Model of the Day: Grace Bol

21 year old Grace, originally from Sudan, moved to New York two years ago after being deemed ‘too high fashion’ for her home city of Kansas (what a surprise). She has already walked for Vivienne Westwood and Maison Martin Marigela and is rumoured to be in the Fall 2011 Givenchy campaign.

Grace seems very realistic and down to earth about the industry and says when it’s all over for her, she wants to go back to Sudan with the money she’s made from modelling and help support her country by providing jobs for the local people.

Her secret to flawless skin is to take a towel, run it under hot water and wipe your face down really hard. Apply Vaseline and sleep in it and in the morning take the towel to your face again, except this time with cold water.

Her skin is amazing so we might give it a try!

Grace at Vivienne Westwood

Grace at Givenchy

Read an interview with her here.

The Unsigned Model Search

Former supermodel Helena Christensen and her new talent scout agency, Unsigned, have partnered with Swarovski Crystallized to find two new models. The Unsigned Model team will scour the UK and Ireland in a branded Swarovski Crystallized 4X4 in search of unsigned model talent. You can also apply online.

Helena Christensen

They are looking for one female and one male to be the face of Swarovski Crystallized's Spring/Summer 2012 campaign, shot by Helena.

As a general rule, girls must be at least 5’8 and a size 6-8 and guys 5’11 with a 30 – 32 inch waist.

To ensure no one starves themselves to get to that golden size, ‘The Food Doctor’ Ian Marber will be the official nutritional advisor for the tour, on hand to support the models throughout the selection process, discussing how important food and nutritional choices are whilst trying to maintain optimum health.

Click here for more information.

Model of the Day: Patricia Guerrero

Another beauty from the Domincan Republic (tall, beautiful girls must grow on trees there), 5’11 Patricia was scouted while walking to school. She’s currently in New York trying to find an agency. With legs like hers, we doubt it will take long!

Model of the Day: Oluchi Onweagba

By no means a newbie, Oluchi Onweagba won the Face of Africa modelling competition in 1998 and has since walked for fashion royalty Chanel, Christian Dior, Valentino and Anna Sui.

She has also done campaigns for L’Oreal, Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated.

At Victoria's Secret

Oluchi is still a very successful working model and the owner of agency omodelAfrica.

In a recent lingerie campaign for Nordstrom's 

Model of the Day: April Alexander

Discovered while on holiday in NY, the 19 year old Londoner is signed with Krush Model Management and on the lookout for an agency in NY and London. With her ‘perfect’ model proportions: 34 - 24 – 34 we’re sure she’ll be snapped up soon.

Model of the Day: Genesis Vallejo

When we say fresh face, we mean fresh face! Genesis Vallejo (what a name!) has only been modelling for a couple of months, but the 5’10 beauty from Dominican Republic certainly has star potential, as these test shots show.

Model of the Day: Marquita Pring

20 year old Marquita Pring is what the industry would call a plus size model. A UK 18 (US 14) the former New York athlete was one of the models in V magazine's famous 2010 ‘Plus Size’ issue. She walked for Jean Paul Gaultier in his Spring 2011 collection at Paris Fashion Week and for Joy Cioci at New York Fashion Week. Marquita is also one of the faces of Levi’s latest campaign.

Marquita Pring

In an interview in New York magazine, Marquita says she feels the industry needs to embrace diverse women and rightly points out that designers will make a lot more money if they embrace a wider range of sizes.

We agree with her when she says women everywhere will start to feel better about themselves when they finally realise that to be beautiful, they do not need to conform to someone else’s ideal.

We see a bit of Alicia Keys in her

She also says that a lot of plus size models work harder than the smaller girls to maintain their physiques, and that contrary to popular opinion, they don’t just sit around eating all day!

Read the full interview here.

Model of the Day: Malaika Firth

16 year old Malaika signed with Premier last month after her mother called the agency after watching one episode of the documentary The Model Agency on Channel 4.

She is of British, Kenyan and Seychellois heritage and the agency are pretty excited to have her.

Founder Carol said: When I first saw the photos of Malaika, I thought she looked striking and was really proud as her mother was the first person to call us after the show first aired, stating that she wanted her daughter to be with us as she liked the family atmosphere behind the agency. What drew me to Malaika were her almond eyes, caramel kissed skin tone and unruly locks- perfect for a Gap campaign.’

Let’s hope!

Different Strokes: Vogue India

Interesting spread in Vogue India – four quite different looking ladies talk about their prominent facial features and how they play them up or down.

It’s all about the make up!

Chrishell Stubbs for Topshop

We readily admit that Topshop is not the first place we think of heading to if we need make up. Jeans or a top for a night out then sure, we get on the tube to Oxford St, but to be honest, we’ve never even looked at the make up when we were in store. So we were quite surprised to see Chrishell Stubbs in their Spring 2011 make up campaign.

We won’t comment on the cliché that of course, she’s the one advertising the ‘Tribal Warrior’ look; we’ll just look at her incredible eyes and mouth and think about how we can tone down the eye make up. The website even has an online tutorial if you like to wear your make up thick and fast.

Model of the Day: Thaisa Liz

5’10 Thaisa was discovered in her home country, the Dominican Republic, and has already signed with Elite in Paris and Milan and Models1 in London. We think she has a kinda Lara Stone vibe about her. Look out for her at the S/S 2012 shows!

Model of the Day: Awa Ceesay

Discovered walking down the street in Paris, Awa is 5’10 with endless legs and of Senegalese and Gambian heritage. Signed with IMG Models in Paris, she walked for Hermes at Paris Fashion Week.

 

 

Model of the Day: Katia Inamo

Katia is yet another stunner from the Caribbean. She is of French/Guadalupe heritage and signed with Ossygeno Model Management after being spotted outside a shopping centre. She is looking for an agency in Europe so bookers, snap her up before your competitors do!

The London College of Fashion Wants You

London College of Fashion have launched 'London College of Fashion Loves You' - an open street casting on Saturday 21 May from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm and all day on Tuesday 7 June. Open for men and women aged 18 and over who are at least 5.9” tall and a UK size 12 or under, the models will be paid to appear in the College’s BA catwalk show and receive a DVD and catwalk shots of the experience.

To register, email love@fashion.arts.ac.uk with your name, age, height, dress size and contact details along with a headshot. The initiative is part of the fashion college's aim to diversify the look it has on the catwalk and to reflect the debate it has aimed to provoke around body image, age, beauty and ethnicity.

Who knows where this could take you – Paris, Tokyo, New York?!

Model of the Day: Brookell Barber

20 year old Brookell Barber was chosen from over 700 applicants as winner of cosmetics and skincare brand Black Opal's True Beauty Model Search.

Brookell Barber

As the grand prize winner, Brookell won a year's supply of Black Opal skincare and cosmetics, will be featured in Black Opal's marketing material worldwide, go on an all expenses paid trip to New York City to star in a photo shoot and best of all, receive a $20,000 scholarship.

The brand say they chose Brookell as Black Opal's True Beauty because her essay reflected what they believe to be true, that true beauty is found within.

Model of the Day: Vanessa Kanbi

Scottish model Vanessa – currently signed with Premier – has been shortlisted as  Model of The Year at the prestigious Scottish Fashion Awards.

Winners will be announced at the event on June 15 at Glasgow's Science Centre.

NY Fashion Week in Black and White

Now the Fall 2011/12 shows are over, lots of articles are being written about what we’ll be wearing in 6 months time. This isn’t one of those articles; we’ll do a trend report later in the year. It makes us sad to think about Winter when Spring has barely begun.

An article on jezebel.com caught our eye as it detailed how racially diverse NYFW was. Some bright spark over there got the abacus out and counted up how many black, white, Asian and Latina models were used and by which designer. Made for an interesting read.

Melodie Monrose at 3.1 Phillip Lim

In a nutshell the just ended New York Fashion Week (NYFW) featured the least racially diverse cast of models since 2008. NYFW featured 137 designer runway shows and presentations and 5,269 different outfits were presented. Of those, over 84% were modelled by white women. Black models were used 384 times, Asian models 323 times and non-white Latina models 79 times.

Hereith Paul at Diane von Furstenberg

Designers who cast diverse models included 3.1 Phillip Lim, Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler and Ralph Lauren.

And those that didn’t? The list is too long but it included Donna Karan, Hervé Leger by Max Azria, Jill Stuart, Rodarte and Vera Wang.

NYFW most frequently booked Asian models were Liu Wen and Fei Fei Sun who each worked 18 shows; Ming Xi who took part in 15 and So Young Kang and Tao Okamoto who each walked in 13.




NYFW most popular black model was Joan Smalls who walked in 17 shows. Brits Nyasha Matonhodze and Jourdan Dunn tied with 14 shows each. Dunn was the only non-white model to walk for Calvin Klein.

Read the full report here.

Some online magazine readers are saying they will boycott the designers who didn’t feature anyone of colour. Will you?

Life After The Catwalk

Modelling is a funny old business. We can’t think of many other careers where you peak as a teenager and retire in your mid 30’s. That said, according to TV documentary The Model Agency (Channel 4, 10pm), the girls can make between £5 and £15,000 a day. Yes – a day! The window of opportunity is relatively small but the girls stand to make a small fortune.

But what do you do when you hit the ripe old age of 35 and the newest 17 year old has stolen your crown? In a word – diversify.

Take a leaf from these ladies books who, according to Forbes magazine, were among the highest paid models in the world.

Tyra Banks

A former Victoria's Secret Angel, Tyra rakes in around £19 million a year thanks to her television endeavours. Her company, Bankable Productions, produces True Beauty (with Ashton Kutcher), Stylista, The Tyra Show as well as the worldwide franchised Next Top Model, which she hosts in America (which in our opinion is the original and best).





Iman 

Wife of David Bowie, Iman is famous for her revolutionary line of cosmetics for women of colour as well as for being a model. The 55 year old Somalian (who doesn’t look a day over 35) also has a home decor line, her Global Chic clothing and accessories collection and hosts The Fashion Show on US channel Bravo.






Gisele Bündchen 

Gisele was the highest paid model in the world for 2010, taking home almost £16 million. Another former Victoria's Secret Angel, Gisele lent her name to Brazilian flip flops Ipanema and earned herself over £5 million from the 30 million pairs sold in 2009.

She also launched environmentally friendly skincare line Sejaa in 2010 and owns the Palladium Executive Hotel in Brazil.

Despite giving birth in December 2009, just six weeks later she was on the cover of US Vogue and managed to keep her top spot on the list from last year with exactly the same earnings.

Model of the Day: Roberta Narciso

Hailing from Angola, stunning 18 year old Roberta was in the Top 15 at the Elite Model Look competition in Shanghai last year. Since then she’s worked for Vogue Italia and made her catwalk debut at Valentino at the Spring 2011 Paris Couture shows. Not a bad start!

Roberta Narciso

Roberta was the only black model to walk for Prada in their Fall 2011 show.  (Naomi Campbell and Jourdan Dunn are among the handful of black models to walk for the Italian fashion giant).  She also walked in the Gareth Pugh and Vivienne Westwood shows.

Prada Fall 2011

Vivienne Westwood Fall 2011

Signed to Elite Models, Roberta was featured in New York Magazine’s Fall 2011 Top Ten New Faces which hopefully means she’s in line for a long and distinguished career.

Joan Smalls in V Magazine

Joan looks stunning in a Pam Grier inspired shoot in V Magazine.

The shoot is introduced with ‘Don’t mess with Spring’s forceful and feminine woman. Decked in everything leather (with a touch of lace), she takes no prisoners in her approach to style. Supermodel Joan Smalls gets into the groove.’

We’re feeling the fashion and the retro vibe.