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

Beautiful Outcast

Shortly after my arrival in Berlin in July 2010, I was meandering down the main shopping precinct of Friedrichstraße, when I caught glimpse of an astonishingly beautiful woman with shoulder length, grey hair cycling past me. It was only upon second glance that I realised this vision of loveliness was the very spitting image of Nineties Supermodel Kristen McMenamy.

During the early Nineties, McMenamy reached the peak of her fame, creating iconic images with the likes of Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Juergen Teller and Steven Meisel. With her bleached eye brows, strong nose, androgynous looks, ever-changing hair colour and formidable personality, McMenamy came to represent the epitome of unconventional beauty. In an interview with i-D, McMenamy recounts how "My upbringing was very Catholic, very strict. I lived in suburban America where you had to fit the norm; otherwise you'd be considered an outcast. I was always an outcast. I fought my whole life against being normal, I'm not gonna start now."

Vogue Italia - May 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel
Source - fashiongonerogue.com

i-D Magazine - September 2010
Photographer - Daniele Duella & Iango Henzi

i-D Magazine - September 2010
Photographer - Daniele Duella & Iango Henzi
Source - Models.com

In 2010, McMenamy ever the non-conformist, returned to modelling with a vengeance and new waist length silver, grey tresses. At age 46, McMenamy's ensuing editorial appearances in US Vogue, Vogue Italia, Paris Vogue, LOVE, Dazed & Confused, and i-D Magazine have cemented her near legendary status in the fashion industry as a muse to designers, photographers and stylists. 

Vogue Paris - October 2009
Photographer - David Sims
Source - models.com

US Vogue - August 2010
Photographer - David Sims
Source - models.com

LOVE - Issue 3
Photographer - Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Source - models.com

Dazed & Confused - August 2010
Photographer -  Tierney Gearon
Source - models.com

McMenamy continues to enthral, with her latest appearance on the cover of the May 2011 edition of Vogue Italia and in the accompanying editorial shot by Steven Meisel. I have not seen McMenamy looking better. She exhibits an inner calm and confidence whilst also retaining the free spirited nature of her personality. In the same interview with i-D Magazine McMenamy concurs "Well, I am still modelling at 46, that goes to show that there isn't a cut off point for beauty or coolness. I wanna be a rockin' senior citizen!"

Vogue Italia - May 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Vogue Italia - May 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel

Vogue Italia - May 2011
Photographer - Steven Meisel
Source - fashiongonerogue.com