Lock, stock and three smoking aliens

campaign brief

Super cool campaign from Sydney ad agency Kastner & Partners for Fisher Space Pens, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Created by Darryn Devlin and Dan Foster with photography by Sean Izzard and retouching by Cream, the campaign depicts three smartly besuited aliens, each bearing a Fisher Space Pen in their breast pocket. The tagline reads, “Civilizing space since 1968” (the year the pens were first used by NASA for Apollo 7). The Fisher Space Pen became indelibly linked with the US space program after Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong used one to fix a broken switch on the lunar module, allowing them to return safely to the space capsule after their historic moon walk. Given that the aliens resemble Ozwald Boateng-outfitted gangsters from Guy Ritchie's 1998 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, frockwriter is not sure where civility fits into things. But interestingly, the campaign follows the release of Prada’s SFX-heavy Fall 2009/2010 lookbook (below), for which animal heads, abstract sculptures and graphic designs were Photoshopped onto the heads of several models.




campaign brief




prada FW0910 lookbook via fashionologie

"Don't touch, it's haute couture!" - Skye Stracke turns auteur

Fantastic little video on New York mag’s The Cut blog, which provides a great insight into a model’s life backstage. Perth’s Skye Stracke was handed a video camera to cart around last week's haute couture shows in Paris and with it, she reports Alexis Mabille “fluffing up everybody for the show”, the 10.30pm-1.00am Chanel rehearsal - with a 6am call time the following morning - and sparkles at Armani. While at Chanel, Korean Daul Kim horses around with her mega pony tail and Stracke ogles the magnificent breakfast buffet traditionally put on by the Wertheimer bros at all their shows. Notes Stracke, “Doughnuts with Nutella, macaroons, brownies, croissants, fruit...”. Whether she actually ate any of it, is anybody's guess.

Move over ANTM, the latest Priscillas star is footy royalty Emily Trimble-Thompson

Well Australia’s Next Top Model might be over for another year, but before Cycle 5 winner Tahnee Atkinson starts the rounds under contract to Priscillas Model Management, the agency has a new breakout star. Eighteen year-old Emily Trimble-Thompson appears on page one of US fashion ‘bible’ Womens Wear Daily today, a shot taken during Jean Paul Gaultier’s haute couture show in Paris overnight. With just a few lowkey RAFW shows and editorials for RUSSH and Grazia, the Melburnian redhead has so far been under the radar in Australia. But things may be about to change. Although Trimble-Thompson did walk at the haute couture this time last year, she has just moved to Paris, where she has been signed with Ford, in addition to London’s Storm agency. Beyond yesterday’s JPG score, upcoming work includes an editorial in Dutch ELLE. Trimble-Thompson is the daughter of the late Australian rules "superstar" Len Thompson, who was best-known for his career with the Collingwood Magpies. Perhaps his daughter may follow suit in the modelling biz.

Jean Paul Gaultier sponsored by ice creams - New York mag mistakes them for condoms

style.com


Well so far this week at the Paris haute couture shows we have seen Christian Dior downsize its usual big bucks runway spectacle to a low-key presentation in the rooms above the Dior shop – and hack off half the outfits to send models out in their underwear. Christian Lacroix present what may have been his very last collection, after declaring bankruptcy. And now on the closing day of the haute couture schedule, the pièce de GFC résistance: Jean Paul Gaultier's show not only appears to have been sponsored by Streets’ Magnum ice creams, he actually walked down the runway to take his bow holding one. And if that wasn’t absurd enough, then this just-posted report in New York magazine’s The Cut blog, provides the following, hilarious, coda. Evidently Magnum ice creams are not well-known in the US. Because when The Times of London Tweeted that Magnums were being handed out to showgoers – New York magazine assumed The Times was talking about “Magnum condoms".

And didn’t seem to think much of it really. Even though a condom brand sponsoring a presentation of six figure ballgowns isn’t, well, something you see every day. Particularly when it's not your garden variety condom, but a brand of extra-large frangers that are marketed by Trojan.

Things aren’t quite that bad yet but who knows what the Spring/Summer 2010 Ready to Wear season will bring.

Ready-to-wear is one matter. That is, mass-produced, off-the-rack clothes that you can buy in boutiques and department stores.

By the same token however, up until now, you never saw much sponsorship collateral at shows in the big fashion cities - as distinct from RAFW in Sydney and London Fashion Week, where the brands are much smaller. This is because, presumably, the companies behind the big brands a/have the marketing budgets to spend on fashion shows and moreover b/consider that additional sponsorship collateral would only serve to undermine their branding.

Haute couture is a little different.

To begin with, the sample collections are far more expensive to produce. These are hand-crafted, often heavily-embellished garments that will be sold on a made-to-measure basis only. The more elaborate dresses - for example, Erica Packer's Christian Dior haute couture wedding dress - involve hundreds of hours of handwork. Hence the six figure price tags.

With money no object and, theoretically, no practical/commercial restraints on a couturier's imagination, haute couture is supposed to represent the absolute "dream" or essence of French fashion.

Yes, there are super-rich clients who can afford it and who keep the business going (as mentioned on Monday, Chanel reports that 2008 was a record year for its couture division). However haute couture is essentially an image proposition: a glamorous, and terribly expensive, loss leader that is used to promote the more lucrative volume divisions, ie the ready-to-wear, the accessories and of course, the far more accessible fragrances and beauty products.

But while the former president of the ice cream division of Unilever now runs one of the world's biggest luxury conglomerates - Gucci Group's Robert Polet - so far not even Gucci, which is ready-to-wear only, has considered aligning itself with ice creams.

You have to wonder what the very image-conscious Paris shows organising body, the Chambre Syndicale de la haute couture Parisienne, thinks about Gaultier's flagrant Magnum sponsorship - and whether it enhances the image of the struggling haute couture industry, or in fact cheapens it.

Moreover, what does Hermès think about it?

Not only is Gaultier creative director at the French luxury leathergoods brand, last year Hermès increased its stake in Gaultier's own company from 35-45percent. If Gaultier is flush with funds, why did he seek assistance from Streets?

Click here to see the Jean Paul Gaultier collection, which included the week’s omipresent power shoulders, trench coats – including a nifty trench bodysuit – bodycon, fur, Sydney native Alexandra Agoston-O’Connor in a pair of croc overalls and Melbourne native Emily Trimble in a mullet version of the trench. That is, miniskirt at the front, party at the back - a trend also witnessed at Chanel. Given that it means less ultra-expensive, hand-embellished haute couture fabric overall for the dresses in question, perhaps we can also blame this trend on the economic climate.

New York Mag, pls see below for some Magnum comparisons.

A Magnum ice cream:


wikimedia

Not to be confused with a Magnum condom:


allcondoms.com

Christopher Bailey, MBE

Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey is edging closer and closer to that Burberry Prorsum logo (a medieval knight on a horse). One hour ago, the Queen's 2009 birthday honours list was announced and Bailey, who joined the iconic British luxury house in 2001, has just been welcomed into the Order of the British Empire as a Member, for services to the British fashion industry. Bailey has a couple of rungs to go on the British order of chivalry before he is eligible to be knighted. But with a few more excellent Burberry collections under his belt, not to mention some more genius campaign casting, there may be no stopping him (well, unless he's a republican). Also just uploaded: a behind-the-scenes video of the making of Burberry's F/W 09/10 collection which stars Harry Potter star Emma Watson. The campaign was shot on the banks of the Thames in London, adjacent to Burberry's HQ, which is staffed by 800 across admin, design/photo studios and a cafe. The Watson get, and MBE, are good news for the 153 year-old company in the tough economic climate, which saw Burberry post a loss of 6 million pounds in the year ended March 31st. Also just awarded an MBE: Natalie Massenet, founder of e-tailer Net-à-Porter.com, which sells Burberry (among many other luxury brands) - but conversely experienced a 234percent profit hike in 2008.

Gucci's double Aussie coup

sonny vandevelde

Well we know that Abbey Lee Kershaw already has four Gucci campaigns under her belt. But according to Kershaw’s Australian mother agency, Chic Management, Gucci has just shot Kershaw again for the FW0910 campaign – and this time she is joined by Chic stablemate Myf Shepherd. Given Gucci’s trademark multigirl campaigns, the Australians are unlikely to be the only models. Shepherd has now walked in three Gucci shows – most recently in February, as part of her blockbuster sophomore show season, which embraced 62 shows. And Gucci is Shepherd’s second luxury campaign get – after shooting Miu Miu last November. At this stage, the only Miu Miu SS09 campaign images to surface star Katie Holmes. It’s possible others will emerge in the coming months. In the event that that Miu Miu sticks with the standalone Holmes shots, Shepherd was neverthless definitely shot, and paid, for the gig says Chic - reportedly alongside seven other models. Kershaw and Shepherd are not the only Chic Management girls booking FW0910 campaigns. Sarah Stephens has just shot Benetton with David Sims and is confirmed to shoot Diesel in Slovenia next week.

Balmain inspiration spotted in Balmain

ONTD

Fashion critics have been busy clocking comparisons between Christophe Decarnin’s rock trash relaunch of Balmain and Michael 'King of Pop' Jackson. On September 28, Style.com’s Sarah Mower noted the “Drummer-boy Michael Jackson jackets with the frogging picked out in crystal” in Balmain's Spring 2009 collection. On March 22, in a FW0910 wrapup, The LA Times’ Booth Moore suggested that if money is no object, punters should “Go for the Michael Jackson look at Balmain, the crystal-studded jackets and disco mini-dresses. Or buy the real thing at the Jackson memorabilia auction in Beverly Hills next month”. Thanks to the eagle runway-to-red carpet eyes of commenters over at LiveJournal's Oh No They Didn’t forum, it appears, hilariously, that that may have been a Balmain original that Jackson himself was sporting when papped in LA on April 10. Judge for yourself with this runway/pap mashup done by Red Carpet Fashion Awards - the blog's first ever runway comparison to a male celeb. The Neverland auction will take place from April 22-25 at 9900 Wilshire Boulevard. From today, the public will have one week to check out the 1390 lots before they go under the Julien’s Auctions hammer (UPDATE 15/4: auction now cancelled). What next? Joan Collins in Balenciaga FW0910?

Fashion from the vault

As we mull the fruits of FW0910 - and, as The New York Times’ Guy Trebay suggested yesterday, some of the industry's key players ponder their own possibly imminent demises – New York's Film Archives has, coincidentally, just started uploading a raft of old footage onto the net. Among the gems on its YouTube channel, this vignette on Paris Spring fashions from 1954, a time when of course not only were Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga still alive, they were the kings of fashion. Showing just how times change, the voiceover notes: “A Dior creation is always news the world over”.

Some of the videos are highly amusing - particularly the more recent Patrick Swayze and Jackson 5 ads and some hilarious anti-drug commercials, the LSD version (last video) looking like a cross between The Prisoner and Star Trek.

Frockwriter can't help thinking that some of the older videos might provide some much-needed ideas for designers and retailers who are grappling with the Recession and need to grab consumer attention.

Of note, some footage of a female roller derby. Following Jean Paul Gaultier's mud wrestling finale this week, presumably it's only a matter of time before we see Natasha Poly, Raquel Zimmermann and co engaged in similar roller combat.

There are also several underwater fashion shows, notably one staged by the Texan retailer Soggy Scroggins (second last video), whose underwater wedding stunt was designed to "stimulate sales".

McQueen's garbo couture

hendrik kerstens

And so another ready-to-wear season bites the dust. With the economic crisis raging, it’s been a little difficult to concentrate on the clothes. That said, there were some beautiful collections, Lanvin's and Jil Sander's being two of frockwriter's personal favourites. In the face of economic calamity, moreover, which has witnessed panic at more than one luxury and retail enterprise - as profits nosedive, budgets are slashed and staff are turfed out the door - how remarkable was Alexander McQueen’s “Horn of Plenty” show?



alexander mcqueen FW0910/style.it

A marvellous piece of theatre which showcased some of McQueen's greatest hits, as well as nods to 20th Century couture icons such as the houndstooth check tailleurs of the maison Christian Dior, the show backdrop consisted of a giant mound of garbage that was said to have been fashioned from the props of the designer’s old shows.

As thrown-together as it may have looked to some observers, there was nothing laissez faire about this art direction, with the dark, menacing set resembling a post apocalyptic landscape from a sci-fi film. Frockwriter will take a punt the set was most likely authored by Simon Kenny, McQueen's mis-en-scène accomplice for the past nine years.


AP via daylife

The millinery was signed, as usual, Philip Treacy - with no small assistance in that department from hair stylist Guido Paulo, who Glad Wrapped spraypainted Coke cans to the models' heads.

Peter Philips was responsible for the makeup.

Philips said the look was inspired by Pierrot and Joan Collins, however, as has already been mentioned by many, the show's aesthetic seemed to pay more than a passing nod to the late Australian performance artist, and highly original costumier, Leigh Bowery. The garish, exaggerated clown lips were a Bowery trademark.


hendrik kerstens/witzen hausen gallery


alexander mcqueen FW0910/style.it

Frockwriter would like to throw in the name Matthew Barney as well here – at least one ensemble (the white bird outfit) seemed vaguely reminiscent of a costume from Barney's Cremaster Cycle.


hendrik kerstens/witzen hausen gallery


alexander mcqueen FW0910/style.it

And not forgetting Hendrik Kerstens, the Dutch photographer whose portrait of his daughter Paula with a plastic bag on her head, the postmodern incarnation of a 17th Century Flemish cap (and pictured at the top of this post) appeared on McQueen's show invitation.

A closer look at Hendriks’ oeuvre reveals that he may have provided a little more inspiration for the show styling than originally reported.


hendrik kerstens/witzen hausen gallery


alexander mcqueen FW0910/style.it

McQueen is not the only fashion creative for whom the obscenity of conspicuous consumption seems front-of-mind at the moment.

Here is a link to a short film called, in fact, Consumption, that was directed by Warren du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones and which appeared on SHOWstudio last year.

And here is Style.com’s video of Tuesday's McQueen show, which placed a brilliantly creative exclamation point at the climax of a rather unsettling season.

Is Olivier Zahm the new Michael Hutchence?

purple diary

Well frockwriter has been musing this very possibility over the course of the past month, as the co-founder and editor of French art/fashion bible PURPLE FASHION magazine has chronicled his, and his high profile fashion cohorts’, FW0910 adventures on the new Purple Diary blog. (One social shot from which, FYI, features Melbourne expat and apparently Stefano Pilati intimate, Louise Neri, the New York-based art critic/Gagosian Gallery director, who interviewed Pilati for the September issue of Interview). The above shot is captioned, “Olivier Zahm forced to wear Milla Jovovich’s Roberto Cavalli dress of at the Principe di Savoia Hotel bar, Milan”. Warning: NSFW


purple diary

First up, there is Zahm's rather uncanny resemblance to the late INXS frontman.

Secondly, as has occurred to frockwriter since July really, with the airing of the first Cobrasnake shots of Oz teenager Tallulah Morton out and about on the Paris party circuit – shots in which Zahm was often seen to be lurking – Zahm does seem to share Hutchence’s playboy penchant for glamorous women. And notably models.

Furthermore, Zahm appears to have more than a passing interest in sexual experimentation.

To wit, a series of shots shared via his blog which were scanned from the 1975 book, Extases (Tchou/Vertigo, Paris), by Ron Raffaelli and Nicole Avril, apparently a gift to Zahm from designer Vincent Darré:


ron raffaelli/nicole avril via purple


Zahm does seem more than a little preoccupied with sex, in his magazine and moreover, his photo diary.


purple fashion magazine via this is the first floor

Here is a photo of Zahm grabbing a woman's ass - a shot he originally proudly displayed at the top of Purple's MySpace page. Although now removed from that page, the shot has since been immortalised elsewhere on the net:


the fashion spot

Just a quick word on one of Zahm's MySpace mates - "Gallermic T Mabuse" - who appears to have even more exotic tastes.

These include a photo of what by anyone's definition would be a naked pre-pubescent child with their legs spread before the camera, as posted to Purple’s MySpace page. Together with the caption:

“Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher”

And apparently left there since May 2008 without so much as a peep from anyone.

Ooh la la, those saucy French.

No idea if Zahm is gifted with any musical talent. But we do look forward to his next postings.

And we'll take one bet that when it comes to young, inexperienced women desperate to get their faces - or asses - in some high profile French fashion editorial, just what you have to do to swing a bit of coverage in PURPLE FASHION magazine.

The Fall girls

chanel FW0910/wwd.com

Good grief. Frockwriter takes her eye off the FW0910 action for a mo, to attend to some work which required more than a little concentration, and the Oz model crew continues to walk up a runway storm. With Myf Shepherd (pictured above) leading the pack - by a wide margin. We did say that Shepherd's sophomore RTW season was shaping up to be bigger than her first. Well at time of writing, Shepherd had broken her own show record by walking in 56 (13/03: now 62) shows from New York to London, Milan and now Paris. With two days to go, how many more can she do? Will she crack the season's Top 5 in terms of shows walked? Here is an updated showlist of the 17 Australian women (and OK, one man) who have walked thus far on the season's runways.

The list is obviously yet to be finalised. Feel free to add in anything frockwriter may have missed. Thanks also to the TFS crew, whose model otakus keep such close tabs on their individual faves.

Congrats to all the models for making their marks on the season.

Couple of points.

Great first season for Bridget Malcolm and Georgie Wass. And who really is to say that an agent blabbing to Grazia UK about a potential Prada exclusive may have stymied Wass's chances of said exclusive? If indeed that is what occurred - we really don't know where the Prada info came from. As we pointed out, many girls are optioned for that show and never make it in. Wass did not, in the end, turn up at Prada.

Alexandra Agoston-O'Connor is really in her element at haute couture, but her season seems comparatively light - and it was disappointing not to see her at Dior, since she is usually a sure bet with any Galliano show. Tallulah Morton did make it into the Dior show.

Beyond a couple of great gets for Stephanie Carta in New York, moreover, and a few good Paris shows, Carta missed out on several high profile shows which she no doubt hoped to nab again - notably Jil Sander, Balenciaga and Givenchy. On the other hand, she did appear in a high volume of low profile commercial shows in Milan.

Work is work and of course, times are tough, but it's odd to see Carta in those lower tier shows, after achieving such great heights last season - and being hyped as a face to watch.

The Mallory Jansen info comes, perhaps amusingly, from a snippet in The Sunday Telegraph. Jansen does not appear to have her own TFS thread yet and we have been snowed under with work and had no time to check with the agencies. Yes bad timing, but hey, we have to make a living.

Unless sub-editors are at fault here, removing copy for space issues (which is always a possibility), it strikes frockwriter as strange that any paper would go anywhere near a story on Australian models in the FW0910 season and fail to mention even the names of Shepherd, McNeil and Stracke. But look, there you have it: mainstream fashion coverage. And they wonder why people are flocking to the net.

Frockwriter couldn't resist slipping in a couple of backstage shots of our fave Oz model mate hybrids.


Myf Shepherd
Brian Reyes (opened)
Jason Wu
BCBG Max Azria
Lacoste
United Bamboo
Adam Lippes
Diane Von Furstenberg
Erin Fetherston
Donna Karan
Marc By Marc Jacobs
Max Azria
Philosophy
Michael Kors
Phillip Lim
Devi Kroell
Zac Posen
Julian Louie
Verrier
Academy of Art University
L'Wren Scott
Topshop Unique
Sinha-Stanic
Armand Basi One
Christopher Kane
Aquascutum
Betty Jackson
Jaeger
Richard Nicoll
Luella (closed)
Giles
Julien Macdonald
Issa
Paul Smith Women (opened)
Louise Goldin
Missoni
Ermanno Scervino
Alberta Ferretti
Emilio Pucci
Gucci
Marni
Gianfranco Ferré
Prada
MaxMara
Pollini
Les Copains
Sharon Wauchob
Bruno Pieters
Akris
Givenchy
Hussein Chalayan
Sonia Rykiel
Lanvin
Sophia Kokosolaki
Haider Ackermann
Atsuro Tayama
Chanel
Kenzo (closed)
Wunderkind
Paul & Joe
Alexander McQueen
Hermès
Miu Miu

SMYF:


catwalking via TFS

Catherine McNeil
Ohne Titel
Alexander Wang
Preen
Diane Von Furstenberg
Carolina Hererra
Thakoon
Matthew Williamson
Derek Lam
Narciso Rodriguez
Diane Von Furstenberg
Isaac Mizrahi
Zac Posen
Giles
Julien Macdonald
Issa
Etro
Fendi
DSquared2
Blumarine
Alberta Ferretti
Bottega Veneta
Salvatore Ferragamo
Jean Paul Gaultier
Givenchy
Hermès
Stella McCartney
Louis Vuitton

MCBEHA:


style.it via TFS

Skye Stracke
Brian Reyes (closed)
Joseph Altuzarra
Mulberry
Karen Walker
Thuy
Akika Ogawa
Oscar de la Renta
Basso & Brooke
Nathan Jenden
PPQ
Nicole Farhi
Anne-Sofie Back
Paul Smith Women
Issa
Mary Katrantzou
House of Holland
Iceberg
MOMO
Antonio Marras
Enrico Coveri
Jo No Fui
Krizia
Moschina Cheap & Chic
Atsuro Tayama
Tsumori Chisato
Giambattista Valli
Emanuel Ungaro
Commun
Junya Watanabe
Chanel

MORTA:


style.com via TFS


Stephanie Carta
Narciso Rodriguez
Phillip Lim
Rad Hourani
Staerk
Matthew Ames
Vena Cava
Tuleh
L'Wren Scott
Laura Biagiotti (opened)
Love Sex Money
Antonio Marras
Albino
Gabriele Colangelo
Jo No Fui
Stefanel
Kristina Ti
Allegri
Gaspard Yurkievich
Veronique Branquinho
Akris
Dries Van Noten
Commun

Bridget Malcolm
Lela Rose (opened)
Miss Sixty
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Andy & Debb
David Delfin
Toni Maticevski
Tory Burch
Vera Wang
Cynthia Steffe
Elise Overland
Nanette Lepore
John Rocha
Maurizio
Nathan Jenden
John Richmond
Albino
Antonio Marras
Blugirl
Carla Carini

Tallulah Morton
Noir
Graeme Black
Jasper Conran
Paul Costelloe
Normaluisa
Mariella Burani
Jean Paul Gaultier
Marithé et François Girbaud
Ann Demeulemeester
Alviero Martini
Estrella Archs
Hiroko Koshino
Christian Dior
Vivienne Westwood
Jean Charles de Castelbajac
Hermès

Alexandra Agoston-O’Connor
Noir
Kinder Aggugini
Jasper Conran
Marithé et François Girbaud
Comme des Garçons (closed)

Shanina Shaik
Yeohlee (opened)
Shipley & Halmos
Abaete
Mara Hoffman
Lorick
Project Runway
Trovata
Richie Rich

Georgie Wass
Topshop Unique
Nicola de Main
Noir
Danielle Scutt
Jeal-Paul Knott
Marithé et François Girbaud
Jean Charles de Castelbajac

Chelsea Scanlan
Shipley & Halmos
Chocheng
Ideen
Mara Hoffman
Tuleh
Vivienne Tam

Rosie Tupper
Lela Rose
DKNY
Nanette Lepore
A Détacher

Christina Carey
Rad Hourani
Joseph Altuzarra
Vena Cava
Tuleh

Julia Ikonomou
Andy & Debb
Twinkle
Custo Barcelona

Zanita Whittington
Josh Goot
Alexandra Groover

Jethro Cave
Anastase

Vanessa Milde
Toni Maticevski

Mallory Jansen
Fatima Lopes

Things not going better with coke in Paris - especially at Elite

satirical sisley advertisement via adsneeze *

Well it seems the fashion action isn’t isolated to the runways this week in Paris. French police have launched a strike force to crack down on drug use in the Paris fashion, nightclub and film scene. The first high profile deer caught in their headlights is none other than Bertrand Hennet, the ceo of Elite Model Management parent Elite World, who has been charged with buying, possessing and transporting cocaine. Released on bail, Hennet revealed to investigators that he snorts up to two mgs of cocaine every day. And possibly also dobbed in others, in exchange for a better deal. According to the UK Telegraph, a number of others are being questioned - including other "high-profile" figures.

Hilariously, Elite Model Management president, Gerald Marie, dismissed the arrest as an "epiphenomenon", claiming that although he is "surprised" by the incident, Hennet is not involved in the day-to-day running of the agency.

Oh yes, that's right, Hennet only heads up Elite's high profile international scouting event, the Elite Model Look contest, which involves a large number of young teenage hopefuls.

A spokesman for Elite World is quoted as saying that the Hennet debacle, “is an isolated case."

Well, isolated to this decade, is what he meant to say presumably.

In 1999, Elite Model Management - then the world's biggest model agency (a title that has since been usurped by IMG Models) - found itself at the epicentre of the modelling industry’s biggest scandal, after a current affairs team from the BBC led by Donal MacIntyre conducted an undercover investigation into the Milan modelling scene.

The exposé, which sent shockwaves through the industry, revealed that girls as young as 13 were being pressured into sex and drugs by those in trust, with one model booker from the Marilyn agency admitting that she supplied cocaine to models.

The actions of the Elite agency were particularly damaging.

Elite executives were overheard calling black models "niggers" and making racist jokes, whilst Gerald Marie, who was at the time the president of Elite Europe, propositioned an undercover female reporter who was posing as a model – and boasted on camera that he planned to seduce the Elite Model Look finalists, whose average age was 15.

Needless to say, many may well be surprised to hear that Marie even still has a job at Elite, let alone a senior position at the company - having stepped down in disgrace in the wake of the 1999 scandal.

The news follows almost a year to the day that the head of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa, slammed "coke- snorting fashionistas" such as Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, for glamorising drug use.

All three celebrities have strong connections to the fashion industry in the various capacities of paid model, booked entertainer and/or designer muse.

Needless to say, it promises to be a fun week.

Elite Model Management was founded by John Casablancas in Paris in 1972.

Casablancas described the BBC's 1999 revelations as "some of the darkest aspects" of modelling and promised an investigation within the company, telling The Independent:

"Four members of the Elite organisation appear in this programme. The language and situations in which these individuals allowed themselves to be involved are shocking, unacceptable and highly inappropriate".

Coincidentally, Casablancas sold his interest in the agency in 2000.

In 2002, Casablancas found himself at the centre of his own underage sex scandal, when a former Elite model claimed that she had been pursued by Casablancas at the Elite Model Look competition when she was 15, that Casablancas had made her pregnant and then took her to a doctor for an abortion.




* Although the above "Sisley" ad initially swept across the net in 2007, prompting heated debate, Sisley parent Benetton has clarified that the company had nothing whatsoever to do with the images. Sisley has nevertheless been more than happy to push the taste envelope with its advertisements, as shot by Terry Richardson and including the famous shot of model Josie Moran simulating fellatio with a cow's udder. And frankly, it's hardly surprising that people found it so easy to believe that this was a real Sisley ad. In the interests of satire and free speech, frockwriter reserves the right to republish the above picture as social commentary on the fashion business. Sisley can hardly claim that its, ahem, nose, is clean.

Tallulah says NO

NO magazine/the girl with kaleidoscope eyes

Apart from a few shows at London Fashion Week, and a couple of low profile Milan shows, Tallulah Morton's FW0910 season has yet to take off. With the Paris leg just kicked off however, things may pick up (07/03: Morton appeared overnight in several Paris shows, notably Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood). Meanwhile, here's a preview of Morton's latest cover - the 5th edition of New Zealand's NO magazine, courtesy Kiwi blog The Girl With Kaleidoscope Eyes. Yes that's the cover/editorial that was shot by Mark 'The Cobrasnake' Hunter, in somewhat controversial circumstances, a couple of months back. This is one of two covers of the edition - the second depicting New Zealand actress, stuntwoman and Quentin Tarantino acolyte, Zoe Bell.

Prêt-à-Twitter: First word on Balenciaga

LOVE blog


The LA Times' Booth Moore was first onto Twitter immediately following Balenciaga. Staged at the Crillon Hotel (most unusual for Balenciaga) and attended by Catherine Deneuve and Salma Hayek, the show - make that shows - featured "fresh and wearable" print dresses, draped jackets, cigarette pants, draped silk skirts and tweedy metallic knits. The New York Times' Cathy Horyn published the first images and later blogged about the draped coat dresses, the reedition of a spot print from Balenciaga's archive - and the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent. LOVE magazine later blogged more shots (above, below). Frockwriter Tweeted (and prior to the UK Telegraph story going online), that we thought it looked like something out of Joan Collins' winnebago whilst shooting Dynasty. That the venue, celebs and collection smacked of someone being given an ultimatum and that it looked like Ghesquière designed the tackiest collection he could to thumb his nose at PPR. But hell, what would we know? More FW0910 coverage to come once we have finished some other urgent work. Click here to see the complete collection on style.it.


LOVE blog


balenciaga FW0910/the new york times

Gareth Pugh FW0910 live blog

Fashion never sleeps - and nor does frockwriter. Especially not when we’re on deadline. But another live blog calls people. And who are we to ignore it? Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio is thoughtfully providing a live stream (correction, video) of Gareth Pugh’s FW0910 collection at 5pm today Paris time, which is 3am AEST tomorrow. Join frockwriter, Bryanboy and Imelda live as we slice and dice Pugh’s sure-to-be theatrical extravaganza and ponder the second biggest rumour of the season after Alessandra Facchinetti working on Tom Ford’s new womenswear label: is Pugh headed for Dior Homme? Beyond LVMH’s statement that the company is bankrolling Pugh's shows, some believe an announcement is imminent. Today? Ironically, Pugh’s FW0910 show timeslot immediately follows that of Kris Van Assche, the Dior Homme incumbent Pugh is tipped to replace. In the interim, here is Pugh, above, in some other SHOWstudio vignettes.

05/03: As becomes obvious at the kickoff of the blog, Pugh did not do a runway show yesterday, but showed a video. That's fine and it was still a first look, however we can't help expressing our disappointment in SHOWstudio's lack of transparency. The website advertised "the exclusive opportunity to watch Gareth Pugh's eagerly-awaited A/W show, live on SHOWstudio... we will be able to simultaneously show exactly what press and buyers will see". Several phone attempts last night to clarify the exact nature of the presentation were blown off, with a SHOWstudio rep refusing to confirm or deny whether it was definitely a live stream of a runway show. We received confirmation that it was a video from Sonny Vandevelde in Paris at 2.28am (Cover It Live's time code here is one hour out for some reason). We can't help feeling SHOWstudio deliberately misled readers - possibly also showgoers. Apologies to anyone who stayed up until 3am on our recommendation, expecting to see a runway collection.

Dolce e Gabbana FW0910 live

Kane and able

Word first leaked on Friday that Brit enfant terrible Christopher Kane (above, pictured with Donatelle Versace) has been involved in a collab project with Versace's 20 year-old diffusion line Versus, which is being relaunched after a four year hiatus. Yesterday the spectacular, crystal-encrusted accessories collection was unveiled in Milan and here are a couple of shots, courtesy Versace.



This is not the first time Kane has worked with Versace.

Prior to the September 2006 launch of his own signature collection in London, the St Martins graduate briefly consulted to Versace's Atelier haute couture line and the accessories line.

Given how closely-guarded the Kane intel was, you have to wonder how much more of an involvement he may have in the Versus fashion collection, which will bow at the Spring 2010 shows in September.

Or indeed, whether there may be anything in the pipeline with another Versace protege, Norwegian Kristian Aadnevik.



All images: Versace.

Prada goes to war

prada FW0910/fashionologie


You've got to love the speed at which the FW0910 collections coverage is moving. And I'm not just talking about the Twitter dispatches - from which we have learned over the past 24 hours that the Recession continues to impact on showgoer numbers, including the foreign press. And that Alessandra Facchinetti may be cooking up Tom Ford's new womenswear line. Approximately two hours after the Prada show, a UK Telegraph video was up showing not only the hair & makeup preparations, but show footage. Myf Shepherd scored her second Prada show (1.00 into the video below), also Marni and Gucci, in what is emerging as an even bigger sophomore runway season for the 17 year-old Australian.

Click here to see the complete collection on wwd.com.

Miuccia Prada told reporters backstage that the collection was a take on the country – and there were certainly plenty of sturdy pastoral tweeds, ribbed knit cardigans and rich tapestry brocades. Not forgetting the Wellington-look boots, complete with curious leather suspenders - the most extreme version being a to-the-hip style that was a dead ringer for a rubber fisherman's wader, but which, as it turns out, is definitely leather. On the horizon for some time now, the over-the-knee boot trend has reached its apotheosis this season.


prada FW0910/fashionologie

Luxury abounded in businesslike crocodile briefcases and an abundance of fur, which picked up from Prada’s ‘sauvage’ FW0607 collection and was seen in everything from gilets to dresses, cardigans and bags.

But this Prada collection also boasted a very definite WWII austerity vibe. Two cases in point, the predominance of boxy tweed suits with strong shoulders and wide lapels and even the hair, which to frockwriter’s eye looked far less ‘roll in the hay’ as some have suggested, and more Victory Roll. Named after a fighter pilot manoeuvre which celebrated victory in battle, the Victory Roll became the iconic coiffure of the 1940s.

There was more than a little fight in this Prada collection, as evidenced in the boxing arena-style seating, the spectacular studded gladiators - which included a Mary Jane with a studded upright fringe that looked like the defensive collar of an Australian Frilled Neck Lizard in fight or flight mode. And of course, the richly embellished finale of gladiator-style studded ribbon dresses.


prada FW0910/fashionologie

But if the clothes were Bolshie, the models seemed less so. As they gathered en masse in the centre of the Prada ‘ring’ at the close of the show, at least one observer noted that they looked too thin.

Loving Marie Claire Australia's Twitter coverage, but can't help wondering if their Prada advertisers are going to love the latter comment.

Killer heels II - Abbey Lee Kershaw bows out of FW0910

gucci FW0910/style.it


Just how dangerous are those skyscraper heels? That’s a question begging to be asked following the news that a knee injury which kept Abbey Lee Kershaw out of New York Fashion Week now dictates that she will skip the season altogether. After being given the all-clear by a doctor to travel to the Milan and Paris legs of FW0910, Kershaw arrived in Milan for castings but lasted a day, unable to negotiate walking in the season's footwear, Chic Management director Kathy Ward told frockwriter. Noted Ward, “She flew to Milan, went to some castings, but she wasn’t ready to walk in high-heeled shoes”.

Ward did not clarify which castings Kershaw attended but one must assume that with four Gucci campaigns under her belt in the past 12 months, Gucci would have been a sure bet this season. Above and below are two closeups of some of the Gucci shoes that Kershaw may have been obliged to wear had she been runway-fit.


gucci FW0910/style.it

According to Ward, Kershaw has had a longstanding problem with her knee ligaments and made the decision to skip New York Fashion Week after an arthroscopic investigation just after Christmas revealed bone fragments.

According to Ward, Kershaw received medical advice that she would be OK to pick up the season at the midway point.

One wonders if Kershaw's orthopedic specialist has sighted some of the extreme footwear in which models have recently been expected to walk - prompting numerous stumbles already this season, notably Monika Jagaciak's spectacular stack in New York.

Given how much publicity the moment's extreme footwear fad has enjoyed - with numerous doctors weighing in on the health risks - it seems surprising that they were not across the story.

Under the circumstances, one has to assume that Kershaw’s catwalk stumble at New York’s Rodarte show last September – not to mention her collapse at the Alexander McQueen show several weeks later, due to a restrictive corset – did not help the situation.

“It could have exacerbated the situation – possibly, I don’t know for sure” noted Ward.

“She hasn’t had a full knee reconstruction - but she needs to rest and get strong again before doing anything else” Ward added. “She’s back in New York. She’ll have to take the season off”.

Sonny Vandevelde backstage at Burberry

burberry FW0910/sonny vandevelde

While (some of) you were sleeping, the Milan shows rolled on. This just in: an exclusive preview of Sonny Vandevelde's backstage photo portfolio from Burberry. As runway shots are still loading elsewhere, these images give you a closer look at creative director Christopher Bailey's wistful British FW0910 collection. Entitled 'Modern nostalgia - Great British icons', the collection was inspired, says Bailey, by the historical British figures Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf and Elizabeth, Countess of Devon - and played to a soundtrack which included Peter Gabriel's British classic, Solsbury Hill.

The collection did not move forward but rather, looked back: on a score of British sartorial icons that included the Burberry trench, natch, double-breasted Chesterfields, mannish tweed suits and oversized boyfriend jackets, while sinuous longline Aran and also Fair Isle knit sweaters were teamed with tiered wool boucle skirts and knife-pleat kilts.

Luxurious fur capes and shearling jackets were layered over a score of richly-textured dresses in silk tulle, double satin and silk chiffon creponne, many of them high-waisted.

The brooding colour palette was shot with bursts of autumn florals and a Grand Master-look portrait print in silk creponne - a twist on the historic photoprint trend seen at Miu Miu SS09 (and popping up again last night at D&G).

The collection also featured an oversized version of Burberry's trademark tartan (not, as it turns out, the vintage Nova tartan, as previously reported), notably in the accessories, which included some spectacular super-sized totes, also in alligator and tapestry, as well as rubber-soled platform hiking boots, desert boots and lace-up sandals, cozy tartan-lined fur snoods, felted wool trilbies and "barbed wire" chain bracelets - the latter detail also seen as trims on bags. When the cold winds of Recession bite, apparently you need all the protection you can muster.










































All photos © Sonny Vandevelde 2009.