Outrageously Human - Models' Behaviour

Porcellain skin, icy blue eyes, blonde angel locks and high cheek bones and the undeniably charming little faults – the archetype of today’s catwalk diamonds. No doubt of it, Lily Donaldson, Vlada Roslyakova, Tanya Dziahileva, Natasha Poly and Magdalena Frackowiak make us gasp as they appear on the runway, floating it up and down like supernatural dolls, so enchanting to watch, so fragile, mastering their breath-taking appearance with such coolness.

Does that mean they have no feelings, no fun, no activities, besides fashion? One only needs to peek behind the scene of pomp and blinding glamour to find that Sasha is sitting over one of her art portraits or Lily munches her apple and throws us a frightening grimace. See Vlada jumping up and down with delight in her forest green outfit at Hermès backstage, as happy as a little girl receiving her masquerade princess gown. Karlie Kloss hugs Ali Stephens in an uprush of affection and both shriek delightedly at an amusing sight they do not tell us about – secretive like little boys, who just discovered their new hide away. Spot Snejana crouched in a corner reading a 500 page Tolstoy or Julia Stegner holding upside down her copy of 'Iluminati'. Listen to an interview of Natasha Polevshchikova (even pronouncing her name is a challenging affair!) and you’ll hear her say she wants to fly to Australia to visit the Sydney Opera House, and that she never leaves her house without her camera. – A picture book tourist… Finally feel sympathy for poor Tanya crying backstage, complaining about her make up and, yes, even laugh at the impossible audacity of some girls taking along their furry companions called 'dog' to their workplace…

Such is the life of a model – sometimes chaotic. Pretty fun, pretty emotional. Challenging and relaxing. Entertaining and fatiguing. In short, Pretty human, don’t you find? It has its ups and downs. It can be hectic but exciting in a great way. So let us give them a break. Just because they look divine, does not mean they are not to have their freedom.

Smoking, phoning, sleeping, eating, drinking, laughing, crying, giggling, friendshipping, gossiping – all is part of them as it is part of everyone!

Fashion Goes Art

It is such a shame that most people view fashion only as a tool to make one fit harmoniously into society, to make one part of a greater group by following the same trends. This is superficial, a sad story: people see things but mostly pay little or no thought to the narrative behind what is in front of them.

I find this disrespectful to fashion and to the minds, who invest so much, time, energy and genuine passion into creating, designing, embellishing, painting - and a myriad of other activities - to enrich world's culture. CULTURE is indeed the key word!

We pay much attention to the arts when we speak of this word - visual arts, performing arts, music, and so on, but fashion is often excluded. I ask why? I find no justice in this treatment in and regard of fashion. Is it not an art to work with a goal in mind, which not only satisfies our aesthetic needs, but is furthermore functional? Is it not an art to merge a person's idea with his/ her skill - the skill of sketching like a master painter, cutting fabric into origami shaped pieces called clothing, stitching most detailed embroidery, knitting the finest lace and becoming inspired by the history of our world? The last point is what I am getting at now. I am saying that instead of only gasping at a gorgeous gown, we may as well think about where its design comes from. The creator was not bored and simply felt like scheming just this piece and we should bear it in mind. Inspiration led to it. And at this point design abridges fashion to art. Fashion is actually an evolving art. It masterfully takes cultural elements from the past to give them a more modern makeover, thus becoming an art on its own.

Furthermore, fashion does us a favour. - It is like a luxurious bazaar manifesting all the finest goods, each carrying the scent of a certain spice, making it an individual, non-replicable piece. And this is how style is born. Style is the highest stage of fashion. Thoughtfully and smartly assembling the goods offered to us by the fashion empire will yield our style. It is up to us what we make of it. So, give it more thought and not just vision.

On this note, I present to you several juxtapositions proving that fashion and art are inexorably linked. Look at these images yourself and I guarantee, you will grasp the connection. Fashion goes art.

Kareem Iliya Paints a Dress With Stars

Kareem Iliaya's illustrations truly do cast a light on fashion. The mystically dark background is decorated with carefully placed, fine scintillating dots, ensuring inspration for glamorous robes.

Irina & Iekeline Dance In A Winter Park

As crsipy and cool as snow itself these two ladies manifest key pieces from Sonia Rykiel's fall/ winter 08/ 09 collection.

Simona McIntyre Goes Birdy

By Hamish Kippen for Noi.se Magazine.

The florescently coloured eyelids, brushes of orange rouge on her high cheek bones and the wind blown hair piled up like a branch's nest makes us associate McIntyre with the wildlife of flying animals - in a nice way.

New IMG Starlet

Danish youngster Pernille Moeller is reaching for the sky as the newfangled star at IMG NY. With only two weeks in New York, every single leading editorial has booked her and she will be striding over each major catwalk next season.

What makes her so special? Widely set apart eyes with a Mongolian touch, perfectly rainbow-shaped eyebrows, full lips and the fact that she is just so natural! - A mix of the young Michelle Pfeiffer and a tinge of Gemma's alien features.

Stats:

Height:183cm/6'0"

Bust: 84cm/33"

Waist: 66cm/ 26''

Hips: 86 cm/34"

Dress: 32 EU/ 2 US/ 4 UK

Eyes: Green/ Grey

Hair: Blonde

Berlin Fashion Week - Ecology, Carnival, Shimmering Jeans

The kick off at Berlin Fashion Week July 2008 was presented yesterday by LAC ET MEL' 20s inspired collection. Dropped waist, eccentric dresses in nature's colours were given a funky boost with contrasting fuchsia tights. Not only has the label proven itself to be fashionable, but also brings to light the environmental protection our planet needs. Ecology affects us all and Lac Et Mel steps forward to make our world a better place by producing carbon-neutral pieces in cooperation with the WWF Germany.

As for other shows on the first day of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Suzanna Peric demonstrated a sixties-oriented collection with flowing maxi length dresses colourfully embellished by blooming floral patterns.

Designer Zerlina Von Dem Bussche from the sushi-influenced label Sisi Wasabi dished out box-shaped jackets in orange and black, with a spice of Chanel.

Susanne Wiebe's tattooed body stockings, top hats and fish nets evoked carnival feeling and Joop!Jeans blinded us with metallic jeans, plastic cuff details and gushes of blue and pink.

Coming up today: Penkov, Basso & Brooke, Smeilinener and Michalsky.