Legends of Fall

Runway-shy Claudia Schiffer has gone on record in an interview with Vogue UK as saying that "Designers are very clever at trying to persuade me to do it (fashion shows) each season and it's flattering that they do, but nothing would change my mind...Nothing, definitely." The recent Fall/Winter 2011 shows however saw the return of several other former catwalk godesses.

Supermodels Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Amber Valletta, all made return appearances to the runway at Louis Vuitton. Natalia Vodianova was seen at Givenchy and Hakaan, whilst Stella Tenant and Liya Kebede popped up at Balenciaga's Fall/Winter presentation. Carmen Kass showed off her moxie with a newly cropped bob at Michael Kors, Zac Posen and Isabel Marant, and Karolina Kurkova, Angela Lindvall, Erin Wasson and Isabeli Fontana also appeared in Michael Kors' runway extravaganza to celebrate his 30th year in the business. 

Chandra North made a welcome return to the runway at Reed Krakoff, however it was fellow model Danielle Zinaich who stole the show. Zinaich, who burst onto the modelling scene in the late nineties, was ubiquitous, appearing at Hakaan, Balmain, Chanel, Reed Krakoff, Michael Kors, Emanuel Ungaro, VPL and Louis Vuitton. Zinaich's unique, unadulterated beauty made her the cool girl of the season. Amidst a sea of newcomers, the return of Zinaich et al. serves as a reminder to us all of what it truly means to be Super...

Danielle Zinaich
Balmain F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Liya Kebede
Balenciaga F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Carmen Kass
Michael Kors F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Chandra North
Reed Krakoff F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Erin Wasson
Michael Kors F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Stella Tenant
Balenciaga F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Angela Lindvall
Michael Kors F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Amber Valetta
Louis Vuitton F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Kate Moss
Louis Vuitton F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Isabeli Fontana
Michael Kors F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Naomi Campbell
Louis Vuitton F/W 2011
Photographer - Monica Feudi
All images courtesy of style.com

Crossing Over

Blond bombshell Candice Swanepoel of Victoria's Secret fame has continued her high fashion crossover at the Fall/Winter 2011 shows with electrifying appearances at Dolce & Gabanna, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Stella McCartney, Fendi, Blumarine, Elie Saab, Viktor & Rolf and Isabel Marant. Swanepoel's transition marks an ongoing trend within modelling which has seen models like Izabel Goulart, Miranda Kerr, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and Rosie Huntington-Whitely who were previously  recognised for their work with more commercial end clients, now being embraced by high fashion magazine editors, designers, and photographers. South African born Swanepoel has been modelling since 2005 and was photographed most recently by Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia and Mario Testino for VMan.

Photographer - Andrew Weir
Source - bellazon.com

Photographer - Seth Sabal
Source - fashiongonerogue.com

Stella McCartney F/W 2011
Photographer - Marcus Tondo

Fendi F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Blumarine F/W 2011
Photographer - Marcus Tondo

Elie Saab F/W 2011
Photographer - Alessandro Viero

Isabel Marant F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Givenchy F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Dolce & Gabanna F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Christian Dior F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Viktor & Rolf F/W 2011
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos
All runway images courtesy of style.com

Model as Muse

Modelling's newest rising stars serve as inspiration for a series of paintings by artist Danny Roberts, commissioned for models.com's MDX. Roberts portraits are based on various existing images of Arizona Muse, Melodie Monrose, Iris Egbers, Hailey Clauson, Julia Saner, Daphne Groeneveld, Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Britt Maren, with the artist imbuing each canvass with his own unique perspective. Roberts captures the individual nuances of each model from the understated elegance of Monrose, to the bohemian chic of Northwood-Blyth and the haunting beauty of Muse. The end results are pure magic and hark back to the days when models served as Muse beyond the world of fashion.

Arizona Muse

Hailey Clauson

Melodie Monrose

Britt Maren

Bambi Northwood-Blyth

Daphne Groeneveld

Iris Egbers

Julia Saner
All images courtesy of models.com

Star Light, Star Bright...

American Vogue assembles an impressive cast of the industry's leading models for its annual "Shape Issue". Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott capture the incandescent beauty of a diverse group of models including Daria Werbowry, Lara Stone, Natalia Vodianova, Gisele Bundchen, Raquel Zimmerman and Joan Smalls. Each model's uniqueness and individual allure is showcased in a series of understated and elegant portraits. Styled by Tonne Goodman, the editorial features body conscious fashions in bold fire engine red and black set against a stark grey background. Seasoned veterans Werbowry, Zimmermann, Vodianova and Bundchen show why they are still at the top of their game after more than ten years in the game, whilst rising stars Stone and Smalls sparkle.

Daria Werbowry

Natalia Vodianova

Raquel Zimmerman

Raquel Zimmerman & Joan Smalls

Gisele Bundchen

Joan Smalls

Lara Stone
US Vogue - April 2011
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

Stopping Traffic

Emmanuelle Alt makes her debut as Editor-in-Chief at Paris Vogue with a visually arresting cover featuring supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The cover for the April 2011 issue lensed by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, features Bundchen posing provocatively in her bra and panties in the countryside. Gisele looks resplendent in a lace slip dress that shows off her best assets and will no doubt help to boost circulation levels for the Alt's debut issue. The question remains as to whether the commercial appeal of the cover marks a new direction for Paris Vogue. Alt has gone on the record as saying that "the magazine will be the same but different" under her direction. 

The Life Rhapsodic

American Vogue serves up a delightful spread featuring some of the industry's leading black models. Joan Smalls, Anais Mali, Jourdan Dunn, Ajak Deng, Arlenis Sosa and Chanel Iman pose alongside a bohemian cast of actors, dancers and musicians in the season's finest prints by Louis Vuitton, Marni, Chanel, Dennis Basso and Marc Jacobs. Photographer Norman Jean Roy captures beautifully the individual spirit and exuberance of each of the models and shows why these girls are at the top of their game.

Ajak Deng, Anais Mali & Joan Smalls

Joan Smalls & Anthony Mackie

Ajak Deng, Anais Mali & Arlenis Sosa

Anais Mali, Arlenis Sosa, Chanel Iman & Jourdan Dunn

Joan Smalls & Colson Whitehead

Chanel Iman, Anais Mali & Jourdan Dunn

Arlenis Sosa, John Legend & Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn & Antonio Douthit

Jourdan Dunn & Anais Mali

Savion Glover & Ajak Deng
US Vogue - March 2011
Photographer - Norman Jean Roy

Here comes the Sun...

Spring is here and to get you in the mood, Harper's Bazaar Spain takes us to the beach in a sultry, sun drenched editorial featuring one of my favourite models Arlenis Sosa. Lensed by Xevi Muntane, Sosa looks sensational in fashions by Isabel Marant, Alaia Azzedine, Salvatore Ferragamo, Missoni, Marni, and Jean Paul Gaulthier. Sosa hails from the Domincan Republic where this editorial was shot and is one of the most endearing, engaging and professional models in the industry today. Represented by Marilyn Model Management in New York, Sosa landed a beauty contract with Lancome Cosmetics in 2010 and is one of the staple models for US Vogue. 

Harper's Bazaar Spain - March 2011
Photographer - Xevi Muntane
Source - fashiongonerogue.com