# 10 : LARA STONE
Vogue Italia July
Rehab
Photograph: Steven Meisel
Models: Lara Stone (top), Agyness Deyn (bottom)
Credit to: IMG Models
Her teeth are gapped and sallow, she walks as though a weight shifts from her shoulders and she smokes so incessantly they render her smile yellow. Yet, Lara Stone is so magically enrapturing in her raw sexuality that one finds it exceedingly difficult to take their eyes off her. Her eyes speak of lost innocence and her face is eloquent in it's delicate fragility. Currently the muse to many prolific fashion figures (Carine Roitfeld immediately comes to mind) as well as photographers alike, Lara Stone continues to charm me with her marble white skin, liquid brown eyes and yes, that kick-ass set of breasts.
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Telegraph May
Posing for England
Photographer: Josh Olins
The reigning queen of androgyny and loved by models and designers alike, the british native soared up the fashion rankings in a short yet efficient amount of time with single girl edits in every major magazine from US Vogue to Pop! She is vibrant in her personality, eclectic with her fashion choices and intense in her photographs. My only complaint is that Agyness' appeal is in her androgyny, something that is of my preference. (thus, the rank on my own personal list) However, for those who find that quality boring in a model, Agyness simply would not suffice. The silver lining is that despite the blunt haircut, Agyness' features are quite feminine and actually very pretty if you should choose to look closely. Perhaps in the future, in order to prolong her rank in the fashion industry, she might choose a different way of styling herself. Just think what constant transformations did for Jessica Stam.
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# 8 : MARINA PEREZ
Vogue Paris August
A tour de bras
Photographer: Ben Hassett
Scanned by: Diorette
If there ever was such a phrase to describe the loveliness of Marina Perez, it would be 'emotionally silent'. Versatile and intense, one gaze from her cerulean eyes evoke a multiple array of emotions that change seemingly with every glance. She has cheek bones like cut glass and skin like ice. She is the femme fatale in fur jackets, the pin up Queen sprawled nude upon the floor and the elegant figure clad in beaded gowns in the Armani ads. Although her status has dropped considerably over the past seasons, Marina still remains a staple on the high fashion runways and I look forward to each of her new editorials.
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# 7: Snejana Opnoka
Vogue Paris August
Hedi's Girls
Photographer: Hedi Slimane
Scanned by: Diorette
Boring? Perhaps. Versatile? Only when called upon.
Beautiful?
Most definitely.
Snejana's prize is her face, a flawlessly symmetrical work of genetic art so precise and geometric, it tends to baffle me at certain times. Granted, I am no fan of her body (much too awkward on the runway, I find her extreme slimness lack the 'fullness' to maximize the full vitality of the designer's clothing) but Snejena's indifference is her gift, the way she stares into the camera with such blant nocholance and aloof detachment. She is stoic in her coldness and manic in her (rare) moments of joy, she is Snejana, a girl who many deemed as a one expression wonder slowly but surely improving as she treads her path through the high fashion world.
# 6: MORGANE DUBLED
Vogue Paris October 2006
L'Important, c'est L'or Rose
Photographer: Andreas Sjodin
Unfortunately, the first time I saw Morgane was as she sauntered down a glittered catwalking donning nothing more than a blue satin lingerie set and a lollipop held suggestively in her mouth. Though exceedingly glamorous, Victoria's Secret tends to bring out the worse in models who fit solely in high fashion. I hated her mannerisms on sight and for at least a year, I disliked everything about her. However, one cannot judge so easily until they have ventured deeper (this is where it all sounds very dirty) into another's work. On closer inspection, Morgane's face transforms beautifully in front of the camera, the triangular nose and the face which I found so irritating on the runway was utilized wonderfully to capture the mood of each shot. She is the girl with the mutable face, the ability to change ever so slightly with discrete changes in hair and make-up. Though one of the top ranking models today and one of Galliano's coveted favorites, I often find that what she lacks most is what she is strongest in: print work. A shame for such a fantastic young model.
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# 5: KIM NOORDA
Vogue Paris AugustLigne Optique
Photographer: Mark Segal
Scanned by: Diorette
Kim the bunny rabbit (credit to Jan for this), Kim the sad doll, Kim the sweetheart. Often words used to describe this lovely Dutch model. Sometimes I wonder why Kim Noorda appeals to me so much. She isn't the best model, very often her expression are quite similar and I have yet to see her show the versatility that I covet in many of my favorites. My only reason is that while Kim does lack diverse expressions, the ones she does obtain are looks of quiet intensity. There is an element to her face, a slight edge that keeps her from being boring, something she so closely veers towards. I suppose I'm not the only one who sees it. Her doll-like elegance is aesthetically pleasing and seems to be well liked by the fashion industry. With a new onslaught of editorials in the biggest magazines as well as numerous campaigns topped off by a biggie (Bottega Veneta Fw 2007), Kim has made a big comeback into the fashion industry.
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# 4: LILY DONALDSON
Numero #61
Photographer: Karl Lagerfeld
Although there is no doubt that I covet Lily's style, a cool chic mix of everyday items and kick-ass boots (which I would indefinitely wear over if I wasn't so self-conscious of my height) but what amazes me more is Lily's ability to transform in front of the camera. Versatility, as you may have noticed is something I like in models. Lily's face is nowhere near the classic symmetry of Snejana's features nor is it something soft and feminine like those of Stam's. What Lily's face is, is a hodge podge of flawed yet almost perfect features (such as the upturned yet beak-like nose, the far-set but dazzling blue eyes and the full yet oddly shaped lips) placed together against a template of smooth alabaster skin that works together beautifully. She is undoubtedly one of the most photogenic models in the business. However, Lily isn't quite Lily without her personality. Perhaps I am one of those who are easily allured by British accents but Lily's smart witty replies paired with her musical voice is certainly a very charming match. Although she currently ranks 4th on my list, Lily is my number 1 muse of the moment. (not that it would fair anywhere in the fashion industry but for general knowledge, it's quite interesting that I find her a more intriguing muse than Stam ^_^)
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# 3: GEORGIA FROST
W March
X-Urbia
Photographer: Steven Klein
The youngest on my list at the mere age of 17, Georgia Frost entered the industry as a inexperienced 13-year-old, then grew to mature into a 16-year-old child, who took with her some of the most coveted campaigns in the industry. From the blank futurist setting of the Dolce and Gabanna ads to the stark white background of the Burberry images, Georgia lived up nicely (albeit, not spectacularly)to her own hype. Futher bookings in W, Vogue Italia (five editorials in less than a year) and Numero proved the teenager's burgeoning versatility (possibly the most over-used word in this blog) However, my fondness of Georgia may somewhat be diluted by her similarities to Stam. Not in terms of looks but of career path, both of which included a moderately fast rise to stardom and a fondness of hair dye. Unfortunately, in order for Georgia to remain a staple in the high fashion ranks, her luck needs to extend to the catwalks of Europe. Though fairing very well in New York Fashion Week, she barely showed up for those of Milan and Paris. Never mind though, I'm sure there will be more to come for Georgia Frost! (exclamation point for maximum positivity)
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# 2: SASHA PIVOVAROVA
Vogue Paris AugustTotal Look
Photographer: Patrick Demarchelier
Scanned by: Diorette
The sole model who has never failed to shock, astound or impress me is Sasha Pivovarova. Sasha's greatest ability is as model is the way she rises above whatever abysmal make-up or styling that is smacked upon her and comes out with something so artistically beautiful and heart-wrenching that you can't help but stare at the intensity of her face or the raw emotion in her eyes. She is a rare model simply because one gets the sense that she isn't in this industry to gain fame or wealth but simply to create art. There is no other model in the industry (of course, this is merely my opinion) that can rival Sasha in her (guess what?) versatility
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -# 1: JESSICA STAM
W Jewelry Fall 2006Forces of Nature
Photographer: Patrick Demarchelier
Need I really express my undying and (seemingly) never ending loyalty to Jessica Stam? Let us put this to perspective and here is where I might get a tad competitive. I apologize but just stick with me.
This blog has been named (and with the exception of this post, devoted) for her. She is (shockers) the eternal muse. The amount of time I have spent on Jessica has probably accumulated to such a terrifying sum that I would rather not think about it. I have made (as many of you know if you are actually reading this) two webpages for her, one rather juvenile, the other much more technical (although the credit isn't entirely mine) that I constantly struggle to keep up with under a smooth exterior.
She has been like a friend I have never known (yes yes, let us all play the violins now) and the girl who I constantly stare at in puzzlement, wondering.
'Who is the Girl behind the mask'
She is flawed, her personality can be far from pleasant and her work irritably commercial and artistically blank. Yet, she is my muse because of the path she has chosen and her undeniable will to stick to what she loves. At the age where most of us suffer from fluntuating self-confidence, she chose to bypass all means of superficiality by doing whatever she need in order to bring the artist's vision to life. She dyed her hair to Meisel's every whims, shaved the side of her head for a shoot and kept herself consistently professional.
I have been a fan for over three years, I have watched this girl (who is indeed 3 years older but I often speak as though she is younger) grow and progress. Her look may not be as versatile and her work no longer artistic but she has deservingly gotten to where she is by taking the means to achieve it.
As Steven Meisel so beautifully said:
"You meet a girl when she's 15 years old and she might be extraordinarily beautiful so she's easy to photograph in one sense. But to meet a girl at 15 and then to meet her again at 18,22,24. She's lived even more. So what she brings to the camera at 24 is even better than just how beautiful she is. Now she brings this woman and her experiences and...life! I love to work with a model for a long time"
Of course, Jessica's journey is far from ending and I look forward to what the future brings.
- P.S. I have no idea why but this portion sounded as though Jessica was dying. I think it's just the exhaustion of writing this entry. ^_^
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