That's The Way The Story Goes
Klaudia @ Wonder Models (Poland)
Second post on a total newcomer this year, switching from Czech Republic to Poland, from dark bangs to light red hair and here comes Klaudia, latest model (almost 5'9 high now) to join the Polish boutique Wonder Models. If you might have to wait a little bit before seeing more of the ginger youngster, a little intro with her best pictures so far certainly does not hurt and we picked three that should give a proper overview of what her recent development looks like. Everything is a matter of time in fashion, may it be when seasons pass fast or when careers take long to blossom, it makes you juggle and struggle but strong will ever makes its way. Three, two, one... fire.
Face To Face
Her name screamed French and we weren't mistaken: Louise is Born in Paris. But she lives in Barcelona now where she keeps her studies going along her modeling career and other passion: skating.
Got Uno's package before holidays and thought it would be our final post of the year. Could be Remix #3 then if we had written it in advance but didn't do and waited till now to drop a few lines on the girls who caught our attention. The intriguing ones.
Russy was born in China, in Qing Tian where most of Chinese people living in Spain come from. Music is for mood could be her anthem, going from her home country's melodies to whatever her ears may like. And they may like various kinds from various places since one of her other goals in life is to learn languages.
The actual package was huge and we didn't even get the boys part of it so our first immediate idea was to make a tiny selection of which models we believe are the faces of the new generation at Uno right now. The faces, exactly the point since the package's concept is directly taken from the magazine The Face's aesthetics, almost millimeter by millimeter.
Trilce likes mixes, of cultures and in music. Born in Ibiza with Australian and Peruvian roots, she listens to everything going from Jazz to The XX. Besides pursuing a modeling career with Uno, her real love in fashion is called photography so we might expect to see her on both sides of the lens.
If the words 'new faces'
have lost their appeal over years for us, fashion will always be in
need of a new wave, may it be a little less fast and a tad more
carefully handled than in the past. That was another reason for us to
focus on a small number of models to make sure the statement is clearer
and so does the agency's image.
If Trilce shares her life between both sides of the camera, Irina would love to discover the other side of the mirror as her favorite book is Alice in Wonderland. And why not embodying Alice's role one day when there will be a Mexican sitcome on this theme? Belarus born from Russian mother and Italian father but living in Spain for years already ("All I know is I dream in Spanish"), she fancies the idea of becoming an actress one day. More in light-hearted comedies than on a red carpet, though.
Naturally we thought of those who totally embody this long and precious process everyone calls 'development'. From starting point to daily improvement as a career goes by, the main thread in development goes through the creation of the model's own image, then its transformation without losing what iniatilly created some appeal. Below are our four picks from the pack.
Rad
K1 Models opened their doors in June 2010 with a clear idea in mind when it comes to models development and management. And scouting as well, since the Prague based agency is organising scouting trips in other countries around including rather unexplored areas such as Bosnia. A real vision always helps to create a distinctive image and innovative way to consider a model's career. Such as Radana, our first featured girl from K1 Models, 5'10 (178) with quite a specific face to say the least. More on the agency and the girl very soon on FDIB, till then, you can always enjoy a video preview that tells a few on what to expect.
A Wind of Change
Arizona Muse @ Next
Was like two years ago... wait, was exactly two years ago. When we first noticed Arizona Muse, as new face from Next NY. Blonde with brows, right at the tiny border between high fashion and high end commercial. Tiny that didn't look that tiny back then but got thinner and thinner since. It might be one of the reasons behind Arizona's recent breakthrough (think Prada and Yves Saint Laurent campaigns plus Vogue Italia's most recent cover). Might be but not only, we firmly believe the model herself stands behind that successful moment. The look and the right touch of attitude to work it out. Different from the usual flow of teenagers invading the catwalks every season or in other words: ready to win. It's no matter of potential, it's now and going on. And this should be a sign (or even a signal) to everyone involved in modeling. The era of teenie-queenies is fading away and that's pretty much a good evolution. More maturity means more power means more lasting power. Here the proof in picture with a preview from Vogue UK February 2011 by Josh Olins (check out the video of the shoot on Vogue's website).
Remix #2: Now or Never
Anne Sophie @ Modelwerk (Germany), Ford (NY), Fabiana @ Marilyn (NY), Elin @ Elite (NY) and Pauline @ Marilyn (NY)
The Now Girls. Sounds quite deja vu, sounds like this concept has been used over and over again. Nothing new under the sun or above the thick snow coat laying on the ground. But after all, this kind of stories counts among the regular excercises in fashion and modeling, the same way as "the best items of the season" or whatever they are called. A bunch of models, who embody the zeitgeist according to the magazine or the current creative vision of the photographer, stylist etc. Everyone has its own and it's all more or less subjective in the way they pick the young women or the agencies representing them while working on the cast. Either focusing on a certain beauty type or putting emphasis on diversity, these multi-girl stories often offer a wide range of faces and vibes going from the totally obvious choices to the unexpected indies. BlackBook's latest version of the 'models to watch' might not be the most original fashion spread of the month but we can surely enjoy a large part of it and our eyes can delight themselves with Tony Kim's photography. Casting wise, our preference clearly went to Anne Sophie Monrad, Pauline van der Cruysse and Fabiana Mayer as well as Marine Vacth who adds a slightly surprising presence to the story and rarely fails any editorial work. Add Eline Lindskog who was featured her a few days ago and you've got a pretty interesting team of models. Not going to say the others in the editorials are 'fillers' (would be both gross and unfair) but our eyes were naturally captivated by these five. And whether you're talking about the model or the viewer (or whoever else involved from near or further) the eye(s) is the most important element. Check out the whole story, styled by Christopher Campbell on BlackBook's website as well as the videos of all models involved in it, by Kirk Larsen. The visual proof that you can turn a good old concept into a fair amount of exciting pages.
Remix #1: Holidays, Oh Holidays
Magali @ Mega Models (Germany)
Let's skip the wishes (did it on facebook anyway) and keep going on where we stopped last year. As a starter for 2011, here come two stories we planned to release during the holidays but thought in the end would make much more sense as the new year's first posts. Written during the quiet days of December, they might be a sweeter way to jump into January's frenzy.
We should be eating right now, right? Well, we are not and nothing is going to force us to do so. Leaving it to who really enjoys the feast and going back to our keyboards, no special celebrations this year (as usual we must say). Taking some virtual trips before we start spreading our wings again next month, having a look at Reno Ranger's work with Magali from Mega Models. If we're not her first fans in the world, we must give her credit for her unusual features and strong will as we know both matters but today we are more into the photographer's performance, perfectly handling Magali's slightly robotic poses and turning it into the strength of the story. Adding a supplement of soul where you would expect only cold and glossy, renewing the genre in other words and working out some magic to escape from almost gimmicky to go fully expressive. There is something purely instinctive, full of feelings in Reno's work here and it's no wonder where it comes from when you take a look at his biography (didn't assist, didn't attend photography school and most of everything: loves what he does). We thought writing a few words on such a good topic was much greater than wasting our time between the chicken and the tree, both absent by the way.
Working is Celebrating
Elin Lindskog @ Elite (NY)
There is this regular slope leading people involved in fashion medias to relate what they consider as the major facts of the year when this one comes to an end. We're not going to tell you we haven't thought of it ourselves, we would be terrible liars if we did, but after a short time and a couple of thoughts we didn't clearly see any real purpose in doing another review of the year. It's all subjective and each one will be different, but the fashion world doesn't need another version and we believe others are in better place to practise such an excercise. We're not going to call ourselves fortunetellers either, not going to try ourselves at predicting what next year will be but that's definitely where we're looking at right now. The future and in a symbolic way, the future can be seen as next year, next month or next couple of months. We all have expectations, let's keep them a bit under the radar and work on what matters to make them more than expectation when time will come. We had great moments in 2010 too, personal ones (not talking about private, but personal on a professional scale) and more obvious, more global ones. Things that we did and others we didn't do ourselves but go our direction. Changes in modeling, magazines etc. often echoed changes in our perception of fashion or strengthened our feelings about some specific points. But then again, would this reason be enough to write on some 'news of the year' while skipping others who had an equal impact in fashion? Or should we have left aside the typical tone of FDIB to make something totally neutral for once, putting an extra effort on relating only proven influential facts or news? We had to answer no to both questions.
We almost feel sorry for putting the words of above paragraph in an entry dedicated to a photographer, his latest work and creative vision but understand we didn't want anything called (or smelling like) a retrospective of 2010. And in the end bringing a second topic to the main one just makes justice to hard work as it's a double opportunity to highlight what really matters: writing on a subject we consider as important next to a proper introduction of a photographer's portfolio. Nando Esparza is the creative mind behind the pictures we are showing this morning. Visuals mixing the code of classical minimalism as often seen in test shots to a softly saucy approach of the character he is portraying. And this perfectly fits with our first paragraph somehow, it's not 'hot' 'breaking news'. No revolution. Just a personal way to highlight beauty with creativity and a camera. With the help of Elite's model Eline Ledskog and hair-and-makeup artist Brit Cochran, this short story all in black and white and pastel colors impacts on us like a sweet reminder of what we really believe in: the unparalleled value of development in modeling also relies on a subtle use of established codes by a sharp creative eye. Gives quite an extra dose of energy to pass the end of the year and look to 2011 with a certain feeling of serene power.
C.Q.F.D. (Or L.O.V.E. Depending On Your Language)
Not tired of writing entries on Edita (by Camilla Akrans, believers will love, reluctant ones will swallow their hats). Not stopping until the editorial flow stops by itself and we sincerely doubt it will. This time from Industrie Magazine, awful name for a beautiful journal but we guess it wasn't left to chance, there are thoughts and feelings behind the choice. Edita Vilkeviciute or the story of modeling in some way, the ultimate proof right now that modeling relies on iconic faces way more than on 'hot' faces. That the wheel might keep on turning, the greatest are made to last and leave their print in this ephemere fashion world. What is left to say? That the story is easy to tell but the woman is hard to find. As sun in wintertime. Enjoy the snow till then.
Come On Now, Try To Understand
Timea @ VM Model Management (Hungary)
Forget about less is more. Or think of it in a different, unusual way. Don't be afraid of a certain cornucopia, don't be afraid to explode and expose. Sometimes more is not enough and enough will never be enough. Meditate it, think twice, take the required distance and get back to it when you're done with your mental exercises. It takes more than years to decide what is really right but takes less than an instant, if it's even possible to quantify it, to make it happy. The kick, the thrill or however you call it. Is it possible to get this thing happening everytime a new model crosses your path? Certainly not and that's a lucky conclusion, otherwise we'd all go crazy in the very wrong way. But belief of an agent is everything and when it goes beyond belief, limits don't exist anymore. Does this happen very often? Don't think so. But want to wish best luck to VM Model's latest find, redhead Timea scoring a 5'11 height and on her way to get first class international placements. It's a matter of what matters in the end.
Again, Again, Again
Edita Vilkeviciute @ Viva (Paris)
Goodbye heartache and good vibrations, some mornings might be terribly cold and waking up such a hard task, you feel good nonetheless. Good energy, good will that usually helps good (hard) work that can bring results. No expectation, though, just enjoying the moment and taking the opportunity of an overload of energy to turn it into something worthy. Between nichromes and models we've been following for years, jumping from one topic to the other but today that seemed rather easy compared to last week. Staying in Lithuania anyway, after the short introduction in the post below, we thought another look at Edita's recent works was quite a lovely way to start a new week. And quite a perfect idea to keep the energy high enough for upcoming projects we're working on. Non-stop like Edita's career pace as you may have noticed editorials are literally piling up in her book. Last time was a bit from Vogue Nippon, today a mix of Muse and Numéro. Two very different moods, two different atmosphere and two distinct characters she had to play. From the cosy black white shots by Tom Munro in Numéro to Muse's refreshing and relaxed poses on stairs. Like evening and morning. Like the way we wrote this entry: started as we got up and ended now after night fell down again.