Who's that Girl?

Yesterday, Models.com posted the newest Prada campaign for the Fall/Winter 2010 season, photographed by Steven Meisel. Like I've said before on this blog, being cast in the Prada campaign is probably one of the best jobs a model can book. So naturally, I'm always very curious to see who landed the big gig. Take a look!

This season the campaign stars supermodel Angela Lindvall and Mathias Bergh. Other models in the campaign include Valerija Kelava and Kim Dall Armi, Daria Strokous and Clement Chabernaud, Mark Cox and Sigrid Agren.

When you take a closer look at the ad, you can see that there is also an unidentified model in the background who happens to be african american. This is the first time there has ever been racial diversity in a Prada campaign.

Part of me wants to celebrate this newfound diversity in the Prada ads, but the other part of me can't help but wonder exactly how progressive this ad is, considering the only black girl is alone in the background, covered by shadows and completely unidentifiable. Isn't it actually a little racist?

Any ideas on who is model is? My guess is Shena Moulton or Joan Smalls.

What are your thoughts about this campaign?

xox Meggasus

Victoria's Secret Angels Take Over Prada Show

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about how Miranda Kerr is going from having a strictly commercial career to having a more "high fash" one. Well, after taking a look at the casting of Prada this season, it seems like other VS models are getting this opportunity as well.

So while I was in Art History the other day my professor who thinks he is a rock star went on a tangent about something insignificant to our midterm exam so I decided to check my twitter, of course. Like the fashion nerd I am, I follow MissDK (aka Victoria's Secret angel, Doutzen Kroes). My jaw dropped when she twittered that she was walking in the Prada show!! Later, I found out that other VS angels were cast in the show as well...Alessandra Ambrosio and Miranda Kerr.

Check out the transformations from commercial to high fash!!

Alessandra for VS

Alessandra for Prada

Doutzen (aka MissDK) for Victoria's Secret
Doutzen for Prada

Miranda Kerr for Victoria's Secret

Miranda Kerr for PradaSo what does this commercial model take-over mean? I'm hoping it means that the high fashion world is becoming more open to having varying body types on the runway. In this case, Miuccia Prada seems to be demonstrating a new appreciation for models who are more curvy and healthy.

Not only did the show cast VS girls, but many of the models in this season's show are known to be on the "bigger" side....like Lara Stone and Catherine McNeil.

Lara Stone at Prada...size 4 or 6

Catherine McNeil

Is this a sign that sign that the industry is going to start embracing a more healthy, realistic standard for runway models? Let's hope so. The VS girls at Prada prove you can look amazing on the runway and show off the clothes beautifully without being frighteningly emaciated.

Although I think the cast at Prada marks a step in the right direction, I think there is one more thing that could have been done to prove they are ready to make some serious changes.

Doutzen, Miranda, Alessandra, Lara and Catherine are all established models who are respected throughout the industry and have successful careers. Next season, I hope to see a NEW FACE who is unestablished and a healthy SIZE FOUR or even SIX, sweep up the show season and take the industry by storm. Better yet, multiple new faces who meet this criteria would be even better.

Spring 2010 Campaigns are Lacking Creativity

Booking the only-girl Prada campaign is probably the most exciting news any fashion model could possibly receive. From that moment on, everyone in the fashion world knows that model's face.....and historically, she rockets to super-stardom. So, imagine you are Rasa Zukaustskaite, a young, generally unknown, model from Lithuania who just shot the coveted campaign with Steven Meisel. To the general public, the fact you shot this campaign is a mystery until it is seen in print. As the campaign's debut approaches, you are anxious to see the final images that will change your career.

When the day finally approaches, you see this:

Ummmm where's her face?

The poor girl couldn't even be identified in the campaign when the image above appeared on the web. The ad's only focus is on the bag and her vibrant red lipcolor. Unfortunately for Rasa, the model photographed in this campaign could have been virtually any blonde model.

Here were the next few images that emerged onto the web, which finally led to the confirmation of Rasa's identity.Well, at least her face is in one of the shots. (but she's still wearing sunglasses...wtf)

Anyways, I guess what I'm leading to is the fact that many of the campaigns have gone back to basics this season. They have been stripped down to nothing but clothes, makeup and hair. Just simple studio shots with a plain background.... the most recent Celine ads don't even show the face of the model.
I'm guessing the recession has something to do with the "simplistic" trend in the spring/summer 2010 ads. Not only is simplicity a good way to cut costs for designers, but when it's all said and done a clean, plain ad will always sell. Classic, fresh, refined beauty will always appeal more to the masses than something "edgy" or over the top. And when money is tight, why take any chances? Here are a few more campaigns that are also quite plain.

BCBG Max Azaria ss/s 2010 shot by Raymond Meier, model Anastasia K.

Moschino S/S 2010 by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, model Isabeli Fonatana.

Did anyone notice that Anstasia and Isabeli are striking almost identical poses? Where's the creativity?

Oh, and here's this season's Stefanel ad, taken by Mario Testino.

Sooo plain! The models here look beautiful, but the angle of the light makes sketchy shadows in the photograph that make me think they were taken in a someone's basement or something.

And just for fun, compare the most recent Donna Karen campaign below to the fall/winter campaign of 2008 shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott with Kate Moss.


Donna Karen S/S 2010 shot by Partick Demarchelier, model Anna Jagodsinska.



What a difference a few seasons make! There is a lot going on in the older campaign....Kate moss, bright colors, two bags, two big armchairs.....not so simple! Personally, I prefer the more 'exciting' campaigns that project some sort of story of situation...not just a model jumping in a studio with wind blowing in their hair. Let's hope they put some spice back into the ad campaigns next season!

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