Is Nicole Trunfio Miranda Kerr's understudy?

getty via daylife

Speculation continues to mount regarding the August 3rd David Jones Spring/Summer 2010/2011 launch. With Miranda Kerr indisposed after tying the knot with Orlando Bloom, David Jones is attempting to fill the runway gap, as frockwriter reported on Friday, with some high profile alternatives: Abbey Lee Kershaw, Catherine McNeil, Nicole Trunfio and Alexandra Agoston - even if the latter were both in last season’s show. But the runway shows are one thing. If Kerr is three months pregnant, as many believe - with Victoria's Secret colleague Jessica White so discreetly telling OK! magazine overnight, "She's preggos!"- it's unlikely she would be available for the winter 2011 catalogue and early February runway show. Who would fill in for her? Frockwriter’s money is on Trunfio, who arrived in Sydney yesterday (above), a week ahead of the show. Our sources also report that she has been booked by DJs for a series of “in-store signings” - certainly something that would appear to go above and beyond the call of mere runway duties. Earlier today Trunfio Tweeted: “Finished my fitting for David Jones collection launch, I'm really excited, will be amazing! Ecstatic to be a part of the David Jones family!” Just walking in the show would not automatically make Trunfio, or any other model, ‘part of the David Jones family’. 

Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and others reportedly to offer plus size clothing at Saks Fifth Avenue, while France launches a plus size manifesto

karl lagerfeld for V via models.com

It’s been interesting tracking the story of plus sized designer clothing over the past two years. In March 2008, at Fully Chic, we incurred the wrath of some plus-sized consumers after reporting that although Target Australia made up to a size 16 in its Stella McCartney collection in 2007, so much size 16 merch was left on the sales racks Target stopped at a 14 when it came to producing its next collab with Zac Posen. Several weeks later we reported that Australian designer Leona Edmiston was doubling her size range to a 24 – but only in her online boutique. The story triggered a heated debate amongst those who lauded Edmiston's pioneering efforts - and those who claimed the move was “normalising obesity". Last year, Today Tonight took size 16 Melbourne blogger Hayley Hughes undercover into Melbourne’s Chapel Street. She found virtually no merchandise over size 12. Eighteen designers and retailers refused to discuss with the program why fashion's high end actively discriminates against larger consumers by ignoring them, with insiders citing concerns the issue was "bad for their image". So it was with some surprise that we spotted what could be the best-kept secret in the fashion business: a report that Saks Fifth Avenue is about to trial plus sizes from luxury brands including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce e Gabbana and Fendi on its New York designer womenswear floor.

The thorn bird

Oh the Good Lord giveth – and sometimes he giveth again. At least in the news sense. Just as the dust is settling on the news that Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom have secretly married, comes news of her latest edgy editorial. Following on from Kerr's naughty nun masterpiece in edition 114 of French mag Numéro, comes a consecutive Numéro editorial with a religious theme – this time, crucifixion. In two images authored by Sebastian Kim that even her fans are calling "blasphemous" (orginals, below - with Kerr's identity confirmed by her publicist), Kerr wears what looks very much like a crown of thorns. In another, she lies prostrate on a grassy knoll, apparently in ecstasy, while a third shot (also below) shows Kerr totally nude - save for a sinister black hood. Kerr isn't the first celebrity to don a crown of thorns this year. In February, Lindsay Lohan - who is currently serving a custodial sentence - sported a crown of thorns on the cover of another French magazine, Purple. 

Abbey Lee Kershaw and Catherine McNeil to replace new bride Miranda Kerr for the David Jones Spring/Summer 2010/2011 runway show

David Jones might have lost its ceo Mark McInnes and now even its new face Miranda Kerr, at least just for one season - with Kerr announcing on the Nine Network's Today Show this morning that she and Orlando Bloom have married and she will be skipping the department store's August 3 Spring/Summer runway showcase (with insiders reporting she is three months pregnant). But DJs has gained a fabulous replacement for the show: Abbey Lee Kershaw. Sources close to Kershaw confirm she will be replacing Kerr in the show (which is an in-season show designed to launch DJs new designer collections to consumers). Once a DJs Youth Ambassador, Kershaw is now ranked the world number six five runway/editorial/advertising model by US-based modelling authority models.com (moving up one place in the space of a fortnight). It's a fantastic get for DJs. UPDATE: Frockwriter's sources confirm that world number 12 Catherine McNeil is also doing the show, which is even better news for DJs. Other models on DJs' runway will include Nicole Trunfio, who did last season's show alongside Kerr and DJs regular Alexandra Agoston. All since confirmed in Kerr's statement that was released at 8.00am this morning (to which frockwriter did not have access), but which no mainstream media outlet considered sufficiently interesting to report at the time.

Blue rondo à la Turks & Caicos: Behind-the-scenes at Zimmermann's high summer shoot

So the world’s biggest bikini fest has just wrapped in Miami. No, not IMG’s runway event, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim at the Raleigh Hotel, but that’s certainly part of the action that revolves around the Miami SwimShow, the premier swimwear showcase staged each July by the Florida Swimwear Association. Zimmermann was front and centre at the latter event, as they have been for over a decade (only appearing on IMG’s runway a couple of times). After checking out the summer popup store in New York and continuing to scout for a more permanent NY location, most of the Zimmermann camp then headed to the West Indies’ Turks and Caicos Islands last week to shoot a campaign for the brand's new high summer collection, which bows in October. Here are a few behind-the-scenes shots of New York-based photographer David Roemer, model Jessica Marie and the Oz hair, makeup and styling team of Louisa Gent, Jodie Boland and Tamila Purvis shooting in and around the islands' turquoise waters. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.

Jenny Mercian dresses Lara Stone for French Playboy

celebrity69 via fashionising

Jenny Mercian has made a career out of bejewelling bombshells. Since she first set foot on the fashion stage in May 2005, displaying her spectacular crystal body jewellery at a trade show stand at Australian Fashion Week, the Sydney-based jeweller has been a principal supplier to five Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows, outfitting the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks and Alessandra Ambrosio in increasingly elaborate showpieces (and on Friday, winning the Catwalk Jewels of the Year Award at the UK Jewellery Awards for her runway efforts). Well now Mercian can add Lara Stone to that list. In the June/July issue of Playboy France, the world number one wears Mercian’s dramatic onyx/crystal corset and cuff – and not much else (NSFW). Here is a clearer image of the cuff, below, although it must be said, it’s not one of Stone’s better shots.

Australia's Next Top Model channels Stirling Cooper

So the first episode of Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 6 has bitten the dust. What did you think? At last week's launch party, Alex Perry told frockwriter that the shooting style was going to be a little more "reportage" style than in previous years and you could see what he meant. It seemed a little grittier, almost a hand-held effect in parts. Influenced, we reckon, by the first blockbuster season of US reality series Jersey Shore. Interesting challenge to make the girls walk a runway show on their first day at the office. With zero experience, they did pretty well from what we could see. Inspired by another cult US series, Mad Men, the Jez Smith photoshoot produced some quite beautiful images. Here is a selection of frockwriter's faves. Sadly, three of our picks were eliminated in the first episode: Alison (top), Valeria (second) and Sally (fourth). New model mentor Josh Flinn made a great entrance. For anyone unfamiliar with Flinn's CV, FYI he used to work for IMG Fashion Asia Pacific and his night job is playing B2, in the Bananas in Pyjamas travelling roadshows. Here is an interview I did with him back in 2006 at RAFW.

Dempsey Stewart and Ella Verberne charm the pants off Kate Sylvester

Frockwriter shot backstage and front-of-house at Kate Sylvester’s Spring/Summer 2010/2011 show at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. And now here is a preview of the new SS1011 campaign for her curiously titled “This Charming Man” collection, which is rocking Viviens face Dempsey Stewart (right, above) and Ella Verberne from New Zealand's Clyne Models and includes this fetching little caramel leather microshorts, bustier and bomber combo of which Lady GaGa would no doubt wholly approve. Stewart might be Australian, but she has been romantically linked to a Kiwi – model (and brother of Zippora) Jasper Seven. Verberne, meanwhile, was recently the subject of a profile on models.com, apparently just two days after arriving on Clyne’s website. Verberne joins other recent antipodian MDC inductees Andrej Pejic and Codie Young.

Sarah Lorimer anchors Leona Edmiston's Spring Summer 2010/2011 campaign

Frockwriter shot backstage at Leona Edmiston’s Spring/Summer 2010/2011 fashion show in April, presented on the eve of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week at Quay restaurant within the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney’s luxury cruise liner terminus. The show was also the backdrop for this ABC Art Nation story on fashion bloggers. Here is a preview of Edmiston’s SS1011 campaign, which was shot by Ujin Lee and will be unveiled in August in Edmiston’s 21 stores across Australia, as well as London and LA. It stars Sarah Lorimer, who is obviously an Edmiston fave, since she not only featured in the show but also the brand's SS1011 lookbook. Click the image above to see the full-size landscape image.

Girls (and boys) on film

OK so as already mentioned, the Cycle 6 launch of Australia’s Next Top Model is tonight at 7.30pm on Fox 8. In what is shaping up to be a jam-packed model doco/film fortnight, 7.00pm tonight also sees a Sydney screening of the 2009 film Tiger, from the Sydney Beaufort collective that is (also as previously reported) headed up by Sydney actor/producer/comedian James McFay. Check the Facebook page for details - or watch this live stream, above. The film, a love story about two models in Tokyo, has had a number of screenings already, including one in LA, with a DVD launch in Sydney in March. This time it's being presented in collaboration with Anina Trepte’s 360 Fashion network. Then on the 23rd and 28th of July, the Melbourne International Film Festival will present two screenings of Picture Me (trailer below), made by model Sara Ziff and her partner Ole Schell.