>> Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell sparred in DSquared2's campaign shot by Steven Meisel a couple of years ago, and it appears that Meisel was feeling like a catfight again this season — except this time, with more of an erotic undertone. He captured Kinga Rajzak and Iselin Steiro for Lanvin's Spring 2011 campaign pulling each other across a rug, kicking at one another . . . and one image shows Rajzak in full-on hiss-and-pounce mode.
>> 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.
This certainly isn't the first time Versace has come out with look-at-me-now ads, but Fall's black and white imagery is incredibly powerful. As soon as you lay your eyes on Anna Selezneva, Valerija Kelava, and Iselin Steiro doing their badass thing, you don't want to look away, you can't look away. What's especially effective here is that the attitudes and poses match the tough, sexy-chick clothes. Blacks, whites, cutouts, killer heels, leather — these girls make me want them all, now. Are you as captivated as I am?
>> More of Balenciaga's 10-Model Fall 2010 Campaign Cast, Revealed —Late last month, word came that Balenciaga cast 10 models for its Fall 2010 campaign, Karen Elson and Stella Tennant among them. Now, a few more names have been added to the list: Mirte Maas, newcomer Julija Step, Meghan Collison, Eliza Cummings, Iselin Steiro, and in a bit of a surprise, perennial Chanel favorite Freja Beha Erichsen. Steven Meisel photographed the ads and house muse Marie Amelie Sauve did styling honors. [WWD, Vogue.it, TFS]
Balenciaga's Spring '10 ad campaign couldn't be any more different than its previous. For one, Fall '09 featured actress Jennifer Connelly. This one features models Iselin Steiro and Mirte Maas, shot by Steven Meisel. I guess it's out with the old and in with the new at the house of Balenciaga! I'm digging all the vivacious colors from the Spring collection; the only problem I have is that gargantuan horizontal model in the back. Artistic, perhaps, but kinda distracting. What do you think?
>> Vogue Paris's December/January 2010 issue just popped up, and Laetitia Casta is this year's anointed guest editor — in addition being featured on the cover and in an editorial, as photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, she has two further editorials inside by Cedric Buchet and Alasdair McLellan. But the real attraction is the magazine's annual calendar, which comes as a supplement. Mario Sorrenti did the honors this time around at the Lido in Paris, and instead of 14 girls going pinup like last year, only three made the cut: Iselin Steiro on the cover, plus Natasha Poly and Raquel Zimmermann who join her inside.
Gallery is NSFW.
>> 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.
>> Alexander Wang hinted recently that he was ready to evolve, telling W's September 2009 issue: "As soon as people get used to what you’re doing, you have to change direction." And evolve he did for Spring 2010: the look of his last few collections, with their body-clinging shapes and primarily black palettes, was replaced by a generally looser silhouette and all shades of khaki, tan, olive, and gray. He told WWD that Spring 2010 for him "is very much about classic American sportswear," and the idea is visible in pieces like a sweatshirt dress with football pad detailing (below) and all the shinguard-like socks cut out at the back of the calf.
But Wang didn't give up the sexy side of his label — there were plenty of bra tops, crop tops, and and lingerie-style shorts to go around. The house was unsurprisingly packed, with Katie Grand (Wang's after-party co-host), Terry Richardson, Olivier Zahm, Diane von Furstenberg (Alex's CFDA-appointed mentor), Erin Wasson, Devon Aoki, Liya Kebede, and Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin all front row. Frankie Rayder, Angela Lindvall, and Iselin Steiro walked, newcomer Mirte Maas opened, Karl Templer styled, and Wang's three styles of sunglasses debuted.
>> Marcus Wainwright and David Neville are expanding Rag & Bone in every which way for Spring 2010 — sunglasses in three types of tortoiseshell, accessories spanning belts to stick pins to sure-to-be-clamored over wedge boots. Just as much as the show is about cool girl basics — this time flutter-backed tops and fitted leather jackets — and how show stylist Tabitha Simmons pulled them all together, it's about the models. Iselin Steiro, who hadn't walked a runway in a year, opened; model-to-watch Emily DiDonato made it her first runway show ever; Kinga Rajzak debuted a newly-dyed brunette 'do; and Jessica Stam, who is said to have collaborated on the collection, sat front row and Tweeted about it — she's only doing two New York shows, the first is Anna Sui.
