Modeling Journey

Many of the most iconic fashion images of all-time, feature models photographed in groupings by the likes of photographers; Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier and Irving Penn. During the nineties the emergence of the supermodel phenomenon was greatly influenced by the photographs taken of a select group of women who would eventually be referred to as the "Supes." When I think of the term "supermodel", the classic Peter Lindbergh January 1990 British Vogue cover shot of Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington instantly springs to mind. More than 20 years have passed since I first laid eyes on this image and still, I am enthralled by its beauty, so much so that I have a print of it framed and taking pride of position in my hallway.

I love analysing the dynamic and composition of various images featuring grouped models. The first thing I look for is the suitability of the selection of models. Do their individual looks compliment each other? Are the models working in unison to achieve that singular shot which encapsulates the photographer's vision? How are the model's bodies positioned in relation to one another and in relation to the image frame. I also look for elegance of the positioning of the model's limbs and the energy which transpires between the model's themselves.

The images featured below are amongst my favourites and all project a momentous sense of occasion. One gets an inkling that there is an acknowledgement of pride and appreciation amongst the models at having been selected as one of the chosen few. I only hope that today's generation of photographers will continue to follow in the ilk of Avedon, Lindbergh et al. by allowing top-tier models the opportunity to shine in equally, beautifully composed group portraits.

The relationship between a designer and muse can be instrumental in making or breaking a model's career. No other designer has inspired such devotion amongst models as the pint-sized Tunisian-born French designer Azzedine Alaia. Alaia is as well known for his body accentuating, skin tight sculptural silhouettes as he is for the fidelity and enduring nature of his friendships with models like Veronica Webb, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell to name but a few. 

In spite of having worked closely with some of the world's most recognisable beauties, Alaia's approach has always been one based on humanity. This perhaps is the key to why he is so adored and revered by his models. In an interview with luxuryculture.com, Alaia is asked the question "Do you have a muse?", to which he responds "I don't like the word. Everything depends on the woman you meet and dress. If it's a woman it depends on her personality, not mine. There are girls who wear clothes so well that they're more than just outfits. When a woman who loves the clothes wears them it's really an expression of her personality, and that's more important to me than any muse."

The close relationships between Alaia and his models have been well documented in the press. In an interview with American ELLE, Alaia reminisces about Linda Evangelista; "I just loved working with her. We felt like a family back then, because we practically lived together during the shows." Campbell in fact lived with Alaia in Paris during her early modelling days, and she along with Seymour refer to Alaia, affectionately as "Papa."

In an interview with the Independent Campbell talks in depth about her friendship with Alaia, "My relationship with Azzedine is different from those I have with other designers, because he is the only one I've lived with. I call him "Papa" and we really do have a father-daughter relationship. He really taught me everything about the business, and also taught me even more important things about life - to be yourself, to do things with integrity and to do things from the heart. One of my best memories is of when I was so overworked at one point and I just called him up and he said, "Come home, ma fille! Come home!" He cooked dinner for me and put me into bed. Then, he called up my agency and said, "Stop overworking her. She doesn't need to be doing all of these things." It's that genuine love of his that's very special to me."

The loyalty towards Alaia amongst his coterie of models was no more apparent than when the designer's work was snubbed by the Met's "Model as Muse" exhibition. Alaia had been working on seven dresses for models including Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Stephanie Seymour to wear to the Met Ball Costume Institute Gala for the opening of the Exhibit at the request of the Met. When it became apparent that the designer's work and his contributions to fashion and the modelling industry would not be recognised, Alaia asked the models not to wear the dresses. Speaking with the New York Times Alaia elaborates that "It would have been silly to have seven girls wearing my dresses at the party and not have anything of mine in the exhibit."

The opening party went on without Alaia and without Campbell, Turlington, Seymour and Evangelista in attendance. A spokesperson for Campbell issued the following statement "As Naomi has been the muse of Azzedine Alaia for 23 years, she feels she doesn't want to attend unless she can represent his work." Seymour  issued the following statement "Azzedine has made my dress for every single ball. I had a fitting in Paris. But then he called me over the weekend and asked me not to wear the dress. I will still make my donation to the Met, but I won't be going."

I love this editorial shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin for V magazine's issue no. 48. The editorial, centred around the theme of before and after shots, features a cast of thirty models in their natural state and then with complete makeup, hair and styling. The juxtaposition between the before and after shots is startling and in most cases, I prefer the models pre-makeup and hair. Out of the thirty  beauties, Christy Turlington, Shalom Harlow, Lara Stone, Daria Werbowry, Raquel Zimmerman, Isabeli Fontana, Natasha Poly, Malgosia Bela and Natasa Vojnovic made my final cut.

I recently had the immense pleasure of viewing the Peter Lindbergh exhibition entitled "On the Streets" at the C/O Berlin exhibition space. I have been an avid admirer of Lindbergh's photographic work for most of my adult life and to see examples of his work up close and on such a grand scale was a dream come true. Lindbergh's influence on shaping the supermodel phenomenon throughout the eighties and nineties can be witnessed in the pages of Paris, British and American Vogue, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar during that era. Polish-born Lindbergh spent his formative years in Duisberg Germany, before moving to Berlin to study design and painting, and to pursue a career in photography. Lindbergh is recognised as one of the most renowned fashion photographers worldwide and has worked for high profile clients including Prada, Calvin Klein, Jil Sander, Karl Lagerfeld, Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani. 

Lindbergh's unembellished black and white photographs of mostly female models, even when carefully staged, often lend the appearance of a snapshot or documentary style photo. Many of Lindbergh's images are constructed without the use of dominant backgrounds or outre styling, focusing rather on naturalism and a purist aesthetic. In doing so Lindbergh is very much a visual storyteller and a bearer of people's inner souls. Lindbergh's book entitled "10 Women", features supermodels Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen, Christy Turlington, Kristen McMenamy, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Amber Valletta in their most powerful and fragile, straight forward and playful, and emancipated and sensual states. Many of these images are iconic and continue to influence today's generation of photographers, stylists and models.