Casting Crisis

T Magazine went behind the scenes at castings for three of New York Fashion Week's biggest shows - 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra and Band of Outsiders. Booking a spot in any of the three line-ups for 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra and Band of Outsiders, guarantees a model maximum exposure and a berth that may potentially carry through to the shows in London, Paris and Milan. With casting directors Kannon Rajah at the helm for Altuzarra and whiz kid Daniel Peddle keeping a close eye on proceedings at 3.1 Phillip Lim and Band of Outsiders, every established model and newcomer worth talking about, was ready to be put through their paces.

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Kendra Spears reflects
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Andie Arthur & Maud Welzen
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Jeneil Williams
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Caught off Guard
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Xiao Wen Ju
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Sitting Pretty
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

3.1 Phillip Lim Casting
Tao Okamoto
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

Altuzarra Casting
Emily Baker
Photographer - Samantha Casolari

Altuzarra Casting
Josephine Skriver
Photographer - Samantha Casolari

Altuzarra Casting
Lindsey Wixson
Photographer - Samantha Casolari

Altuzarra Casting
Unidentified Model
Photographer - Samantha Casolari

Altuzarra Casting
Lina Zhang
Photographer - Samantha Casolari

Band of Outsiders Casting
Jessica Clarke
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

Band of Outsiders Casting
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

Band of Outsiders Casting
Sarah Blomqvist
Photographer - Kevin Tachman

Band of Outsiders Casting
Under Close Scrutiny
Photographer - Kevin Tachman
All images courtesy of www.tmagazine.blog.nytimes.com

Trendsetters

Each season, model pundits eagerly await BCBG Max Azria's line-up on Day 2 of New York Fashion Week for an indication of the new faces with the most breakout star potential. The BCBG casting is one of the most anticipated castings for any model hopeful. A favourable impression on head designer Lubov Azria can catapult a model into the limelight with possible appearances at anyone of the three presentations for BCBG, Hervé Leger and Max Azria. Last season, newcomer Karolina Waz opened for BCBG Max Azria, followed by a slew of gorgeous new models including Karo Mrozkova, Valerija Sestic, and Brenda Kranz, interspersed amongst faces of the season Kate King, Daga Ziober, Emily Baker, Zuzanna Bijoch and Fei Fei Sun. 

This season casting duo Barbara Nicoli and Leila Ananna, reveal to style.com that they are on the lookout for a straight-forward kind of beauty, or as Ananna refers to as an "eighties glamour - not the fragile quirky look anymore." Amongst the newcomers at the top of their ones to watch list are Katryn Kruger, Nadine Ponce, Josefien Nielsen and Appoline. The industry's finest were in attendance at the BCBG casting for a shot at the hottest ticket in town.

Sara Blomqvist checks in
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

Time to kill
Source - bcbgmaxazriagroup.com

Fine Company
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

Looking at you
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

In the Bag - Kelly Mittendorf
Source - bcbgmaxazriagroup.com

Light Relief
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

In the Line of Fire - Kelly Mittendorf
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

Sissi Hou
Source - bcbgmaxazriagroup.com

Sui He
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

Andie Arthur & Kate King
Photographer - Craig Arend
Source - altamiranyc.tumblr.com

It's Gonna be a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays Everyone! I must apologise for my slackness with posting of late but I have just spent the past few days holed up in a lakeside cabin in Bavaria without internet access. Now don't get me wrong - I love nature and all, but there is only so much hiking and fresh air that I can take before I start to get a little stir crazy for a healthy dose of fashion and modelling. British Vogue gets 2012 off to just the right start with a gorgeous editorial lensed by Daniel Jackson and styled by Francesca Burns, featuring an eclectic cast of beauties. Veteran models Elise Crombez and Doutzen Kroes lead the charge alongside newcomers Kati Nescher, Emily Baker, Codie Young, Romee Strijd, Maria Bradley and familiar faces Ymre Stiekma, Vika Falileeva and Bette Franke. I love this editorial for its unpredictable line-up of girls and the fact that the models are allowed to imbue each image with a hint of their personality.

Romee Strijd

Maria Bradley

Emily Baker

Elise Crombez

Bette Franke

Codie Young

Ymre Stiekema

Kirsi Pyrhonen

Kati Nescher

Doutzen Kroes

Maria Bradley

Kirsi Pyrhonen

Vika Falileeva

Emily Baker
British Vogue - February 2012
Photographer - Daniel Jackson
Styling - Francesca Burns
Source - models.com

The V Collective

V Magazine assembles a cast of modelling's freshest talent for an editorial highlighting the Faces of Now. Julia Nobis, Daphne Groeneveld, Ruby Aldridge, Ilse de Boer, Hailey Clausen, Andie Arthur, Charlotte Free, Emily Baker and Marique Schimmel pose for designer and photographer Hedi Slimane in a series of paired-back, black and white portraits. Slimane captures the individual beauty of each subject whilst allowing the models to imbue the images with an element of their own character. The resulting images are candid, personal and beautiful in their simplicity.

Daphne Groeneveld

Ilse de Boer

Charlotte Free

Andie Arthur

Ruby Aldridge

Julia Nobis

Hailey Clauson

Marique Schimmel

Emily Baker
V Magazine - November 2011
Photographer - Hedi Slimane
Source - models.com

Coming on Strong

The Spring/Summer 2012 shows were dominated by a select group of second-season models, determined to prove that they are here to stay. Aymeline Valade, Sui He, Nyasha Matonhodze, Emily Baker, Josephine Skriver, Zuzanna Bijoch, Roberta Narciso, Kate King, Fei Fei Sun and Julia Nobis left a blistering trail behind them as they collectively eclipsed the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris. In an industry which discards newcomers faster than you can say "exclusive", it's reassuring to witness a new generation of models who possess real potential staying power. This diverse group of beauties possess three common denominators; they are all distinctly beautiful, versatile in the looks that they are able to portray, and bring an energy and character to the runway that has been missing in seasons past. If you're looking to put the Super back into the modelling industry, look no further.

Josephine Skriver
Balenciaga - S/S 2012
Photographer - Monica Feudi

Aymeline Valade
Alberta Ferretti - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Fei Fei Sun
BCBG Max Azria - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Roberta Narciso
Akris - S/S 2012
Photographer - Alessandro Viero

Zuzanna Bijoch
Chloé - S/S 2012
Photographer - Alessandro Viero

Nyasha Matonhodze
Givenchy - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Emily Baker
Alberta Ferretti - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Sui He
Donna Karan - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Julia Nobis
Alberta Ferretti - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Kate King
Lanvin - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos
All runway images courtesy of style.com