Meet Australia's next top male model Jordan Coulter - and his ass

mert & marcus/dsquared2 via fashion gone rogue

Jordan Coulter is Australia’s latest male modelling star. And here he is in all his glory modelling in the new Fall/Winter 2010/2011 ad campaign for Canadian fashion brand Dsquared2. His on-camera colleagues are Thomas Hoefnagels, Tyler Kenyon, Chanel Iman, Alla Kostromicheva and Iris Strubegger. All over 20. Scouted at the age of 14 by Gold Coast-based Kirk Blake, Coulter has been modelling for the past year. He turns 18 in December and is still at school. No, the photo is not full frontal and there is nothing sexually explicit about the pose. Nor is there is any suggestion whatsoever that anything untoward happened on the shoot. Nevertheless, it's a pervy shot and Coulter is a 17 year-old minor, who can’t vote or legally drink alcohol in either Australia or the US, and who is below the age of sexual consent in California, where the shoot took place.

The images are currently appearing in the pages of fashion magazines across the world and on numerous websites.

Coulter’s other gigs reportedly include Just Jeans, American Eagle, a Calvin Klein lookbook and the Dolce e Gabbana anniversary book (presumably to be unveiled at their show today, which celebrates 20 years of Dolce e Gabbana menswear).

In April, when Coulter was “rushed” to LA for the Dsquared2 shoot, Blake told The Gold Coast Bulletin:

“Mert and Marcus [photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot], are pretty much the Gods of this industry so pretty much as soon as this campaign comes out, he will be known around the world or people will want to know who he is..... We now have to be very careful which jobs he will take, as his value becomes even greater with this new campaign under his belt.''

Frockwriter did make some effort to seek comment from both Kirk Blake and Scene Models.

Scene washed its hands of the matter in an email stating that it only manages Coulter's work in Australia and had nothing to do with the international booking. Blake declined to comment.

Model industry sources tell frockwriter that permission would have been sought from Coulter’s agent and, most likely, also his parents, to photograph him naked and that in fact he would have been paid a premium for doing so.

“It could be his big break” said one industry source.

“We just wouldn’t take the risk” said another; “if he’s that good, why not wait until he turned 18?”




mert & marcus/dsquared via fashion gone rogue

There are many reasons why fashion companies might want to exercise due diligence when it comes to photographing underage models.

In 2008, after questions were asked about a wet swimsuit image of then 13 year old Polish model Monika Jagaciak, IMG Fashion Asia Pacific banned under-16 models from Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Ironically of course, Jagaciak is repped by IMG Models outside of Poland. Presumably, noone at IMG had a problem with her posing for that shot – or other provocative images while she was still under 16.

Also in 2008, following claims the company had published sexualized images of children in its marketing material, Australian department store David Jones went to the draconian length of banning all under-18 models from even its runway shows - and they don't include nudity.

Insisting on an 18+ workforce won't however guarantee immunity from scandal.

Yesterday, the David Jones board distanced itself from its own former ceo Mark McInnes, after one sexual advance too many prompted legal action from a 25 year-old David Jones employee and McInnes resigned in disgrace.

In March, several models over the age of 18 came forward to call out photographer Terry Richardson for inappropriate behaviour. Will Richardson perhaps one day find himself the target of a class action lawsuit?

What of male models?

In March 2003, Abercrombie & Fitch art director Sam Shahid was found guilty of sexual harassment and ordered to pay US$70,000 to 23 year-old former Abercrombie & Fitch employee Mladen Djankovich. Djankovich accused Shahid of touching him inappropriately and withholding advancement opportunities after he protested.

In December that year, Abercrombie & Fitch made the decision to discontinue its controversial quarterly publication, whose intensely homoerotic imagery – engineered by Shahid and photographed by Bruce Weber – had attracted considerable criticism. At the time one former model told WWD that Weber and Shahid sacked models who weren’t willing to pose nude and that Shahid was constantly pressuring models to “act sexier” on the set.

Just to clarify, to frockwriter's knowledge, none of the allegations revolve around anyone connected to the recent Dsquared2 shoot on which Jordan Coulter worked, but it's worth noting that there are plenty of new rumours flying about alleged sexual activity on fashion shoots involving male models.

In communications sighted by frockwriter, these include claims that young men have been pressured to masturbate themselves in front of parties present on photographic shoots, in order to get themselves 'in the mood' for jobs.

There has also been reference to something colloquially referred to as a "rape shed”, to which male models are said to have been lured.

At least one male model is said to have been emotionally disturbed by similar events.

Meanwhile, overnight came the sad news of yet another model death.

Top French male model Tom Nicon fell to his death from his Milanese apartment building, on the eve of the mens Spring/Summer 2010 show season, which starts today.

There are as yet no other details. Given the score of model deaths over the past two years - including multiple suicides – speculation has inevitably focussed on suicide.

Who knows what may have been troubling Nicon. One thing is for sure, however, the pressures in the modelling industry have never been greater.

All those involved in the supply line would be well advised to take stock of the situation. As noted by models.com’s Wayne Sterling last November, “We're dealing with human beings here, not inanimate mannequins”.

Or pieces of meat.

Tallulah Morton crams White Sands, Harpers Bazaar and Escada into her art school holidays

russh magazine via tfs


Did we say Tallulah Morton had nixed modelling for art? Yes we did. That didn’t stop her from walking 12 shows at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week last month. And today, comes word from Sasha Strebe that White Sands designer Leah Madden has been photographing a mystery "supermodel" who looks very much like Morton on the Gold Coast. Frockwriter checked with Morton’s mother agency Scene Models, which confirmed that she has indeed booked an ad campaign with the Gold Coast-based swimwear label - its first ever, according to Scene - although that's just a lookbook being photographed today. The main campaign won't be shot for another month, reports Scene. In the interim, Morton won’t be twiddling her thumbs. Next week she will shoot the second of two new Harpers Bazaar Australia editorials, this one on Lord Howe Island. Morton will virtually step off that plane and board another on the 27th bound for Munich, where she has been booked to walk in an Escada runway show. She may also do Berlin Fashion Week, which runs July 7-10. Morton is currently on holidays from TAFE and while in Germany, also plans do an internship with a yet-to-be-named Berlin artist.

Samantha Harris leads a new antipodian runway pack for Fall

samantha harris/antipodium

So the Fall/Winter 1011 shows are days from kicking off in New York. And the guessing game begins: which models will make their marks on the new season's runways? In terms of Australian talent, what a contrast to the lineup in just twelve months. Here is the tally of FW0910 shows walked by Australian models from March last year. At least two major names have been scratched from the lineup. Starting with Myf Shepherd, who is taking the year off to pursue fulltime studies at Sydney's College of Fine Arts - who walked more shows than any other Australian model this time last year. Ditto Tallulah Morton, who is studying Fine Arts.

Myf and Tallulah nix fashion for art

Myf Shepherd has been booking some fantastic work of late - an edgy new editorial for Numéro (below) and this February cover for Dazed + Confused Japan, above (adjacent to Tallulah Morton's cover of French magazine Velvet). But frockwriter can reveal that, as she indeed hinted she may do back in September, Shepherd is taking a definite break from the modelling business. Although she may do some direct bookings, we will not be seeing her on any runways this year according to her mother agency Chic Management, while Shepherd remains Australia-based to focus on tertiary studies. University? Ah, no yes. Apparently there aren't enough drama queens in the fashion business for Shepherd, who is planning to study set design, as in theatre set design, at a yet-to-be-disclosed institution [UPDATE: Shepherd reports she will be doing a Bachelor of Design at Sydney's College of Fine Arts).


numéro via the fashion spot

Chic director Kathy Ward told frockwriter:

"She wants to take time out, she wants to have some time back in Australia. A lot of girls take time out. Some might start later, some might start earlier and then take a break. I don't think it's unusual. I think it's great for her".

As chronicled by this blog, it's been a rollercoaster ride for Shepherd since she hit the catwalk running at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in May 2008. After famously being snubbed by the producers of Australia's Next Top Model, she went on to walk for the world's biggest fashion brands at the Resort 2009 and Spring/Summer 2009 seasons several months later.

After the Spring/Summer 2009 haute couture shows, she then clocked up another 62 shows in the Fall/Winter 0910 season, more than any other Australian model. Her advertising work has included Gucci, Sonia Rykiel, Levi's and DKNY Jeans, with several covers, including Vogue Australia. Here is her CV from models.com. It's not bad for a year and a half's work.

But Shepherd did not have a great Spring/Summer 2010 season, surprising many by walking in just a handful of shows at New York Fashion Week last September.

According to Kathy Ward, Shepherd will be returning to modelling in early 2011.

And she's not the only Australian model to be taking some time out.

Tallulah Morton's Australian agent Vikki Graham recently told The Sunday Telegraph's Ros Reines that Morton is taking a break to pursue Fine Arts studies.

According to frockwriter's sources however, Morton has been bandying about the term "quit".

First emerging at Australian Fashion Week in May 2005 at the age of just 13, Morton had a confident debut at New York Fashion Week in September the following year. She was however unable to gain any immediate international momentum, due, it seems, largely to the stringent child work regulations in France (the latter certainly appeared to prevent even rising Polish star Monika Jagaciak from working in Paris until her 16th birthday on January 15th this year).

Morton reemerged at the Paris shows at the age of 16 in March 2008, with a strong debut season, subsequently becoming a favourite of Jean Paul Gaultier and Hermès. Here is her MDC CV.

For the past 18 months however, Morton's off-field antics - as catalogued by Mark 'The Cobrasnake' Hunter - have overshadowed her professional work.

Yes this news will be disappointing to fans of both models. Modelling is, however, a high pressure industry - particularly at the elite level. And at the end of the day, there's more to life than work. Particularly when you've punched more time clocks than your average teenager.

Perhaps if Daul Kim had taken a break from the business, she might still be with us.

The Sunday Telegraph: The disturbing trend of model deaths

daul kim, backstage @ alexander mcqueen SS08

On November 20th I - along with many others - blogged about the very sad news of the death of South Korean model Daul Kim. The news was all the more alarming by virtue of the fact that Kim's was not an isolated death in the modelling industry - or indeed suicide. As regular readers of this blog would be aware, I have been tracking some of these stories over the past twelve months. Sydney's Sunday Telegraph newspaper asked me to develop the post into a small feature (which they titled "Dying for success"). Many thanks to models.com's Wayne Sterling, Sophie Ward and Vikki Graham for availing themselves for interviews at short notice. Here's the story (which ran last weekend):

THE fashion industry has been rocked by the death of top South Korean model Daul Kim, the latest in what has emerged as a disturbing trend of model suicides over the past 18 months.

The 20 year old was found hanged in her Paris apartment on November 19th, the third model suicide since June 28 2008, when Kazakh model Ruslana Korshunova, also 20, died after falling nine floors from her apartment building in New York.

On October 11 2008, 26 year-old Canadian Hayley Kohle fell seven floors to her death from an apartment building in Milan.

Although Kohle was one of many virtual unknowns struggling to make names for themselves in a fiercely competitive business, both Korshunova and notably, Kim, had achieved far greater success, securing magazine covers and lucrative advertising contracts.

And yet both Korshunova and Kim also left a trail of social networking site posts behind them talking about heartbreak, loneliness and depression, with Kim already once having to defend her mental state on her two year-old blog I Like To Fork Myself.

On October 11, just one month before she died, Kim even used the terms “cut ur wrists”, “jump out a window” and “cry for help” in a blog post called “Say hi to decided”.

“The industry is definitely in shock over the news of Daul Kim's suicide” said Wayne Sterling, a prominent New York casting director and the editorial director of the website models.com, whose closely-followed world rankings of models are considered the industry’s unofficial benchmark. “People are asking...How could we have missed the signals? There have been a lot of tears and some guilt about all of our superficial assumptions”.

But the suicides are part of a wider pattern of recent model deaths that have many asking about the hidden risks and dangers of an industry that remains largely self-regulated.

Not counting the eating disorder-related deaths of three South American models in 2006, which reignited the Size 0 debate and prompted a raft of industry initiatives, on July 7 last year Canadian Diana O’Brien was murdered while on assignment in China.

Then on October 11, coincidentally the same night that Hayley Kohle died, 20 year-old male American modeling star Randy Johnston died from a heroin overdose in Connecticut.

“We all have to accept that yes there is a serious problem” said Sterling.

“Common decency now would demand that designers, editors, photographers and agents should address signs of depression and fatigue and stress in young models as clear problems that could amplify with tragic implications” he added. “We're dealing with human beings here, not inanimate mannequins”.

Speculation is currently focused on the mental health of Australian modeling star Catherine McNeil, who was photographed last week in Sydney with a series of mysterious cuts on her arms.

McNeil’s mother contradicted the official statement from Australian agency Chic Management, that the cuts were the result of a skateboard fall, by stating her daughter fell down stairs and has also been “depressed”, with McNeil’s grandmother adding that Catherine is “burned out” by the industry.

Chic Management declined comment for this story on either McNeil or Daul Kim. Chic’s New York affiliate Next Models was Kim’s American agency.

"This was the tipping point - enough is enough now" said Australian model and author Sophie Ward of Kim's death.

Ward has experienced the modeling rollercoaster both first-hand and through the eyes of her sister Gemma Ward who, by early 2007, had risen to the world number 1 position, before disappearing from the business altogether following a segue into acting and the January 2008 death of close friend Heath Ledger.

“Without a strong sense of identity, I think it's very easy to lose oneself in the demands of a million people, and forget who you even were to start with” said Ward. “Yes I went through dark stages of existential doubt but I wouldn't call it depression, it didn't last as long”.

“Of course my family were vital, but you can't survive in a hotel room with just a telephone, or a blog. You need many voices, many hands, all around you, to get your mind off those pressures, and enjoy life".

Sydney’s Scene Models director Vikki Graham conceded that although she believes agents are not therapists, the size and pressures of the business and the speed of communications have helped depersonalize the industry.

“Models don’t come into the agency like they used to before, now every model’s got a BlackBerry - but a BlackBerry doesn’t tell you whether they’re feeling down in the dumps” said Graham, who also believes agents should be both aware if there are personal issues affecting a model’s work and prepared to cancel jobs.

“They’re not machines” she added. “There are times when they can’t do a job. The model has to take priority over the booking”.

Risko business: Melbourne's mod bloggers face off against the h8ers

circa now

Did we say that a new genre of model blog is emerging... one in which models play dressups and pose for their own cameras? Yes, I believe we did - last night. Well already comes the news of two more model style blogs (tks Emma for the tip). Intriguingly, both are also Australian. And coincidentally, the model authors behind the blogs - SRC783 and Circa Now – are not only both 21, Melbourne-based and good mates, they share something else in common with outgoing Sydney mod Alexandra Spencer, whose 4th and Bleeker blog we profiled yesterday. At 5'7", both are very small in mainstream modelling terms. Kate Moss notwithstanding - and Moss is a rare exception to this rule - any 5'7" models would be shut out of runway contention and no doubt a lot of other work.

SRC783 is written by Christina Dietz (pictured left, above), aka "Risko", who is repped by Scene Models in Melbourne.

Circa Now is written by Tessa-Jay Slight (right) who is repped by, wait for it, Melbourne’s Giant Management.

Slight appears to be more of an introvert than Dietz, with her blog largely filled with fashion images depicting other models – or else cropped images of herself.

In addition to test shots, Dietz, on the other hand, has posted a plethora of what appear to be autoportraits in her own outfits, with some outfits/accessories apparently made by her.

And either her outfits, or her moxie, appear to have gotten up the noses of some of her readers, who left over 80 comments on one recent post called “night cats”, a large percentage of them unflattering.





src783

In the 'night cats' post, Dietz posed in a leopard-print top, skinny pants, laceup boots and a cowboy hat, with a cigarette in hand (above).

But it wasn’t the anti-smoking lobby that took issue with the image.

Here is a selection of hilariously snarky comments:

“your blog is so shit, it is just an excuse for you to take photos of yourself and could not be more unoriginal. so what you have an obsession with a top - great blogging. real inspirational”.

“poor girl she has a fat bum and is with the worst agency in melb, half of her modelling shots are by photographers who shes helped with theyre folios shes a gaybo she has a pretty face but risko disko will never be a real model”

“you try way too hard. stop trying to be alternative. You'll always be just an over-tanned, blonde private school girl with no substance”.

“i agree, i know this girl and she is a five foot tall wanna be model whose photos all consist of test shots”

“christina dietze is a loser ok she models for scene the gayest modelling agency in melbourne i know her and she is an absolute c*** and basically if you have a camera or know someone cool she will befriend you! her bottom is massive also”

The vitriol prompted buddy Slight to fire off a “Lay Off” post and warn the “cyber bullies” that Blogger has been alerted and that their “IP addresses will be traced”.

Unless there were some rather more serious threats etc that have yet to see the light of day, best of luck with that guys.

Props to Dietz for having the guts to clear the comments. Like so many other bloggers who face malicious personal attacks such as this, she could simply have buried them. The comments are ludicrously juvenile however, and hugely entertaining, and anyone reading them laughs not at Dietz, but the twits who made them.

Dietz would do well to take on board the fact that two very high profile international fashion bloggers, Rumi Neely from Fashion Toast (who is heading to next month's Air New Zealand Fashion Week) and Susie Lau aka Susie Bubble, continue to cop their share of similar comments - and run them. In interviews, Lau has even spoken about negative comments prompting her at one stage to consider giving up blogging.

It's hard to put one's finger on exactly what it is about these personal style blogs that prompts so much unprovoked vitriol from some readers.

It's almost as if ordinary women standing up and feeling confident about themselves and their own sense of style is just a little too much for some people.

The Girlfriend Model Search: Level playing field - or getting played?

With Catherine McNeil, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Miranda Kerr among its most high-profile winners, the Girlfriend Model Search competition has more than proven itself as a new model incubator. But with a number of 2008 finalists already signed with agencies, and even some, like Tahnee Atkinson (above) already boasting professional experience - which is in breach of the competition's own rules - the question has been asked, is the competition fair?

"

Featured here are shots of 16 year-old Perth finalist Tahnee Atkinson.

They don't come from the Girlfriend website but in fact from the website of Scene Models, which reps Atkinson.



According to Scene Models' Perth-based general manager Anthony Harden, most of Atkinson's online portfolio shots are test shots done with various photographers.

Harden did however confirm that Atkinson has done "several professional jobs" - but declined to disclose what they were.

This DPS tear sheet looks to be one of them:



As it emerges, Atkinson is not the only 2008 finalist with an agency affiliation.

Of the 19 Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide finalists, four girls appear to already be listed with Australian agencies. The others are:

Jerrah Smith (Dally's, Brisbane)
Jessica Green (Dally’s, Brisbane)
Claire Venema (Finesse/IMG)

According to the competition's stated terms and conditions:

2.3 You cannot enter the Competition if you are currently represented by a modelling agency or have ever performed in any professional modelling capacity OR if you sign a contract with a modelling agency or start to perform in any professional modelling capacity during the Competition.

16. DISQUALIFICATION
e) they are or become represented by a modelling agency or have performed in any professional modelling capacity or start to perform in any professional modelling capacity during the Competition;

i) they have, in the opinion of Pacific, engaged in conduct in entering the Competition which is fraudulent, misleading, deceptive or generally damaging to the goodwill or reputation of the Pacific;

The rules also state that you can only enter the competition once. But does this mean you can only enter once a year? Here is Jessica Green featured in a newspaper as a 2007 finalist.

With the Sydney finals of the 2008 comp taking place this coming Saturday, at Westfield Liverpool, some are feeling despondent.

Notes one vogue.com.au poster:

"i was hoping to enter in sydney but now feel like i don't have any luck with all these signed models!"

What's going on?

That's what some have been asking on forums such as vogue.com.au and reportedly, Girlfriend's own online discussion forum. Until - at least according to those who say they took part in it - the latter was mysteriously taken down.

Pacific Magazines’ youth titles division publisher Michelle Vanderburg said that although this was the first she had heard of any GMS web forum censorship, the issue of professionals slipping into the competition had been brought to her attention yesterday.

State heat judging takes place over a period of five hours and in consultation with Sydney's Chic Management, which offers a two-year exclusive contract with its own model division and also New York affiliate agency Next, to the competition winner.

Judges take the information provided by entrants in good faith, Vanderburg added.

“If there are any girls in the five state finalists who are represented, working or signed with agency, they will be disqualified” said Vanderburg. “We write the terms and conditions with our legal team, in the best interest of our readers”.

But some feel those terms and conditions aren't being terribly rigorously enforced.

And the question remains of course, how many pro models might have previously entered the competition?

“Girlfriend needs to clarify the rules a little more so that there is very clear understanding before the kids enter - that they’re not to be with agencies or not to have done any professional work” noted Scene Models' Anthony Harden - who added that Tahnee Atkinson is not currently under contract to Scene.

“That opens up a question maybe for all competitions" said Harden. "It comes down to what the magazine is looking at. Are they wanting to find a fresh face that nobody else has worked with in the past? I’m surprised that this issue is still surfacing, because obviously it’s been going for a long time”.
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Web links to this post
vogue.com.au

Australia's Next Top (male) Model

Cat McNeil isn't the only Australian to benefit from Mario Testino's magic model touch. Meet Josh Dagnall - who's just been shot by Testino for V Magazine.

According to a story today in PerthNow moreover, the 16 year-old from Rockingham, WA, has MySpace to thank for the Testino coup - even if, apparently, he had never heard of the venerated fashion snapper prior to posing for him.



Perth stylist Lincoln Ferguson reportedly spotted Dagnall on MySpace and then hooked him up with "Sydney agent" Kirk Blake. Blake, in fact, is not an agent but a Sydney-based fashion scout who consults to various agencies. Dagnall is now repped locally by Scene Models.



Confusingly, PerthNow reports that Dagnall was in Year 11 at Warnbro High School and had just started an electrical apprenticeship when he got the model call.

Dagnall himself puts his age down as 28 on his MySpace page.

In these portfolio shots from the Scene website, he certainly looks well-preserved.



MySpace is emerging as a major fashion sourcing force.

Last year Dazed & Confused creative director Nicola Formichetti, who also styles freelance for names such as Gareth Pugh, told the UK Telegraph that he does most of his casting and sourcing these days via MySpace.

Noted Formichetti:

"MySpace is endless – you're not restricted by a casting director's book any more. Most people I now use are too much for casting directors anyway, because they might have loads of piercings, or crazy colours in their hair."