Man up

Australian women have become a force to contend with on the international runways, now here come the guys. The Fall/Winter 2012/2013 menswear shows are currently underway in Europe and while there is no sign so far of androgynous superstar Andrej Pejic (who nevertheless looks like a sure bet for at least Jean Paul Gaultier), in his place is a cadre of antipodian Adonises with chiselled jaws and razor-sharp cheekbones. At least thirteen to be precise. This time last year, Calvin Klein booked Jack Vanderhart as an exclusive for its menswear show. This season, the brand had three Australians, all on exclusives: identical twins Zac and Jordan Stenmark, who opened and closed the show and Joel Meacock. Overnight, on the first day of the season's Paris leg, the Stenmarks opened a second show: Nicola Formichetti's sci-fi Mugler show. Meacock is confirmed as a Paris exclusive for Louis Vuitton later in the week, opening the show no less. 

The others to have done shows so far are Tom Bull (Ermenegildo Zegna, Vivienne Westwood, Giorgio Armani, Canali, Brioni); Angus Low (Hardy Amies, Les Hommes, Moschino, Gucci); Adin Taylor (Dsquared2, Daniele Alessandrini); James Cater (John Varvatos); Stirling Caiulo (John Varvatos) and Kye D'Arcy (Moncler Gamme Rouge). James Tsang, Jordan Coulter, Charles Slessar, Louka Taffin and NZ's Michael Whittaker are also in Europe. We'll update their showlists as the info comes to hand. 

Some of the back stories are quite interesting.

We previously reported that Low is a qualified physiotherapist. Both the Stenmarks and Meacock are keen sportsmen. Although the Stenmarks have just deferred their studies to pursue modelling fulltime, both enrolled in Agricultural Economics degrees at Sydney University on scholarships from the AFL, having previously played in the Greater Western Sydney Under-18s team. On the 27th January, Meacock is due to embark on studies at a Pennsylvania university on a soccer scholarship. 

The Stenmarks and D'Arcy - a keen artist - are second generation models. Both the Stenmarks' mother Susie Stenmark, née Griffiths and D'Arcy's father, Stuart D'Arcy, modelled in Australia in the 1980s. The latter has since emerged as a prominent surfboard shaper and Kye works with his father at D'Arcy Surfboards on the Gold Coast. Caiulo's sister, Holly, is also a model.

The Stenmarks' father is sports marketing guru Damien Stenmark and his cousin, also Susie Stenmark, worked as Chanel Australia's communications manager for a decade before recently launching her own jewellery line. Evidently the Stenmark apples didn't fall far from the tree.

photos:


1/ zac stenmark, mugler - style.com
2/ kye d'arcy, moncler gamme rouge - vogue.it
3/ jordan (L) and zac stenmark, calvin klein - sonny vandevelde
4/ james cater, john varvatos - nycfashion.com
5/ tom bull, ermenegildo zegna - ap via daylife
6/ angus low, gucci - getty via daylife
7/ joel meacock, calvin klein - getty via daylife
8/ stirling ciaulo, john varvatos - nycfashion.com
9/ adin taylor/ dsquared2 - getty via daylife