Major Duomo

nicole pollard backstage at gucci FW1314 via stylebistro.com

And so to the mid-way point of the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 show season: Milan. Top designers notwithstanding, it’s not that hard to book a show or presentation in New York, where around 300 usually take place each season. London is a great fashion week, but even Julia Nobis skipped it altogether this season. Milan and Paris, however, are the money cities where the biggest luxury brands and opportunities lie. And on day one of Milan Fashion Week three Australian models were spotted in shows: Nobis, Catherine McNeil and Nicole Pollard. Just a reminder that Pollard had barely registered on the international circuit this time last year (she did 10 low profile shows at New York Fashion Week in September 2011). But after a prestigious haute couture debut walking for Christian Dior last July, followed by all of Dior’s subsequent shows, Dior’s Spring/Summer 2013 advertising campaign and some top shows in New York two weeks ago, there was Pollard in Gucci’s all-star model cast overnight - alongside Nobis and the world numbers 1 and 2 Joan Smalls and Karlie Kloss. In less than 18 months, Pollard has become one of the big girls. UPDATE 22/02: She can now add Fendi to her show list. And Catherine McNeil can add Prada to hers. 

New faces: Nathaniel Visser

via eMg models

Long time, no noobs. So herewith the first in frockwriter's new modelling faces series for 2013: Nathaniel Visser. 

Australia's next top models

montana cox at bottega veneta FW1213 getty via daylife.com

So how is modelling's so-called 'Aussie invasion' going? The Fall/Winter 2012/2013 Paris shows kick off today and so far, by our count, 31 Australians have turned up on the runways of New York, London and Milan, with one notable newcomer making her mark in the latter city. That is, Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 7 winner Montana Cox (above). Fresh off the ANTM 2011 winner's podium, Cox has yet to even make an appearance at Australian Fashion Week. In her first ever runway season, however, she has already bagged five shows, including some of the most prestigious Italian luxury names: Bottega Veneta, Pucci and Etro. Frockwriter hears that the casting directors of some of the bigger Paris brands may be equally interested. ANTM Cycle 6 winner Amanda Ware was also in Milan, ditto the 2010 winner of the Girlfriend Model Search, Jemma Baines. Julia Nobis meanwhile - who of course never emerged from any modelling competitions - is up to 48 shows already this month. Will she close the Paris shows next week as the season's top catwalker for the second consecutive season? Updated lists below and a photo gallery of the showgirls of London and Milan. The NY shows are in black type; London, blue; and Milan, red.  

Mambo Italiano

rose smith, dolce e gabbana SS12/getty via daylife

If fashion weeks were like marathons and they awarded a medal for every show finisher in the Big Four fashion cities, Australian models would be buying some extra suitcases right about now to repatriate their hauls. Welcome to the business end of the Spring/Summer 2012 season. Milan wrapped yesterday, Paris starts today and a clear antipodian vanguard has emerged. Milan and Paris are where the big luxury brands are headquartered and this season the Italians chose 12 Australians to showcase their wares (out of a total of 34 who have also appeared on the runways of New York and London over the past three weeks). Abbey Lee Kershaw might not have the SS12 show numbers - she ditched New York Fashion Week altogether, due to New York commitments with her band, Our Mountain - but her showlist reads like a Who's Who of fashion. With 49 shows already under her belt, Julia Nobis could well finish as one of the season's busiest catwalkers. Rising stars include Rose Smith, whose biggest claim to runway fame as of February this year was David Jones. In the interim she has walked for such prestigious names as Chanel (x three shows), Fendi and in Milan this week, Dolce e Gabbana. Here are the updated showlists, with the Milan shows marked in red.

 

Fantastic four

antonio marras SS12 backstage/sonny vandevelde

Here are four key members of the new Australian modelling force that has been powering ahead on the runways of New York, London and now Milan for the Spring/Summer 2012 season, as documented by frockwriter over the past fortnight. Shot backstage by Sonny Vandevelde at yesterday's Antonio Marras show, they are, from left: Dempsey Stewart, Caitlin Lomax, Codie Young and Rose Smith. There was a fifth Australian in the same show, not pictured here - Chrystal Copland. All under 21, in demand and having the time of their lives, they are among at least 31 Australians who have been carving up the SS12 show circuit, on many other occasions walking in the same shows. Milan Fashion Week is, however, missing one promising Australian newcomer, Krystal Glynn. The very same model who claims that she recently turned down Italian luxury brand Prada for its Resort 2012 lookbook and campaign, who made an impressive debut at New York Fashion Week and in whom sources say there was significant casting interest in both Milan and Paris. Where is Glynn? Back home celebrating her 17th birthday and a camping holiday with her family. Lomax, meanwhile, scored not only the Prada Resort lookbook, apparently in Glynn's place, but a slot in Prada's SS12 runway show, alongside Abbey Lee Kershaw and Julia Nobis.

Rosemary Smith and Emilia Skuza hop on fashion's trans Tasman locomotive

  

She was optioned for another big show, but Rosemary Smith pulled off the next best thing in Milan overnight: Fendi, alongside some of the biggest runway names in the business. Not bad for a first international show season, but Smith has got a long way to catch up with some other downunder newcomers, like Dempsey Stewart, whose already stellar first show season now also includes the blue chip Prada and Burberry shows. New arrivals to this already blistering antipodian show season are runway veterans Abbey Lee Kershaw, who has, not unexpectedly, been cleaning up with big name shows such as as Gucci, Fendi and Burberry; Myf Shepherd, after a year’s hiatus, walking so far for just Angelo Marani; Jessica Hart, who appeared at Matthew Williamson in London; and brand new Adelaide face Emilia Skuza. First emerging on the Paris haute couture runways last month, Skuza turned up at Aquascutum, Antonio Berardi, Mary Karantzou, Amanda Wakeley and Emelia Wickstead in London. The rise and rise of “trans Tasman models” has captured the attention of not only the blogosphere, but also the mainstream media. Today, The Australian ran a story about Bambi Northwood-Blyth and The Sydney Morning Herald covered the plethora of Australian models currently working the show circuit. 

Fur realz - Fall/Winter 2011/2012

The European Fall/Winter 2011/2012 menswear season is off and running in Milan. After a day of shows, what are the early trends? Military detailing, velvet, drop-crotch trousers and a surprising amount of colour for a winter season. Of note, Burberry's tangerine and cyclamen pink pea coats, duffle and puffa jackets and Jil Sander's skinny knits, parkas and colour-blocked suiting in an eye-popping palette, which creative director Raf Simons looks to have carried over from his womens' spring 2011 show. Not to mention fur. This time last year we noted a preponderance of shaggy glam rock mens' coats in various fabrications. And although this season, Dolce e Gabbana used faux fur and Roberto Cavalli's patchwork fur coat had almost a vintage vibe, the luxury ante was definitely upped by Burberry, which showed a number of rabbit, lambskin and patchwork Finnish mink jackets, including one spectacular two-tone mink for a cool US$27,000. 

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2011 menswear show streaming live

The Spring/Summer 2011 menswear season kicks off today in Milan. Several companies are live streaming shows, Burberry among them. As with last season, select merchandise will be available for preorder straight off the runway from the website from June 19-26th. In the case of this collection, 27 pieces of apparel (sizes 44-56) and nine styles of bag, with delivery promised within 4-6 weeks. The show is due to commence at 3.00pm Milan time (11.00pm AEST). Enjoy.

Prada bumps an all skinny cast to include Victoria's Secret Angels - and four Australians

prada fw1011/getty

Yesterday there were whispers that the Prada cast in Milan might “shake the earth with surprise”. Frockwriter wondered if that might mean Miuccia Prada was planning to include plus sized Crystal Renn? Not quite, but fascinating casting nonetheless and it involves a hell of a lot of Australians. Yes the fashion world was gobsmacked by Balenciaga’s inclusion of Miranda Kerr in its Spring/Summer 2010 show in Paris last September. Well just as frockwriter hinted Kerr might make an appearance in Milan, she has just walked in Prada, alongside two other Victoria's Secret Angels, Doutzen Kroes and Allessandra Ambrosio, not to mention Kerr's compatriots and Chic stablemates Catherine McNeil and Abbey Lee Kershaw. And not forgetting Australia’s hottest new modelling star, Priscilla's Julia Nobis, who, as we reported, scored a Calvin Klein exclusive in New York last week and powered along at London Fashion Week this week, walking for a handful of top shows, including Burberry, Richard Nicoll and Topshop Unique - opening the latter two (and just dubbed a breakout star of the season by New York Magazine). Here is Prada's complete cast list.

None of the Victoria's Secret contract Angels are "plus sized", so let's just put things in perspective here. They are all thinner than "average" women. But they are more voluptuous than your "average" high fashion models, which is why they are in high demand for lingerie and swimwear work.

Catherine McNeil however, interestingly, has not done runway shows for several seasons - because, it has been claimed, she gained weight.

This is not a victory for plus sized models. But it is nonetheless a very interesting move in an area of fashion that is known for its draconian weight regulations and one that is no doubt about to be discussed at length.

Sonny Vandevelde backstage at the FW1011 menswear shows

vivienne westwood FW1011/sonny vandevelde

If you're a regular reader of this blog then you would already be familiar with the name Sonny Vandevelde: the Belgian Australian (aka Belgralian) photographer who has, in frockwriter's humble opinion, transformed backstage fashion photography into an art form. Sonny usually photographs the major womens' runway seasons, but he's on assignment in Paris at the moment completing his first menswear collections, shooting for a variety of publications. Click here to see Sonny's Milan FW1011 menswear slideshow on New York's ubercool Hintmag. And here to see his Paris FW1011 Hintmag gallery, which will be updated to include the latest shows - which wrap up tomorrow. And of course Sonny's blog for others. Frockwriter mentioned Sonny's mini retrospective in New York in September. Come March, he's having a similar show as part of the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Why he hasn't been snapped up by a major retailer or brand for a campaign is beyond me. Of course there was this Old Navy revamp - whose art director in fact used Sonny's shots for the campaign mockup (sighted by me), only to commission another photographer to copy his style. Sucks, but that's life. Ditto getting his heart broken by Lara Stone. But that's another story...

Fancy a shag?

gianfranco ferre FW1011/getty via daylife

Beyond fashion's rapidly accelerating digital uptake, with four brands streaming their shows live in the first two days of the men's Fall/Winter 2010/2011 runway season, which is currently underway in Milan, a couple of other trends of note. A definite heritage theme, with several houses that are celebrating anniversaries (Ermenegildo Zegna, 100 years; Dolce e Gabbana, 20) delving into their respective roots. The skinny trouser continues to trend, with a firm nod to the spray-on version - aka megging. At Dolce e Gabbana and Emporio Armani, morphing into longjohns. One garment to emerge in multiple collections is the shaggy man's coat or vest. Part glam rock, part Fred Flintsone, it's fashioned from fur, astrakhan, shearling or wool.









Top to bottom:

1. Gianfranco Ferré/Reuters
2. Gucci/Getty
3. Vivienne Westwood/Getty
4. Pringle of Scotland/Getty
5. Burberry/Reuters
6. Costume National/Getty

The Roberto Cavalli scuba pant - and the model who dropped 30 pounds to squeeze into it

robert cavalli uomo SS10/wwd.com

Overnight, a number of key menswear collections showed up on the Milan SS10 runway. Among the trends of note, a glut of eye-popping red suits at Dirk Bikkembergs, Salvatore Ferragamo, Enrico Coveri and Trussardi. Plaid at Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs. And muscle shirts at Prada, Calvin Klein and Trussardi. And just as Sunday's Gucci show was reportedly inspired by '70s flick The Deep, Robert Cavalli came up with a a scuba-inspired collection, whose hero garment was a curious trouser with a high, foldover waistand that resembled a surfer’s wetsuit with the top rolled down. Frockwriter is dubbing it the scuba pant. But more interesting than the clothes was The New York Times revelation that top 22 year-old Arab American model A. J. Abualrub (pictured above and below, right) dropped 30 pounds (13.64 kilos) for the season.

Abualrub told NYT journalist Guy Trebay that his natural weight is closer to 200 pounds, that he sees a nutritionist, that it was a challenge to take the weight off - but that he wound up booking more Milan Fashion Week shows than he had anticipated.

Noted Abualrub:

“I only eat, like, maybe twice a day”.

There has been much talk over the past week about the shrinking sample size in the womens’ fashion market, with Alexandra Shulman and Kirstie Clements, the editors of the British and Australian editions of Vogue, lamenting the tiny sizes of womens' current fashion samples.

Frockwriter has two observations to make here.

Firstly, anecdotally, the average age of a female runway model would appear to be younger than it was 15 years ago. Up to a decade younger.

And furthemore, the past 15 years has also reportedly witnessed a reduction in the mens' sample size, as part of what has been referred to as "the Hedi Sliminization" of the mens' fashion market.


robert cavalli uomo SS10/wwd.com

The creative director of YSL Rive Gauche Homme from 1997-1999 and then, notably, Christian Dior Homme, from 2000-2007, Hedi Slimane is credited with launching, among other silhouettes, the skinny jean trend which revolutionised both the menswear and womenswear markets.

Slimane's choice of ultra skinny models for his runway shows, and his muses - notably Brit rocker Pete Doherty, a longtime heroin user who pleaded guilty to heroin possession earlier this month - led to the widespread use of the term "heroin chic" to describe Slimane's aesthetic.

One might well ask just how much influence Slimane has wielded over the womens’ market in general.

As mentioned on this journalist's last blog Fully Chic last year, during one of several discussions about body image and model weight, over the past two years several reports have been published about the shrinking male sample size.

Here is one story from The Independent from February 2007, which mentions a book written by former male model, and recovered anorexic, Ron Saxon.

Here is another from The New York Times from November 2007, discussing the very fashion-obsessed Japanese market.

And here is yet another from February 2008, also from the NYT - and coincidentally also written by Guy Trebay.

Trebay began that February 2008 story with the following words:

“CREDIT Hedi Slimane or blame him”

In that story, Flaunt magazine’s Long Nguyen recounted that when he first entered the magazine business in 1994, the typical sample was an Italian 50. Six years later, reported Ngyen, it had shrunk to 48. By 2008, it was 46.

Nguyen told the NYT:

“At that point you might as well save money and just go over to the boy’s department”.

Beau geste: Did the dog eat Versace's social media homework?

doug ordway for versace

Overnight Versace showed its SS10 menswear show in Milan. Inspired by the French Foreign Legion, the hallmark looks of the largely desert-toned collection were the safari suit, a series of loose djellabah shirts, many of them dip-dyed, and the now de rigueur manbag. In Versace’s case, this included both the megatote and the duffle bag, right down to small, square leather purses, worn belted at the hip. Below is a video of the collection from, once again, the good folk over at LA Times blogs. And just as well that someone had their eye on the social media ball at Versace, because in spite of the suggestion that Versace was “fully embracing the digital era”, including the promise of "doggie cam" - that's right, a camera-enabled pooch - Versace’s so-called exclusive live-streamed backstage access turned out to be rather confusing.

Is there anything at all on the Versace website? No.

Instead, there is a series of uncaptioned photos on the Twitter feed of Doug Ordway.

Who is that exactly? Ordway is a photographer who says he does a lot of work for Versace.

A few images of the hair & makeup stage were posted on Twitter prior to the show. The bulk of the images were however posted long after the show had wrapped - with no captions whatsoever.

Ordway also shot three maximum 30 second backstage videos backstage which also went up after the event (see below).

Another site called Ftape, which calls itself the "Ultimate Online Fashion Resource" - and whose connection to Versace is unclear – appeared charged with the role of promoting Ordway's coverage via its website and Twitter.

And at least Ftape has done a good job of aggregating all of Ordway's photos and video together in the one spot. But you had to really know what you were looking for to find it.

Perhaps the doggie-cam - and also touted model-cam - footage is to be used at some later date.

Memo to Versace: YouTube is not live-streaming video. Nor is uploading a gazillion photographs hours after the event.

It’s great that more and more fashion companies are interested in getting into social media and providing their audiences with content.

But try taking a leaf out of Dolce e Gabbana’s book.

Dolce e Gabbana manages to aggregate all its content under the Dolce e Gabbana umbrella.

The company does have a spinoff, magazine-style website - Swide - which pumps out a lot of exclusive content. Granted, the site has a rather baffling name - which, judging by its low Twitter follow count may confuse people. But at least Dolce e Gabbana is serious about social media and has dedicated resources to it.

And furthermore, of course, Dolce e Gabbana actually live-streams its runway shows to the net as they happen.

Bottega Veneta rocks the cropped pant

Here is a just-posted video from the LA Times blogs of the Bottega Veneta SS10 menswear show in Milan, which took place four hours ago. It features one of the biggest early trends of the season, that has been seen in a number of collections, including Dolce e Gabbana, Missoni and the just-wrapped Gucci: the cropped trouser. See the complete Missoni and Gucci collections on wwd.com.

Jethro Cave's Gumby earring is apparently bigger than Costume National

COACD

First spotted dangling off the ear of Australia's next top male model Jethro Cave during a photoshoot for the top model industry blog Confessions of a Casting Director a fortnight ago, Cave's Gumby earring must have appealed to the stylists over at Italian brand Costume National. Because there it was, still on Cave as he walked the show overnight in Milan. Cave is second out in this video below. That said, it's hard to imagine a huge gob of Kelly green rubber being easily adapted to the vision of most luxury brands, so one wonders if there's a chance that Cave simply refused to cooperate? It's not like it went with anything else in the collection. As was observed by the good folk over at The New York Times, who seemed quite perplexed when they noted on Twitter: "An inexplicable Gumby earring hanging off the ear of a model at Costume National". Cave is of course the son of rock legend Nick Cave and has of late become well-connected in the fashion biz. So perhaps noone tells him to lose the Gumby.

The man clutch at Dolce e Gabbana

Yes the Spring/Summer 2010 menswear shows are off in Milan and thanks to a couple of social media-savvy brands that showed on day one – Dolce e Gabbana and Burberry – here is a closer look (just try a Google News search on Burberry, Dolce e Gabbana, Missoni, Jil Sander or any other brand which showed yesterday and see how much mainstream media coverage comes up right now - nada). Both Dolce e Gabbana and Burberry personally invited our buddy Bryanboy to see their shows and both companies very quickly provided images. Dolce e Gabbana deserves special mention for setting the social media agenda in the luxury world, by being the first major brand to live stream all its shows. Kollektor and frockwriter were among many to watch the company's show last night, the highlights of which – as we noted live – included compact clutch purses being carried by almost every model (who included Madonna squeeze Jesus Luz), glitzy jacquard smoking jackets over cropped trousers, bejewelled tuxedos, singlets with Marlon Brando graphics and a platoon of buffed muscle boys in heavily-distressed jeans (which, according to D&G's online alter-ego Swide, are lined in pyjama silk). More images after the jump. For complete coverage, from runway to backstage, head to Dolce e Gabbana’s website.










all images: Dolce e Gabbana

The canvas megatote at Burberry

As noted by Bryanboy from the trenches on day one of the Milan Spring/Summer 2010 menswear shows, it was hard to miss Burberry’s canvas megatotes overnight. Entitled “British town and country under British rain and sun” the collection also featured bondage-like straps on lightweight trenches in shower-proof waxed heritage cotton, waxed linen and waxed cotton canvas – the best in eye-popping ‘uniform red’ and ‘sou’wester yellow’ - cashmere gilets and cardigans and vintage cable knits. More pics after the jump.






all images: courtesy Burberry

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.