated just as quickly. There was the acrobatic troupe, the show choir, and, oh yes, the Black Eyed Peas. All in all, there were more pyrotechnics than a night at the opera. No wonder Jay-Z, sitting front-row, opted for a tux.
And the clothes (or lack thereof)? You won’t find the showpieces stocked at your mall in the coming months, but that’s never been the point, anyway. The trains, shoulder straps, wings, and appendages ran the gamut from a geometric metal polygon sported by Liu Wen, VS’s first Asian model since 2003, to a lavishly feathered pair of swallow’s wings worn by Abbey Lee (Stockdale called them couture). Where these girls go—and shimmy, strut, and booty-shake—balloons, billows, and cloaks trail behind. Almost every trend of the past few years was paid its tribute. There were bits that felt like Sprouse, like Vuitton, like Balmain. There was neon, disco, psychedelia, Americana, comic-strip fantasy, and storybook fantasy. Unreality was the rule. Heidi Klum hit the spangled runway five weeks after giving birth. Even with her stomach covered, that seemed unreal, too.
It was a little hard to focus your eyes on normal people and normal clothing when the lights finally went up. The evening’s theme, I learned afterward, was Magical Journeys. Sounds about right. It was a trip.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs December 1 on CBS.
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tags: Abbey Lee, Balmain, Charlotte Stockdale, Victoria's Secret
Daul Kim Remembered
November 19, 2009 5:00 pm
Fashionologie and The Cut report that the 20-year-old Paris-based Korean model Daul Kim has died. We loved her as a brunette, we loved her as a blonde, and we’ll always miss her. Click here for an appreciation of her beauty in pictures.
tags: Daul Kim
Karlie Kloss, Table Tennis Ace
November 18, 2009 2:59 pm
In case you missed the link on Style.com’s homepage (which wouldn’t be easy), we’re here to urge you to check out our latest Model Challenge video. In it, runway superstar Karlie Kloss schools Ping-Pong pro the Notorious Wally Green in a table tennis showdown. Producer Julie Anne Quay reports that it was as big a kick to make as it is to watch. “Karlie was having so much fun,” she explained, “that I tried to play with my iPhone. It’s definitely not recommended for those who value their screen.” Quay also tells us her game is average, but adds, “I hear Grace Coddington is a fantastic player. How about a match?” We’d love to see that, but consider this a casting call for a Model Challenge with better odds of getting filmed: Next up for Quay is Guitar Hero.
tags: Julie Anne Quay, Karlie Kloss, Wally Green
Is Anja Rubik The New Christy Turlington?
November 10, 2009 11:56 am
Anja Rubik has been the face of Chloé, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, and Giuseppe Zanotti, among many others. The latest addition to that impressive list? Wii Yoga. (That is, along with Fendi’s Spring 2010 campaign, which she just shot in Saint-Tropez with Karl Lagerfeld five days ago.) “They first got in touch with me in the spring,” said Rubik yesterday at a promotional event. “I think they read in an interview that I practice yoga.” The Polish beauty entered the world of downward dogs over three years ago and, schedule-permitting, goes to Jivamukti in New York every other day. “It helps because I’m always sitting on planes and I wear a lot of high heels. Your back gets really bad,” said Rubik. “In yoga, you can just stretch it all out and you feel so good afterwards.”
Rubik’s already something of a yoga ambassador on a micro level, having converted fellow mannequin Maryna Linchuk and boyfriend pro-basketball player turned model Sasha Knezevic. “He was like, ‘Yoga? No way!’ But he came and he was sweating so much and realized that it’s really a workout,” she said. When she’s in London or L.A., she hits Jivamukti’s outposts. In Paris, though, the French Vogue favorite has yet to find a perfect fit. So would Rubik become a yoga teacher? “It’s a possibility, but not right now because of my schedule,” she said. She has, however, added a hyphen to her job title by designing a line for Polish accessories label Quazi. She describes Anja Rubik for Quazi as very “rock ‘n’ roll.” The fall line, sold currently only in Poland, is heavy on the studs, while she says spring is all about zebra prints.
tags: Anja Rubik, Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Karl Lagerfeld
Watch These Faces (And A Couple More)
October 19, 2009 10:24 am
Style.com’s Top Ten New Models feature went live this morning. But this season, our rundown of the breakout stars from the Spring 2010 runways was harder than ever to finalize, owing to standout performances from so many new faces. And so we’d like to offer honorable mentions to the following girls, who we’ll be looking out for in the coming months.
Ranya Mordanova: The Russian native (pictured far right) used a futuristic bowl cut and bleached eyebrows to her advantage for Fall 2009, ultimately landing the Givenchy campaign. This time around, her unique look stood out at Rodarte, Versace, and Lanvin.
Lindsay Wixson: This Los Angeles native (pictured far left) has a pout you’ll never forget, not to mention the ringing endorsement of Miuccia Prada. (Wixson surprised everyone by opening Prada and closing Miu Miu.) Rumors are swirling that she could be a new Meisel girl.
R’el Dade: Having won the same modeling competition that launched Erin Wasson and Ali Michael to fame, Dallas native Dade netted Christian Dior and Hermès in her runway debut.
Kate Kosushkina: Though Kosushkina walked Marc Jacobs and closed Prada, she was on the bench for most of Paris due to age restrictions. (She’s only 15.) Still, we’re confident we’ll be seeing more from this beauty next season.
Lisanne de Jong: If any country is having a moment, it has to be the Netherlands. Three Dutch babes made our Top Ten list, and their fellow countrywoman de Jong (pictured center) was close behind. She made the cut at Balenciaga before earning the coveted first exit at Miu Miu.
How does our list stack up to yours? Let us know your personal Top Ten in the comments below.
[The Top Ten New Models, Style.com]
tags: Kate Kosushkina, Lindsay Wixson, Lisanne de Jong, R'el Dade, Ranya Mordanova
Cindy Crawford Is A Fan of London Street Style
October 16, 2009 10:25 am
Is holding the title of Supermodel like that of POTUS? Like, you never really lose it? It’s certainly true of Cindy Crawford—clad in drapey, short Alexander Wang—whose super powers commanded the room last night at London’s Almada club to launch the Omega Constellation collection. “I rarely come across the pond,” she said. “But I definitely want to see some sights, visit Frieze—and support George.” That would be Clooney, and the supe did exactly that the night before walking the red carpet in twinned black dresses with the actor’s current girlfriend (and therefore current object of our fascination) Elisabetta Canalis for the Fantastic Mr. Fox premiere.
Crawford attracted an interesting mix: Lily Allen, model Tolula Adeyemi, Spice Girl Melanie Brown with husband Stephen Belafonte, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Rhys Ifans, Jasmine Guinness, Piers Morgan, former Queen drummer Roger Taylor, Ben Grimes, Marina Hanbury, and Matthew Mellon’s ex Noelle Reno. As if Crawford’s physical presence wasn’t enough, the room was dominated by massive screens flickering with images of the model. But she was more down-to-earth than her celluloid counterpart and happy to chat. “There’s a vibe in London,” she said en route to a private dinner hosted by Clooney. “[There’s] fantastic people-watching. I like to see what everyone is wearing, how they accessorize. For that alone it’s worth it to come.” In that case, see you next year at LFW? Crawford responded with a laugh, “Don’t count me out yet.”
tags: Cindy Crawford, Elisabetta Canalis, George Clooney, Lily Allen
Yea, Nay, or Eh: Miranda Kerr’s New Edge
October 14, 2009 12:44 pm
Is it just us, or is Miranda Kerr dispensing with her sweet bombshell look in favor of experimenting with a somewhat edgier wardrobe? Kerr may have taken just one turn on the Balenciaga runway, but perhaps that’s all it takes to shift a sensibility. At any rate, the bouncy curls have been slicked down, and while she is showing a fair amount of leg, they’re shod in a rather mannish flat cowboy bootie. Word has it that Nicolas Ghesquière’s campaign will feature Kasia Struss and three other lesser-known models, none of which are Kerr. Perhaps she’s simply angling for another major Paris casting. Whatever the reason, we’re loving this playing-against-type evolution. What do you think of Kerr’s less sunshine-y look? Will it help this angel lose her wings to land in more high-fashion shows?
tags: Balenciaga, Miranda Kerr
Yea, Nay, or Eh: Irina Lazareanu, Candy Striper
October 8, 2009 4:51 pm
Model-slash-chanteuse Irina Lazareanu stood out at last night’s party for Gaia Repossi and Eugenie Niarchos’ new jewelry collection, where the uniform seemed to be some incarnation of black, often very short and tight. Lazareanu’s candy-striped satin dress worn with pearls and a funny little bejeweled vintage hat had a sort of ladylike eclecticism not often seen in these parts. But Lazareanu kept the look fresh with her cropped ‘do and boyish blazer. What do you think of Lazareanu’s break from the pack?
tags: Irina Lazareanu
A Day In The Life Of: Aminata Niaria, Rising Star Model
October 2, 2009 7:33 pm
It was Alber Elbaz who discovered Aminata Niaria almost three years ago. Now, the Senegalese beauty is something of a Paris darling. We asked her to chronicle her packed day of racing around to castings, shows, and, of course, parties. Here’s what Aminata did yesterday.
Thursday, October 1
8:40 a.m. I’m en route to my first show, Hiroko Koshino. I have a nice, brisk walk there to wake me up!
9 a.m. I arrive at the Carrousel du Louvre. I am lucky enough to get a mani-pedi and a massage backstage before the show. Great start to the day!
10:30 a.m. I go into hair and makeup, which I love. Phophie Mathias is doing my makeup. Very cool.
1:05 p.m. The show is up! I have to run off to my fitting at Véronique Leroy at 2 p.m.
1:30 p.m. I arrive a half hour ahead of my scheduled fitting, hoping they can take me early so I can get everything done today. Fingers crossed I won’t have to wait…
3:25 p.m. Arrive for my Stella McCartney casting with James Scully, who is working on the show. It took forever to get here! You can definitely tell it’s fashion week in Paris. There’s so much traffic, people, and action!
4 p.m. Out of the casting with a lot of missed calls from IMG! I’ve got to run run run to Rick Owens!
4:20 p.m. Arrive at Les Beaux-Arts de Paris and head straight into show rehearsal. Then on to makeup, which is a really clean and sharp look. I love it and will get some tips on how to do it myself.
5:30 p.m. Retouching and some backstage photos. I see Rick Owens and we have a photo together! His work is very strong and captivating—I just love it.
6:10 p.m. The show has just finished a bit late and I’m running behind for the next. I’m off to A.F. Vandevorst. Got to run to the Musée de l’Homme!
8 p.m. Leaving A.F. Vandervorst for a quick fitting at Issey Miyake.
10 p.m. I run home for a quick change so I can stop by the Vogue Covers 1920-2009 soirée at the Hôtel de Crillon. I wear a BCBG Max Azria dress and grab a Swarovski clutch.
10:30 p.m. Arrive at the party fashionably late. I am very excited to speak with some of the people who I meet briefly in castings—Carine Roitfeld, Patti Wilson. There are so many wonderful personalities here. Unfortunately I can’t stay long. I have a 7 a.m. call time for Issey Miyake.
11:10 p.m. Turning the lights out. My day is finished. Off to get some beauty sleep for tomorrow is a new day! Au revoir!
tags: A Day In The Life Of, Alber Elbaz, Aminata Niaria, Phophie Mathias, Rick Owens, Veronique Leroy
Balenciaga’s Secret: Yes, That’s Miranda Kerr
October 2, 2009 10:20 am
Who doesn’t love a bit of a casting surprise to add yet another layer of excitement to a show? If yesterday at Balenciaga is any evidence, tossing a bodacious Victoria’s Secret girl into the lean and edgy model mix is on its way to becoming a thing. I had heard through the tweet-vine that Miranda Kerr was in the show, but I had a heck of a time finding her. That’s Kerr above in look 13, next to a shot of her in her natural perky state. Many likened Kerr’s appearance to that of another member of the smoking-hot Victoria’s Secret club: Adriana Lima, who walked last season in Givenchy. Lima then ended up scoring a spot in the campaign. Will Kerr follow Jennifer Connelly as Balenciaga’s Spring face? Only time and creative directors will tell.
tags: Balenciaga, Givenchy, Miranda Kerr, Victoria's Secret
