Catherine The Great

In 2007, a then seventeen year old Catherine McNeil flew to Paris to meet with famed photographer Mario Testino. McNeil made quite an impression. Testino immediately booked the Brisbane beauty to appear in the Fall/Winter 2007 Hugo Boss and D&G campaigns, and signed her to a six month exclusive editorial contract. Marked by the New York Times as a "model to watch", McNeil went on to eclipse the runways of Milan and Paris logging a blinding 35 show tally in her debut season with appearances at Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Chanel.

Early Days
Photographer - Unknown
Source - thefashionspot.com

McNeil's runway blitz translated into editorial gold with appearances on the covers of V Magazine, Paris Vogue, French Numero, Russh Magazine and Australian Vogue. Most importantly though, McNeil received the ultimate endorsement from US Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph McNeil's former agent Stephen Lee at Next, reveals that after having come from a meeting with the most powerful woman in fashion, "Anna said that she wants Catherine to be an absolute, total Vogue girl. No Harper's or anything - just Vogue. Anna says Catherine epitomises everything that Vogue wants to stand for now."

US Vogue - August 2008
Photographer - Steven Klein
Source - bellazon.com

US Vogue - September 2008
Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier
Source - bellazon.com

US Vogue - December 2008
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - bellazon.com

US Vogue - February 2008
Photographer - Raymond Meier
Source - bellazon.com

US Vogue - March 2009

Photographer - Mario Testino

Source - thefashionspot.com

US Vogue - September 2008
Photographer - Steven Klein
Source - models.com

US Vogue - December 2008
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - models.com

The buzz surrounding McNeil was palpable with designers, photographers and casting directors lauding praise over the newcomer. Angus Munro of AM Casting was gushing in his assessment of McNeil in an interview with V Magazine, "There aren't enough superlatives to describe the arrival of this young Australian on the scene. Models with true star quality are extremely rare but Catherine has is all - the grace, the stature, the perfect blend of strength and beauty, and, perhaps most importantly, the brains and the sense of humour. These qualities combined are going to make her a household name." Influential casting agent James Scully echoed these sentiments speaking with New York Look, "Her cat eyes, her hair - they don't make many girls like this!"

Numéro - September 2008
Photographer - Horst Diekgerdes
Source - bellazon.com

i-D Magazine - October 2008
Photographer - Amy Troost
Source - bellazon.com

German Vogue - June 2008
Photographer - Horst Diekgerdes
Source - bellazon.com

Numéro - February 2008
Photographer - Greg Kadel
Source - bellazon.com

Paris Vogue - June/July 2007
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - bellazon.com

V Magazine - Issue 47
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - models.com

Australian Vogue - January 2010
Photographer - Richard Bailey
Source - bellazon.com

McNeil delivered on such high expectations with back to back campaigns for Hugo Boss as well as campaigns for Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Donna Karan, the GAP, Uniqlo, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. Editorial appearances in i-D, V Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Numero, W Magazine, Russh, and virtually every international edition of Vogue, confirmed McNeil as a bonafide star amongst the current generation of models.

Hugo Boss - F/W 2007
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - bellazon.com

Louis Vuitton - Resort 2009
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Source - nymag.com

Dolce & Gabbana - Resort 2009
Photographer - Steven Klein
Source - nymag.com

Donna Karan - F/W 2007
Photographer - Mario Testino
Source - nymag.com

Givenchy - F/W 2010
Photographer - Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin
Source - models.com

For the past year McNeil has been on a somewhat self-imposed hiatus from modelling. Rumours abound with personal issues, burn out and health concerns, all cited for McNeil's absence from the modelling circuit. McNeil, who had recently jumped ship from Next Model Management to Ford Models, reemerged at the Spring/Summer 2012 collections in September with a renewed vigour and a new look. McNeil's return to the catwalk signals perhaps a shift in the the marketing of McNeil thanks to her management team at Ford. Instead of her sultry trademark cascading auburn locks, McNeil turned more than a few heads with a more subdued, sophisticated navel grazing bob.

Polaroid shot
Courtesy of Next Model Management

In an interview with Frockwriter, Ford Models agent Doll Wright sheds some light on McNeil's journey, "Life is a rollercoaster and these girls go through so much, they're worked to the bone. Some burn out or fade out and are never heard of again. Or they do have some fire in their belly and they come back bigger and better than ever before. And in the case of Catherine McNeil, that's what it's going to be." McNeil's runway appearances at Hermés, Jean Paul Gaulthier, Viktor & Rolf, Haider Ackermann, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Pringle of Scotland and Matthew Williamson during the Spring/Summer 2012 collections, suggest that the fashion industry is ready to embrace McNeil back into its fold.

Comeback Trail
Matthew Williamson - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Gareth Pugh - S/S 2012
Photographer - Marcus Tondo

Hermés - S/S 2012
Photographer - Alessandro Viero

Jean Paul Gaultier - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos
All runway images courtesy of style.com

Catherine's Creed
Photographer - Andrew Weir
Source - andrewsdiary.com

Divine Intervention

French beauty Anais Mali has confirmed her status as one of Anna Wintour's staple models, scoring her first only-girl editorial for US Vogue captured by Raymond Meier. Mali has a look that transcends race, being of African and Polish heritage, and of French nationality. Mali is a versatile beauty, capable of alternating with ease between haute couture looks whilst posing for Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia, to sporting more consumer-friendly attire for commercial end clients like the GAP, Levis and J Crew.

I recall being transfixed the first time I laid eyes on Mali during the Spring/Summer 2011 collections. Mali's crescent shaped eyes, luminous skin, impossibly divine bone structure and engaging personality have landed her a slew of editorial appearances in V, i-D Magazine, Vogue Italia, US Harpers Bazaar, Interview and US Vogue. In an interview with Bethann Hardison conducted back in July 2010 for Vogue.it, Mali forecasts the future, "I would love to work with photographers like Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Stevn Klein, all these people that you dream of because they are such big photographers for the likes of Vogue magazine." Mali is well on her way to achieving her goals and her innate love for fashion and chic sensibility make her an attractive proposition for many designers.  

Solo Girl Spot - Anais Mali
US Vogue - August 2011

US Vogue - August 2011
Photographer - Raymond Meier
Source - thefashionspot.com

Photographer - Unknown
Source - models.com

GAP - S/S 2011
Photographer - Craig McDean
Source - thefashionspot.com

Photographer - Unknown
Source - vogue.it

The Fashion Bible

I have been an avid collector of fashion magazines since the age of eleven. I can remember the first magazine I purchased being Vogue Italia and the feeling of wonder I felt as I was transported to a magical world of beauty, fantasy and creativity. I still have that edition in my possession. Back in the day I would purchase Vogue Italia, Paris Vogue, US Vogue, US Harper's Bazaar, Mademoiselle, W Magazine, Interview and Vanity Fair religiously each month. Nowadays with so many titles available on the market I have narrowed down my monthly mag fix to a select few.

If you are after an engrossing read which covers all aspects of the fashion industry, Industrie Magazine delivers just that. Self-described as "the world's first culture of fashion magazine", Industrie was founded in 2009 by Erik Torstensson and Jens Grede, and is published bi-annually. What I love about Industrie is that it's content is pure unadulterated fashion and it provides the reader with an insider's point of view of the machinations of the fashion industry. 

The magazine presents eloquent and thoughtfully written prose on all manner of topics ranging from fashion designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte fame, to legendary photographer, art director and editor of Interview magazine Fabien Baran. Industrie's second edition features interviews with three of fashion's power brokers ; mega-model agent Ivan Bart of IMG Models, Floriane de Saint Pierre (who is responsible for the appointment of perfect fit candidates such as Christopher Bailey to such high end fashion houses as Burberry), and lastly the President of the Federation Francaise de la Couture, Didier Grumbach.

Modelling's finest talent, Lara Stone, Daria Werbowry, Alessandro Ambrosio, Edita Vilkevicuite and Sigird Agren are also permitted to shine in editorials shot by Patrick Demarchelier, Solve Sundsbo, Camilla Akrans and Richard Bush. And as much as I love to see a model on the cover of a magazine, it must be said that Industrie's first three covers featuring Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs and Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, make for truly engaging cover subjects. 

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Self Portrait
Industrie - Issue 3
Source - models.com

Ms Anna Wintour
Photographer - Unknown
Industrie - Issue 1
Source - models.com

Marc Jacobs
Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier
Industrie - Issue 2
Source - nymag.com

Amazing Grace

Fashion's finest turned out at New York's Indochine restaurant in celebration of American Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington's 70th Birthday. Shalom Harlow, Naomi Campbell, Stella Tenant, Liya Kebede, Caroline Trentini, Isabeli Fontana and Karlie Kloss amongst others paid tribute to Coddington in an evening that was marked by genuine warmth, emotion and camaraderie. Photographer Bruce Weber and Marc Jacobs made heartfelt tributes whilst model Karen Elson serenaded Coddington with a moving rendition of Amazing Grace after recalling how Coddington took her (Elson) into her office as a scraggly seventeen-year-old red head during her early modelling days.

Grace Coddington
British Vogue - August 1962
Photographer - Unknown

Grace Coddington's 50th Birthday at Indochine in 1991

Grace Coddington & Shalom Harlow
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Grace Coddington & Karen Elson

Coddington herself began working as a model for Vogue at the age of seventeen when she won the young model division of a Vogue modelling competition. After a few years of modelling, Coddington began working for British Vogue as a stylist. Coddington spent nineteen years at British Vogue as the Photo Editor before moving onto American Vogue in 1988 joining forces with Anna Wintour in the role of creative director. 

As one of the world's most influential fashion editors, Coddington's brilliance lies in her ability to transform photographic spreads into narratives. In an interview with Time Magazine, Coddington surmises, "I like fairy tales, and I like dreaming. I try to weave the reality into the dream. When readers pick up Vogue, I want them to smile. Everything should be a little tongue in cheek, a little dare to-go-there." Editor in Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour, perhaps sums it up best, "I think of Grace as the heart and soul of the magazine. She is a beacon of excellence."

Pat McGrath, Karen Elson, Anna Wintour,
Edward Enninful &Naomi Campbell
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Olivier Theyskens, Hedi Slimane & Stella Tenant
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Karen Elson & Stefano Pilati
Photographer -  Hannah Thomson

Karlie Kloss & Grace Coddington
Photographer - Hannah Thomson

Caroline Trentini, Liya Kebede & Isabeli Fontana
Photographer - Hannah Thomson
All images courtesy of vogue.com

I ♥ Arizona

New Mexico native, Arizona Muse is being touted as the next big thing by American Vogue's Anna Wintour. In the February edition of US Vogue, Wintour gives the ultimate stroke of approval; "When I look at Arizona, I see shades of Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova, but most of all I see her, a gorgeous, smart grown-up. And how could anyone resist someone with that name."

Represented by Next Model Management in New York, Muse was undoubtedly the breakout star of the  Spring 2011 collections, opening and closing for Prada and appearing in 24 shows throughout the season. All signs are pointing to 2011 being Muse's year, having already been photographed by Steven Meisel for the cover of Vogue Italia's January issue and appearing in editorials for the February editions of British, US and Chinese Vogue. Muse has consolidated on her stellar SS11 show season by landing two highly coveted blue chip campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent and Prada.

Muse recently returned to modelling following a year and half hiatus, during which she gave birth to her son Nikko. Combining motherhood and modelling appears to suit Muse beautifully. In interviews with Stylecaster and Vogue.com, Muse describes how; "I think some people think that it (modelling and motherhood) might be two different lives but it's one life, it's all the same. I love my son more than anything and I'm so happy being a young mother. He (Nikko) is flourishing and blossoming as a little boy, and as a mom, I am too."

Arizona & Nikko
US Vogue - February 2011
Photographer - Peter Lindbergh

Arizona Muse and Freja Beha Erichsen
Vogue Italia - January 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Vogue Italia - January 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Vogue China - February 2011
Photographer - Camilla Akrans

Arizona Muse
Photographer - Unknown
Source - bellazon.com