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

Better With Age

Hot on the heels of Saskia de Brauw and Aymeline Valade comes twenty three year old classic French beauty Julia Frauche. Frauche was the standout star of the Spring/Summer 2012 collections in September with "who's that girl" appearances at Calvin Klein, Altuzarra, Jason Wu, Reed Krakoff, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Celine, Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloé, Givenchy, Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana and Marni. With a show list that reads like the who's who of the fashion elite, you could be forgiven for assuming that Frauche was yet another overnight modelling success story. Scouted at the age of sixteen in the south of France, Frauche had zero interest in modelling and was focused instead on her education. Upon graduation, Frauche relocated to Paris to attend college and was approached again to model. It was at this time that Frauche chose to give modelling a try.  

Intermission - December 2011
Photographer - Greg Harris
Source - models.com

Dazed & Confused - January 2012
Photographer - Yelena Yemchuk
Source - models.com

Intermission - December 2011
Photographer - Greg Harris
Source - models.com

Following five years of grunt modelling, scraping by with commercial editorial work and money jobs to pay the bills, Frauche switched representation to Next Model Management and decided to give the show circuit one final shot. In an interview with the Cut, Frauche explains "I have been doing this job for five years and I was like, "Okay this is my last chance. I'm going to try the shows and this is going to be the last time for me." The gamble paid off, with Frauche charming casting agents and designers with her mature outlook and womanly allure. Dubbed "baby Raquel" by casting agent James Scully for her likeness to Brazilian supermodel Raquel Zimmermann, Frauche is self-effacing in spite of the buzz surrounding her new found success. Speaking again with the Cut, Frauche recalls "This season, everyone was like, "Oh you're baby Raquel." But it's a really good compliment for me; I'm really happy about it because I love her. She's beautiful, and I hear she's nice, too."

US Vogue - January 2011
Photographer - Mariano Vivanco
Source - thefashionspot.com

Julia Frauche & Olivier Rousteing
US Vogue - January 2011
Photographer - Mariano Vivanco
Source - thefashionspot.com

Frauche has since landed on the pristine pages of American Vogue, Paris Vogue, German Vogue, Dazed & Confused, Intermission, and French Numero, displaying an insouciance and a versatility that women of all ages can relate to. The recent success stories of models well into their twenties, like Kati Nescher and Frauche, heralds a shift in the fashion paradigm towards models that women can identify with rather than a fifteen year old playing dress-ups. As Frauche reveals succinctly to the Cut, "I was a really shy person when I started, so it took time for me to learn how to communicate with people. I learned by travelling, being by myself all the time. I'm more mature now and I know what I want to do." It is this confidence and innate sense of self, coupled with a beauty that is mesmerising which will have Frauche marked as one of the definitive models of the next generation.

US Vogue - February 2012
Photographer - Raymond Meier
Source - thefashionspot.com

US Vogue - February 2012
Photographer - Raymond Meier
Source - thefashionspot.com

Numero - November 2011
Photographer - Liz Collins
Source - models.com

Numero - November 2011
Photographer - Liz Collins
Source - models.com

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

You've Got the Right Stuff

What do Natalie Joos, Andrew Weir, Michelle Lee, James Scully, and Ashley Brokaw, all have in common? This talented group are the masterminds behind the casting of runway shows for the likes of Zac Posen, Yigal Azrouel, Thankoon, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Hererra, Jason Wu, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, and Rag & Bone, to name but a few. The job of determining which newcomers will rise from obscurity to become the most coveted faces of the season is a nearly implausible task. The Cut probes Joos et al. for their tips on who will be this seasons breakthrough models.

Valerija Sestic
Photographer - Unknown
Source - thefashionspot.com

Switzerland's Valerija Sestic is of Croatian descent and is high on casting agent Michelle Lee's must have list, "Works a striking dichotomy - while very young and fresh, she also has a domineering quality reminiscent of a young Cordula Reyer."

Beegee Margenyte
Image courtesy of Supreme Models
Source - thefashionspot.com

Lithuanian stunner Beegee Magenyte is represented by Supreme Model Management and has casting maestro James Scully backing her as this season's face to watch, "This is only Beegee's first full season, but she enters the shows with the pedigree of  having banked future editorials with Carine Roitfeld and Mario Testino. I expect her to be a hit right from the beginning of the week."

Kelly Mittendorf
Photographer - Unknown
Source - thefashionspot.com

With a Prada campaign under her belt before having set foot on an international catwalk, Kelly Mittendorf is destined for super success. Casting agent Natalie Joos concurs; "She has a more than intriguing look, with slanted wider-set eyes, a full head of curly chestnut hair, and a big smile at all times. Kelly, a proud American girl from Arizona who can be seen in the new Prada Ads, is sure to shoot straight to the top this season."

Xiao Wen Ju
Photographer - Unknown
Source - models.com

The buzz surrounding Chinese model Xiao Wen Ju from IMG Models is palpable and with casting agent Ashley Brokaw in her court, its no wonder. "A season under her belt has done wonders for her confidence. She has great presence when she walks and her face is divine. Xiao doesn't look like anyone else out there."

Julia Frauche
Photographer - Unknown
Source - models.com

Also getting the nod from casting maestro James Scully, is French newcomer Julia Frauche who is represented by Next Model Management, "My underdog of the season, she is a dead ringer for Raquel Zimmerman, who in my opinion is the ultimate chameleon with one of the best bodies in the business. Julia reminds me so much of Raquel when she started out, so I'm curious to see how her season goes. I, for one, will definitely be using her."

Senait
Image courtesy of Elmer Olsen models
Source - thef-list.blogspot.com

Canadian newcomer Senait is represented by IMG Models in New York and is another of Michelle Lee's favourite new faces, "She has an undeniable classic beauty, and a lovely personality to match."

Gertrud Hegelund
Photographer - Unknown
Source - models.com

IMG Models Gertrud Hegelund is the baby sister of model Agnete. With a current Louis Vuitton campaign is rotation, Gertrud according to Natalie Joos is destined to be amongst tis seasons most wanted. "Getrud hails from Sweden and is the younger sister of Agnete. I booked her for a Turkish Vogue editorial that came out a few months ago. She's super tall and regal, and a little bit of an enigma, and she's being kept very exclusive."

Ilse de Boer
Photographer - Unknown
Source - models.com

The wave of Dutch models continues with Andrew Weir's pick, Ilse de Boer represented by IMG Models. "Ilse has a powerful combination of features, making her one of the strongest faces I have seen in a long time."