The Dark Side of Calvin Klein

If Calvin Klein's Fall/Winter 2012 show is anything to go by, this year is shaping up to be the year of the brunette. Francisco Costa's line-up featured a predominance of brunettes including faces of the season, Kati Nescher, Lara Mullen, Marte Mei van Haaster, Mackenzie Drazan, Ava Smith and Nadja Bender. Casting duo Maida Gregori Boina and Rami Fernandes, who are known for their uncanny ability to forecast model trends, selected Berlin native Franzi Mueller and Polish newcomer Agata Rudko to open and close for Costa's modestly restrained collection. Also featured in the cast were Martinique beauty Cora Emmanuel, comeback kid Ymre Stiekema, Hungarian ingenue Kate Kondas and the revitalised Patricia Van der Vliet sporting a razor sharp, blunt bob. With a client roster that includes Jil Sander, Costume National and Hakaan, Maida and Rami can change a model's prospects from woe to go in a nanosecond.

Show Opener - Franzi Mueller
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Closing Proceedings - Agata Rudko
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Kate Kondas
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Lara Mullen
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Mackenzie Drazan
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Kati Nescher
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Patricia Van der Vliet
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Ava Smith
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Cora Emmanuel
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Marte Mei van Haaster
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012

Ymre Stiekema
Calvin Klein - F/W 2012
Photographer - Monica Feudi
Source - style.com

Orient Express

Deciding which models and shows to highlight is in itself an almost impossible task. Almost that is, until I saw Australian model Shanina Shaik opening for Jason Wu's Chinese themed collection. Wu, who is in fact Taiwanese and immigrated to Canada at the age of ten, was inspired by a trip with his father to Taiwan. Asking himself "What is Chinese?", Wu came up with three distinct reference points; the military China epitomised by Mao jackets and shirts, the historical China of the Qing dynasty, and forties Hollywood version of China.

To fulfil this brief, Wu enlisted the services of casting director James Scully to assemble a line-up of models who could embody the many sides of Chinese culture as reflected in the collection. The challenge for Scully lay in casting models with strong enough looks and conviction combined with a womanly allure, to pull off the military style jackets, cheongsam dresses and silk tassel earrings. With the gonging of a cymbal, Shanina Shaik entered the fray via a strobe of red light signalling the beginnings of a visual feast. Red hot newcomers Katryn Kruger, Kati Nescher, Julia Frauche, and Marte Mei Van Haaster joined the procession alongside established stars Joan Smalls, Aymeline Valade, Kate King, Emily Baker and Candice Swanepoel. The line-up was one of the most ethnically diverse of NYFW with Cora Emmanuel, Jourdan Dunn, Anais Mali, Liu Wen, Tao Okamoto, Lais Ribeiro and Jasmine Tookes all landing coveted spots.

In the final moments before the show is about to start, Scully corals the models together for a pre-show motivational pep talk informing them, "It is the year of the dragon ladies at Jason Wu and you're his bitches, so make sure everybody knows. We want you confident, strong, gorgeous. I don't book you for your size, I book you because of who you are and you're all beautiful and never let anyone make you feel less than skinny or not big enough. You're all fucking gorgeous and I want you all to feel that way when you go out there and make the show happen." 

Jason Wu's Model Army
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Shanina Shaik
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Candice Swanepoel
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Cora Emmanuel
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Anais Mali
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Katryn Kruger
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Jasmine Tookes
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Kati Nescher
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Jourdan Dunn
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Liu Wen
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Emily Baker
Jason Wu - F/W 2012

Lais Ribeiro
Jason Wu - F/W 2012
Photographer - Monica Feudi
Source - style.com

In the Line of Fire

ACW Worldwide draws a who's who of modelling's elite to its annual casting at the Hudson Hotel library to pose and strut in front of founder Andrew Weir and his team of model makers and breakers. Weir who casts shows for Thakoon, Jen Kao, Rachel Zoe and Rebecca Taylor amongst others, was on the lookout for the next big thing amongst the scores of model hopefuls. Last Saturday, Weir and his team put 300 to 400 models from every reputable New York agency through their paces, culminating with each model being photographed against the library's curtained off windows. Weir reveals to fashionista.com his criteria for getting noticed, "You're not gonna do a show with us unless you can walk. You have to be the complete package. There are some amazing girls that are so beautiful but if they can't walk, maybe next season. In my ten years of experience, I find that if you do use a girl that's a bit wobbly, it just breaks the continuity and effects people in the audience."

As for the future, Weir has his eyes planted firmly on Asia as the next hottest scouting region and reveals to lookbooks.com, "I have never seen so many Asian kids in the market." Weir waxes rhapsodically over Nepalese newcomer Varsha Thapa, "Everyone's going to be talking about Varsha", and referring to her walk adds, "What is that? Are you crazy? That's in your blood, you don't learn that. You think you know what a girl's gonna do, but you never do..." Likewise, Weir gushes to style.com over newcomer Roberta Narciso, "She's from Angola, so she'll walk like royalty." and cannot contain his enthusiasm after seeing her walk, "Oh my God, that is crazy. This does not happen in America." Judging by the photos below, the competition was fierce and wrought with tension. Good luck to all of the models in attendance and we look forward to seeing some of you at New York Fashion Week.

Walking the Line
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Models of Composure
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Ranya Mordanova
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Karlina Caune
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Under Pressure
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Ava Smith
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Cora Emmanuel has her eyes on the prize
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Marihenny Pasible
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

No Sweat - Sui He
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

You Better Walk - Ajak Deng
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Diversity Rules
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Marihenny Pasible & Unknown
Photographer - TK Stewart-Deely
Source - fashionista.com

Arlenis Sosa in Action
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Arlenis Sosa & Andrew Weir
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Prized Possession - Varsha Thapa
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Patience is a Virtue
Photographer - Dan Nguyen
Source - danwin.com

Melissa Tammerijn
Photographer - TK Stewart-Deely
Source - fashionista.com

Comeback Kid - Tanya Dziahileva
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Samantha Gradoville
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

So Young Kang & Hyoni Kang
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Mina Cvetkovic
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

These boots were made for walking
Photographer - TK Stewart-Deely
Source - fashionista.com

Make or Break
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Blurred Lines
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Marina Nery
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Jeneil Williams
Photographer - Dag Bennstrom
Source - models.com

Priscilla Kabeya
Photographer - TK Stewart-Deely
Source - fashionista.com

Arlenis Sosa
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

In the Wings
Photographer - Richard Guaty
Source - fashionindie.com

Final Call
Photographer - TK Stewart-Deely
Source - fashionista.com