Vogue Australia's Model Series is an IMG Models exclusive

The competition in Australia's modelling market was already heating up before IMG Models rolled into town last July. Sydney agency Chic Management was accused of "undercutting" the competition at last year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia via the agency's "Chic Exclusive" shows featuring only Chic models. Frockwriter understands that the Chic Exclusives will continue at this year's event, which officially starts on Monday, but has kicked off already with a few off-schedule shows around town this week. Tomorrow morning's Carla Zampatti show in the Sydney CBD will feature only Chic girls. Meanwhile, IMG Models Australia has returned fire by stitching up its own big exclusive - with no less than Vogue Australia. And the other agencies are fuming. 

Showcards: Priscilla's Model Management (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

jackson rado by damon baker/priscillas

Last week we brought you the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia SS1314 girls of Priscillas Model Management – including Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio (who has yet to be booked, but we hear other internationals repped by Priscillas are en route down under). Here are the Priscillas' MBFWA boys. They include yet another European who is no stranger to the international mens runways and who, just like Nicklas Kingo, just happens to be half Australian.

Showcards: Priscilla's Model Management (women) - MBFWA SS 13/14

Could Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio really be a serious contender for the runways of next month’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia? Frockwriter was somewhat taken aback to spot the Brazilian bombshell at the head of the Priscilla's Model Management women’s show pack for the event. As we mentioned yesterday, the Oz modelling game has shifted into a new gear courtesy of last year’s arrival of IMG Models - which included some of its own big names, ie Gemma Ward and Miranda Kerr, in its show pack.

Citizens Kane

christophe kane FW1314 via wwd.com

First Gabby Dover was 'blessed by Victoria Beckham', making her international runway debut at Beckham's Victoria, Victoria Beckham show at New York Fashion Week last week, a matter of mere weeks after signing up with Sydney model agency Priscillas. Now Dover has been booked as a London Fashion Week exclusive by one of that city's hottest new designers, Christopher Kane. Only increasing the buzz factor of Kane's camo de luxe show overnight was the fact that last month, he sold a 51 percent stake of his company to French luxury goods conglomerate PPR, the parent of, among other brands, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. But there is a connection between the Beckham and Kane shows which could mean even bigger things for Dover - not to mention the four other Australians cast in Kane's show. 

Blessed by Victoria Beckham

victoria, victoria beckham via style.com

If you’re going to make a splash, it might as well be with the blessing of a former Spice Girl. Frockwriter mentioned that Sydney agency Priscillas was predicting big things for new face Gabby Dover. Make that of Beckham proportions. Dover made her runway debut overnight at New York Fashion Week modelling for Victoria Beckham’s younger diffusion line Victoria, Victoria Beckham. And not only that.

Show ponies - David Jones Autumn/Winter 2013

grey wasp/blue wasp/splash news

Miranda Kerr has touched down (here she is, above, arriving at Sydney airport on Friday, Louis Vuitton luggage in tow) which means it's show time at David Jones. All eyes and cameras will be trained on the Australian department store's 7th floor tomorrow night for the Autumn/Winter 2013 showcase. Frockwriter will, as usual, have all the backstage action but in the interim, we were interested to take a peek at the list of 50 other names who will be flanking La Kerr on the runway. Not surprisingly, this season's cast list is reflective of the dramatic changes that the Australian modelling industry has undergone over the past 12 months, with the launch of a major new competitor in IMG Models. This time last year, a number of names - including Kerr - were repped by other agencies. 

New faces: Gabby Dover

And so to fashion month. The Fall/Winter 2013/2014 show season kicks off in New York on Thursday, thence followed by London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. Frockwriter will, as usual, be keeping a close eye on the Australian modelling contingent - interest in which shows no signs of abating. After the emergence of at least five brand new Aussie men in the recent FW1314 menswear shows in London, Milan and Paris - followed by a strong haute couture season in Paris for Julia Nobis, Jemma Baines, Nicole Pollard, Kaila Hart and Andrej Pejic - it's clear that casting directors still cannot get enough of antipodian talent. Here's a new name to add to the pack: Gabby Dover. 

Science major

louis vuitton FW1314 via style.com

Another day, another new Australian male modelling face pops up at the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 menswear shows - and like so many others, this one also has university affiliations. Overnight in Paris Priscillas' James Gatenby made his international runway debut opening the Louis Vuitton show.

New faces: Martika Walford

Fascinating to hear just how models get scouted. So far in frockwriter's New Faces series, modelling hopefuls have been spotted riding their horses, on Facebook, at a bus stop and enrolled in a grooming course paid for by grandma. In the case of indigenous beauty Martika Walford, she can thank her boarding school for bringing her to the attention of the industry.

The circuiteers - Australian models at the Spring/Summer 2013 shows

Julia Nobis is currently enjoying something that she likes to call “fat month” – the period immediately following the gruelling ready-to-wear show season, when she winds down. Show seasons are hard work for leading models such as Nobis, who was the season’s top runway face for two consecutive seasons up until the latest shows round that finished a few weeks ago in Paris, walking in more shows than any other model. This season Nobis lost that crown - she walked in 62 shows, making her Spring/Summer 2013's third busiest showgirl, in terms of show numbers, after Tilda Lindstam (69 shows) and Ava Smith, Erjona Ala and Tian Yi (64 shows each) according to the modelwatchers at The Fashion Spot (and many thanks to TFS for its painstaking show-combing). But that's still an impressive tally. How many Australians followed in her footsteps this season? Nineteen by our calculations. And if you have been tracking the progress of Australian models on the world’s runways for the past four years via frockwriter, you’d be right in thinking that that sounds like a steep dive in numbers on the previous Spring/Summer season – a 50percent drop in fact.

Bambi Northwood-Blyth also has a dicky knee

bambi northwood-blyth's twitter

What is with Australian models and knee injuries? Following February’s news about Abbey Lee Kershaw undergoing surgery in New York for a long-standing knee problem – and our revelation earlier this month that bad knees run in the Kershaw family – comes news that Bambi Northwood-Blyth has bunged up one of hers.

The Chic hits the fan: IMG Models to open down under

What a can of worms frockwriter's post about the top Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia showgirls opened up earlier this month. Via a series of anonymous comments, the Sydney agency whose models dominated the event, Chic Management, was accused of the "malicious undercutting" of other agencies via its relentless "Chic exclusives" (16); of supplying underage models; and even "bringing down" the Australian fashion industry. Although Chic declined comment, the head booker at Priscillas Model Management, Lizzi Leighton-Clark, told us that Chic's offer of models for what she understood was "either contra or at an extremely low rate" was a "massive disservice to the industry". Meanwhile, reps for three designers who booked Chic exclusives - Akira Isogawa, Toni Maticevski and An One To Noone - told us they went with the agency because it offered top girls at an attractive price. While casting director Mark Vassallo said "only a small discount" was applied to his MBFWA showgirls and that show rate negotiation is commonplace around the world. Vassallo added the complaints smacked of sour grapes and suggested Chic's rivals should "get out of the office and start scouting for new talent instead". But Chic could be the least of their concerns because as it emerges, the world's biggest model agency is about to put up its shingle down under - apparently helmed by none other than Chic's gm.

MBFWA's top showgirls

Julia Nobis owned the runways of last year's Australian Fashion Week. Nobis had far bigger fashion fish to fry this year in the northern hemisphere, leaving the Australian Spring/Summer 2012/2013 field earlier this month wide open to the score of Australians rising up behind her. Last month, frockwriter published the MBFWA showcards of Australia's major model agencies; in each case a mix of runway veterans and promising new faces. So who had the busiest schedules at this year's event? We asked the agencies to name their top showgirls. 

The showboys: Priscillas Model Management - MBFWA SS 12/13

jacob hankin/jordan graham via priscillas

Judging by the traffic over the past week, it's clear that some readers can't get enough of frockwriter's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Spring/Summer 2012/2013 model showcard posts. So here are two more for you: the women' and mens' show packs from another major Australian agency, Priscillas Model Management. First up, the guys - who include a half dozen new faces who have never previously been seen at the event. Two cases in point Jacob Hankin (above) and Sylvester Terzini - the son of famed Sydney restaurateur Maurice Terzini (Icebergs, North Bondi Italian Food, Nield Avenue etc...). They join established local names such as Max Pernickety, Juan Onekawa, Mason Mulholland and Nathaniel Rooklyn and a few internationals.

Mezi (fashion) plate: Anja Konstantinova dances around model protocol

patrick mcgreal for mezi jewellery

Another day, another big buzz new model, it seems, is springboarded out of the Australasian market. Twenty year-old Anja Konstantinova is not, however, just another sultry, sun-kissed Aussie blonde. Russian-born, Konstantinova has spent half her life downunder, moving here in 2001 with her prima ballerina mother Irina Konstantinova and father Sergei Konstantinov, both former principal dancers with the Kirov Ballet who now teach at The Australian Ballet School. Signed to Sydney agency Priscilla's six months ago, Konstantinova did just two shows at May's Australian Fashion Week (Ellery and Friend of Mine). But she has obviously caught the industry's eye. Since then, according to Priscilla's, she has shot for Vogue and GQ Australia, Oyster (five stories), Grazia (four stories), Marie Claire, No, Pages Online, Poster magazine, a Ksubi calendar, an Oroton catalogue and the Spring/Summer 2011/2012 campaign for rising Sydney jewellery brand Mezi. Above and below is a first look at the Mezi campaign shot by Patrick McGreal.

Bella Barber gets her best blue steel on for KAREN

Here is a first look at yet another edgy cover from Marian Simms' now Bali-based Australasian fashion title KAREN - issue #12, Winter 2012 This time shot by Troyt Coburn, styled by Michael Azzollini and starring Kiwi expat Annabella 'Bella' Barber. Repped by Nova in Auckland and Priscilla's in Sydney, Barber is rapidly emerging as an indie cover queen. This is her second KAREN cover and she has previously appeared on the covers of Oyster in Australia and No in New Zealand. Not to mention a recent cadaverous cameo in Kanye West's controversial new Monster video clip. Here is the accompanying editorial called 'Steel'. (And just a reminder that some some RSS subscribers may have problems viewing this photo gallery. Best to view on the blog). 

Model citizens

julia nobis backstage at yeojin bae SS1112 in sydney

Although some sniffed that that there weren't enough big name international models, the swag of top local girls walking the runways of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2011 did the industry proud in frockwriter's opinion. They included those just returned from carving up the northern hemisphere runway circuit - Julia Nobis (above, backstage at Yeojin Bae), Lauren Brown, Myf Shepherd, Rose Smith, Alice Burdeu, Amanda Ware and Melissa 'MJ' Johannsen - and brand new faces such as Krystal Glynn and Hannah McDougall, who may well soon be heading that way. No, it's not your imagination that more Australian models than ever before are kicking it OS. Various international players have also clocked this antipodian runway trend. The Australian's Wish magazine recently commissioned a feature from me on the subject. It appears in the current May edition. Here's the story:

Aussie exclusive number two: Ruby Jean Wilson opens Yves Saint Laurent

yves saint laurent FW1112 backstage/sonny vandevelde

Twenty-four hours after unknown Sydney model Lydia Willemina Collins made an exclusive appearance at the Givenchy show at Paris Fashion Week, yet another Australian model has popped up on the Fall/Winter 2011/2012 radar at an equally prestigious French fashion show and also as an exclusive: Yves Saint Laurent. Scottish-born, UK-raised but now Terrigal, NSW-based 16 year-old Ruby Jean Wilson has only been seen twice so far over the past month - at Olivier Theysken's Theory show in New York, also on exclusive and at the Giles Deacon show at London Fashion Week. But Wilson didn't just walk in the Yves Saint Laurent show, she opened it (below) and she was flanked by some very big modelling names, including Abbey Lee Kershaw, the only other Australian in the show. What exactly is an "exclusive" show option? It means that the model may not appear in any other shows in that city prior to the exclusive - and more often than not, they may not appear anywhere else that season prior to being unveiled. With two other new antipodian faces, Codie Young and Dempsey Stewart, grabbing nearly 40 shows each in their first international season - including a slew of the most highly coveted designer name shows, such as Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Lanvin - you have to wonder which is the best strategy. 

On their Marcs: Julia Nobis and Nick Hinman gear up to do battle on the high street

Are you ready for the battle of the Australian high street? The Portmans Autumn/Winter 2011 campaign starring world number 5 Abbey Lee Kershaw touches down next week. Grazia Australia apparently has first dibs on those shots. Mid market rival Marcs, meanwhile, has enlisted the less established, but equally cool Australian, Julia Nobis, for its second consecutive campaign. Shot by Swiss photographic duo Claudia Knoepfel and Stefan Indlekofer in Surry Hills and Woolloomooloo and styled by Caterina Scardino, the campaign co-stars Priscillas' stablemate Nick Hinman. And we must say, Marcs' military-nosed pea coats and trenches, roomy flannel shorts, leggings and sweet dresses never looked quite so good. Here is a selection of campaign images which are about to drop, in addition to a first look at a behind-the-scenes video taken on the shoot. 

Bambi bags Balenciaga - Spring/Summer 2011

balenciaga SS11/nowfashion.com

Did we say there was buzz about Bambi Northwood-Blyth going into Spring/Summer 2011? We did. Far more importantly, of course, so did Ashley Brokaw, one of the world’s top casting directors who started beating the Bambi drum in an interview with The New York Times’ Cathy Horyn on the eve of New York Fashion Week three weeks ago. And then cast her in her first international show, Rag & Bone, alongside Julia Nobis. Brokaw had told Horyn that both Northwood-Blyth and Nobis were at the top of her casting list this season. Well Brokaw has just cast the duo again - along with five months pregnant Miranda Kerr - this time, in the Balenciaga show in Paris. Given that Nobis already has one international show season under her belt and is regulation runway height, however, it’s nothing less than an extraordinary coup for Northwood-Blyth, who started modelling six months ago and also happens to be 5’7” tall – that’s the official version, with some suggesting she may in fact be 5’6”. How many girls have been turned down by model agents because they’re too small? Legions of them. Kate Moss is one of the rare exceptions and you have to say, Northwood-Blyth could be shaping up to be Australia’s version.