Paris is burning - Fall/Winter 2013/2014

april tiplady closes junya watanabe FW1314 via wwd.com

Frockwriter was out at dinner last night when we received a call from Brigette Mitchell, director of Adelaide's Finesse Models, direct from a "freezing" Paris. "April just did her very first fashion show" said Mitchell proudly. "She hasn't even walked in a fashion show in Adelaide, but she just closed Junya Watanabe". April Tiplady - that's the 16 year old whose grandmother paid for a grooming course at the same agency two years earlier in the hope of boosting the confidence of her gangly grand-daughter. Last November, literally just signed to Finesse and with no modelling experience, Tiplady was signed by IMG Models worldwide (i.e. all its international agencies). Now she is a card-carrying member of the Australian model delegation at the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 show season. 

And what a season it is shaping up to be. 

So far, by our count, at least 26 27 29 30 31 Australian models have appeared on the FW1314 runways. But it's not just the number of the models working that's interesting here. Because there have been many more in a single season. It's the breadth of experience. In the same season that absolute newcomers like Tiplady and Gabby Dover have headed to the shows to try their luck and, for their efforts - not to mention expense - been rewarded with some great gigs that are going to look good on their fledgling resumés, a model with less than 18 months' international visibility has been cast in many of the season's top shows, including Alexander Wang's first presentation for Balenciaga. That is, Nicole Pollard. 

At the head of the pack is of course Julia Nobis, who made her international debut three years ago in a Calvin Klein exclusive at New York Fashion Week, before going on to walk in 33 shows in her first season. By this time last year, Nobis had become so omnipresent on the international show circuit, WWD dubbed her 'the Face of Fall'. All that show visibility is now finally translating into commercial success (while Nobis diligently pursues her science studies). Even though she skipped London Fashion Week altogether this season, she has so far nabbed 57 shows - which is not that far off her all-time record of 72. The shows finish up on Wednesday. 

Then there is Catherine McNeil, a Girlfriend Model Search winner whose international runway debut in February 2007 prompted a feature story called "Fashion's latest crush" in no less than The New York Times.  

Hype can only get you so far however and six years is a long time in modelling. 

Although McNeil took a break from the business, clearly she wants back in now. After a few runway appearances here and there in recent years, great to see her claw her way back to emerge as one of the major faces of the season.

Here are the updated FW1314 showlists, below, with the Paris shows in grey.

JULIA NOBIS

Edun (opened)
Jason Wu
Rag & Bone
Helmut Lang
Alexander Wang
Lacoste
Jill Stuart
Victoria Beckham (closed)
Derek Lam
Tommy Hilfiger
Belstaff
Donna Karan
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Tory Burch
Vera Wang (closed)
Diesel Black Gold

Narciso Rodriguez

Michael Kors

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti (opened)

Reed Krakoff

Proenza Schouler

Calvin Klein

Marc Jacobs

Gucci

No 21

Alberta Ferretti

Francesco Scognamiglio (closed)

Fendi (closed)

Prada

Etro (opened)

Versace

Iceberg

Bottega Veneta

Pucci (closed)

Jil Sander

Roberto Cavalli

Marni

Missoni

Salvatore Ferragamo

Gareth Pugh

Dries van Noten
Rue du Mail
Balenciaga
Rick Owens
Lanvin
Christian Dior
Vanessa Bruno
Maison Martin Margiela
Sonia Rykiel
Haider Ackermann
Viktor & Rolf (closed)
Acne Studios
Jean Paul Gaultier
Kenzo
Céline
Chloé
Givenchy
Sacai
Saint Laurent
Alexander McQueen
Hermès
Valentino
Chanel

JEMMA BAINES

Houghton
Chadwick Bell (closed)
St John
Jill Stuart
Alexandre Herchcovitch
Boy by Band of Outsiders
DKNY
Zac Posen
Delpozo (closed)
Thom Browne
Badgley Mischka
Jenny Packham (closed)

Oscar de la Renta

Marchesa

John Rocha

Blugirl (opened)

Antonio Marras

Mila Schön

Moschino

Jo No Fui
Nina Ricci
Kenzo
Chanel
Valentino

MELISSA "MJ" JOHANNSEN

Sachin & Babi
Timo Weiland
Rebecca Minkoff
Billy Reid
Son Jung Wan
Noon by Noor
Boy by Band of Outsiders
Mathieu Mirano
Jenny Packham

Bibhu Mohapatra

CODIE YOUNG

Creatures of the Wind
Tadashi Shoji
Houghton (opened)
Nicole Miller (closed)
Suno
Son Jung Wan (opened and closed)
Boy by Band of Outsiders
Zac Posen
ICB by Prabal Gurung

Hache

Oscar de la Renta

Sophie Theallet

Araks

Honor

CATHERINE MCNEIL

Jason Wu
Kenneth Cole (closed)
Prabal Gurung
Diane von Furstenberg
Zac Posen
Carolina Herrera
Ohne Titel
Marc by Marc Jacobs

Oscar de la Renta

Michael Kors

J Mendel

Marc Jacobs

Jonathan Saunders

Paul Smith (closed)

Christopher Kane

Giles

No 21

Francesco Scognamiglio

Prada

Ermanno Scervino

Marni

Dolce e Gabbana

Giorgio Armani (opened)

Anthony Vaccarello

Guy Laroche (opened)

Dries van Noten
Rue du Mail (opened)
Bamain
Barbara Bui (opened, closed)
Nina Ricci (opened, closed)
Lanvin
Christian Dior
Acne Studios
Jean Paul Gaultier
Givenchy
Saint Laurent
Hakaan
Hermès
Louis Vuitton
Elie Saab (opened)

CHRYSTAL COPLAND

Timo Weiland

Costello Tagliapietra
Parkmoonchoo
Ruffian
Libertine
Delpozo

Anna Sui

Jeremy Scott

L'Wren Scott

John Rocha

Thomas Tait

Antonio Marras

Angelo Marani

JORDAN COHAYNEY

Candela
Charlotte Ronson
Catherine Maladrino
Tia Cibani
Project Runway

Adam Andrascik

Ostwald Helgason

NICOLE POLLARD

Alexander Wang
Y-3
Theyskens' Theory
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Rodarte

Gucci

Fendi

Fay

Etro

Roberto Cavalli

Dolce e Gabbana

Missoni (opened)

Gareth Pugh

Guy Laroche
Mugler
Balenciaga
Nina Ricci
Christian Dior
Sonia Rykiel
Acne Studios
Loewe
Kenzo
Givenchy
Saint Laurent
Hermès
Louis Vuitton
Miu Miu

AJAK DENG

Mara Hoffman

Lela Rose
Naeem Khan
Dennis Basso

Oscar de la Renta

Chado Ralph Rucci

Nanette Lepore

Jeremy Scott

DL1961 (closed)

TOM BULL

Billy Reid

Ian Velardi
Gilded Age
Boast

Michael Bastian

SHANINA SHAIK

Jason Wu 

Lela Rose
Tracy Reese

Nanette Lepore

RUBY JEAN WILSON

Carolina Herrera

Anna Sui

Marc Jacobs

JESS GOLD

House of Holland

Christopher Raeburn

Zoe Jordan

Michael van der Ham

Fyodor Golan

STEPHANIE CARTA

International Woolmark Prize

Christopher Raeburn

Richard Nicoll

L'Wren Scott

Antonio Berardi

AMANDA WARE

Sass & bide

London College of Fashion

David Koma (opened)

L'Wren Scott

Emilia Wickstead (closed)

Marios Schwab

Pringle of Scotland

Osman

Maria Grachvogel (closed)

Roksanda Ilincic

BRIDGET MALCOLM

J Crew

GABBY DOVER

Victoria, Victoria Beckham

Christopher Kane

SKYE STRACKE

Brandon Sun

KAILA HART

Christopher Kane

Guy Laroche

Aganovich
Jean Paul Gaultier
Ann Demeulemeester
Hermès

KYE D'ARCY

London College of Fashion

EVA DOWNEY

Jonathan Saunders

Christopher Kane

Marni

RHIANNA PORTER

Christopher Kane (exclusive)
Chloé
Miu Miu

LOLA VAN VORST

Dans La Vie

Zeynep Tosun

Love Mayka

CASSI VAN DEN DUNGEN

International Woolmark Prize

Giles
Maiyet
Miu Miu

APRIL TIPLADY
Junya Watanabe (closed)

LYDIA WILLEMINA COLLINS
Willow

OLIVIA THORNTON
Hexa by Kuho
Véronique Branquinho
Saint Laurent

JOEL MEACOCK
Massimo Rebecchi 

STIRLING CAIULO
Massimo Rebecchi 
Isabella Zoboli (opened)

VALENTINA SYKES
John Galliano

JESSICA HART

Louis Vuitton