top model to f21 - a step down?

I was perusing Forever 21's website today when I noticed one of the models looked familiar. Is that Nicole from Top Model? Yes indeed, a Google search confirmed my suspicions. Nicole Linkletter, Cycle 5 winner of America's Next Top Model, is modeling for Forever 21. Has the economy hit even the untouchable fashion industry (people will ALWAYS buy $3000+ couture, no matter how far the stock market slumps)? Or was this just the only work Nicole could get? I find that a little hard to believe...she doesn't have a super high fashion look, not like, say, Ann of the current cycle, but she's very beautiful and has the perfect easy, breezy, beautiful Cover Girl look.

Either way, Forever 21 isn't the worst Nicole could be doing. I obviously like the brand (I used to work for them and at least half my closet is F21), and it's a very well-known line of affordable, not-so-well-made clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. She's probably better off than at least one of the other cycle winners - has anyone heard a peep from Jaslene or Saleisha recently? Nicole's getting a lot of face time, and that's good.

forget about stilettos...these are SERIOUS

Shoes are beginning to reach astronomical heights. Look at these crazy crazy high heels by Alexander McQueen (R.I.P.). My toes are breaking just looking at them. Of course, the ever-rule-breaking Gaga wore them in her video for "Bad Romance" (along with some other doozies), for which, yeah, I give her props. I love shoes as much as the next gal, but these are going a bit too far. I know the point of fashion is to keep pushing the boundaries and keep breaking those rules, but my personal taste just gags at these.

progress?

It's taken me a few days to catch up on this, but it's headline news that during Paris Fashion Week, some curvy models were welcomed onto the runway for the first time. No, these women are not plus-size by any stretch of the imagination, but at least they're not sticks. Adriana Lima, Allesandra Ambrosio, even Elle Macpherson (she's 46, believe it or not!) all stomped. Of course, it makes sense that this development would eventually come to pass, taking into consideration what happened in 2006. Marc Jacobs stated that he set out to cast a variety of women for the show this time, "younger, older, thin, voluptuous." Props, Marc. Props.

Click on the first link to see pictures!

alexander mcqueen found dead

R.I.P. to an amazing, talented fashion designer.

this is fashion?

One step down from Mom jeans (that's right, down): PajamaJeans. Yes, you can now wear your pajamas in public free of scrunity -- sort of -- because those pajamas look like jeans. They are made of a mixture of cotton and spandex and fully outfitted with pockets and rivets. I just...I have no words.

oh, that kate moss

So apparently Kate Moss is either really insensitive or just doesn't think before she speaks.

In a recent interview with fashion website WWD, lovely Kate answered a question about her personal motto with "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Unfortunately for Kate, that very "motto" has in past years become a mantra for pro-ana and pro-mia websites. Good job. Of course, the media always makes a bigger deal out of things than is really necessary, but this one's a doozy. No doubt pro-ana and pro-mia websites are at this very moment snatching on Kate's quote and using it as dubious proof that it's "okay" to be anorexic or bulimic.

Personally, I don't think Kate necessarily meant to encourage eating disorders, but her slip of the tongue could be dangerous. Kate's reps assured reporters that she doesn't support anorexia or bulimia as lifestyle choices.

blackface strikes again

As I mentioned two posts ago, there was a huge controversy over a French Vogue spread that featured a model in blackface. I mentioned a past cycle of America's Next Top Model where they "changed" each model's race through makeup. It's interesting that only a few weeks later, ANTM did it again with the current cycle. The models had just arrived at their "abroad" destination, Hawaii, and were told about hapa, which is the Hawaiian word for "half," meaning half one race and half another. Each of the six girls left were assigned two races that they would be transformed into for their photo shoot.

Brittany - Native American and East Indian

Erin - Tibetan and Egyptian

Jennifer - Botswanan and Polynesian

Laura - Mexican and Greek

Nicole - Malagasy (from Madagascar) and Japanese

Sundai - Moroccan and Russian

I have to say, I am extremely angry about this. The media needs to learn that people doing blackface to imitate and make fun of Michael Jackson on a gameshow in Australia is one thing, and models taking the beauty of one race (or two!) and turning it into high-quality fashion is something else entirely. I wish my blog had more readers so I could know that I had a shot at publicly disagreeing with this article. And I desperately hope that Tyra Banks does NOT apologize for doing this photo shoot. There is nothing to apologize for. One of the models was technically put in "traditional" blackface -- Jennifer, because she was Botswanan -- all of the others were completely different ethnicities, ones that have not historically been imitated through anything similar to "blackface" at all. God, this really pisses me off. The pictures are beautiful and none of the models objected whatsoever to the photo shoot; in fact, they found it interesting and challenging, as it was! The only issue any of the girls had was simply understanding what being of that race meant -- for example, Erin claimed to know nothing about Tibet other than it needed to be freed (sidenote: um, Erin, read the news or something). True fashion is edgy, true fashion is not comfortable, it is vitally important that Tyra did this photo shoot (in fact, she was the photographer herself). Hopefully one day people will realize that this is not offensive.