Kimbra from The Block

richard freeman for KAREN magazine

It’s been a big year for Kimbra. Two Grammy nominations, five New Zealand Music Awards, three ARIAs, two APRAs, 38million views of her own YouTube channel - not to mention 354million views of her cameo in Somebody That I Used to Know, the global hit penned by her Belgralian buddy Gotye, which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and topped charts in 18 countries – spending eight consecutive weeks at No 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Little wonder the telegenic Kiwi is also rapidly emerging as a fashion star, increasingly visible in magazine features, fashion editorials and of course on all those red carpets. Her latest sartorial sortie is a 14-page spread in the 14th edition of indie quarterly Australian title KAREN, which is due out in a few days. 

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).