Le Diable au Corps.

Evija Kreismane, Latvian, unfortunately on the shorter side. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for this one since late June and looking forward to her evolution with avidity. Needless to mention the bittersweet feeling I've felt filled with everytime I've browsed through her portfolio and found no recent test material whatsoever. Bitter, because when taking notice of a compelling newcomer, you consequently want her to put out substantive test shoots - firstly to get treated to new work from her, secondly because you want her to manage to keep her head above water later on in her career, and for a model, this partly comes with being familiar with the camera and able to thrive off of editorial sessions. Sweet, because I appreciate it when agencies keep mum on the developement of the newfaces they hold in store - that's how they're most likely to get people intrigued and keep them anticipating. It all boils down to straddling the line between overdone hype and utter muteness - all about being moderately secretive, as I've already stated before. An endeavor far away from being effortless, since lots of things today (from means of transportation up to means of information) are designed to give people access to whatever they want increasingly easily so they can indulge their appetites - the faster, the better, I would also say.

In the age of the Internet, the word patience has lost its significance and actually seems to belong to the days of yore ; you can't even begin to feel the willingness to know about something that it has already been splashed all over the Web. The Spring / Summer ad campaigns are starting to roll in for instance, which signifies a certain angst related to the haste of all these releases starting to wash over me. It struck me last season, when a few hours after the first images of the Louis Vuitton campaign came out, the whole set was already up on their website and onto The Fashion Spot. It took away all the excitement linked to discovering the ad. It's just going too fast, really.

I'm not trying to hold responsible all the so-and-sos kind enough to scan / get pictures off brands websites and put them up for everyone to see them, because the real culprit is our impulse to find out about everything always faster, which prompts us to embrace the leaking craze and take part in it - and this is an impulse earned through the era of mass media and what it shoehorns us into doing (don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly count myself in that plight). Then again, I guess utilizing mankind-friendly innovations (whether they be technological, ideological etc...) at hand beyond the boundaries of reason is equally inherent to human nature - instead of being wise and getting the best out of them, we get anything likely to provide us instant and personal satisfaction without thinking of the impact of this all on the future - ours. Not that (almost) entire magazines issues being spread across the web within two days after their releases is that serious. Not that we could boycott the Internet into a more level-headed use of it even if we wanted to.

source : joystars.lv via *Bianca* @ tFS ; facebook.com via lanvinray @ tFS ; draugiem.lv via fadedcolors @ tFS

Ahead of the curve.

Albeit French models such as Sigrid Agren or Constance Jablonski have become forces to be reckoned with within the industry, France has hardly asserted itself as a topmodel-maker country over the most recent years. It's about time the tide turned if you ask me, and I am keen to believe that amongst the girls my terre d'origine holds in store for us, some of them will most certainly make this change happen once they burst onto the fashion scene. Amidst the few names popping into my head, the most recurring one has to Aymeline Valade's. Mediterranean-looking marvel is demurely self-confident, softly manly, aloofly entrancing, all rolled up into one ; a multi-edged talent for sure, who's actually been revolving around the modelling sphere for years without carving out a prolific high-end career. After getting stuck in the commercial field for several seasons, Aymeline seems to have (finally!) branched out and made her stamp on the high-fashion avenue, walking for Balenciaga last season and having two stories out in the new Wonderland issue. Yes, because however compelling these digitals above are, they don't even begin to do her malleability justice. Reeking of staying power and personality ; capable of swinging back and forth between sultriness and androgyny, elegance and toughness, glamour and affability with as much comfort as possible ; Mrs Valade has never been readier to transition away from low-key works into top-notch bookings and cement her status as France's uprising modelling sensation... grant her license to do so and her career will skyrocket.

source : womenmanagement.com

A semblance of a routine I'll never get tired of.

Fashion week is just around the corner, angst undoubtedly keeps on growing stronger as the kick-off gets closer and all the while, agencies have been releasing their showpackages, as a way to push us all towards unbearable excitement. Every season, showcards arouse either disappointment or awe, as well as various musings as to their efficacity. Even though other blogs owners already typed their own opinions out, I feel compelled to add my two cents on that somewhat of a sensitive topic (well, I'll actually just be listing my favourite stuff).

Let's start out with Women. I happen to appreciate the concept they went for in their showpackages, namely providing a little bunch of pictures so as to highlight their models' capabilities of adaptation. I've read some complaints about the black and white, but I think it's actually a smart choice considering most of them are already confusing to stare at regardless their monochromy. Overall thus, a nice (yet messy) attempt to sell their girls over casting directors.

Iselin Steiro at Women New York. The whole showpackage HERE.

Most of the long-lasting models I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for (those who actually got me into the modelling universe) are under the guidance of Next Models Management, that's why I was highly hoping their showcards would live up to the girls they represent's potential. I cannot pretend to be particularly wowed, but I cannot not like them either - my timeless love towards sleek and straight to the point black and white pictures may certainly account for that. Yes, they won't go down in showpackages' history, indeed their composition is elementary... but there's no need to clutter the things up with unecessary photoshop effects and random stylings. The pictures choice is genius and extremely flattering to the models, isn't it all that matters at the end of the day?

Abbey Lee Kershaw at Next Models. The whole showpackage HERE.

Last but not least, Wilhelmina. Of course it just boils down to personal preferences, but I think they hit the jackpot producing these showpackages, which completely fulfill their roles of showing the models at their bests. Let's concentrate on Keke Lindgard, for instance. I was still averse to her a few days back but having her showcard burnt in my mind, I will be looking at her with new eyes henceforth. Not to mention I myself don't tend to get dressed that way, but grundge stylings have always pulled me in when worn with the right amount of ingenuity (that's why my opinion regarding these pictures is a bit of a partial one.) Indeed, this theme may be nothing we haven't seen before, but being as impeccably executed, it's aswell nothing short of spectacular!

Chloe Memisevic at Wilhelmina. The whole showpackage HERE.

I am not going to fret over IMG's amateur production or Ford's atrocious one, for it would be too much of a lost cause. Castings are already in full swing, and models who have what it takes will get into casting directors and designers' good graces, no matter what their showcards look like or how established they are. Here's hoping, anyhow.

Source : models.com