just a moment...

lets just take a moment and congratulate Elite NY on their show season.

if they keep this up we'll all be wondering "IMG who?"

Who's next? Feodora and Olesya

With all the hype around the show girls, i wanted to focus on two new and especially interesting faces who did not do the shows but are destined for great things. I want to find that surprise girl like Meghan Collison who nobody has seen until they land the cover of Italian vogue. and just how wonderful are Feodora and Olesya? Keep watch, you might be surprised....

Karlie Kloss, Supermodel.

Meet Karlie Kloss, Chicago native and future supermodel. With two exclusives and a Paris show season that caught everyones attention, Karlie is the one we need to watch closest in the next few months. She walked Calvin in NY exclusively, went on to do her Gucci exclusive in Milan then hit Paris with a bang. Karlie could be seen in Valentino, Viktor & Rolf, Chloe and Mcqueen to name a few. With the current push for American models, Karlie is just what is needed in the industry right this minute. Standing a tall and true 5'11, the former nationally ranked Ballerina is leaving the fashion world buzzing. Karlie is without a doubt the "who's that girl?" of the season. and did we mention her name? it doesn't get much better then that.

The girls that matter out of Paris

This season has been the season of new faces. with the turnover time of models being so quick now, it is hard to tell if one season's success will transfer to the next. Paris proved interesting with a small but interesting crop of girls. Of the new faces breaking out in Paris, these three caught my eye.

Meet Ali Stephens, she was kept strictly under wraps by elite NY and wasn't even on their website until she got her Prada exclusive. 5'11 Ali opened Chloe and walked every major show in Paris from Chanel to Vuitton, Balenciaga to Miu Miu. Ali's strong look will go far with photographers like model maker Steven Meisel and expect to see much more from this girl, MUCH more. Edita is not necessarily brand new, but in her first season (SS 07) she did not do well at all. a year later, Edita hit Paris with VIVA and walked Chanel, Balenciaga, Chloe, Miu Miu, and Vuitton. Her rocking personality and classic beauty, Edita is bound to be a big commercial success without question. The real question is whether the editorial and campaign teams will see Edita's appeal. We'll have to wait and see.
Closing out my list is fellow Canadian Kori Richardson. Kori's baby face was a favorite for top designers in paris including Balenciaga, Vuitton, Nina Ricci, YSL and Chanel. Kori has also already appeared on the cover of French Magazine and has been named one of Models.com's top newcomers for the season. Expect to see this girl everywhere in upcoming months.

Sheer Genius

Giles

Marc Jacobs

Prada

Jil Sander

Rodarte

Milan has just begun, paris is a week away, all we have seen is a lack luster new york city and 2 good shows in london. It is amazing that there is a trend this early in as prevalent as this one. Sheer is everywhere, sheer pants, dresses, coats and blouses are on every runway from Marc jacobs to Prada. Think it is unwearable? With a trend this hot, you'll find a way.

The Princesses of Prada

Prada is the only show in the world that can make a model like it does. Daria Werbowy, Gemma Ward, Raquel, Suvi, Elise, Irina and Sasha have all opened the prada show, launched them into supermodeldom. I don't know what it is, but the genious of Russell Marsh can make a model form nobody into a multi million dollar superstar. Prada is the only show that really matters in the modeling world and if you can land yourself and exclusive then get ready for a long, successful career. This season there were 7 girls (4 from IMG) that had that oppourtunity. Keep watch for these faces in the future, they are bound to be in high demand.

Yasminka/ IMG PARIS


Alana/ IMG PARIS

Cate/ NEW YORK MODELS

Claudia/ ONE

Daria/ IMG PARIS

Lovisa/ WOMEN MILAN

Adina/IMG PARIS

Of all of these amazing faces, the one to watch more than the others is Adina, who got to open the shows. The buzz surrounding this girl has been deafening in the past few months, and for good reason! Adina is intoxicating and a star for sure!

Ginger for Giles?

the world is talking about Agyness' new hair. Has she just gone Ginger for Giles? or is she red for good?

we're all watching....

Giles leaves us all smiles

The pressure on London this season was crazy. With such a boring and redundant week in New York last week, all eyes were on London to show us something different. Christopher Kane did that exactly, shying away form his usual body hugging dresses to something inspired by his babysitter. But the real delight was, as expected, Giles Deacon. Giles showed some of the most wonderful clothes i have seen in a long time. His inspiration is unclear, but the clothes were so undeniably esthetically please one could help but smile for Giles.The show included some pretty interesting fabric innovation and wild prints. The fur on the coat above is not fur per say, but elastic bands meticulously sewn. A print of a blurred Kate moss was seen frequently as well as a print of Bambi with his head partially cut off and blood squirting form the wound. What is amazing about Giles Deacon is that he is able to make us question what we are wearing and opens our minds to new things.
Everything from the colors to the hats to the fishtail braids seen on all of the models heads was so thought out and fit so perfectly that i can do nothing but praise this show. Giles Deacon is without a doubt the future of fashion!

London, You're On!

With a more lack-luster than usual week in new york city, the stage is most definitely set for London to show us something different and directional. In recent times, London has never been one to disappoint creatively but it is three designers ideas that are really getting the world buzzing. Gareth Pugh, Christopher Kane and Giles Deacon have given fashion folk reason to spend that extra 500$ and visit the city's fashion week. All eyes are on these three during the next 5 days, including mine.

Gareth Pugh Fall 2007
The first of the three designers is the eccentric Gareth Pugh. Gareth is known for his incredibly innovative and entirely unwearable clothes. His theatrical shows include mile high heels on a billowing fabric runway and models who are only able to see and breathe through their latex hoods out of three strategically placed pinholes. Gareth has been quoted in saying that all he desires is to "break even and show what i like". His nightclub inspired looks have great potential to be toned down and incredibly chic and that is what buyers and editors alike are hoping to see for spring 2008.

Christopher Kane Spring 2007
The youngest of the three and my personal favorite is Central St. Martins graduate Christopher Kane. With only two collections under his belt and a cult following including Victoria Beckham, Mr. Kane is destined for great things. His reinvention of the Bandage dresses so popular in the eighties has caught the eye of Donatella Versace who has invested in his brand new company. Less then a week ago, Christopher's entire collection was stolen from his London studio, Chris has said he will resew all 23 looks before his show date tomorrow. Good luck Chris, we'll be watching!
Giles Fall 2007
The Grand daddy of my three English gentlemen is Giles Deacon. Giles is the designer who single handedly rebooted the worlds interest in English fashion. He has been called the next McQueen and is the only designer other than McQueen himself that the late Isabella Blow wore within the 7 years before her death. Giles' ability to combine the theatrics and undeniable creativity with wearable, beautiful clothes is what has made him such a star. On his runways he has shown fur hoods, feather dresses and scarves basically drowning the models wearing them, but underneath it all, the man sure knows how to cut a great dress. All eyes are watching Giles this season at both his signature line and the line he created in collaboration with Daks. and as cliche as it sounds, all we can expect form this genius is the unexpected!

the girls that matter out of NYC

New York City is often the least influential location model wise during show season except for a VERY select few shows, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs.

Toni has the look of a softer, more friendly Lara Stone and first caught my eye in the April issue of Elle US. She was able to survive the Calvin casting nightmare and come out on top, OPENING! i feel that Toni's friendly and simple stunning face will help her come out on top, real staying power!

I hold a special place in my heart for fellow Canadian Taryn, now with DNA model management. Taryn also held a Calvin exclusive throughout the week, which isn't so bad as Calvin is the exclusive that matters. Her 5'11 frame and explosive personality make her a shoe-in for European success. Very McQueen, don't you think?Closing out my three to watch is the girl that opened (or is it closed) Marc Jacobs, Lera. With 19 girls in the show from supreme, Lera somehow managed to stand out. Keep watch for this young girl, she is going places for sure, Prada places....

If only she were tall

Allie, Wilhelmina, 5'8
Stunning
if only...

Who's next? Simona

a couple of months ago i got an email about this girl winning a recent model search for the Chantal Nadeau Agency in Vancouver, Canada. A few weeks after that, Simona was placed with Marilyn in New york and was model of the week on models.com.

Her mouse like features and perfect body made her a star before she even knew it.
New York is beginning to take notice, but i feel that Europe will truly value Simona for all that she is worth. Keep watch for this fellow Canadian, she is shooting for the stars and she ain't gonna miss.

Marc goes mad!

Two hours past the scheduled time, fashion editors and celebrities alike were shocked when a overly eager Marc Jacobs took a sprint down the runway before showing any clothes. If only they knew how significant this to the clothes that would follow.

Marc decided to pull a "Victor and Rolf" and show his collection backwards, explaining his initial run out to the runway. His interpretation of this upside down world was much different then the dutch duo and truly remarkable. From the trompe l'oeil underwear dress on Coco Rocha to the pumps with the heel protruding from the ball of the foot these clothes make you really take a second, third or 10th glance.Marc never ceases to amaze in his accessories, whether at Louis or in his own line. In this show, he showed not only those truly crazy shoes, he showed a bevvy of what i am calling the "parasite" bag, which looked like a smaller, better bag was slowly feeding off of the square, bland totes the models were carrying. Hats are proving to be quite significant this season and the ones at Marc were nothing short of exceptional.
The clothes were layered in Marc's signature sense but the deconstruction seemed to be something new for him. It worked really, i must say i am thoroughly impressed and pleasantly surprised.
did he dissapoint? buyer yes, fashion editors no, me? DEFINATELY NOT!

and always happy to see simona doing the big shows!

The Fleeting Fin

If you look at the top ten models in the world right now, all of them never hit the new york scene first. this will be the case with newcomer Katriina Okane. The Finnish-Canadian is placed with Women Paris and will only be hitting Paris this season for the shows. Katriina is with Mode Models in Calgary, Alberta and is obviously on the Kelly Streit express plan for success. Her pillowy lips and ivory skin will be a perfect contrast to the harsher looks we are seeing so far this spring.

the statuesque Katriina (a true 5'11) is sure to hit Paris with a bang that will be heard all the way from New York City. Get Ready...

Proenza's Tribal Chant Echoes through NY

Proenza Schouler has proven themselves time after time by making the tents in NYC interesting again.

This season they went tribal.

It seems that they have grown up, Moving away from their signature bustiers and moving more towards figure hugging dresses and a new, nipped waist silhouette.

This collection seemed closer to The designers own personal style then we usually see on their runway. Socialites will definitely be stampeding to get their hands on these clothes.

Valentino buying 45% of their shares sure helped too, leaving Jack and Lazaro literally draping their models in gold. (Liya wore a gold leaf sleeveless coat dress.)

I must say i am not disappointed with the show. more impressed, even the casting of the models was impeccable. Hot young girls like Irina, Anabela, and Kasia walked the show alongside veterans like Raquel and Erin Wasson.

I think that the boys of Proenza Schouler will be the saviors of american fashion... and you gotta love those hats!

Someone took a bite out of the big apple

I Must say, New york is fading away...

The excitement is gone and now there is only a few shows that are even worth sitting through the endless clicking on style.com.

Proenza, Calvin, Vera, Marc and Marc again are the only shows in NYC that do anything different.

HOW MUCH SPORTSWEAR CAN WE POSSIBLY SEE!
Yes Americans at one point in time revolutionized the fashion industry, but lately the only revolution in the tents is that within the bored fashion editors stomachs.

Rodarte Spring/Summer 208

New designers give us hope however, with the mulleavy sisters of Rodarte and Doo.Ri doing their best to make a dent in the gargantuan industry that is fashion.

I think now is the time, more then ever, for American designers to go out on a limb and try something different.