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

Frontrunner

The Milan and Paris show circuits are notorious for being particularly tough markets for newcomers to crack. Twenty year old Karo Mrozkova however emerged from the fracas as the most coveted newcomer of the Spring/Summer 2012 season. With a staggering 50 shows to her credit, the luminous Czech beauty ticked all of the right boxes, gliding down the runways for the likes of BCBG Max Azria, Band of Outsiders, Carolina Herrera, Herve Leger, Theysken's Theory, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Rodarte, Acne, Antonio Berardi, Jil Sander, Dolce Gabbana, DSquared, Just Cavalli, Lanvin and Chanel. Represented by Marilyn Model Management in New York, the statuesque 180 cm tall blond bombshell is a dead ringer for Hana Soukupova and Filippa Hamilton with a dash of Grace Kelly thrown in. I am certain that Mrozkova's classic blonde haired, blue eyed look will make her a frontrunner when it comes to casting campaigns for the season ahead.

Classic Blonde
Photographer - Unknown
Source - thefashionspot.com

Marie Claire Czech Republic - Issue Unknown
Photographer - Dennison Bertram
Source - thefasionspot.com

Photographer -  Jacob Sadrak
Source - jacobsadrak.blogspot.com

Photographer - Unknown
Source - thefashionspot.com

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

Just Cavalli - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Lanvin - S/S 2012
Photographer - Yannis Vlamos

Gianfranco Ferre - S/S 2012
Photographer - Marcus Tondo

Theysken's Theory - S/S 2012
Photographer - Gianni Pucci
All runway images courtesy of style.com

Make or Break

The casting for BCBG Max Azria drew an impressive line-up of over 500 model hopefuls who were sent through their paces under the watchful eye of casting director Russell Marshall. Three shows are cast for the BCBG group, namely BCBG, Max Azria and Herve Leger. Industry pundits can rely on the BCBG shows to forecast the most promising new models for the season ahead. Models of the moment; Arizona Muse, Celine Van Amstel, Andie Arthur, Linnea Regnander, and Samantha Gradoville, all appeared in BCBG's Spring/Summer 2011 show last season. 

The lead up to the shows can prove to be an arduous time for models, often spent running to and from castings and fittings with little time to stop to refuel. BCBG shows a little love by providing survival kits at it's castings, complete with snacks, water, beauty products and tips to stay healthy throughout the runway season.

Judging by the images below, this could well be the season that the fashion industry embraces diversity. Spotted at the BCBG casting were an eclectic mix of models; Ajak Deng, Danica Magpantay, Crystal Renn, Samantha Gradoville, Hailey Clauson, Ornelia Edwards, Betty Adewole, Alice Burdeu, and Bambi Northwood-Blyth.

Ornelia Edwards, Betty Adewole & Aymeline Valade

A little Patience...

Californian Sunshine Kid - Hailey Clauson

Nyasha Mantonhodze & Ajak Deng

Australia's Next Top Models
Amanda Ware & Alice Burdeu

These boots are made for walking...

Hanne Gaby Odiele & Kasia Struss

The List

Betty Adewole & Ornelia Edwards

A little conversation - Bambi Northwood-Blyth & Lauren Brown

Best foot forward

Unknown & Celine Van Amstel

Nerves of Steel 

Centred - Danica Magpantay

Welcome

Survivor - Crystal Renn
All images courtesy of bcbgmaxazriagroup.com