I LIKE HER FACE

Nationality: Brazilian
Height: 5'8 1/2
Bust: 32
Waist: 24
Hips: 34 1/2
Shoe Size: 6 1/2
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Brown

The newest model on the block is Afro Brazilian beauty Gracie Carvalho. Signed with the Marilyn agency, home of Adriana Lima and Arlenis Sosa, the 18 year old has already walked in 35 of 39 Brazilian Fall Fashion Week shows and will be featured in Victoria's Secret, Gap, BCBG Max Azria, DKNY Jeans and Express ad campaigns. She has also walked for 3.1 Phillip Lim, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, BCBG Max Azria, Giambattista Valli, Stella McCartney, Miu Miu, Diane Von Furstenberg and Jason Wu. Gracie is definitely one to watch and you'll be seeing much more of her! Check out more pics of Gracie here, and view her Marilyn page here. Click on the label below for vintage Faces of Fashion posts!

I LIKE HER FACE

Name: Arlenis Sosa Peña

Nationality: Dominican

Height: 5 ft 11 in

Measurements: 32-24.5-35

Agency: Marilyn - New York City

Featured in runway shows for Bottega Veneta, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Hermes, John Galliano, Zac Posen and many others. Arlenis is the new face of Lancôme, is in the campaigns for H&M, Gap and Victoria's Secret. For more pictures of Arlenis, click here and here.

Click on the label below for vintage Faces of Fashion posts!

I LIKE HER FACE

Nationality: South African

Hair: Brown

Eye Color: Brown/Green

Place of Birth: Cape Town, South Africa

Height: 5'6"; 168 cm

Measurements: (US) 32-26-35; (EU) 81-66-89Dress Size: (US) 6; (EU) 36
Shoe Size: 38.5 (EU) - 7.5 (US) - 5.5 (UK)
Mother Agency: Boss Models - South Africa

Wow. I am blown away by her features. What do you think? She looks a bit like Jurnee Smollet, no? For more on Carmen Solomons click here and here.

IN ABSENTIA, FASHION WEEK CANDIDS

You guys. I so dropped the ball...no excuses. I've got a whole lot of blogging to do to make up for yet another prolonged absence. In the meantime, enjoy my candids of some New York Fashion Week models. Yeah, yeah... New York Fashion Week was, like, so last month!

I know a Leger when I see one.

Update: According to LJ, a fashion loving stylist from Australia, the "first model is Lou Dillon, her mother is Jane Birkin (Hermes Birkin Bag Muse). Don't know the other three but great photos." Thanks LJ!

This sista' was straight diva! She posed for many pics.

The Chanel bag took this outfit up a notch.

I'm not a fan of grunge, but her outfit would make me reconsider. For a second.

Just a smattering of some of the pretty people at the shows. I don't know who any of these models are, do you? They were leaving either DKNY or Herve Leger. All very fashionable--and nice!

PAMELLA ROLAND: FRONT ROW

Hey, y'all. I took a few pics of some of the celebrities who were in attendance at the Pamella Roland show (check out my review of the show in the post below). I was so impressed with just how easy going they all were. Each chatted me up for a bit and wanted to know all about the blog.

Natalie Cole looked fabulous. Her Pamella Roland dress and jewelry and makeup were fierce.. her skin is positvely radiant...haircut is so on point.

Mel B. told me that she was looking forward to form fitting outfits for this fall; she knows what works for her and embraces it! She was eager to see what Pamella had to offer. Her husband, Stephen Belafonte, was very gracious...he wanted the focus to be on his wife, but he posed for a few pics as well.

America's Next Top Model judge and noted fashion photographer, Nigel Barker, and his beautiful wife--she's also wearing Pamella Roland!

I've finally gotten a pic of Nigel! I've struggled to get good pics of him in the past, but came really close at the M&M's premium event. When I told him about my various attempts, his wife chimed in with: "Honey, all you had to do was ask!". Yay!

Angela and Vanessa Simmons were darling! How cute are they?! I cannot get enough of Vanessa's Arden Wohl esque headband! Check out their sneaker line, Pastry!

Eric Benet and his companion were so charming!

Danity Kane's D. Woods came in right before the show started, but graciously posed for pics.

Speaking of America's Next Top Model, cycle 9 winner, Saliesha killed it in Pamella's show! Tyra and all the Jay's would be proud!

I sat right behind Essence Magazine's Mikki Taylor...ok, talk about starstruck! I was careful to keep it under wraps, but I adore her!

D. Woods and Angela and Vanessa got together for a group shot.

Have a good weekend! Click on the label below for vintage Candids and Fashion Week posts!

FASHION WEEK '08: CELEBRITY CANDIDS

In addition to the Victoria's Secret event discussed in the post below, on Sunday I attended a reception for bloggers affiliated with the Glam network on the Terrace of the Bryant Park Grille. The location was perfect--the tents were just a few steps away.

In a nod to the U.S. Presidential election the entrance to the tents was decorated with buttons equating fashion with change and encouraging people to vote.

Of course, our proximity to the tents meant that we were literally stones throw away from the celebrities and models who were on their way into or out of the Diane Von Furstenberg show... I took some photos for y'all to enjoy!

Eva Longoria on her way to the Diane Von Furstenberg Show

Joy Bryant was so pleasant and is even more beautiful in person.

Shouldn't Maria Sharapova have been at the U.S. Open?!

Earlier in the day, Eva Longoria modeled a Pamella Roland dress as she promoted M&M's.

Nigel! Remember him from last fall's fashion week?

Zoe Saldana strutted by...

My pics of Uma Thurman and Rosario Dawson were not that great so they didn't make the cut. Jennifer Lopez was around, but getting a pic of her is almost impossible. Stay tuned for model candids and for additional Mercedes Benz Fashion Week coverage!

NAOMI CAMPBELL GOES BALLISTIC FOR BLACK MODELS

Naomi channels her rage in this poignant ad which addresses the discussion of diversity, or the lack thereof, in the modeling industy. The ad was produced by fashion photographer Nick Knight. The silence is deafening...

Click on the link to see Naomi Goes Ballistic for Black Models!

...But, due in large part to the efforts of Bethann Hardison--agent, former model, mother of actor Kadeem Hardison and the person who discovered Tyson Beckford--that silence is being broken. It's encouraging to see so many industry titans protest the dearth of black models. The all-Black Vogue Italia issues and discussions lead by Iman and many others is heartening, but it will be even more interesting to see what happens on the runways this fall! I can't wait!

P.S. - Naomi's wearing Rodarte (both dresses)!

PRADA'S POP PRINCESSES!

"Heaven forswear!" "Get thee to a nunn'ry." I think those were both by Shakespeare, but the images below are by Sebastian Faena for Pop magazine.* Check out Agyness Deyn, Amber Valletta, Jourdan Dunn, Natalia Vodianova, Naomi Campbell and Oluchi Onweagba on the cover of Pop's Fall 2008 covers.

Agyness Deyn is racy in lace; Jourdan Dunn channels Frida.

Each of the six models (3 black and 3 white) gets some face time on the cover; tip of the hat to the discussion of diversity in the modeling business?

Naomi looks penitent and Amber just treacherous...

The photographs are entitled: "Hot Nuns", with each nun donning outfits from Prada's Fall 2008 line. The issue is all about eighties excess!

Natalia's look is severe, must be that hair. Nigerian beauty, Oluchi.

*Pop is a British magazine founded by Katie Grand and began publishing in 2000. Click on the label below for vintage Faces of Fashion and CoverStyle posts!

VOGUE ITALIA: BEAUTIFUL IS BEAUTIFUL

I believe in giving credit where credit is due and will sing the praises of Italian Vogue, particularly photographer, Steven Meisel, and editor-in-chief, Franca Sozzani, for showcasing the wealth of talent and beauty that's abundant in the black community.

Vogue has been much maligned, on this blog and elsewhere, for their seemingly singular focus on perpetuating the view that lighter skin, and fine European, features are the epitome of beauty. Consider the inaugural Vogue India and Vogue China covers. I mean, we all know that beauty comes in many shades and forms, but the continual bombardment of everything but women of color is pretty annoying, isn't it? Or maybe it isn't, but if it isn't, it may be because we are so used to seeing the same images that we become desensitized (or start to accept the familiar as truth).

It's little wonder that July's Italian Vogue, touted as the all-black issue, was so widely anticipated. The blogosphere and traditional media were abuzz with talk of this groundbreaking issue--featuring Naomi Campbell, Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez and Jourdan Dunn as covergirls. But, I kept thinking: "What's so groundbreaking about a magazine featuring women all of the same race...I mean, we see that all the time, no?" Obviously, this issue is special because for the first time, women of color, specifically black women, grace most of the pages.

Check out the slide show below for images from Italian Vogue All-Black issue.

And, while there may be "innocuous" reasons for the dearth of women of color in fashion magazines (and on the runways) --the lack of black models may be because of a misguided focus on the color green instead of on any particular skin color--I do think that the underlying reasons all stem from the same horrible place and, as such, is not quite so harmless. It's only fashion, but women and girls are affected, on many levels, by the images that they see in magazines. So, if some women starve and continuously diet in attempts to achieve the waifish ideal that was so rampant on the runways and in magazines, imagine the damage that's inflicted on women and girls of color who (cosmetic surgery-bleaching creams-contact lenses and hair extensions-notwithstanding) will never become white.

While this issue stands as a flagrant slap in the face of traditional notions of beauty--and squashed the idea that black faces don't sell magazines--I was disappointed to note that almost every advertisement (with the exception of a couple) featured white models. Also, maybe it's just me, forgive me, I don't read Italian (or any of the European) Vogues often, but was anyone else taken aback by the blatant (hyper) sexuality? Let's just say this issue was provocative in more ways than one...

Pros: (i) black models are gorgeous; (ii) Photography is magnificent; (iii) issue was well rounded--spotlighted models from back in the day as well young talent, even featured Essence and Ebony magazines.

Cons: (i) most of the ads feature non-black women; (ii) the issue is written in Italian (duh, can't have it all; who needs to read when we can look at the beautiful photos-- see first and second romanettes in pros section above); (iii) issue is faddish, are these women mere caricatures, is it now ok to return to the status quo?

The winners of the two issues featured in the post below are: Q. Meyers from Albuquerque, New Mexico and Monique W. from Belleview, Florida--they, and many others, knew that Sessilee Lopez is originaly from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Congratulations!

COVER STYLE/THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SAY HMMM: VOGUE INDIA

What's wrong with this picture? Keep in mind that this pic was on the inaugural Vogue India cover. I love Vogue...Love India! Kudos to Vogue for launching a mag catering to the Indian demographic. Two steps forward, two steps back. Some things are better left unsaid...Sad.

Bipasha Basu, Gemma Ward (geez, didn't realize she was Indian), Priyanka Chopra, Monikangana, Preity Zinta and Laxmi Menon

I'd like to think that the the folks at Vogue meant well. But seriously, who are their advisors? This is not the first time either. See their launch for Vogue China in 2005, a few beautiful Asian models and homegirl, Gemma Ward --depicted above, was on that cover as well! Highly irresponsible journalism (and frankly, inappropriate, gratuitous, insulting, insensitive, laughable, but still, not surprising!), somehow I suspect that they don't really care. C'est la vie. But seriously folks, it's 2008...we must do better.

Click below for vintage Cover Style, Faces of Fashion and Things That Make You Say Hmmm posts!

FACES OF FASHION: CHANEL IMAN, GAYE MCDONALD, TATYANA USOVA FOR BENETTON

Who would have thought this Faces of Fashion post would come so quickly?! Certainly not me...check out Chanel Iman, previously mentioned here, Gaye McDonald, Tatyana Usova et al. in the Spring '08 Benetton ads!

I was so pleasantly surprised to come across these pics. Benetton ads are, if nothing else, evocative! They do such a great job of pushing the envelope. The ads, more like social commentary, always make me pause and think.

Check out vintage Benetton ads and campaign history here and here. Click on the label below for vintage Faces of Fashion posts!

FACES OF FASHION: NAOMI CAMPBELL & PHARRELL WILLIAMS FOR LOUIS VUITTON

The iconic Naomi Campbell and recording artist Pharrell Williams are two of the new faces of Louis Vuitton! Look out for these two to accompany Kate Moss and Daria Werbowy in the Spring 2008 campaigns.

“We brought to this campaign a touch of the street, elevated to a rich, modern chic that embodies the message of our ready-to-wear accessories and bags. Working with beautiful, iconic, and powerful faces, we created compositions that boldly display Vuitton's exquisite, super-luxe style."- Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton's artistic director.

Naomi, is well, Naomi...simply fab, with minor behavioral problems! Pharrell Willims aka Skateboard P will represent a line of suitcases and bags and is collaborating with Jacobs and Bathing Ape founder, Nigo aka Tomoaki Nagao, to create "bling bling" eyewear! Rumor has it, that he is also designing a line of jewelry for the brand. I couldn't have said it better than this: "So freakin' clever of LV to embrace the conspicuous consumption of hip-hop and use one of its leading artists to front their new collection."- Rodonline

So frickin' clever indeed. Stay tuned for forthcoming Faces of Fashion posts!

THE WORLD'S NEXT TOP MODELS

Check out Vogue's May 2007 cover!

The cover features models Hilary Rhoda, Lily Donaldson, Raquel Zimmerman, Doutzen Kroes, Jessica Stam, Sasha Pivovarova, Agyness Dean & Coco Rocha, Chanel Iman (wait, is that really her name?!?!?!) and Caroline Trentini.

Love, love, love the skirts! The silhouettes and peacock colors are all fabulous! Note the not so subtle hints of Jay-Z Blue!

Surprisingly, the models are all wearing white shirts by Gap! For more information on the Gap's white shirt initiative with designers Doo- Ri, Thakoon and Rodarte check out my previous post here.

Click on the label below for vintage Cover Style posts!