Beauty is Diverse

Peter Lindbergh celebrates the beauty of diversity with a vibrant editorial for the March edition of US Vogue featuring an all star cast of models. Veteran model Karolina Kurkova teams up with faces of the moment, Joan Smalls, Liu Wen, Kasia Struss, Cara Delevigne and Fei Fei Sun sporting a panoply of bold head-turning prints. Whether it be in an editorial or a runway show, the wonderful combination of iconic faces, current stars and newbies, adds a freshness and element of surprise which I love. The eclectic mix of models combined with the extraordinary talent of Lindbergh and the styling genius of Tabitha Simmons make for an editorial which enthrals and delights.

Liu Wen, Karolina Kurkova & Kasia Struss
US Vogue - March 2012
Photographer - Peter Lindbergh

Liu Wen, Cara Delevigne, Joan Smalls,
Kasia Struss & Fei Fei Sun
US Vogue - March 2012

Fei Fei Sun & Liu Wen
US Vogue - March 2012

Karolina Kurkova
US Vogue - March 2012

Karolina Kurkova & Joan Smalls
US Vogue - March 2012

Liu Wen
US Vogue - March 2012

Joan Smalls
US Vogue - March 2012

Kasia Struss & Cara Delevigne
US Vogue - March 2012

Karolina Kurkova
US Vogue - March 2012
Photographer - Peter Lindbergh
Source - thefashionspot.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

Element of Surprise

Whilst it's always lovely to see established models like Natasha Poly, Karmen Pedaru, and Raquel Zimmermann booking campaign after campaign each season, every now and then it's nice to see casting directors taking a leap of faith in a newcomer. Valentino's campaign shot by the amazing Deborah Turbeville, features four of modellings up-and-coming talent; Bette Franke, Fei Fei Sun, Maud Welzen and Zuzanna Bijoch. Turbeville's enigmatic photographic style perfectly captures the romanticism and mysterious ethereal-like beauty of Valentino's Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Each of the four models is uniquely beautiful and possesses that indefinable star quality that is campaign worthy.

Maud Welzen, Zuzanna Bijoch, Bette Franke & Fei Fei Sun
Valentino - S/S 2012
Photographer - Deborah Turbeville
Source - fashiongonerogue.com

Hervé Leger enlists photographer Camilla Akrans to capture the exquisite beauty of former America's Next Top Model alumni Fatima Siad for its Spring/Summer 2012 campaign. Siad looks every bit the warrior goddess in a gladiator inspired bandeau dress whilst posing alongside a white horse. The Somali-Ethiopian model has more than earnt her stripes, having branched out on her own in the modelling world, turning heads at the recent Spring/Summer 2012 collections with appearances at Hermés, Dries Van Noten, and Andrew Gn.

Fatima Siad
Hervé Leger - S/S 2012
Photographer - Camilla Akrans
Source - fashiongonerogue.com

Chinese newcomer Xiao Wen Ju scores the campaign coup of the season with an only girl slot for Marc Jacobs. The designer enlists twenty year old Wen Ju to be the first Chinese campaign star for the prestigious label. The Xian native represented by IMG Model Management has been modelling for only a year and has already appeared in Love, American Vogue, French Revue de Modes, V Magazine and Interview. Wen Ju's wide set eyes, doll-like features and petite frame bring a freshness and an element of surprise to the Juergen Teller lensed campaign images. Wen Ju was hard not to notice at the Spring/Summer 2012 collections where she walked for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Dsquared2, Missoni, Anteprima, DKNY, Rag & Bone, 3.1 Philip Lim, Cushnie et Ochs , Peter Som and of course, Marc Jacobs.

Xiao Wen Ju
Marc Jacobs - S/S 2012
Photographer - Juergen Teller
Source - models.com

Always A Woman

US Vogue sets the tone for the New Year with a David Sims lensed editorial featuring a cast of models from the past, present and future. The diverse grouping of models brings an element of surprise to Vogue's January 2012 issue with Stella Tenant, Isabeli Fontana, Anja Rubik, Joan Smalls, Arizona Muse, Karlie Kloss, Caroline Trentini, Frida Gustavsson, Edie Campbell, Nyasha Matonhodze, Anais Pouliot, Aymeline Valade, Zuzanna Bijoch and Fei Fei Sun rounding out the eclectic cast. Entitled "Always A Woman", the models look resplendent in the latest Spring/Summer 2012 collections from Louis Vuitton, Jil Sander, Prada, Givenchy, Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana.

Anais Pouliot

Joan Smalls

Zuzanna Bijoch

Karlie Kloss

Frida Gustavsson

Aymeline Valade

Isabeli Fontana

Stella Tenant

Anja Rubik

Arizona Muse

Nyasha Matonhodze

Caroline Trentini

Fei Fei Sun
US Vogue - January 2012
Photographer -  David Sims
Source - thefashionspot.com

She's Got the Look

What do top models Erjona Ala, Nyasha Matonhodze, Ming Xi, Julia Saner, Fei Fei Sun, Constance Jablonski, Sigrid Agren and Eniko Mihalik all have in common? Aside from their obvious stunning DNA, they all got their start in modelling as finalists in the Elite Model Look competition. With this year's final due to commence in Shanghai in a few hours, I thought I'd give you a heads up on my top picks out of the 65 finalists. I had an extremely tough time deciding which ten models to include in my top ten, however after having sifted through the online portfolios and having watched the model interviews, I'm hoping to see Lenka from the Czech Republic, Leona from Slovakia and Mily from the Dominican Republic place amongst the final three to take out the title. Which of the faces below will you be hedging bets on?

Lenka - Czech Republic
Age - 18 years

Leona - Slovakia
Age - 14 years

Li XiaoXin - China
Age - 20 years

Agata - Russia
Age - 18 years

Dijora - Lithuania
Age - 15 years

Elsa - Angola
Age - 17 years

Mily - Dominican Republic
Age - 14 years

Jenna - USA
Age - 14 years

Lieke - the Netherlands
Age - 14 years

Barbara - Serbia
Age - 15 years
All images courtesy of elitemodellook.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