Arizona Muse, one of 2011′s breakout models, is poised to be huge in 2012, too. She landed spring campaigns for both Fendi and Isabel Marant, an editorial in the December/January issue of Vogue Paris, and will cover Vogue UK’s February issue. While her eyebrows–and that alleged affair with Freja–are what got everyone chattering about her Read more →
Kardashian Sisters to be Barbie-fied: The Kardashian family’s way of combating the bad publicity following the end of Kim’s 72-day marriage is to continue their overexposure, as if the public isn’t already sick of them. The Kardashians struck up a deal with Mattel to create Barbie dolls which will not only look like them, but, as a source tells Us Weekly “reflect their measurements.” Barbie with a booty? We’ll have to see it to believe it! {UsMagazine}
The Duchess of Cambridge Chooses Her Charities: As part of her royal duties, Duchess KMidd has finally chosen the four charities she will patronize: the National Portrait Gallery (so they’ll be sure to paint her looking extra fierce), Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, and The Art Room, which provides art classes for at risk teens. All noble causes! {WWD (Subscription required)}
Apparently, People Are Buying Paris Hilton’s Fragrances: The socialite told FHM she’s made 1.3 billion in revenue off her fragrances since 2005. Yeah, we’re just as confused as you are. {JustJared}
Holy mackerel, it’s been a good day for Spring 2012 ad campaigns! Not only do we have even more pictures of a scantily-clad David Beckham to drool over, but there’s also plenty of high fashion campaigns to get excited about.
2011 was definitely the year of the model. Models gained influence in pop culture, with new TV shows, documentaries, and larger features in magazines. It looks like editors will have to fight for their right to call themselves the “new models.”
And there were certainly enough big news stories to keep models in the headlines. From Kate Moss’ wedding to Jamie Hince, to a crop of new girls who instantly zoomed to the top, to both Karlie Kloss’ and Andrej Pejic’ topless photos that caused minor scandals, there’s been a lot to talk about in modeling.
We’ve collected the models that created the most industry buzz in 2011, from Moss to Muse. Click through to find out which models created the most buzz in 2011!
It happens every year: Our ever-growing pile of fashion magazines inches higher with each passing month, and by the time December rolls around, we can barely sift through the hundreds of stylish images we bookmarked for inspiration. 2011 was no exception, and in a year that celebrated retro supermodels, androgyny, vivid colors, and plenty of experimentation in the beauty department, choosing our favorites was particularly difficult.
The best editorials of the year ran the gamut from huge ensemble casts of blue-chip models styled by greats like Katie Grand and Carine Roitfeld, to intimate, one-on-one portraits of our favorite girls like Lindsey Wixson and Daria Werbowy. The acid brights that dominated the spring collections allowed for some pretty trippy trend stories last season, but the fall glossies featured much moodier imagery, with a number of gorgeous spreads in black and white.
Here are the editorials from 2011 that will stay tacked up on our walls and fill our inspiration boards well into the new year—and beyond.
When Anna Wintour referred to relatively little-known model Arizona Muse in her last February’s editor’s letter as a “gorgeous, smart, grown-up” and compared her to the likes of modeling giants Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova, we knew the modeling world was in for something big. It’s been quite the landmark year for Muse. Top campaigns, extensive runway presence, big covers, and now another feather in her cap — the number one model in Vogue.
Hundreds of models are cast every year in the pages of international editions of Vogue, and when we tallied the results of their work it quickly became obvious who came out on top in 2011. Quantity and quality must be accounted for to make the top 10. Not only must a models’ appearances be plentiful, but the quality of those appearances must be stellar as well. This includes factors like only-girl editorials, the caliber of photographers they work with and editions they’re in, and their number of overall pages. Arizona’s scoresheet was predictably well-rounded. She worked with the best photographers, scored the most solo editorials and graced enough pages to fill an entire August issue all on her own (that’s about 220 for those of you keeping track). She started the year with a bang by starring in only-girl editorials for Vogue China, Italia, Paris, UK and US, and that was in just one month!
It’s an unusual feat for a model to skyrocket to the extent Arizona has since she hit the international scene last year, and while we’re thrilled for her success, we wonder if it’ll stick. While Muse has the novelty (and sometimes the curse) of it-girl status, it remains to be seen whether she’ll be blessed with longevity, the true mark of a great and successful model. We are looking forward to what the new year will bring for her.
For now, click through for the rest of the top 10.
For a lot of little girls, going to see the local production of “The Nutcracker” is the highlight of the holiday season. If you’re a very lucky girl you get to see “The Nutcracker” performed by a premiere ballet company–and in New York that’s generally thought to be the New York City Ballet’s iconic production at Lincoln Center. But the American Ballet Theatre’s new production of the classic at BAM in Brooklyn is giving the NYCB’s version a run for its money.
Alistair Macaulay, the Times dance critic says “the central marvel of Alexei Ratmansky’s ‘Nutcracker’…lies in its vision of adults as the transformed potential future of the children who carry the story.” I have no idea what that means (even the headline of his review, “What if You Could Meet Yourself as an Adult? These Children Do,” still has me scratching my head). But I got to see the show for the second year in a row with a bunch of fashion types and their adorable children–Arizona Muse and her unbelievably beautiful son Nikko were sitting right in front of me–and I loved it. Ratmansky’s interpretation of the classic is whimsical and at times laugh-out-loud funny.
Part of the delight in going to see the ballet, and in seeing “The Nutcracker” in particular, besides the dancing and music of course, is the costumes. At NYCB they use the versions of the same costumes they’ve been using every year since 1954. Costume designer Richard Hudson has a fresh take on the iconic roles.
Benetton Smooching Ad Pulled: In what comes as a surprise to no one, Benetton had to pull its ad featuring Pope Benedict XVI and a senior Egyptian imam kissing for the brand’s “Unhate” campaign. Apparently, the religious crowd was not feeling the shot. {Daily Mail}
Alber Elbaz and Betsey Johnson Decorate Christmas Trees: Famed London hotel, Claridge’s, is enlisting the help of Alber Elbaz to deck out their Christmas tree for the holidays. The tree will showcase Mr. Elbaz’s whimsical style, with marionettes dressed in Claridge’s staff uniforms hanging from its branches. Stateside, Betsey Johnson is set to decorate the tree at the Plaza Hotel. {WWD (Subscription required)}
Costello Tagliapietra to Release Lower Priced Line: For those women who “[can't] afford what equates to rent on a dress,” Costello Tagliapietra brings you C&T, their diffusion line set to release this spring. Each dress in the 13-piece collection will retail for $298. {WWD (Subscription required)}
Vogue Paris certainly plays favorites when it comes to cover girls so it’s nice to see a new face enter the mix. Model-of-the-moment Arizona Muse lands her first cover for the French fashion bible; a close-up of her smiling face graces November’s beauty issue. The cover was shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
The Isabel Marant girl is just the coolest. So cool that the models came to the show wearing Marant before they walked in it on the runway. And of course, only A-list girls on this runway–Abbey Lee, Joan Smalls, Arizona Muse, Anja Rubik, the list goes on. Le sigh.
Next spring you’ll be coveting chunky knit pullovers and mini dresses, graphic printed and patchwork colored denim, varsity jackets, and tie dye everything. In addition to the varsity jackets, the show definitely had an American-hip-hop-athletic vibe–perhaps an acknowledgment of the cult following Marant has in the US.
Azzaro has a new creative director: Azzaro chose a young unknown to replace Vanessa Seward as its new creative director. Sao Paulo-born Mathilde Castello Branco, 39, will present her first collection for the Paris-based house in January for pre-fall 2012. She was at Lanvin before. {WWD}
Arizona Muse covers Australian Vogue: Kai Z. Feng. shot Arizon Muse for the cover of Australian Vogue‘s October issue–three of them in fact. We like. {Fashion Copious}
Fashion Week talking points: Here is a roundup of what will surely be New York fashion week’s hot topics, and there are some pretty interesting points, with fashion people like Scott Sternberg, Anna Sui and Vanessa Friedman weighing in on issues like the NYFW schedule, underground fashion, Lincoln Center’s effectiveness, young models and more. {Style.com}
At the VMAs last night, Lady Gaga spent the entire evening as her “male counterpart” Jo Calderone (which she first broke out on the September 2010 Vogue Hommes Japan cover, left) vehemently refusing to break character. Perhaps she felt she’d exhausted all womenswear options? Ran out of Versace? Couldn’t get to the costume store because of Irene? (I’m done now).
Whatever the reason, it made us think of some other famous gender-bending moments in fashion. Take a peek at who passed the best as the opposite sex (hint: there’s one designer who really loves his drag).
