Fonssagrives24's Profile
Entry: Will Tyra Really Bring More Fashion To Top Model?
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 24, 2009 10:17PM
I believe Tyra prefers participants who will bend to her will or lift up their shirts and do a raise-the-hands "Heyyyyyyy!" like Nikeysha from Cycle 11, right (just kidding)? Tyra has all the skills of a powerful media-business entrepreneur but where is the passion for the model's profession? I think it went downhill when the switch to commercial modeling occurred. She could not handle being criticized for bodily characteristics that shouldn't have to be fixed. Now, if model says she can go into commercial modeling without being criticized similarly then that's bullcrap. Tyra did several years in the commercial business but the total amount of years of experience probably means she has deep issues requiring therapy. I don't understand her preference for "non-modely women" since those are the type that don't get jobs in Paris or Milan. What I do understand is her choices in the entertainment business. Let's face it, she can manage a company without sacrificing ratings. No matter how poor in quality ANTM becomes, people who aren't interested in fashion will tune in to see which girl becomes the scapegoat for the week. It's like a bunch of tough-looking gangsters circling a school boy to beat him up and then take his money. Most of the contestants are like this.... messed up individuals. I think of crack whores when watching an episode. All the denial and talking behind people's backs keeps the ratings up. ANTM is a good show when it comes to entertainment but has no relevance to the fashion industry.
Entry: Is Jaslene America's Next Top Model?
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 24, 2009 10:25PM
The photographs are not appealing even from the commercial sense, but it's Seventeen. Why should it matter of a model smiles with her eyes or not? Modeling for an ad in Seventeen means to fake happiness or a friendly connection. I don't believe haute couture models would find their way into an issue unless it's devoted entirely to the genre. Has anyone ever heard of Jaslene doing print or runway work in any other countries besides Mexico and America? Her resume doesn't include work for Yves Saint Laurent or for Emilio Pucci.
Entry: Saleisha Is Really Pretty; Isn't Walking Fashion Week
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 26, 2009 2:00AM
To be a model one must not do reality TV shows and attempt or attempt a 2nd time on his/her own. Putting in effort by effort with honing one's skills in photoshoots and on the catwalk can prove more beneficial than learning lessons irrelevant to the fashion industry on ANTM. Alot of what Tyra teaches seems suitable for mentoring young girls as opposed to factual knowledge of the model's profession. I want to hear the contestants be criticized from head to toe for each episode and then cut down one by one until someone with professional and physical attributes is given the prize. Unfortunately, ratings are produced when people have an emotional reaction that can bring them back to watch again and modeling in its actual form could be boring to anyone without knowledge of the fashion industry. I don't sympathize with the fans for being naive but rather laugh since supermodels and designers have offered criticism of the format ANTM. Not surprisingly, even former contestants share similar views such as limited about of time devoted to photoshoot and runway lessons, no lectures from influential members (models, designers, photographers), no discussions with doctors/nutritionists, etc. Alot of what makes a model successful is not shared on television. All we get is countless of episodes with women acting like children on the playground. It's without a doubt, entertaining, but respectful? I thought the show did pretty well with the first, second and third cycles yet the fourth one was moved to LA, which became the city for six more cycles. Once a model goes to LA it a different type of environment that does not imitate NYC's fashion genres exactly. Couture design will always be in the major fashion capitals while edgy or commercial design will always be in secondary fashion capitals such as LA. Tyra took a huge risk by taking ANTM to the city where she first ventured into modeling. Interestingly enough, the fifth cycle is the first out of a few to receive the highest ratings and at the same time her talk show, "Tyra" began airing. I can imagine the theorizing of the former supermodel's agenda back then in 2005: "Tyra Banks made the decision to move her show to LA because that is where the new program is taking place" or "Tyra Banks no longer cares about fashion and just wants to produce higher ratings". The same line of thinking applies today. Anyone who dislikes Tyra’s decision-making has a good reason to.
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 1:27pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 26, 2009 2:22PM
It's Lisa Fonssagrives from her early stage meets Greek goddess sculptures.
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 1:27pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 26, 2009 2:27PM
I see a bit of the 1930's modelesque demure which is considered vintage today. I wish fashion photography would delve into the black and white genre. The colors of black and white allow people to focus on just the shape of of an object as opposed to the image. Also, you can tell where the light hits and does not easier than with color photography.
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 1:27pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 1:21AM
People may say “She is this frail-looking starved model who should eat a sandwich or two!” but do we really know what she eats and how much? Contrary to what non-fashion enthusiasts say, to be a model one must look petit. All working models that do both haute couture and commercial slim down and gain weight. Granted, some starve themselves but others accomplish their goal via healthy means. The way society views modeling is as this profession which damns the young girl. It’s not a terrible if you know how to handle the aspects of travel, proper diet and education.
The model in this picture series.... we don't know whether she's anorexic or not. It would be the respectful thing to say that she did a really good job and looks like a haute couture model. When I made a reference to Lisa Fonssagrives in my previous comment, there was another reason. The late grand print model had the body of a classical ballet dancer and maintained it by eating 10 small meals a day. For people who diet eating five small meals would compensate for eating three regular-sized meals. With her, a small meal would have to be divided into two parts. 10 meals a day is spread out so that way she is able to do function without getting tired when at work. The model reminds me of her in that she doesn’t look like nothing but skin and bones, though possesses the delicate-looking ballet physique Lisa had in the 1930’s.
Entry: Gwyneth: And Now, Designer
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 1:43AM
The day when celebrities stop being involved in fashion design or modeling for fashion magazines is when I'll shout for joy. There's no need to see non-models doing what the pros have been for the past 70+ years. Every time I look at an issue of “Harper’s Bazaar” or “Vogue” there is a celebrity on the cover and a six page spread devoted to her. It's disgusting! How offended are the supermodels about such a move some major fashion publications are taking? Actresses who are asked to lose a few pounds in order to fit into the dresses made by grand couturiers never walked into an agency.
Haute couture houses began setting up in the 19th century with Charles Frederick Worth and now are overlooked for designers from Hollywood. Everyone wants to know which dress Sarah Jessica Parker or Jennifer Lopez is wearing. Oh, wait, there’s more! They also want to know about the clothing lines produced by the celebrities! I remember a time when the pieces produced by the head designers of haute couture houses in Paris and Milan were discussed not Hollywood starlets. To become a designer one must study, study, study and sew, sew, sew for many years at a design school and at home (if a person is lucky he can become an apprentice to a designer and learn that way). Celebrities normally don't have time when in their 20’s to study fashion design at a college or learn from a local designer. An actor’s career is multi-faceted: acting, singing, dancing, etc. Fashion design to be sold to the mainstream market is something new they're venturing into after Hollywood says, "You're old, now go away". You gotta give a former star something to do in order to avoid feeling like a has-been, right?
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 5:24pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 1:49AM
Karl is a unique man and quite opinionated.
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 1:27pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 2:18PM
Two models? Then that makes the set genius!
Entry: Gwyneth: And Now, Designer
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 2:20PM
Thank you, I appreciate your compliment :-).
Entry: Mar 26, 2009 @ 5:24pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 7:27PM
That is true. If a designer wasn't opinionated he/she will succumb to societal pressure to adapt to their needs. People are always complaining about how a dress may be too small or not pretty enough. Well, designers are artists and don't cater to individuals unless they work for any of the many haute couture houses in Paris or Milan. Grand couturiers make outfits for the individiaul client but the pret-a-porter division is mostly a reflection of the dress sizes the fashion council of paris recognizes. It's been like this for decades and granted, the rules do change sometimes. If Charles Frederick Worth was still alive he might find the small dress sizes absurd. Fashion has evolved that much since the 19th century.
Entry: Mar 27, 2009 @ 1:23pm
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 7:34PM
The 2nd and 8th one are gorgeous! I love the fashion pose (bent-knee/bent-waist/tilted head) in the latter.
Entry: Mar 18, 2009 @ 11:33am
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 27, 2009 7:42PM
The quote is accurate yet regular people don't see why.
Entry: Project Runway + ANTM = Reality Metaverse
posted by Fonssagrives24
Jun 01, 2009 2:21AM
The funny thing about ANTM winners is that they get the crappiest jobs! Hahaha. I would assume the label, top model, would mean a person recieves job offers from haute couture houses in Paris not commercial labels like Stella McCartney and Eve *snickers*.
Entry: Top Model Recap: “Tyra totally Googles herself!?
posted by Fonssagrives24
Mar 24, 2009 12:52AM
I give props to Tyra as a model but her approach to the standards for the female body in modeling were initially to comply with the demands of designers (hypocritical now?). At some point in her career, a change was made to commercial modeling along with a healthy perspective on being curvy and possessing bigger breasts. It was the moment that lead to a switch to commercial modeling full-time.
Now, Lisa Fonssagrives is the ideal model in fashion history yet to many of Tyra's fans her body type is viewed as sick-looking or unnatural. Some people do lose weight or manage it via healthy meals and Lisa did that by eating 10 small meals a day instead of three big meals. As one of the first major European print models she understood the importance of aesthetic appeal in photographs. The photographers liked her body so much that it became the new standard, which still exists today). Kate Moss, Iman, Janice Dickinson and Leslie Hornby ("Twiggy") kept society's interest in the artist's (fashion designer) vision of beauty as opposed to their own views.
Tyra gives me the impression that it is ok to have flaws or not meet the standard for a model's body yet a person who doesn't want to adapt to what the industry wants shouldn't even give modeling a shot. She gives countless of contestants a false hope that they can maked it as models by physically and mentally being themselves. Where are the lectures for the beauty and etiquette of a model? She spends more time talking about what is happening now then educating the contestants in excessive detal about the profession and fashion.
How many winners has Tyra chosen with the belief they'll succeed? 12 so far, but none of them have done work for Vogue or Harper's Bazaar. Lisa did 200 covers of Vogue! This accomplishment is due to photographic skills, ballet training, an aesthetic body that inspired photographers and designers, etc. She begin modeling in the 1930's and stopped in the 1950's. Some of her height and skill was in demand often. ANTM winners are not treated similarily for another reason: lack of experience in haute couture or commercial work in major fashion capitals (including NYC).