NEW FACES Modeling and Acting Blog

82nd Academy Awards Make History For Women

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:43:00 +0000

Kathryn Bigelow, Sandra Bullock, and Mo'Nique lead the historical night for women at the 82nd Academy Awards.

Kathryn Bigelow, director of "The Hurt Locker," becomes the first woman to win "Best Director" since the establishment of the Academy Awards, the most prestigious award giving body in the entertainment industry, 82 years ago.

"The Hurt Locker" has won over "Avatar" as the Iraq war drama rules the ceremony with 6 awards while merely 3 awards have been granted to the sci-fi movie. "The Hurt Locker" wins the most coveted award of the night, "Best Picture," plus five other recognitions namely "Best Directing," "Best Film Editing," "Best Sound Mixing," "Best Sound Editing," and "Best Writing (Original Screenplay)."

"This really is, there's no other way to describe it, the moment of a lifetime. I'd like to dedicate this to the women and men in the military who risk their lives in a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. May they come home safe," says the triumphant Kathryn Bigelow who is only the fourth woman to be nominated for best director by Academy voters.

Because Kathryn Bigelow is James Cameron's ex-wife, their face-off at the awarding ceremony is also fondly dubbed as the "Battle of the Exes."

Meanwhile, Sandra Bullock receives her first Oscar's "Best Actress" trophy just a day after winning the Razzie's "Worst Actress" award. She is the first actor to receive both antonymous awards in a year.

"Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down?" the 39-year-old actress asked in good humor. Her Oscar winning is for the movie "The Blind Side" where she played Leigh Anne Tuohy, a real-life woman who took in the homeless black teenager Michael Oher and led him towards a great American football career. Sandra Bullock's "Worst Actress" award is for her performance in the box office flop "All About Steve."

Down-to-earth and cool, Sandra Bullock has surprised everyone when she personally received the "Worst Actress" trophy at the 30th Razzie Awards on Saturday. Her speech at the Oscars the following day has included plan of displaying her plastic gold spray painted raspberry Razzie award next to her golden Oscar statuette.

"They're going to sit side by side, as they should. You take the good with the not so good. It probably means more that both of them happened at the same time because it's the great equalizer. You know, nothing ever let's me get too full of myself."

"Best Supporting Actress" Mo'Nique has also marked a triumphant night for the female African-American actors. She is only the fifth black actress in the history of Academy Awards to win an Oscar after Hattie McDaniel, Whoopi Goldberg, Halle Berry and Jennifer Hudson.

Mo'Nique's acceptance speech has also paid tribute to Hattie McDaniel for the being the first black woman who triumphed in the most prestigious awarding ceremony:

"I want to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to. The reason why I have on this royal blue dress is because it's the color that Hattie McDaniel wore in 1940 when she accepted her Oscar. So, for you, Miss Hattie McDaniel, I feel you all over me, and it's about time that the world feels you all over them."

Academy Awards 2010 Complete List of Winners:

BEST PICTURE: "The Hurt Locker"
BEST DIRECTING: Kathryn Bigelow "The Hurt Locker"
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: Sandra Bullock "The Blind Side"
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: Jeff Bridges "Crazy Heart"
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: "The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)" Argentina
BEST FILM EDITING: "The Hurt Locker" Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE): "The Cove" Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: "Avatar" Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE): "Up" Michael Giacchino
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: "Avatar" Mauro Fiore
BEST SOUND MIXING: "The Hurt Locker" Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
BEST SOUND EDITING: "The Hurt Locker" Paul N.J. Ottosson
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: "The Young Victoria" Sandy Powell
BEST ART DIRECTION: "Avatar": Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
BEST WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY): "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
BEST MAKEUP: "Star Trek" Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION): "The New Tenants" Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT): "Music by Prudence" Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED): "Logorama" Nicolas Schmerkin
BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY): "The Hurt Locker" Mark Boal
BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG): "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from "Crazy Heart" Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: "Up" Pete Docter
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

Mark Wolforth and Tony Sedivy for their contributions to the development of the Truelight real-time 3-D look-up table hardware system.

Dr. Klaus Anderle, Christian Baeker and Frank Billasch for their contributions to the LUTher 3-D look-up table hardware device and color management software.

Steve Sullivan, Kevin Wooley, Brett Allen and Colin Davidson for the development of the iMoCap on-set performance capture system.

Hayden Landis, Ken McGaugh and Hilmar Koch for advancing the technique of ambient occlusion rendering.

Björn Hedén for the design and mechanical engineering of the silent, two-stage planetary friction drive Hedén Lens Motors.

SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING AWARDS:

Per Christensen, Michael Bunnell and Christophe Hery for the development of point-based rendering for indirect illumination and ambient occlusion.

Dr. Richard Kirk for the overall design and development of the Truelight real-time 3-D look-up table hardware device and color management software.

Volker Massmann, Markus Hasenzahl, Dr. Klaus Anderle and Andreas Loew for the development of the Spirit 4K/2K film scanning system as used in the digital intermediate process for motion pictures.

Michael Cieslinski, Dr. Reimar Lenz and Bernd Brauner for the development of the ARRISCAN film scanner, enabling high-resolution, high-dynamic range, pin-registered film scanning for use in the digital intermediate process.

Wolfgang Lempp, Theo Brown, Tony Sedivy and Dr. John Quartel for the development of the Northlight film scanner, which enables high-resolution, pin-registered scanning in the motion picture digital intermediate process.

Steve Chapman, Martin Tlaskal, Darrin Smart and Dr. James Logie for their contributions to the development of the Baselight color correction system, which enables real-time digital manipulation of motion picture imagery during the digital intermediate process.

Supermodel Interrupted: Naomi Campbell Assaults Driver

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:06:00 +0000

Naomi Campbell has been the subject of a "model hunt" after assaulting her driver. The supermodel has slapped his driver "like Benny Hill" while on their way to a Queens movie set last Tuesday.

According to reports, Naomi Campbell was seated at the back of the black Cadillac Escalade when she was suddenly enraged and started punching her 27-year-old chauffeur, Miodrag Mejdina. When the driver pulled over to call 911, the supermodel hurriedly jumped out of the car and fled on foot. The call has sparked a short-lived model hunt.

It was said that the model got angry because his driver refused to tell if her boyfriend was cheating on her. Her boyfriend, the Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin, has hired the driver's service a year ago. Naomi Campbell suspected that the driver has been covering up her boyfriend's discretion.

At the end of the day, no charges was filed against the supermodel. The driver suddenly withdraw his complaint and the model hunt for the short-fused Naomi Campbell has been stopped. The once helpless chauffeur who called 911 to deliver him from the rage of his lady boss has suddenly taken all the blame for himself and issued an apology:

"I got angry and overreacted. It was a misunderstanding and I regret involving the police. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion and I apologize to Ms. Campbell for causing that to happen."

After the apology, Naomi Campbell (who has not been seen since the assault), then issued a statement:

"I have worked very hard on correcting my previous wrongdoings and I will not be held hostage to my past. I am pleased the driver has apologized. I would like to put the last few days behind me and move on."

As we all know, Naomi Campbell has two previous convictions of this kind. She has been sent to jail in 2008 for spitting on an officer at Heathrow Airport's Terminal. In 2007, she has also been sentenced in a New York Court to a week's community service for hurling her maid with a crystal-studded BlackBerry.

Asked if Miodrag Mejdina was paid off to drop the case against the supermodel, the driver's lawyer replied, "The statement speaks for itself. We have no further comment."

Naomi Campbell is right. She should not be held hostage to her past – she always get away with it.

Jessica Simpson Visits Anorexic Model Isabelle Caro

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:03:00 +0000

During her recent guesting on Oprah, Jessica Simpson shares a video clip of her visit to Paris to meet Isabelle Caro, a former model who suffered a severe case of anorexia.

Isabelle Caro has made headlines when she posed nude at 62 pounds for an anti-anorexia billboard.

Along with her friends Ken Paves and CaCee Cobb, Jessica Simpson listens to Isabelle Caro as she tells her story in French. Then the interpreter shares:

"There was the fashion designer who told her you need to lose ten kilos if you want to be in the fashion world. She really decided to stop eating and to lose weight. So that's how she ended up being an anorexic. Three years ago she was in a coma. The doctor said that there was no hope left, but she survived. And after that, she decided that she had to start eating, little by little... And now Isabelle is trying to pass a law in Parliament which says that you can't model when you're too skinny."

Brought to tears by her story, Jessica Simpson tells the brave Isabelle Caro, "To us, what you're doing right now makes you one of the most beautiful people that we have ever seen."

After watching the clip, a teary-eyed Jessica Simpson tells Oprah Winfrey:

"It makes me very emotional because just the pressure that women feel to be thin or to be beautiful - the pressure that the media puts on women - is so unfair and so disgusting."

Costar Rubs Shoulders With Sandra Bullock, His Long-Time Crush

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:18:00 +0000

An unknown actor named Aaron Quinton gets the chance to costar in The Blind Side. Aside from major exposure, his casting in the family and football drama is also an opportunity to act with Sandra Bullock, the Oscar-nominee whom he had a crush for a long time.

Attending the recent NAACP Image Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Aaron Quinton tells PEOPLE about his acting experience with Sandra Bullock. The costar is apparently overwhelmed with joy as he gushes:

"I've been a fan of hers for years – I was in love with her for years!

"She's just awesome. She's the most caring, loving individual that I know. She's one of the most beautiful women inside and out that anybody can have the pleasure of knowing, meeting and working with, and I felt so honored to be in that position."

Aaron Quinton is 25 years old and 6'8". In The Blind Side, he plays the young real-life Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher.

Since costarring in the movie, fans of the film recognizes him even in his everyday life. The usual topic of conversation is, of course, Sandra Bullock.

"When people see me they're like, 'Oh my god, It's you, from The Blind Side! I love you, we loved your movie – Oh my god, how was it working with Sandra?' That's what I get the most. And I'm like, 'Sandra? Don't even get me started...' " Aaron Quinton says laughing, rolling his eyes and pretending he's had his fill of Sandra Bullock. "No, it's truly been a blessing."

Seriously. How is it like working with Sandra Bullock?

"She stays professional as well as not letting it get to her head. She's real serious and humble about what she does, but she's also a humble individual. She's not up in the clouds, unreachable, you can't talk to her, you can't approach her. Anybody can speak to her and she'll speak to them. She'll love and care for anybody and respect anybody, and I love her for that. She's just real."

For a starting actor like Aaron Quinton, the Best Actress contender for the coming Golden Globe Awards serves as a lovely inspiration.

Though he admits to having a big crush on his costar, he also knows his limit. Upon learning that the Hollywood A-list actress has been married with motorcycle builder Jesse James since 2005, he could only see Sandra Bullock as a shining star whom he is lucky to work with and befriend.

"So I found out she was married and I was like, 'Okay, I'll settle for friendship.' "

Just like Aaron Quinton, you too can costar with your favorite celebrities! Check New Faces Casting Calls and Auditions for lots of opportunities to act alongside Hollywood actors today!

Victoria's Secret Models Walk At Prada's High-Fashion Runway

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:48:00 +0000

Voluptuous lingerie supermodels of Victoria's Secret prove to us that boobs are not just their best assets as they project to make a smooth transition into high-fashion.

Miranda Kerr, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Doutzen Kroes – three gorgeous women who have been excluded from the runways because they are "too big" – walk in the Prada Fall-Winter 2010-2011 ready-to-wear fashion show at the Women's Fashion Week in Milan on Thursday.

Miuccia Prada has one thing in mind when these type of models were cast:

"It's normal clothes – the silhouette of the 90s, but using many different kinds of models who are much more womanly."

So there it goes. Despite the "uber sexiness" of these Victoria's Secret Angels, they still reflect the kind of bodies closer to regular women, that is, with breasts and bottoms.

Following the trend of replacing androgynous and emaciated models with fuller ones, Prada also tries to redefine "sexy" with a mixed collection of clothes that include winter coats, Mad Men style A-line dresses, lady-like skirt suits, and even odd-looking dress with lots of black and white frills around the chest.

"Our vision of what is sexy in women is getting narrower. It is all about bows and frills and clichés now. Women can't seem to give these clichés up. It's just my take on what's happening today. That's all," says the influential designer.

Meanwhile, Doutzen Kroes says she was happy to walk in the show and see "a change in more healthy looking women on the runway." The voluptuous model has previously told reporters that she rarely does runway shows she might have done so when she was "11 or 12" because she doesn't fit the current runway sample size.

Sport's Illustrated Model Brooklyn Decker Tries Acting For Major Film

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:47:00 +0000

Sports Illustrated covergirl Brooklyn Decker tries her hand at a high-profile acting gig. She will act alongside Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, and Nicole Kidman in the upcoming romantic comedy Just Go With It.

Originally entitled The Pretend Wife, the movie features the 22-year-old model as the love interest of Adam Sandler. To win her heart, Adam Sandler hires Jennifer Aniston as the fake wife he is about to divorce and her children as his fake family.

Scheduled for filming beginning this month and for release on Valentine's Day 2011, Brooklyn Decker is very excited with her feature film debut. She has tweeted about her acting project when she arrived in Los Angeles for shooting:

"That's why I'm in L.A. now and so excited to get started! The cast has been AMAZING and welcoming. I can't stop gushing about everyone involved!"

Brooklyn Decker has previously guest-starred on Ugly Betty, Royal Pains, and Chuck. Aside from her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, she has also modeled for Victoria's Secret, The Gap, Intimissimi, Cosmopolitan, FHM, Glamour, and Teen Vogue. She is married to tennis champ Andy Roddick.

Check Here:
Casting Director is looking for paid extras for the feature film Just Go with It (previously The Pretend Wife)!

Lady Gaga Has Been Predicted To Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:56:00 +0000

Behind the meteoric rise of Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in real life), she has always been predicted to fail by loved ones.

Standing in all her "gaga-ness" in the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, Lady Gaga shares how she has been predicted to fail by her former boyfriend and her friends.

"I ate sh*t for so long, being told I didn't fit the mold and that I was 'too pop' or 'too theater'... I've always been delusionally ambitious to the point where people don't understand me."

"I had a boyfriend who told me I'd never succeed, never be nominated for a Grammy, never have a hit song, and that he hoped I'd fail. I said to him, 'Someday, when we're not together, you won't be able to order a cup of coffee at the f*cking deli without hearing or seeing me."

"My friends joke that I'm dead until I get onstage. I'm dead right now as you're speaking to me."

Endowed with musical talents, Lady Gaga started her music career by performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side. She later signed with an imprint of Interscope Records where she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists. Her vocal abilities caught the interest of Akon who signed him up to his own label Kon Live Distribution. She released her debut album, The Fame, on August 19, 2008. The rest was history.

Lady Gaga owed her success to the support of the gay community. She had difficulty getting radio airplay early in her career but managed to continue with the help of her loyal fans.

"The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase," she was once quoted as saying.

Anna Wintour Joins Magazine's Hall Of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:38:00 +0000

Anna Wintour, the most distinguished magazine editor of Vogue and the real-life inspiration for Meryl Streep's role in the flick The Devil Wears Prada, is elected to the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame. She will be honored at the National Magazine Awards on April 22.

Anna Wintour is one of the most powerful people in the fashion industry today. Her reign at Vogue since 1988 has paved the way for the success of many models and celebrities. She has established Vogue as the standard-bearer of today's high-fashion glossy magazines and with it, she determines who will become the next "it" girl in fashion.

"Throughout her career, Anna Wintour has exemplified the highest standards of taste, in both journalism and fashion. She has defined style for a generation of magazine readers and come to epitomize the essential qualities of editorial leadership," said Sid Holt, ASME's chief executive.

Just like fictional Miranda Priestly in the 2003 bestselling roman à clef The Devil Wears Prada, Anna Wintour is a fashion editor highly-acclaimed for her eye to fashion trends but with an intimidating, aloof, and demanding personality that often alienates associates. Her critics call her "Nuclear Wintour."

But her contribution in the world of fashion is widely praised. As a fashion industry power broker, she uses her influence to favor young fashion designers, many of whom are now brand names like John Galiano and Marc Jacobs. With her signature pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, she has also become a fashion icon frequently seen sitting in the front row of many fashion shows.

As the newest addition to the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame, Anna Wintour will join previous honorees and magazine icons like Martha Stewart, Tina Brown, and Hugh Hefner.

Claudia Schiffer Is 2010 "Model of the Year"

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:03:00 +0000

Model mom Claudia Schiffer, who's now expecting her third child, was named "Model of the Year" at the 2010 ELLE Style Awards.

Pregnancy did not stop the 39 years old German-born supermodel from looking fabulous. She received the award on Monday (February 22) in London wearing a loose fitting black jersey dress by Emma Cook, Miu Miu heeled booties and an Alexander McQueen clutch.

As this year's "Model of the Year," Claudia Schiffer has spoken about the biggest issue confronting the fashion industry today: "Should there be a ban on size zero models, following reports of many underweight models suffering from eating disorder problems?"

"No I don't think so, because I think models have always been thin, ever since I can look back anyway - I've never... no I don't think there has ever a moment where it's been any different.

"The most important thing is that they are healthy. There will always be an exception somewhere, within any profession, whether it's acting or singing. There will always be that one person that is unhealthy and doesn't eat anything and God knows what else they do.

"I mean, you should be able to spot that, if you are a company or a designer you should be able to say this one particular person is not healthy and maybe we shouldn't use her. But in general I think, you can be thin and be healthy, you can be bigger and be healthy as well, you know. It just depends."

As for her maternity style, the supermodel shares her tip through People's Celebrity Baby Blog:

"I'm not the sort of person who likes to wear tight clothes when I'm pregnant, but I'm not a fan of maternity dresses either, so my advice would be to get things a few sizes bigger and have them tailored to fit."

For her pregnancy beauty routine, Claudia Schiffer swears by a mixture of oils and creams for her ever-expanding belly and organic foods for maintaining her healthy glow.

"I do like to put a lot of cream on my tummy, as long it's natural. I think it really works to help stretch marks and make the skin really nice and soft. I use several! Balance Me oil is really good, Mama Mio has a thick buttery cream which is amazing and I also use this French organic oil too — I alternate them.

"During my first pregnancy, I started to eat organically and healthily because that was the first time I actually thought about what I was putting in my body. I'm still doing that today and I'm also just taking it easy, not working out too much, just enjoying this time in my life."

Claudia Schiffer has reached the peak of her supermodel status in the 1990s. She has been a Chanel muse and Karl Lagerfeld's personal favorite. She is one of the world's most successful models, appearing on over 500 magazine covers and an estimated net worth of $55m (£38m) by Forbes.

She is married to director/producer Matthew Vaughn and a mother to son Caspar, 7, and daughter Clementine, 5. She is expecting her third child in May.

Lindsay Lohan Opens Up On Drug & Alcohol Addiction

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:33:00 +0000

"Partying so hard simply isn't worth it. Life is worth living and there is so much to do and experience, it's wonderful." - Lindsay Lohan

Dubbed as "Hollywood's Wild Child" Lindsay Lohan is no doubt one of the most controversial actress of her generation. Barely 23 years old, her life has already been well-documented through the eyes of the scrutinizing media which particularly follows her family troubles, drug and alcohol addiction, wild partying, and bisexual love affair with Samantha Ronson.

The world sighed at the fate of this once adorable child star who grow up to become one of the most beautiful actress in Hollywood. If not for her drug and alcohol addiction, career might have become brighter for her.

Lindsay Lohan recently did an interview with The Sun. If this wild child is indeed telling the truth, redemption has finally come for her. Who knows if she will rise up to become one of Hollywood's greatest actress in say, 10 years? After all, she's barely 23...

"When my father was going public, that's when I hit rock bottom. I abused substances too much and it wasn't the answer to my problems. People need to know that. I tried to mask my problems with alcohol, cocaine and mind-altering substances. Now I'm in a place where I don't need to use anything and I can feel emotions because I choose to. I learnt from my mistakes and I'm now healthy and happier. I never want to be close to losing everything I worked for and aspired to have my whole life. Mind-altering substances are so dangerous. If I can teach others, especially teens, by sharing my experiences, then that's what I will continue to do. I've made some dreadful mistakes but learned from them - that has probably saved my life."

"I went to rehab three times. The first time I checked myself in because I had taken Ambien. It's a sleeping aid but it makes you hallucinate. I'd run a bath and fallen asleep on the floor and the bath had overflowed. When I woke up I was so scared, I called my therapist and said, 'Can I just go somewhere for a month? I'm around bad people and I need to take care of myself'. I was terrified, so I put myself in. There was a point when I didn't know how to say 'No' and I was trying to please everyone. I was doing pop and making films. I was young and thought I could go out, have fun, then go on set and record. I ran myself down and I lost track of who I was."

Lindsay Lohan has pleaded guilty to cocaine use and driving under the influence in 2007. She has been jailed for a day and has been ordered to complete an alcohol education program.

Now, Lindsay Lohan still booze but she says it's not for masking troubles anymore but for "social obligations." She has recently hosted a Haiti fundraiser event in London.

"I'm allowed to drink now but I know my limits. There are certain situations where I have obligations. There's no reason to (drink) because I don't want to feel like s*it in the morning. The thing is, at the times I was going out a lot and being seen everywhere, I would have been in college. My brother, who is 18, and his friends go out to bars and stuff till whatever time. That's what you do in college. Mine was all in the public eye so it was magnified that much more.

"I've now learned my boundaries and I've been very good with cleaning house with people who I know didn't have my best intentions at heart. A lot of people in LA are very self destructive.

"Partying so hard simply isn't worth it. Life is worth living and there is so much to do and experience, it's wonderful."

Heathy Curves Back On The Runway

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:18:00 +0000

The decrease of "beanpoles" on the latest runway shows was noticeable. New York and London Fashion Weeks have featured more normal-sized women catwalking this year.

Though IMG vice-president Fern Mallis did not attend the CFDA's panel discussion on fashion industry and body image the day before New York Fashion Week, she was glad to notice healthier models on the runway.

"I was here at the Tents, but I haven't seen so many scary-looking girls this time," she commented during the Naeem Khan show.

"I was just at a show sitting with the husband of a designer who said a girl came in for a fitting and her legs looked like poles, and they said, 'No.' It was great at Calvin's show to see some of the old girls back, like Stella Tennant and Kristen McMenamy, and Michael Kors had Frankie Rayder. They're gorgeous girls. They weren't beanpoles, they're still gorgeous."

The same trend was also noticeable at the London Fashion Week. Even Kate Moss walked the Fashion for Relief runway with more body fats. Supermodel Naomi Campbell also welcomed the arrival of many normal-sized women on the catwalks, as well as the plus-size models. She was quoted as saying:

"I think the bigger the better. I don't comment on size, I think if someone is beautiful then they should do what they want to do."

Fashion designer Borun Aksu also noted after his show that larger, healthier models appear to have made a breakthrough on the catwalks:

"Over the last couple of seasons they have become more noticeable. You also notice that these are girls who look healthy and happy."

Mark Fast's runway show has featured four plus-size models led by Crystal Renn, size-16 and one of the most famous plus-size models today.

Meanwhile, giant high street retail store Debenhams has started replacing some of its size ten mannequins with plus size models more suited to the average British woman's size 14-16.

"The average British woman is a size 14 to 16 and it's important that the woman on the street is able to walk into a shop and feel comfortable with the choice available," said Sarah Travers who runs Europe's largest plus-size modeling agency.

Kate Moss Is Teens' Role Model

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:19:00 +0000

Despite being accused of influencing teenagers to become skinny, despite the cocaine addiction that she has struggled years before, and despite the drama surrounding her love life —

Kate Moss is the top role model for teens, especially for those who want to be famous!

In a poll conducted by website Intotheblue.co.uk earlier this month, 68% of the 1,032 16-year-olds have chosen the British supermodel as their role model. The same survey has also showed that more than half of the teenagers do not want a career — they just want to be famous.

Asked "What would you like to do for your career?", 54 percent of the teenagers have answered "Become a celebrity."

Kate Moss obviously tops the survey because of her fame. She has become brand name in the fashion industry today. Not only does she maintains a prestigious modeling career even in her mid-30s, her resume has also expanded by launching a highly successful clothing line with U.K. retailer Topshop, marketing a range of perfumes, getting deals to design collection of handbags and fashion accessories for luxury design houses, a fashion stylist, and an occasional singer, writer, and actress.

Who would have thought that this woman will rise up to become the celebrated "Kate Moss"? She has not even dream of being a model in her younger years. She still can't quite believe it, even now. She still thinks she's blagging it a bit, but nobody's cottoned on yet.

"I'm still having a wonderful time modeling. In career terms, things have never been better," the supermodel admits in her latest interview with Britain's Grazia magazine.

Recalling how she decided to give modeling a try, Kate Moss shares:

"I was only 14, so I hadn't got around to thinking about what I wanted to do. I had this lovely geography teacher, and I asked her whether she thought I should give modeling a try, and she said, 'Kate, just give it a go. If it doesn't work out, you can always go to college.'"

But contrary to the teenagers who look up to Kate Moss because of her fame, the supermodel does not like popularity. She values modeling as a career, not as a mere tool to become famous.

"Modeling has given me insights and experience that I can now use in other ways. Sometimes, I don't like (the fame), but then I've got to deal with it, so I do. You know, I just wanted to be good at my job, I never wanted to be famous, but that happens to come with it."

Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato Interns At Teen Vogue

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:55:00 +0000

Teen actor Mark Indelicato from the Ugly Betty series will intern at Teen Vogue after his TV gig ends this spring.

Life is imitating art for this fabulous 15-year-old actor as he brings the Ugly Betty scene into the real-life world of fashion. The TV series which stars America Fererra focuses on the lives of employees at the fictional fashion magazine Mode.

Mark Delicato says he would love the camera follow his life as an intern at the teen fashion magazine.

"I want to have a reality show about it. My boss said he's determined to make me cry. He said it makes good TV."

When Ugly Betty wraps up its fourth and final season this spring, the teen actor's internship at Teen Vogue will be his new spring gig.

Although he will miss his co-stars from the comedy series, the teen actor looks up to the future full of optimism.

"I think we'll all go to bigger and better things, and it'll be perfect — everything is going to be fabulous."

Mark Indelicato is a native of Philadelphia. He is of Puerto Rican and Italian ancestry. He plays one of the three regulars on Ugly Betty with Philadelphia ties along with Ana Ortiz who plays his mother Hilda and Becki Newton, the receptionist at Mode.

Aside from being a TV actor, Mark Delicato is also a student at New York's prestigious Professional Performing Arts School.

Size 4 Coco Rocha Asks "How Skinny Is Too Skinny?"

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:20:00 +0000

Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha is apparently a young achiever. Aside from rising to the top of the fashion modeling industry, she has also launched the clothing line Rococo.

Now 21, Coco Rocha is a proud size 4 and she admits she is not in demand for the shows anymore. But she does not care either.

"I don't do nudes, I don't do semi-nudes, I don't do cigarette shots. It took me a long time in the business to realize I didn't have to do everything people told me I should if I wanted a career."

Walking in Diane Von Furstenberg's fall show at the recent New York Fashion Week, Coco Rocha holds her head up high against fashion designers and fashion people who continues to abhor "fat" in fashion.

"Everybody knows that, in general, a basketball player needs to be tall and a fashion model needs to be skinny, but how skinny is too skinny?"

The young supermodel who once worked for the likes of Steven Meisel, Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Dior, Prada, and Louis Vuitton admits:

"I'm not in demand for the shows anymore. I've been told to lose weight when I was really skinny. You know what, I've stopped caring. If I want a hamburger, I'm going to have one. No 21-year-old should be worrying about whether she fits a sample size."

Coco Rocha also sees the problem in hiring runway models who are just 14 and 15 years olds and have not yet hit puberty - the type of models who "will add non-negotiable curves to their rail-thin frames."

"Girls are told they're not skinny enough, or they hear, 'She's old, she's boring, we've had her, she's not tiny anymore.' A lot of people don't take into account the vulnerability of these young girls. And the latest crop of models is not made up of adults or even sort-of adults. They are children. Point closed."

All-Star Fashion Show For Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:42:00 +0000

Naomi Campbell's organized fashion show for the benefit of Haiti earthquake victims did not disappoint. Aside from raising funds, Fashion for Relief also featured an all-star casts including supermodels, celebrities, and fashion designers.

Supermodels Helena Christensen, Daphne Guinness, Natasha Poly, Karen Elson, Angela Lindvall, Sasha Pivovarova, Heidi Mount, Selita Ebanks, and Alek Wek all came in to support the cause.

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson also took a spin in a black gown with gold beading after doing an opening speech about charities.

Celebrities like Kelly Osbourne, Donna Karan, Diane von Furstenberg, Georgina Chapman, Alan Cumming, Maggie Rizer, and even the infamous Chris Brown also walked the runway wearing "To Haiti With Love" shirts.

British supermodel Agyness Deyn who rarely walks the runway anymore took a tumble twice in her Burberry's. But at least we learned a runway trick from her. Agyness Deyn's smile when she tumbled on the catwalk was very lovely so that it lessened the focus on her fall.

Fashion for Relief also made a tribute to Alexander McQueen. Daphne Guinness wore a veil and one-off silver jumpsuit created by the fashion designer while the other supermodels wore designs from Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2010 collection, including the impossibly high heels.

All 92 looks from the show will be sold on Net-a-Porter.com from March 15 that will support CARE's efforts in Haiti. The show's sponsor American Express said that 950 tickets ($100-$150 each) were sold out within three days.

Comedian Tina Fey Models For Vogue

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:16:00 +0000

"I don't look at models who are crazy skinny and think I want to look like that, because a lot of them are gigantic, with giant hands and feet."

Tina Fey's impersonation of former presidential candidate Sarah Palin seems an easier work than doing photo shoot for Vogue. Still, her awesomeness is impossible to impinge on.

The star of 30 Rock lands the magazine gig with clear intention — talking about her fashion style evolution and not on being a "cow."

So what is fashion for Tina Fey?

"People will say, 'Oh, fashion magazines are so bad, they're giving girls a negative message' — but we're also the fattest country in the world, so it's not like we're all looking at fashion magazines and not eating. Maybe it just starts a shame cycle: I'm never going to look like that model, so… Chicken McNuggets it is!

"And conversely, I don't look at models who are crazy skinny and think I want to look like that, because a lot of them are gigantic, with giant hands and feet. Also, my dad is an artist — a painter by hobby — and I constantly would see realistic nudes. Because we were raised around art and went to museums and the women I grew up around were curvy... There wasn't this value on skinny, skinny, skinny. Curvy was clearly meant to be the winner. I go up and down a few pounds with a relative amount of kindness to myself. And I have a daughter, and I don't want her to waste her time on all of that."

Indeed, Tina Fey is not a fashion model but a comedic actor. And so she succumbs to the awkwardness of photo shoots.

"At one point I was posing for (Mario Testino), and he was talking from behind the camera and he was like, 'You have to fliiiirt, darleeeng. You have to bee-leeve you are wuuuurthy to be on the cover.' And then at one point he said very quietly, 'Lift your chin, darling. You are not eighteen.' I was like, 'You probably say that to all the 23-year-olds.'"

Not everyone is happy with her Vogue cover though. Some hate the idea of the seemingly contented and relieved-in-her-average-look Tina Fey submitting herself to the power of Anna Wintour.

"These women are hilarious, smart, talented AND feminists — need I remind them... Why do they feel they have to cave in to the pressures of the beauty industry despite their massive talent and star capital that got them where they are today?" says one critic who, upon seeing Tina Fey on the glossy magazine cover, declares the international sad day for women.

Alexander McQueen Commits Suicide!

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:41:00 +0000

Following the endless success of his fashion shows and creative designs, a news just broke out yesterday morning that Alexander McQueen killed himself. He was found dead at his flat in London, believed to have hung himself!

The fashion industry mourned the loss of the fashion designer who was looked upon as one of the greatest talent of his generation. Vogue editor Anna Wintour has issued a statement on his passing while other designers, editors, and models expressed their shock and sadness on Twitter.

Known for his Gothic sensibility and razor-sharp tailoring, Alexander McQueen's creations have always been dramatic, out-of-this-world, experimental and modern. His ability to envision what's next in fashion was rewarded with critical and financial success.

But beneath the genius craftsmanship, Alexander McQueen's life was sometimes gloomy and bizarre. Two of the closest women in his life have already died - his mother passed just last week while his mentor Isabella Blow died in 2007 from suicide. (Devastated by his mentor's death, the mourning fashion designer once told Isabella's husband that he'd been to his psychic who comforted him by saying that Isabella was doing just fine in the afterlife and was spending time with her fantastic cannibal grandmother.)

As the rest of the fashion world grieved for Alexander McQueen, editor of the New York Times style magazine Stefano Tonchi also pointed out that the fashion industry itself might be as responsible for the tragedy as any of McQueen's personal travails:

"I think it is just the tip of the iceberg. We all know that this is a very critical moment in fashion, and that basically he is the first victim of what is a conflict between creativity and business. Today to be a fashion designer, you have to be a superman or superwoman. You have to have nerves of steel. You have to be so strong. And if you are a little bit weak, if you have psychological problems or weakness, you end up like him.

"Do you remember how many people were getting killed by the job? The Marilyn Monroes, the James Deans. It was the same kind of self-destruction complex that brings you to kill yourself or do something so stupid as suicide.

"We cannot look at the poor Alexander McQueen, abused child or abuser of substance. I think you have to put it in a larger context in terms of the fashion system. He's just one of the little cogs that got squeezed."

The Alexander McQueen store in the Meatpacking District has been closed until Saturday. A white shade was drawn over the 14th Street windows, where mourners with roses have gathered.

The fashion designer's friends, family, and millions of admirers all over the world have just lost Lee Alexander McQueen — a great talent who has always been known to take the rapidly changing medium in stride, find inspiration in the tumult of technology, and create so much beauty in the midst of so much sadness.

Abbey Lee Kershaw: Hippy Model (With Million-Dollar Bank Account)

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:02:00 +0000

"An elite performer is always put under some sort of extreme pressure that the rest of society can argue and might not quite understand."

Dubbed as the "Hippy Model (with the million-dollar bank account)," rising fashion icon Abbey Lee Kershaw graces Australian television show Today Tonight and talks about the "crazy, fast life" she lives in and the controversies surrounding crazy shoes and being thin.

Now at 22, she is ranked at the top 10 models of the world, hitting the US catwalks and turning heads wherever she goes. The fashion industry loves her cool, fresh-girl image - "so laid-back, so relaxed but at the same time so fashion perfect."

"I don't know if I have a plan B. I'm just waiting for plan A to get bigger," Abbey Lee Kershaw says of her rising modeling career.

"It's crazy. It's a very fast life. I generally spent most of the time on planes, at airports, in studios, at shows - like all over the place. It's very fast. It's always something going on. You'll never really got the time to do your washing a little and... breathe."

But aside from her hippy image, Abbey Lee Kershaw's popularity has also been ironically boosted by catwalk disasters. She has tore a knee ligament when she fell in Rodarte's spring 2009 show because of the super-high heels. She has also fainted at the Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2009 Runway from the combination of the tight corset she wore and her high heels.

"Hopefully (the shoes are) going to come back down soon, because health and safety regulations have to come into play at some point," she says laughing.

Speaking of health, Abbey Lee Kershaw replies with an analogy when asked about what she feels of the pressures at the top of the industry for staying thin:

"That's like asking a bodybuilder how they feel about the pressures to be incredibly muscly. An elite performer is always put under some sort of extreme pressure that the rest of society can argue and might not quite understand."

Having her biggest season in barely two years, Abbey Lee Kershaw is seen as one those "really good models" in the industry that clients intend to keep for the long run.

Anne Hathaway: Beauty Is About Finding Balance

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Gorgeous and radiant, all that doe-eyed Anne Hathaway sees of herself are weird features. She thinks she's not very pretty but it's not as important as authenticity.

Blooming like a spring flower in the March cover of InStyle magazine (to hit stands this Friday), Anne Hathaway shares:

"I think I've got really weird features. I have very large features on a very small head. But, you know, I'm not going to beat myself up. It's my face. I'm not very pretty. But that's OK because I do know that I look like myself, and I think at the end of the day, as nice as pretty is, authenticity is more important."

Beauty for this 27-year-old actress is striving for equilibrium. She maintains her figure by working out to balance her curves with tone. For her personal style, she embraces the tomboy-by-day, glamazon-by-night approach.

"If I don't work out at all, I have too much curve and no tone — which is not OK. It's about finding balance.

"In the evening it would never occur to me to go out in motorcycle boots like this (referring to the black Burberry pair she wears during the interview). I love going out in high heels and dressing up and glamming it up, and having there be a distinction between what happened throughout the day and the evening."

Anne Hathaway also finds style inspiration in the Hollywood icons who she believes to demonstrate "innovation and originality" and this includes Marc Jacobs (her all-time favorite designer), Tilda Swinton, Selma Blair, Natalie Portman, Gwen Stefani, and Lady Gaga.

"I like people who are true to themselves," she says.

Donatella Versace Wants Personality For Models To Be Super Again

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:41:00 +0000

Donatella Versace is not a believer in the natural look. She thinks it's time models should be super again. But amidst the sea of faceless models today, the Italian fashion designer cries, "There is not enough ego!"

"Now is a bad moment. Now we need something. We need a special personality. We need to feed the egos of these girls. Somebody like Kristen (McMenamy) who had a huge ego. Beautiful...," Donattela Versace says.

She misses the time when supermodels really become "supermodels" and recalls one occasion when her late brother Gianni Versace produced an autumn/winter show in 1991 that has become an era-defining moment in fashion.

"That moment when my brother put on the runway Christy, Linda, Cindy and Naomi together – they sang Freedom, and George Michael was in the audience – that was an iconic moment of fashion. That moment was when supermodels really became supermodels. It was the print girls' move to the runway, and that was something that felt new too – the print girls were not usually catwalk girls."

It was Donatella Versace who encouraged her brother to use attention-grabbing print girls for his show, contradicting the fashion industry's trend of staying away from notorious girls for fear that they might overshadow the clothes.

"It was a time when designers were afraid of models with fame. They were afraid that the clothes would be overtaken by the fame of the models. I said to Gianni, 'Do not be afraid like everybody else, because it is just stupid. Fame on fame means more fame! It does not take away anything; it adds.' It gave personality to the clothes, it gave things an edge that a runway show needs, otherwise it can be so borrring."

Being a hater of all things "borrring," Donatella Versace goes on to say that she does not like the neutral, pretentious look of models today.

"There is an idea of neutrality in models now. Little make-up, no expression, like a robot... That is very stupid. It is almost as if the models have to have the appearance of something serious, to give an intellectual base, but they themselves are rarely like that. And the roots of fashion are essentially fun. It is something that women wear to make themselves feel better, that shouldn't be forgotten. When you take the joy out of fashion, it is not fashion any more. If you are going to be very clever, too clever, be a scientist. I am not a scientist."

For Donatella Versace, what today's fashion models are lacking are personality. She remembers the time when the fashion industry was full of fun, crazy girls like the catfighting Linda Evangelista and Kristen McMemenamy, Amber Valetta, and the cigarette-puffing tiny girl - Kate Moss. These crazy girls have turned out to be iconic models.

"It was never about changing the girls, it was about defining who they were. I always respected the personality," Donnatella Versace explains.

"You should never be afraid in fashion. In this economic situation the worst thing you can be is afraid. You need to do something special, not safe."

The complete fashion manifest of Donnatella Versace is presented in the LOVE magazine's The Fashion Icons issue, out tomorrow.

15-Year-Old Lindsey Wixson For Miu Miu

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:20:00 +0000

This is not a marionette. This is the 15-year-old girl from Wichita, Lindsey Wixson, who's currently fronting the spring 2010 campaign for Miu Miu.

Lindsey Wixson was only 12 years old when she decided to become a model and went to as many castings as she possibly could. Though supportive of her chosen career, her parents thought that it was just a phase she would eventually grow out. But the interesting doll-like features of this teenager was noticed by Steven Meisel. From a video that she posted on the web, she was hand-selected by the famous photographer for an Italian Vogue shoot. Shortly after, she bagged the highly coveted exclusives at Prada and Miu Miu for the Spring 2010 shows. Then she became the face of Miu Miu's spring 2010 campaign. At the young age of 15, this high school sophomore has finally made her childhood dreams come true.

In a short interview provided by W magazine, the teen model graciously shared her story:

What did your parents say when you told them you wanted to model?
"My mom was like, 'are you sure you want to do this?' She didn't know what was going on. Luckily, I had an older sister and so my parents were like, 'Teenagers go through phases and it's going to be okay.' They really have stood behind me the entire way."

So after doing a few smaller shows in New York; how did you open Prada?
"Well, I don't really know! I think it had a lot to do with the Italian Vogue buzz. I was very, very, very lucky."

What was it like meeting Miuccia?
"It was great — and intimidating. You see her accomplishments and see why where she's gotten to be where she is. She knows what she wants. I aspire to be like her."

How does it feel to be the face of Miu Miu?
"I was so excited. I mean, knowing that they don't normally have a one-girl campaign, I was just shocked. It was really nice because rather than being just one actress or one celebrity, it was just me! I really love the brand. I remember clearly seeing the Kirsten Dunst 2008 campaign in all the fashion magazines and how it was all about Miu Miu."

We heard that on the set of the W "Run of Show" story you asked for a bra when wearing a see through top. A lot of other models wouldn't have done that.
"I'm 15 and even though I freaked a little, I know for a fact that my mom would freak ten times as much. I just couldn't be flashing everyone out there."

How have the boys at school responded to your career?
"I think they're more interested. Before a lot of guys were intimidated, but now they're just like, 'Hey, how you doing?'"

Are you dating anyone right now?
"I'm not. I think it be really horrible since I'm always traveling. I would just have to up and leave for a month and then come back and be like, 'Hey! I had to kiss a boy in a shoot! I'm sorry! Haha!'"

A press release about the Miu Miu spring campaign calls Lindsey Wixson the "embodiment of a free-spirit on the cusp of womanhood." We say she's really very, very lucky. And yeah, those legs will totally go the distance!

Naomi Campbell's Fashion For Haiti Is Open To Public!

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:12:00 +0000

Naomi Campbell continues her charity efforts through her fashion expertise. She now sets the stage for a series of fashion shows to benefit the victims of Haitian earthquake. Unlike typical runway shows, the event will be open to the public.

For the coming New York Fashion Week, Naomi Campbell will be participating with an entourage of famous celebrities and fashion designers at the Bryant Park Tents on February 12 at 7 p.m.

The show will feature looks that the supermodel has personally solicited from fashion designers to be worn by celebrities at the runway event. The dresses will then be auctioned to raise more funds on Net-a-Porter.com starting next month.

Not only will the upcoming fashion show in New York (and another one which will be staged in London) raise funds for Haitians, the event will also provide rare opportunity for the public to see the Bryant Park tents in person. Naomi Campbell adds:

"It's not your typical runway show. Having the public be in the audience is much more fun. They are the ones who are not usually allowed in the shows."

Naomi Campbell has been active with charity fashion shows since 2005 under the name Fashion for Relief. Her efforts have helped raise funds through auctions benefiting tragedies like Hurricane Katrina and the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

"It's the world that I am in. Fashion is what I know and what I have loved for 25 years. It's great that you are seeing actors coming together and singers coming together, but this is our way of coming together and giving a contribution."

For those who are interested to attend, tickets can be bought for $100 or $150 through Ticketmaster.com and will go on sale first to American Express cardholders today, February 5. The ticket sales alone are expected to raise $100,000 for the charities connected to Fashion for Relief.

Sandra Bullock Warns Meryl Streep: "I'm Gonna Take You Down"

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:51:00 +0000

Both Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep received the award for Best Actress at the recent Critics Choice Awards. They even shared a kiss to celebrate the winning.

Determined to rise up to Meryl Streep's level, 45-year-old Sandra Bullock says:

"With Meryl, when this whole thing started, I left her a voice mail going, 'You've got to watch your back. I'm gonna cut you. I'm gonna take you down. And then she sent me dead orchids and told me to die, so I sent her a case of liquor and told her to toast to white trash."

Apparently, Sandra Bullock's revelation to the Associated Press was just one of the elaborate cat-fights that she's been staging with Meryl Streep since the award season started.

The two just vowed Golden Globe Awards for their latest film projects. Sandra Bullock's performance in The Blind Side has been favored by award-giving bodies. Albeit widely regarded as one of the most talented and respected movie actors of the modern era, Meryl Streep has not won an Oscar's award for best actress since the 1980s film Sophie's Choice.

Now that they're both eyeing the best actress award at the Oscar's, lots of bitchiness may follow, all in good fun.

Weird Runway Hairs At Rome Fashion Week

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:02:00 +0000

Rome Fashion Week featured runway models with hair sculptures yesterday at Lorenzo Riva fashion show.

The former Balenciaga designer paid homage to the 1970s heyday of actresses such as Monica Vitti with a collection that includes feminine skirt suits, gowns with big bows at the waist and lots of large, black-and-white patterns.

But the Lorenzo Riva fashion show was not memorable because of the dresses but because of the attention-grabbing runway hairs, which were actually hats.

One hair hat looked like a weeping willow tree:

Another hair hat was shaped like a flower pot:

Glamour supposed that these hair hats were meant as geometric artist statements that provide balance to the clothes.

For designer Lorenzo Riva, the hairstyles were just one element of his fashion show that calls for the return of elegance to Rome:

"Haute Couture must stay here. Now if only one 'big name' designer would return to Rome, the other Italian stylists would come home too."

Fashion Icons Love These Eight Naked Supermodels

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie's Nest) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Love magazine puts eight naked supermodels on eight different covers of its third bi-annual edition. The "Fashion Icons" issue shows how different these supermodels' measurements are.

Standing naked on the covers in the same pose (legs wide apart and both arms raised to reveal the armpit), the eight supermodels are chosen because they "represent the ideal of beauty in fashion today."

The eight (8) supermodels who come in various sizes are:

1. Kate Moss
2. Daria Werbowy
3. Jeneil Williams
4. Amber Valletta
5. Natalia Vodianova
6. Naomi Campbell
7. Lara Stone
8. Kristen McMenamy

Love editor Katie Grand explains:

"For this issue of LOVE, we took eight women who are generally acknowledged as the most beautiful in the world, got them to show off their bodies - widely regarded as the most perfect in the world - and photographed them all in exactly the same position for the cover. We did this to show how much they differed physically from one another, which is why we also printed their measurements.

"The point is that 'perfection' is not fixed, timeless or transcendent. It varies, as the measurements of our cover girls show."

These eight ideal beauties may come in different sizes and colors, but note that they do not represent all women (no plus-sized, Hispanic, Asian or Middle Eastern). They all have great legs, they stand tall at a minimum height of 5'6.5", they are essentially flawless and yes, they are the "supermodels."

The eight Love covers are photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot and will go on sale in one week's time - Monday February 8 - priced £5.

Now which of these supermodels will make the highest profit for the magazine? That could hint us the most-sought-after beauty today, from the point of view of readers.