3 posts tagged "models"
The Other Top Models Of Spring ’13
There’s no simple formula for determining the season’s top new models. With less-is-more exclusive slots and rampant agency shake-ups, these days it’s rarely a numbers game and is more about overall impact. Still, with much deliberation, we narrowed the list down to ten, but there were plenty of other fresh faces from the Spring runways who also deserve mention here.
First up is Nastya Kusakina (WOMEN), above left, an ethereal 17-year-old Russian, who opened Raf Simons’ final Jil Sander show last season, and hit it out of the park at the Spring shows. The doll-faced blonde bookended Vera Wang, opened Ann Demeulemeester and Louis Vuitton, and walked Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, and Givenchy in between.
Natasha Remarchuk (ELITE) was another girl from the Eastern Bloc who turned heads (that pout!). Keeping her show list short and selective, Remarchuk did Calvin Klein Collection in New York, Jil Sander and Prada in Milan, and six others in Paris including Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Givenchy.
Half-Belgian, half-Japanese rookie Yumi Lambert (IMG), below left, has an incredibly unique look, and followed up her major-league week in Milan, where she landed Prada, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, and Missoni, with an equally impressive Paris outing (she hit the Chanel, Dior, Nina Ricci, and Miu Miu runways).
Finally, Marikka Juhler (FORD) and Athena Wilson (FORD) both got off to impressive starts during New York, but slowed down a bit in Paris. We’re expecting Juhler, who gave off an old-school glamazon vibe at shows including Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Gucci, and Lanvin; and Wilson, who popped up at Marc Jacobs, Mary Katrantzou, and Rick Owens, among others, to perform well editorially and in their sophomore seasons a few months from now.
Condé Nast Renews Its Vow To Avoid Using Underage Models
Last May, Vogue announced via its new Vogue Health Initiative that models under the age of 16 would no longer appear in the pages of any of its editions—a claim that was tested when blogs and media outlets discovered a 15-year-old model in a recent issue of Vogue China and rumors of another in Vogue Nippon. Condé Nast International announced that it will redouble its efforts and apologized for the use of the younger models. The company issued the following statement, which will appear on the Web sites of all 18 international editions of Vogue.
“The Vogues around the world are strengthening steps to ban the use of underage models in the magazine as part of their Vogue Health Initiative, which was announced in the pages of the fashion Bible in last June’s issue.
All model agencies will be asked to provide documentary proof of the ages of models who are not well known, or they will not appear in the magazine. The new, tough rules follow a mistake in the August issue of Vogue China when the image of a 15-year-old model
appeared in an article on up-and coming-models. According to China Vogue editor Angelica Cheung, the article was prepared before the Health Initiative was announced, and editors failed to catch the slip-up. She commented, “It happened under our radar, and we are truly sorry. We will make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
A few blogs and a newspaper in Paris have reported a shoot involving an underage model for Japanese Vogue. Condé Nast International officials clarify that an advertising promotion shoot had taken place but was pulled from the magazine because of the model’s age and will not appear.
Jonathan Newhouse, Chairman and Chief Executive of Condé Nast International, said, “The Health Initiative banning underage models is very serious, and we will reinforce it. I apologize for the error which took place in China. We will do everything possible to prevent future errors.”
Condé Nast officials pointed out that occasionally a Vogue will publish an article or supplement devoted to children’s apparel, and that the ban on young models did not apply to articles about children dressed appropriately in children’s clothing.”
Paul Rowland: Model Maker
For Paul Rowland, “pretty” is not enough. Not that he has anything against a good-looking girl—Rowland is, after all, the founder of the modeling agencies Women and Supreme. Over the past 20 years he’s helped launch the careers of models Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elle Macpherson, and Carmen Kass, to name a few familiar faces. So he sees “pretty” all the time, but it’s the stuff going on behind those cheekbones that gets Rowland’s heart racing—especially when he’s taking pictures. Building on his work as Supreme’s house photographer, Rowland has carved out a second career for himself behind the camera: As well as shooting Supreme’s keepsake show packages each season, his work has been featured in V and EXIT, and in December Rowland mounted his first-ever solo show at Miami Art Basel. Titled Transformations, the show spotlighted his obsession with getting his subjects to tell a story before the lens. “Models can be very hard to photograph,” Rowland notes. “Their job is to make clothes look good, and more often than not, all they can give the camera is a pose. My challenge is to coax a girl into giving something of herself.” Tonight, Transformations takes up temporary residence in New York City, opening at the Women/Supreme space in west Chelsea. In advance of his debut before the hometown crowd, Rowland talked to Style.com about the art that goes into making faces.
I understand you moved to New York city to be a painter. How did you wind up one of the grand pooh-bahs of the modeling business, instead?
Oh, you know how these things happen—you move to the city to do one thing, and then you wind up waiting tables. I wasn’t crazy about being a waiter, so when I got to know some fashion people and the fashion people told me I should model, I jumped. The modeling led to booking, and the booking led to my opening Women, and so on. There was never a grand plan. For a long time I just figured I was stashing money away so I could paint.
Both Women and Supreme have earned reputations as go-to agencies for girls with an unusual look. Was that happenstance, as well?
No, that much was purposeful. I’m not really interested in apple pie, all-American beauty. I appreciate it, but it doesn’t compel me. Whereas I have this art background seared in my head, so when I look at a girl and there’s that instant reference—like, she’s got a Modigliani face—that’s the beauty that takes me in. At the time I launched Women, unconventional beauty needed a champion. Now, I look around at who’s working, and it’s clear that I’ve managed to change our ideas about what’s beautiful, at least a little bit. But you can always push the envelope. That’s why I opened Supreme. We take some very edgy girls there.