« Kate's Talking and Talking and Talking...

Parties Oct 20, 2008 @ 1:09pm

DKNY Ditches Model for It-Girl

by Britt Aboutaleb

harley viera newton.jpg Wondering who’s taking Vlada’s spot as the face of DKNY’s Spring 09 campaign?

According to NYLON, it’s New York it girl Harley Viera Newton.

The pint-size NYU student/British rock/fashion offspring might not like being called an it-girl, but she’s definitely not a model - yes, she’s signed to Elite, but that does not a model make these days - so we’re guessing she likes being an it-girl long enough to land a lucrative campaign.

She has great style and apparently great DJ skills, but we’re kind of confused about who she appeals to. Aside from those who caught her I-tie-my-scarf-on-my-bag piece in Vogue, do most consumers know who she is? And how can she sell jeans?

Maybe they’ll shoot on our street again and she’ll pleasantly surprise us.

« Kate's Talking and Talking and Talking...

Fashionista Main

posted by etoilee8

Oct 20, 2008 1:34PM

What a happy world this will be when we all stop idolizing "it" girls and actually start talking about people that are making a difference in the world. Sometimes all this "it girl" nonsense kills me. . . .

posted by romantics

Oct 20, 2008 1:46PM

Harley replacing Vlada? Really? REALLY?! This is a disappointment.

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 1:52PM

i shouldn't, but i love her

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 1:58PM

I second the first comment!

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 1:59PM

this is infuriating.
As an actual model, who really has worked her ass off to get where she is, this incenses me.
modeling is not just standing in front of a camera, its an artform.
I'm so glad that vogue did the model.live project. it shows the world the difficulties that we really go through.

posted by Jac

Oct 20, 2008 2:13PM

5, shutup about your difficulties. you chose a profession that adds little true value to the world. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU, go get a real job if you're so infuriated about your "artform" being taken over by it girls. This really incenses me, have you "models" ever done anything else? Have you worked 90+ hours a week using only your BRAIN? Have you worked 40-60 hours a week while having to support and care for a family? In the end, you stand there and have to figure out the right ways to get the shot to look good. This just isnt and will never be as difficult as many other jobs out there. I like models and I enjoy their work, but lets be serious and cut the "poor me my job is so difficult" crap. Don't insult people that have real jobs.

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 2:28PM

Vlada is so lovely and feminine in the ads... So they are going to replace with someone who has no business being a model, and looks like a boy? Ugh.

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 3:25PM

I agree, #7, aside from the fact the the Lit DJ is suddenly a model just because every other slightly british child currently is, I just loved the way Vlada looked in the ads so much!

posted by doll

Oct 20, 2008 3:42PM

Since when do most consumers know who Vlada is? DKNY is sold at like, Macy's right? The only people who I know that shop at Macy's are very un-fashiony, and would think Vlada looks more like an alien than a supermodel.

And about Harley- sure she has money and access to parties and great clothes, but she also has style and looks. I think her real girl vibe will fit DKNY's jeans more than Vlada's etheral beatuy.

But then again-thats just how I feel. You all seem pretty anti-Harley.

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 4:15PM

who is this girl and where did she come from? she seems to be taking a path that is so typical for these girls that look ok and imitate kate moss's style. she's embarking on the leigh lezark route of dj turned, turned socialite, model turn whatever...she's a horseface...

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 6:47PM

I agree... what is this obsession with girls who are moderately pretty and rich? Why not just use the girls from The Hills for DKNY??? At least this way they would be honest and up front with consumers about propping up an average girl as a model to shill jeans. I told my friends about this post and they all laughed and were like "who the hell is Harley?"

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 7:13PM

whatever...

posted by guest

Oct 20, 2008 8:30PM

omg. feed her a sandwich! stat!

posted by etoilee8

Oct 20, 2008 11:12PM

Whoa whoa hatey pants, Jac. You should watch Model Live. It's insightful (and well done). Modeling isn't always wearing pretty clothes and huge paychecks. It's hard work booking jobs and it can be very soul crushing and lonely (not to mention the debt factor). So what if she chose to model as a career? We all make choices. . . that doesn't mean any path is less difficult than the next. We read about the Gemmas, the Chanels :), the Kates and sure, they're doing fine. But for every mega star model, there's about 100 who aren't making enough to live off of. Don't poo poo on someone for following their dreams.

posted by guest

Oct 21, 2008 12:19AM

She's more Americana than Vlada, and that's their market. They can airbrush her face if her look isn't polished enough anyway-- and as for the idea that a real model would work better, we have to remember that this is DKNY here. Not Prada. Not something like Rag + Bone even, which though casual, would require a high-fashion "face" for the brand. Her it-girl status will sell more pants than an anonymodel's look, no matter how lovely or ethereal.

posted by guest

Oct 21, 2008 2:33AM

So DKNY goes from a beautiful girl to a skinny 12 year old boy... I mean skeletal British who? girl. They might as well hire Cindy Crawford's son if that's the vibe they are going for.

posted by guest

Oct 21, 2008 8:48AM

this girl has rich parents who manage record labels and huge pr firms -OF COURSE SHE GETS THESE CAMPAIGNS . she doesnt even play good music she plays the same shit over and over to appease a bunch of trend chasers- cute!

posted by guest

Oct 21, 2008 9:54AM

I've worked with her on a shoot before. She's not super skinny and skeletal or anything negative... she's like 5' 7" and just kind of a regular girl.

posted by guest

Oct 22, 2008 6:40PM

... she's in my class at nyu. i see her in class twice a week and i never knew she was anything other than a normal girl. what's she suppose to be famous for?