FDIB loves and bookmarks: Wilhelmina S/S 2011 on Digital Diamonds
Watching show packages popping up and by is a night-time obsession these days as each agency is currently releasing its own show team for Spring Summer 2011. From aesthetic statements to innovative concepts, from signature styles to visual revolutions, from crazy moods to classy minimalism: this season doesn't lack creativity in New York and actually has been rising non stop over the last few years. Sometimes with the risk of seeing the packaging overshadow the proposals, the concept steal the first role to the contents. It's a matter of balance and most agencies managed to work it out, some of them more successfully than others, of course. Wilhelmina certainly ranks among the inspired ones, once again, managing both the creative side and an impeccable bunch of models besides staying true to what has become the agency's new trademark for the third season now. When the team matches the theme. But this season is a bit particular for us, as Digital Diamonds was the first online place to release a preview of Wilhelmina's package and we saw a good sign there: two projects we support, two teams of passionate people, two young sprouts we love to watch growing. And we should not forget the models themselves as this package includes a good proportion of FDIB-favorites, featured here over the last few months.
Coco Young. For sure we couldn't not drop a line on the indie phenom from Eskimo after she's got a few spots here since this Spring. French roots and feeling like a fish to water in NYC, featured in some exciting projects led by Marc Jacobs, KT Auleta or Ryan McGinley, we may have dedicated more time and ink to her articles than to any other model's these last few months. From simple polaroid-features to our collaboration with her mother agency on some special newsletter, she has entered our personal Pantheon of models for making the difference on several fronts and using that difference as her signature style.
If there had to be Coco in that entry, there has to be Chloe as well. First of all for the visual power of her showcard, certainly one of the strongest and smartest of the season. Then for where she comes from and how her career took off these last months. Managed by Nisch Management in her home country (Sweden), we couldn't not add her name (and pictures) here as we've watched the creation and rise of the swedish boutique with a supportive eye since the very beginnings. Her first international steps took her to FM Agency in London and Cat Model Management in Berlin, two more teams we closely support for the faith they have in their singular aesthetics, their bold choices and, of course, for the remarkable results.
Last but not least, Marike. Would be pointless to write on Wilhelmina without mentioning her name in the article. Together with Keke Lindgard, Marike became a kind of symbol of the agency and her career is the greatest showcase of the skills and energy put into its development. From catwalks to covers via eds and ads, Ms Le Roux made her way at a steady speed, leaving her marks where they had to be left and building a rock-solid portfolio. On a purely visual point of view, her look also embodies the agency's vision to the max. Our words can't be exact enough but if we had to draw a short description it would sound like 'peculiar perfection'. Add young ladies like Charlotte Nolting (who already has mutliple features on FDIB), Omayra Ventura or Hanna Samokhina (another FDIB darling recently turned a redhead!), all looking beyond amazing on their cards crafted by photographer Greg Manis in his "raw yet romantic" style. Read the full review on Digital Diamonds.
Signe's Signature
Signe @ Modelwerk (Germany), Next (NY)
German day today? Might look like it is. German morning, at least and that happened a bit by chance to be honest (and thanks to two german agencies' clever communication). We've been introduced to Signe's unparalleled appeal by Modelwerk a few weeks ago and a short entry would have been a perfect Summer topic for us. She was labeled 'brand new' and 'modeling for a few weeks' at that time. Again, a perfect feature for mid-July or early August, a fresh breeze to spice up fashion's sleepy summery atmosphere. But sometimes instinct does it better and we made the decision to keep these polaroids for later. Maybe was a wise one. At least we've had this feeling yesterday night, checking out the freshly released Spring Summer 2011 show package on Next Models blog. And... wait a minute, wait a minute... this model, this brand new one etc. It took us a few seconds or so to get the point. Signe on the showcard had the same signature look as Signe we've seen a few weeks earlier. Our brains had to refresh fast at midnight and that quick kick had to turn into a feature today. Here we go, after careful choices we had some kind of need for speed.
Heart of Class
Ilva @ Supreme (NY)
First time we've ever seen and heard of Ilva was less than two weeks ago when she first popped on her mother agency's blog. Place (Hamburg) is never short of surprises when it comes to cool newcomers (also make sure you've seen Laila featured on Tuesday here) with distinctive looks and vibes. Seeing Ilva was quite a little shock for anyone having a thing for strawberry blond hair and peculiar features. And class, because that's what the story is all about. And lightspeed evolution since she first appeared on our screen: just released as Place's hottest newbie on the agency's blog and off to New York she went (or already were, we didn't double check but that's not going to change the whole story). Signed with Supreme where she joined their growing board of remarkable rookies, Ilva's book also quickly took a new turn when new pages like those above were added to it. Again, all went fast and, sorry for the pun, fell into place like there was no room for any wrong step. Jacob Sadrak, who should get another highlight here today, captured the essence (easy to write but much harder when you hold the camera) and the otherworldly charsimatic beauty of Ilva in a series of portraits, mostly black and white, filled with poise and understated intensity. Full of class and in a class of her own, if we may say.
The New Ones, The Rising Ones, The Eternal Ones
One Management's Spring Summer 2011 Show Package
We've been working on this feature for almost a week and it might be the longest picture-post in FDIB's history. Been thinking of talk about it and which cards to (dis)play. Not used to the excercise and usually rather posting a couple of cards instead of the full package but this one (or this One for that matter) was quite a dilemma. How to post only our personal picks without taking the risk for the visual to lose their essence and for us to step away from One Management's spirit? Impossible. So, after days and nights of intense thinking, conversations about the need to keep them all to keep the agency's Spring 2011 statement and previews on our second pages, we decided to make it clear and loud: all models are here. From Wiktoria to Tasha, from Paula to Marcelia, from Julia to Lyoka, from Selina to Elisa, from Tanga to Alicia and from Charlotte to Mary. Timeless visions of unique women turned upside down in pastel or bright colors...
The Perfect Palette
Laura McCone @ Elite (NY)
We could have called our entry Out of the Blue, the trick would be perfect but we thought nothing would be true in that title and it wouldn't reflect our thoughts on these new works of Jonathan Leder. Neither him (a regularly featured photographer and an all-time favorite) nor Laura McCone (still new but hard not to notice her) are literally coming out of the blue for us. And that wouldn't fit our theme either as our focus is somewhere else than (re-)creating some shock of the new or whatever it is called. What really captured our attention in the photographs is far from any idea of hype or buzz and we wouldn't exaggerate saying it is the pictures themselves and the elements making them what they are that got our eyes... and love.
The atmosphere is often the most important element, the key element in photography. What vibe you get when you look at the photographs in front of you, what do you see and how it makes you feel. Might be just visual or deeper, it's still very often a matter of atmosphere(s) no matter if it's a part of the photographer's signature, a simple ingredient added on purpose to the series or just what's going on in the viewer's mind when looking at it. To go back to our blue topic of the beginning, this blue light - blue vibe in Jonathan Leder's work with Laura does certainly play a role in its peculiar intensity. Perfect shade, deep and almost dramatic with a warm side you don't often associate with that color. Perfect match of the playful shadows in background and the immaculate white outfits. And Laura's expressions and effortlessly fluid body language are just the most subtle icing on that never-too-sugary cake. Soft and understated wildness raising emotions then blank turns blue through the magic of shapes and shadows from a perfect palette, of colors and expressions.
September!
Factor Women's show team for Spring Summer 2011, directed by Race Willard
Another delightful contradiction, typical of the fashion calendar: the fact you see Spring collections right when you enter in the mood for Fall. Showing summery outfits on the runway then walking in the wind with fallen leaves all around. Literally playing with that contrast, Factor Women's show package preview focuses on the sunny side of fashion with pop colors and textures, light-hearted atmospheres, joyful sounds and voices. Reminiscences of this Summer when it's time to turn the page again or anticipations of the next one (like collections do), we felt like jumping into September with the last rays of sun in mind while dreaming of the future ones next Spring. September or how to feel the energy again, no matter when it comes from and getting rid of August's worst moments in a light-hearted mood, just before the frenzy begins. Factor Women's package is mostly made of newbies that are a pleasure to discover, from Callie to Rose who could be our red haired lovely this season but we're not trying to predict anything that may happen during castings and shows, just watching with geniune enjoyment and rising hopes. More September visions coming up today and if you haven't seen our previews of One Management's package, check out Marcelia's, Wiktoria's and Tasha's showcards. More to come, we said.
One Step Closer (Higher, and Higher)
Laila @ New York Models (NY)
The clearest statements might be the very best ways to blur the lines and same goes for the strongest-looking models who might actually turn into the most subtle chameleon when it comes to performing in front of the camera. Unique features combined with innate modeling skills are a real treat for the eye when it happens to be a natural match. And what better proof of how natural it is than a couple of polaroid showcasing it? When we got Laila's polas, fresh from last week (preview here) when she arrived at New York Models, we were mesmerized. Literally. We used to watch (and love) her first steps at Place Models, Germany, and think we already got the vibe, got the point (and got the 5'11"5 high leggy silhouette as well) back then but this new turn in her career unveils a little more of her talents. Playing the cool and laid-back card on her polaroids (with your inner voice whispering "you see, she doesn't look like anyone else and it hasn't been crafted on purpose, it's all geniune"), she's also got a couple of test shots that would totally illustrate the first two sentences of this entry. And if you are as mesmerized as we were, just have a glimpse at the tests in question. This time you'll be... hypnotised, one step higher.
Witchcraft
Olga Gilowska @ FM (London)
Olga Gilowska by Amy Gwatkin. Perfect match? You'll tell us, you'll let us know. All we can't forget is Amy's words: "all magical, and spooky, and shit". Quite a beautiful way to put it, non? Olga has been in London from mid-July to early August, working on her book. Best things take their time, or we believe. Precious models don't only need precious bookings as we said earlier, they need precious development as well. Which means step by step, which means step by step, which means step by step. Made of wise decisions if one can make them, made of precious and precise developement as much as possible (and it is), made of a clear statement when it comes to image. It's a complicated balance but it's why we are here. Why we get up at seven in the morning and stay late at night. Passion doesn't pay the bills but helps you to go where you really want to go. And once there, your bottom line might not be an issue anymore. Till then, just don't think (of it and everything else and others) and follow your instinct. Low-key will take you higher, with a little love and witchery.
Weatherproof!
Olga Ovchynnikova @ Supreme (NY)
Rain and wind are our guilty pleasures even when everyone is looking for blue sky but we can't help thinking Olga Ovchynnikova might have some sunny days ahead of her and we're quite pleased with this idea. Not intending she's going on vacation, though: you should see her soon, working hard and walking fast come New York Fashion Week. Ready for the frenzy, equipped with freshly taken polaroids and quite a mysterious look that should help her during that tough battle called castings. We'll keep our fingers crossed of course, even under clouds and raindrops and will watch carefully how she translates her mysteries into magical modeling moments. Because this is basically the point with Olga, the way she manages to keep some mysterious aura surrounding her rather classical character. Impossible to guess where she's from before you read her last name. Impossible to tell if her poses and expressions are carefree and natural or if she's using some innate talents to work out polaroids as a performance. Doesn't matter much in the end provided the results are amazing but it was hard not to ask ourselves where her sullen beauty takes its roots. Captivating story with no beginning and hopefully no end as well. Oh, and just in case you're interested in that detail: Olga was one of the Fall 2010 Givenchy girls in Paris (with Major), joining the diversified cast as its most subtle member.
Serious -> Playful
Ieva @ New York Models (NY)
We promised you a short update on Ieva again right after we posted some polaroids freshly taken in New York and the opportunity might have arrived today. New book on its way starting with test shots by photographer William Lords. The whole series would be worth publishing but we thought (again) some carefully select outtakes might have a better impact. Or would at least appear as a stronger statement. Remember the last words of our previous entry on Ieva and how the serious young lady on the polas may have a playful side as well. So, here comes the playful pictures and we would almost agree if you tell us the mood is not that playful. The mood not but you can't deny her playful side expresses there and nobody has ever said playful means cheerful, especially if you take it literally and remembers an actress (for example or a model for that matter) might play with serious, neutral, austere feelings and emotions as well. Not just smiling endlessly, laughing loud and frolicking on the beach. In the end it's all playing (the game?): nothing is real at the beginning then by some small changes on a face, some precise poses or instinctive movements it suddenly grows larger than life.
The paragraph above was quite typical of what we can write on newcomers, freshly arrived in town. There is never too much to say and even when we know a lot more than we show, we feel more comfortable to keep most of it silent or just leave some undercover hints on the way. But one of the most delightful aspect of it is how it requires a lot of observation, paying attention to small details like those we've just mentioned about Ieva's very serious way to play with the camera. It still doesn't say much but might be the thrilling point about it: trying to capture the essence of a model 'in making' and to understand what exactly sets her apart from that army of other new models surrounding her. It doesn't predict anything and it's not where we want to go anyway, just makes you excited about her next steps and eager to see the next pieces to be added to her portfolio. Sounds all a bit abstract but concrete things will come in time. September is only a few days ahead of us, with its big gigs and sweet surprises among the loads of (positive) pressure. Who knows if we won't have another update on Ieva to release till then. Or a good report right after.
Polkadotcom
Michalina Glen @ Eastern (Poland)
Easy title, easy writing. Light-hearted moods and polkadots are going hand in hand quite easily. No fuss, this afternoon. Taking it easy or trying to. And Michalina Glen was quite a good one to embody the atmosphere of the day, the quiet moments before (or after) the storm. Quiet moments for us doesn't mean the same for her as she's been relentlessly working on growing her book and that one is just an outtake we hand-selected from the numerous new tearsheets she added to her portfolio. Though, we believe one outtake can sometimes do more when we want to picture the process the right way, showing the small imperfections and little flaws that reminds you of how transitory this stage is while bringing some extra focus on the huge improvements already done. It tells you how long is the way and that your path is rarely a straightline but also cheers you up to see everything is on tracks, moving forward. And tells you again it's sometimes better to think of where you managed to take before thinking of 'where do we go from here'. Where is Michalina going to is still a bit of a mystery to us right now but we're watching carefully what her next steps will be. With a trustful eye we must say. Trust the polkadots!
La Revanche d'Une Brune
Jacquelyn Jablonski @ Supreme (NY)
Tears of love might be frozen tears, it's still not supposed to mean they should freeze your mind as well and stick it to the last memories of an era. And when the next chapter is able to warm you up, even when it's actually two chapters later that everything happens, these tears which should have never dried finally vanish and leave room on your face for a brand new smile. Not going to dive deeper into details on the way we lived Valentino Garavani's retirement some seasons ago as getting too personal would kill our point but that was quite the most relevant introduction we've found to talk about a story creating one of the most powerful imagery around a label's identity, may it be the new version of the brand instead of its historical image. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's own vision of Valentino since they started as creative directors there quickly turned to be able to appeal to our eyes (and even break our hearts sometimes) and the way photographers Sean & Seng and fashion editor Tamara Rothstein translated it for that new story in POP magazine is totally in tune with our sights and feelings.
Besides styling and photography, one more important ingredient shouldn't be overlooked and you could have being hundred percent sure we wouldn't forget this here: the model, who turns out to be no other than Jacquelyn Jablonski, regularly featured on FDIB for her prowesses and performances. The Brunette with piercing eyes at Supreme has an incredible show record for the second season in a row and can also count on a couple of priceless fashion stories on glossy paper to complete an almost flawless description of what her career looks like so far. Easily switching from pure power to understatements, her print work might have to cope with different levels of inspiration but this has only brought some diversity to her portfolio and that's certainly not a bad point in the end. We could keep on drawing Ms Jablonski's portrait or step back to Valentino but we guess our third paragraph will be dedicated to both. In other words: how Jacquelyn perfectly matched the vision and vibe of the brand these days.
That might be a lucky choice or a wise casting decision, we're not going to comment on that and start our own kind of speculation but it was some kind of soft visual shock when we saw this story for the first time (it actually still is each time we have to glance at it to write this entry). To be really honest, and we guess that will only add more weight to our previous and following words, we don't like everything Jacquelyn has done in print and had mixed feelings towards Valentino's Couture collection shown in July. So, the combination of the model and the brand turning into something as (subtly) strong as what this editorial is makes it totally priceless. Taking the best of both worlds and putting them to work hand in hand. Might be the genius of the photography and styling there but again, we weren't on the set to say who did what, we can just look at it with ecstatic smiles on our faces. Valentino certainly takes a huge benefit of having these garments modeled by the one who can really embody its spirit while this might also be a sweet revenge for Jacquelyn on all the artists who couldn't explore her talent the way it deserves to be.
The Consequences of Charisma
Marcelia Freesz @ One (NY)
We were just talking about the 'surprise effect' and just got a surprise ourselves as well. Actually if we pay so much attention to leaving room for some surprising turns, it might be due to the fact we love being surprised too. Agencies are currently working on their show packages (if they aren't all done yet) and most of them are managing to throw some surprising names (and faces) in their mix. One agency who never let us down on this front is... One Management. You'll see later that their package includes a couple more good surprises but right now the One who caught our eyes is Marcelia Freesz. We've been able to see a few others that are in town and ready to show up, from those we hoped to see to some rather unknown names, but weren't expecting Marcelia's materials to be the first on our list. Not even two nights ago when these polaroids landed in our inbox.
What's definitely surprising with Marcelia isn't her 'look' or not only this aspect. But let's start with this, though, as it's what you see first when you take a look at her polas. Picture-perfect classic beauty, gorgeous contrast between dark brown hair and clear blue eyes, 5'10 height and so on. There might be more visual reasons to fall in love with Marcelia but it's nothing else than some geniune charisma that actually brought all our attention to her. Again we could start with a lightspeed description of what makes us feel this way and if you need some kind of explanation we might say it's all in her eyes, in the way she gazes to the camera. But the consequences are even more interesting than her charisma itself. Remember not so long ago, when it came to new faces the official motto could have been "the greener the better" and here comes Marcelia with her looks and skills that don't really scream "green" at all. Even the opposite, and in such a subtle manner that can only force you to think twice again about this whole concept of 'new face'. If anything has to be kept about it, it's this famous 'surprise effect' we mention in the first paragraph and this for sure belongs to Marcelia's best assets for the upcoming season in New York.
In Tune
Ieva @ New York Models (NY)
Ieva from Joy Star System in Latvia, now in town with New York Models. We felt we've got to dedicate another post to Ieva and believe us, there are many more reasons to do so than keeping track of her young career (see our previous ones here and there). We might not reveal all of them tonight, as a little surprise effect is always welcome and more fantastic materials are on her way but we thought a quick update to highlight her arrival in New York is warmly welcome and her first polaroids taken there were a fabulous idea for a start. This time of the year brings much speculation and expectations of all kinds but that's not really what thrills us right now. Being smitten by how Ieva developed herself over the last few months has much more weight and we thought the most natural pictures would be the very best ones to share this idea with our daily readers. No promises, no predictions: just the visual truth you should always be in your own right to expect -- and here it is, seen through NYMM's camera. Ieva looks so serious on those but it might be just a trick while waiting for some playful creative ones. Tune your imagination, hold your breath and enjoy.
Guts and Glamor
Karolina Rimkute @ Supermodels (Lithuania)
Let's forget our bar-stool auto-analysis for a while and go back to something more light-hearted for the afternoon. Karolina Rimkute, young lady from Lithuania signed with Supermodels Model Management is on our radar this week but who isn't on it, after all at a time of the year when we heavily need to walk our eyes everywhere we can. Nothing stunning in being noticed then, but good reasons behind it. Going from girly in glittery dress to androgynous trying herself at wearing some unisex outfit, Karolina is exploring modeling and probably enjoying the first steps. From this angle, this topic is much more light-hearted than drawing a portrait of an all-time favorite experiencing her latest editorial but this should not disturb us from the real point in writing an entry on such a newcomer. We promised we won't try to predict anything anymore (did this ever happen, by the way?) and won't talk about promising potential one more time as it's been done and re-done with very inconsistent results going from joyful surprises to half-predictable catastrophes. So, it might be better from time to time to keep it minimal and focus on what we see and know. For the latter, measurements should make the cut: Karolina is 5'10 (178 78-61-88) while some additional information we got includes a vivid and quite fearless personality in the very best way. As for what we see, we should thank Natalie Berezina once again for this ability she has to turn facts and figures into poetic photographs and despite we're not in a mood for flowers today, you might be interested in seeing the other series they worked on, Peony or an extended selection of test shots including some more colorful pictures with that glimmery glittery dress. If it helps glamorizing our world, it's all welcome down here.
My Heart Never Healed (From This Love)
Eniko Mihalik @ Marilyn (NY)
Scenes from the past spiced up with a few anachronic details or smart recipe made of timeless items that still may be able to catch the spirit of today (with a nostalgic feeling for yesterday and an eye looking at tomorrow). Hard to find the exact words to describe, hard to describe anyway without falling into the usual honeytrap of making a catalogue of references, past or current. Feelings usually do it better when it comes to comment some editorials (from US Harper's Bazaar -- September 2010 issue for that matter). Tune your eye, stick it to the screen (or the glossy page) and see if the magic enters your brain this way. High chances it works if you've been following Eniko's steps over seasons like we did. Though, we're not sure a career analysis is what we need now and it seems we did it a half-dozen of times already. Might be more to say that how this new story by Glen Luchford and Marie Chaix (same team as behind Eniko's spread in Vogue Italia's March 2010 issue) enters Ms Mihalik's portfolio and what it adds to it at a stage where each piece, even the most precious is just another golden brick in her golden wall. What really matters (to us, then it's up to each eye to see what it has to) is how all the ingredients work together, how the tiny flaws make everything more relevant, how Eniko both plays her own character and let it melt into the concept of the story (Chic Easy Pieces, the title gives an immediate idea of it). This creates quite an interesting contrast between an organic feeling that only belongs to ourselves and the basic recipe used for the editorial, a contrast between our inner imagery (and imagination) and the visual reality (to a certain point) of the glossy pages. What do we see in the end? Eniko, always effortlessly elegant with the right dose of self-confidence required to turn a seasonal topic into a timeless story? Or just the breaches (or flaws) our eyes try to find in its relentless hunt for a way to free our visual world from too much perfection? These questions might point out where the limit is: the no man's land between a rational approach and a personal perception and interpretation. And this is when and how you realise you never really recover from your free-wheel ventures on the second area. For the best, we hope.
The Way It Grows
Nancy Williams @ FM (London)
Let's talk about brows, again. After Mariya Markina's endless eyebrows-magic, Nancy Williams. Once a lifetime opportunity, twice a day. Hard to believe when you hear but easy to get as soon as you saw Nancy's latest polaroid set, straight from FM Agency in their signature style we can't get enough of. Let's talk about brows but not just brows, would be totally unfair to focus on such a small part of the whole 'Nancy-effect' that immediately turned her into a favorite of ours when we saw her materials for the first time. Regularly featured on FDIB with already some serious editorial mileage since her debuts (just a look at our archive on her should help you to get the point), Nancy's got more to come soon and seems to take modeling quite seriously. Which should be translated not as more but more and more meanwhile our excitement to see her next steps is growing fast too.
Memories From The Future
Mariya Markina @ Supreme (NY)
Honestly, it is a hard task for us to write something on Mariya Markina. So many extreme memories left, so many pictures still in mind. Quite some unforgettable visions that we would had to shake to make it really clear. How should we start then? With a blast from the past then go full force on some kind of comeback topic? The questions raising at the moment are countless and the answers are late to come. Maybe we should allow you to have a look at the pictures and make your own point without having to cope with our current state of mind. That might be the best solution from some angle, that might be not enough on another hand. There would be much to say and there is nothing to begin with. Perhaps the magic of Mariya is there, perhaps this is a neverending story that keeps writing on or a brand-new one but it's quite sure the next chapters remain uknown so far. Let's stick to facts, then. Signed with Supreme, lighter hair color, still those eyebrows that would drive you mad days and nights and some sort of 80's vibe radiating from her polaroids. And stop talking when words are missing. Sit down, watch, hope, wait and see...
It Took Just One Look, And We Understood
Annabelle Tsaboukas @ Women (NY)
Brown eyes, brown hair with curly locks... could start our story with a basic description of her looks, could start now and go on forever with words or just stop now and let you admire these polaroids and first outtakes from her book. Could start where it started for her, Annabelle, one of the newest Women in town and a native newyorker, could give you numbers as well but intensity doesn't need numbers. Confusion always means high impression to us and if we have troubles now to find a suitable beginning to our entry, it's simply that we are utterly and sincerely impressed. No overhyped newcomer, no trendy makeover, just a young lady (or young woman for that matter) with a kind of beauty we would call geniune. Not the kind who would create another character: Annabelle can stand next to the agency's white walls, without even striking a specific pose and just leaves you with this mysterious aura of hers. No possible predictions for her and not even the will to predict anything anyway. Just eager to see more.
We didn't have to wait too long to see more, as a handmade selection by photographer James Mahon found us before we had time to ask ourselves what the next pieces of her portfolio would look like. And good surprise: James just kept her look as natural as it was on polaroids. Actually not a big surprise as we've always considered his touch, his signature style as one of the most natural we've ever seen, more focused on capturing the essence of his characters than creative artificial ones. Just like his camera was 'listening to what the model has to say'. And Annabelle just seems to say the essential on her pictures, sparing her words to let us know what we should never forget. We won't repeat it but guess with only a quick look at them you might understand as well.
Dancing in a Danger Zone (Read On My Lips)
Daphne Groeneveld @ Bloom (The Netherlands), Union (London), Women (Milan)
Daphne's rise since the first time we featured her has been so impressive that saying anything about it would sound like endless name-dropping. Putting her spot in Miu Miu's most recent ads (as a part of the flawless cast) next to these outtakes from a Vogue Paris spread (by Mert & Marcus, styled by Carine Roitfeld) makes more sense in our opinion and tells more than a detailed review of all the A-list jobs she got so far. Like a clear statement that tells clearly what level she has already reached and what league she plays in now. Not making any conclusion out of this but they are certainly enough to be mentioned her. Though, our point is mostly focused on aesthetics today again, regardless if we are talking about clear facts or what we seem to understand from them (pure fiction?).
Facts are clear enough not to be denied by any tricky way. It takes a look at Miu Miu's picture where Daphne stands next to Lindsey Wixson to get the point. The whole cast, including Ginta and Siri as well, was quite flawless, not meaning it couldn't have been better but it was very well done, literally wheeled for success from a visual point of view at least. Coherent. But the Daphne+Lindsey part had quite the strongest impact in terms of aesthetics, in its perfectly intentional use of a certain beauty type and in the way it highlights it. Lindsey doesn't play any role in this Vogue Paris story but the focus remain the same if you can read on our lips. No big news under the sun you might think but the slope gets slightly more slippery on one specific side. Not trying to put more emphasis where there is no need to, not inventing the rest of the story when it's not even written yet. You still have two options left, as usual: dancing on your own or dancing in that danger zone. Just not so dangerous in the end but still running the risk of being misled one way or another as you never know in advance if you are exploring the most interesting areas of a rising trend or just remixing the old gimmicks you've cherished for ages. Got a clue it might be the first but it could be pure fiction as well then we'll go back to dancing with ourselves. Pictures from TheFrenchy @ TFS.