She's a model and she's looking good.

My friend Kirsty modelling and looking spectacular.

I'm back!

I know, I completely disappeared from the blogging scene for a while there but I never forgot about material for my blog the whole time (I promise). I started working full time in MANGO and having a lot of traveling time to and from work, to be quite honest, the thoughts of doing anything beyond sleeping when I get home has been quite a chore. 

However, having collected so much material and with so much to report on, I am going to discipline myself to get back on it. Here's Scarlett Johansson for the cover of MANGO's magazine. I bought these perfectly on-trend boots! Let me know what you think of them...

Picture Perfect

Mango's fresh faces.

So Scarlett Johansson is the face of Mango's Fall ’09 campaign and was apparently chosen for not only her beauty but also "her extraordinary personality, which embodies the ideal of the urban, enterprising, daring woman that we target. Johansson is the epitome of an elegant, sensual woman who is at the same time both creative and inquisitive."
But Mango has also decided to feature some other young faces alongside her in their Fall catalogue who they consider perfectly reflect the "essence" of the collection.

Daisy Lowe, the Americans Leigh Lezark (a famous New York DJ and member of the group The Misshapes) and Riley Keough (daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and chosen as the model for Miss Dior Cherie), and the French model Marie-Ange Casta, have posed in the new collection and each brings a fresh look to the garments with their "undeniable personality, originality and unique style." 

Model Transformation

V magazine looks at the transformation of an 18 year old model - Camille Penk. Makes you feel a little bit better although Camille is clearly gorgeous with or without make-up and her hair done.

Procession of Evangelista

Linda Evangelista was recently photographed for W magazine on an elaborate outdoor set in New York's SoHo. Taking on the role as a statue of the Virgin Mary, she was carried by several men through the streets of "Spain".

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful? This is my gorgeous friend Kirsty again spotted by everyone's favourite 'Facehunter' a few months ago in London.

So many men, so little time.

Backstage at the Versace Menswear Spring '10 collection. I love this image. Donatella Versace is surrounded by some of the world's most famous and gorgeous male models. Lucky lady. 

Picture Me

"We might need to see you without your bra, he told me. I was 14. I didn't even have breasts yet."

Sara Ziff was earning money as a teen model that most people can only dream of. But there was a price to pay. I have to admit I am dying to see this documentary Sara has made depicting a more realistic (and long-overdue) version of life as a model. Just yesterday, I was encouraging 2 friends to send in images of themselves to American Apparel where they scout for "real people" to model their campaigns... 

Label of the moment - PPQ

PPQ (of Mayfair) has gathered itself a loyal following since it's beginnings in '92. The fashion brand is particularly popular amongst the style savvy 'Get-the-London-look' celebs and pop stars and Peaches Geldof seemed to be wearing a PPQ creation every day at one point. 

But now the 19 year old 'It' girl has joined forces with the fashion label to create a capsule collection which you can only buy the collection at oli.co.uk. Not being a particular fan of Peaches, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a few of the designs are really nice and very wearable for the current high street trends. 

I came across these pictures in OK and thought Peaches looked really nice, especially in the one below where she looks very Alice in Wonderland.

Another PPQ collaboration I loved was with Ben Sherman last spring. The 'Five Decades of Dresses' encapsulating the music in the UK of each decade of the Ben Sherman brand's existance. Ben Sherman had picked PPQ for the collaboration because they felt that - like themselves and the music - they too are pioneers of British style.

American Apparel wish list.

I never bothered too much with American Apparel before but I went into their store in Glasgow yesterday and ended up trying on a couple of things and wanting loads... I also appreciate that the models in AA tend to look real - not completely skin and bone and air-brushed.

I really loved their new long sleeved version of their Double U-neck mini dress. I wore my ex flatmates short sleeved version on a couple of nights out last year (on far right below). Only thing is because it's cotton spandex it's pretty clingy so since Christmas is by, I'm gonna make it my mission to get a completely flat stomach again before I buy one. 

(On a further note, in this picture I am wearing a black faux snake skin PVC jacket which I got for just £7 in a charity shop. I used to wear it all the time and always got great compliments. On this night out it was stolen from the club we attended and coincidently this is the only picture I have of me wearing it. I miss it!)

I also tried on the 'Tricot High-waist skirt' but as an extremely short mini dress. I think I might go back for it next time I'm in town.

Photographer Eugenio Recuenco

I recently came across the work of the Spanish fashion photographer Eugenio Recuenco and I loved it immediately. Some of his work bares a striking similarity in style to that of Tim Walker (see the post I did before on Tim Walker photography) in that he uses lavish sets to create a fairytale image. 

I also discovered that he was the creative mind behind the beautiful Nina Ricci perfume adverts (starring the now, sadly deceased model Ruslana Korshunova). You can also watch the making of this film on his official website.

However there seems to be a darker, more mysterious side to a lot of Recuenco's work which is not present in Walker's work. This eerie element gives his work an edge making it perfect for the world of fashion photography and his work is often featured in editorials for Vogue amongst others. 

Male model Guntars Asmanis

Guntars is a 20 year old model from Latvia who keeps popping up all over the catwalk (YSL, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Aquascutum, Topman to name a few) and I have recently fallen in love with him.

Apparently he hates modeling and plans to quit after he's made his first million! I hope that isn't so because with all the campaigns he is doing (Hugo Boss, Acne Jeans, Issey Miyake), that might be soon.