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

cfda Journal 2011

This years photographic journal for the CFDA Awards has been shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The black and white portraits of models and nominees for the awards were tweeted via the duo's tumblr website. The CFDA awards which were held last week saw Proenza Schouler taking home the award for Womenswear Designer of the Year, Michael Bastian for Menswear Designer of the Year and Alexander Wang for Accessory Designer of the Year. Marc Jacobs was awarded the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award by his muse and long-time friend Sofia Copola. 

Joseph Altuzara

Isabeli Fontana

Simon Spurr

Kristen McMenamy

Prabal Gurung

Raquel Zimmerman

Jason Wu

Freja Beha Erichsen

Alexander Wang
Photographer - Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin
Source - inezandvinoodh.tumblr.com

The Fashion Bible

I have been an avid collector of fashion magazines since the age of eleven. I can remember the first magazine I purchased being Vogue Italia and the feeling of wonder I felt as I was transported to a magical world of beauty, fantasy and creativity. I still have that edition in my possession. Back in the day I would purchase Vogue Italia, Paris Vogue, US Vogue, US Harper's Bazaar, Mademoiselle, W Magazine, Interview and Vanity Fair religiously each month. Nowadays with so many titles available on the market I have narrowed down my monthly mag fix to a select few.

If you are after an engrossing read which covers all aspects of the fashion industry, Industrie Magazine delivers just that. Self-described as "the world's first culture of fashion magazine", Industrie was founded in 2009 by Erik Torstensson and Jens Grede, and is published bi-annually. What I love about Industrie is that it's content is pure unadulterated fashion and it provides the reader with an insider's point of view of the machinations of the fashion industry. 

The magazine presents eloquent and thoughtfully written prose on all manner of topics ranging from fashion designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte fame, to legendary photographer, art director and editor of Interview magazine Fabien Baran. Industrie's second edition features interviews with three of fashion's power brokers ; mega-model agent Ivan Bart of IMG Models, Floriane de Saint Pierre (who is responsible for the appointment of perfect fit candidates such as Christopher Bailey to such high end fashion houses as Burberry), and lastly the President of the Federation Francaise de la Couture, Didier Grumbach.

Modelling's finest talent, Lara Stone, Daria Werbowry, Alessandro Ambrosio, Edita Vilkevicuite and Sigird Agren are also permitted to shine in editorials shot by Patrick Demarchelier, Solve Sundsbo, Camilla Akrans and Richard Bush. And as much as I love to see a model on the cover of a magazine, it must be said that Industrie's first three covers featuring Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs and Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, make for truly engaging cover subjects. 

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
Self Portrait
Industrie - Issue 3
Source - models.com

Ms Anna Wintour
Photographer - Unknown
Industrie - Issue 1
Source - models.com

Marc Jacobs
Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier
Industrie - Issue 2
Source - nymag.com