>> The deluge continues; after yesterday's introduction to the Spring 2011 Chanel, Tom Ford, and Marc by Marc Jacobs campaigns, today brings another onslaught — Karlie Kloss's third straight campaign as face of Christian Dior; a first look at Kasia Struss for Miu Miu (Sasha Pivovarova and Querelle Jansen are also said to have been cast by the label); and perhaps our favorite campaign of the season so far, Alex Prager's take on Karolina Kurkova for Bottega Veneta, left.
>> For the 2011 Pirelli calendar, which launched in Moscow today, Karl Lagerfeld said that he produced “the visual version of Homer. I did with my camera what he did with his pen, although we understand that he probably didn't use a pen.” Lagerfeld gathered 15 female models, 5 male models, and Julianne Moore in his Paris studio back in April to produce 36 black and white images of deities from ancient Greece and Rome for the calendar. “I wanted to do something different. I looked at all the other calendars,” he explained, adding: “With such a concept and boys and girls like this, it was an easy job.”
Lagerfeld was surrounded by a cadre of the models featured for the Moscow launch, including Natasha Poly sporting a new brunette hair color. But who did he cast as whom? Julianne Moore plays Hera, Brad Kroenig poses as Zeus, Lara Stone gives her best Aphrodite, Jeneil Williams channels Hades, and Baptiste Giabiconi embodies the roles of both Narcissus and Apollo.
The rest of the cast includes: Bianca Balti (as a Bacchante), Elisa Sednaoui (Flora, Echo), Freja Beha Erichsen (Apollo, Pollux, Orpheus), Isabeli Fontana (a Bacchante), Magdalena Frackowiak (Athena, Estia), Anja Rubik (Hermes, Terpsichore), Abbey Lee Kershaw (Echo, Castor, Eurydice), Lakshmi Menon (a Bacchante), Heidi Mount (Aurora, Amphitrite), Erin Wasson (Ajax, a Bacchante), Natasha Poly (Melpomene), Daria Werbowy (Artemis, Penthesilea), Iris Strubegger (Athena), Sebastien Jondeau (Mars), Garret Neff (Bacchus), and Jake Davis (Achilles).
A peek at the calendar and launch below.
>> Karlie Kloss, Patrick Demarchelier Most Employed for 2009 Vogue Editorials Worldwide —Shrubrub, a contributor at the fashin LiveJournal took a tally of photographers and models whose work appeared in the 2009 issues of Vogue Australia, Vogue Brazil, Vogue China, Vogue Espana, Vogue Germany, Vogue Italia, Vogue Mexico, Vogue Nippon, Vogue Paris, Vogue Russia, Vogue UK, and Vogue, to see who was used the most. Apparently, Karlie Kloss and Patrick Demarchelier came out clearly on top — rounding out the top twelve models, respectively, were: Lara Stone, Sasha Pivovarova, Constance Jablonski, Raquel Zimmermann, Daria Werbowy, Anna Maria Jagodzinska, Eniko Mihalik, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Donaldson, Natasha Poly, and Iris Strubegger. [Fashin]
In a gender-bending battle of who wore it better, Baptiste Giabiconi and Iris Strubegger face-off in the new issue of VMAN magazine. Karl Lagerfeld photographed the editorial titled "Gentlemen of Leisure" for issue #16 on newsstands November 17. Click below to see all images.
Source: Karl Lagerfled for VMan
>> Interior Designer to Alexander Wang, Now to the Models? —Last night, Natasha Poly, Victoria Traina, and Alexander Wang teamed up to celebrate the launch of interior designer (an co-owner of Edon Manor boutique) Ryan Korban's signature website at the Soho Grand Hotel. Korban and Wang have been close friends since they went to college together — they collaborate often, on Wang's offices, for one — and Natasha Poly's up next — Korban will be doing an apartment she has yet to buy. No doubt, he'll have more models than just Poly to add to his client list soon — we counted over 25 showing up to the fete, including Maryna Linchuk, who palled around with Poly, Jessica Stam, Hanne-Gaby Odiele, Mirte Maas, Olga Sherer, Iris Strubegger, and Rose Cordero. One more tidbit that Poly let fly: she may not be doing the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the second year in a row — she has to choose between that or a shoot in Morocco. [Style.com, Modelinia]
>> So far this season, the most eye-catching show package came courtesy of One Management, who had their stable of models mimic an iconic '60s Harper's Bazaar cover by Richard Avedon, but a couple of Paris agencies are running a close second, and curiously, they are both feeling the comic book look. Women Paris altered portfolio pictures of the likes of Iris Strubegger and Iselin Steiro into with a little high contrast look and a splat of yellow, and WM emulated Sin City for their gaggle of fresh faces.
>> The 96-page September issue insert The Imagist teased back in June turned out to be for V: Paul Rowland, founder of Women and Supreme agencies, photographed 19 of his models in studio back in April with help from stylist Nicholas Grasa. His inspirations were "Joel-Peter Witkin, paganism, mysticism, vampires, witches — all the things I love," and V has a video of the shoot in action, which required Hannelore Knuts to have raw meat draped over her chest and the rope holding it together lit on fire on both ends. The supplement will be available with V61 in select cities.
Maybe this whole project is the start of a move into a new arena for Rowland? As V puts it: "Rowland, whose lavish and intricate agency show packages are the talk of the industry each season, has a creative verve that extends beyond model agency moving and shaking, and into photography and fine art. After this outing, however, he might need his own magazine as well."
