>> Who walked 73 shows this Fashion Month while still finding the energy to play guitar backstage? Who skipped London Fashion Week this season and still managed to land among the top catwalkers this season? See which models were most in demand for Spring 2012 in the slideshow.
Photos by Greg Kessler
It's been a while since we've heard about former Ungaro creative director Esteban Cortazar. We miss him! The last time, he was designing for Colombian retailer éxito. We already saw the Fall '10 lookbook, now it's time to witness the pieces in action in the ads starring model Hanne Gaby Odiele. They're standout shots — some light and ethereal, some badass black and white. See them all now!
>> Switching up its usual streamlined modus operandi, Banana Republic showed off a softer side for Spring 2011. The collection, designed by Simon Keen, focused on relaxed silhouettes and floral dresses as models like Tao Okamoto, Ajak Deng, and Hanne Gaby Odiele walked down the runway styled in head wraps and platform sandals. Fifteen highlights — which include flowy printed maxi dresses, wispy blouses, slouchy knit pants, and trench coat vests — in the slideshow.
>> Paul Rowland is heading into his first major show season as head of Ford's women's division. Though he recently said that as he aims to reinvigorate the 64-year-old agency, adding that his vision "is very different from [Ford co-founder] Eileen Ford’s," the first show package showcasing his stable of models — which gives a first visual idea of his brand presentation — does pay tribute to the Ford Model of yore. Teased wigs, retro twinsets, and pearls adorn the likes of Tao Okamoto, Karmen Pedaru, and Alana Zimmer. As Models.com points out, "Irony is the original Ford girls (sans the Rowland twist) looked something like this, all white gloved and be-hatted."
>> The second installment of Swedish magazine Intermission is jam-packed with interviews: Gaia Repossi, Isabel Marant, Joseph Altuzarra, Tabitha Simmons, Waris Ahluwalia, Victoire de Castellane, and Vogue Paris art director Johan Svensson among them — and all are translated from Swedish into English at the back of the issue.
John Scarisbrick photographed and Keegan Singh styled the two covers — one with Hanne Gaby Odiele, and the other Vanessa Traina, who inside talks to Stephanie LaCava about going to high school with Alexander Wang ("He used to cut up these vintage jeans and make us denim skirts. I still have them — and he’d make us T-shirts. We used to place orders every season with him."), consulting for Joseph Altuzarra ("Our relationship is different than most because Joseph and I are so close. As friends, we hang out at least four times a week."), and her boyfriend, Chad Muska ("I was with some girlfriends and he was with a friend of one of my girlfriends and we met at a restaurant one night in LA. That was eight years ago and it slowly evolved into a relationship. He’s a street skater. We live together in the West Village, but he also has a studio in Union Square. He’s always been into photography, but he’s been playing around with it a little more and doing some large-scale work, a mix of photographer and painting. I have his pictures hanging in our bedroom. It’s a photo series he did of Kate Moss manipulated and painted different shades of pink.").
A peek at the issue, out this week at Opening Ceremony and Colette, below.
>> Hanne-Gaby Odiele, Ohne Titel, and Casting Director Natalie Joos Among Paper's 2010 Beautiful People —Paper has released its annual Beautiful People issue; among the fashion contigent are photographer and Rodarte collaborator Autumn de Wilde, casting director Natalie Joos, Hanne-Gaby Odiele, Calvin Klein model David Agobodji, Prabal Gurung, Ohne Titel, Milk Studios' Mazdack Rassi and wife, Marie Claire fashion editor Zanna Rassi. Among the tidbits gleaned: Alexa Adams of Ohne Titel's great-grandfather was Al Capone's tailor. [Paper]
>> Last week, rumors of a major shift in the New York modeling agency setup floated around; eventually, it came out that Paul Rowland, the founder of Women Management and its Supreme offshoot, was leaving Supreme to head up the women's division at Ford.
According to Page Six's industry insider, Rowland, who sold the company which he founded in 1988 a few years ago, "had a huge salary there, but wasn't really getting along with management. So basically, he just left." Ford "cleaned house and canned everyone," says another source, to make way for Rowland and the agents he was bringing with him.
Caroline Poznanski, meanwhile, who ran Ford's women's division until Rowland's arrival, has been chosen by Supreme to take Rowland's old job. "It's one big game of musical chairs," reports the source. "There were rumors around that Supreme was just going to close, but instead they hired Poznanski and absorbed some other people who had been let go from Ford."
One booker notes: "The models at these places are in a tailspin. A lot, including [Ford girls] Chanel Iman and Jacquelyn Jablonski, don't know if they're staying or going. There will likely be a spate of lawsuits because both Paul and Caroline are trying to bring their girls over, but they have noncompetes in their contracts."
>> Earlier this week, Anja Rubik and Sasha Knezevic celebrated their new new-look take on Austrian magazine 25 — the official launch issue features Constance Jablonski, Karlie Kloss, and Abbey Lee Kershaw on three separate covers, all styled by Barbara Martelo and photographed by Marcin Tyszka.
Sal Morale (who appears in the issue with girlfriend Maryna Linchuk) DJed the fete in an old Paris apartment, where fellow featured subjects like Heidi Mount, Karlie Kloss, Alana Zimmer, and Kasia Struss joined him. The issue boasts an abundance of couture — “It is rare to get so many couture clothes in a magazine," Rubik told WWD — and comes in a limited-edition English version (2,000 copies) and a larger print run in German (50,000 copies). “It’s an Austrian magazine so it was important to keep a link between the first issue and Austria,” said Rubik, explaining fashion editorials inspired by artists Egon Schiele (photographed by Victor Demarchelier) and Gustav Klimt (featuring Eniko Mihalik).
Knezevic and Rubik are already hard at work on their next issue of the quarterly magazine; noted the latter: “One of our contributors will be Julia Restoin-Roitfeld."
[Editor's Note: I contributed to the issue.]
>> Couture kicked off in Paris today, but back in New York plans are being laid for ready-to-wear fashion week — just two and a half weeks away. Supreme Management released their show package for New York Fashion Week today, with the likes of Alana Zimmer, Hanne-Gaby Odiele, and promising newcomer Reina Montero captured in darkly balletic portraits by agency founder and photography dabbler Paul Rowland. Missing from the lineup are Cecilia Mendez, Flo Gennaro (who just walked Dior couture runway today), and last seaons' Prada closer Kate Kosushkina, but perhaps they'll pop up anyway. Full show package at Models.com.
Alberta Ferretti's latest ad campaign takes me back to my childhood, when I would frolic in my fairy outfit and colorful braided headband. Only now it's Hanne Gaby Odiele, Kasia Struss, Constance Jablonski, and Dorothea Barth Jörgensen having the fun, and the clothes are way chicer. I love everything about these Steven Meisel shots — the fluid movements, the romantically beautiful dresses, the serene colors. If only I could transport myself to Alberta's fairyland! What do you think?
