Modeling Journey

Go-sees play a fundamental role in a model's day-to-day existence and usually involves trudging from one end of town to the other chasing appointments. Upon arrival at the client's designated address, the model switches from her comfortable flats to heels and walks the length of the room, stopping, turning, and walking back. The client or casting agent then takes a a series of polaroids usually a front and side profile shot, and the go-see is over in a matter of minutes. It may seem like an uncomplicated, seamless process however, imagine trying to make a lasting impression within the space of three minutes whilst being scrutinised from head to toe amongst an endless stream of model hopefuls.

Ezra Petronio the editor-in-chief and creative director of Self Service Magazine has mastered the art of capturing a model at her best within a simple polaroid shot. The beauty of a polaroid is that there are no props, styling, and visual wizardry to distract from the model's face. In essence, the focus is entirely on the model, her face, skin tone and presence. Either the goods are there, or they ain't. The following series of go-see polaroids taken by Petronio of some of modelling's biggest names and emerging new faces illustrate best how to impress. 

What do you get when you combine the talents of Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott with a stellar cast of models including Joan Smalls, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Sigrid Agren, Emily Baker, Lenz Von Johnston, Anthon Wellsjo and Duco Ferwerda? Pure Magic. As the images below attest, glamour was the order of the day for Gucci's Fall/Winter campaign. The casting for this campaign is my favourite for the season. I absolutely adore Smalls who is back again for her third consecutive Gucci campaign. Also returning to the Gucci camp is Lee Kershaw who looks beguiling and mysterious. Rounding out the cast are Agren with a divine Rita Haywardesque hairstyle and newcomer Baker who was undoubtedly the standout star of the Fall/Winter 2011 shows in February. The clever use of projections and shadowed lighting create the illusion that the cast are being observed by their alter egos. 

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott go for maximum exposure, shooting Fall/Winter campaigns for Roberto Cavalli, Versace and Dsquared2. Maria Carla Boscono, Natasha Poly and Karen Elson team up for the photographic duo in Roberto Cavalli's lush autumnal themed campaign. The trio of enchantresses cast a spell amidst a lush setting of fuschia pink flora and golden brown foliage. Versace's bold campaign features Saskia de Brauw and Sean O'Pry against a desert landscape with ominous dark clouds swirling on the horizon. Newcomers Emily Baker, Saskia de Brauw, Bo Develius and  Francisco Lachowski have gone back to the ranch for DSquared colonial inspired campaign. Stylist Katie Grand combines leather, denim, sequins, swarovski crystals, fur and bow ties, to bring new meaning to the term colonial chic.

I can barely contain my excitement over Vogue Italia's July edition which features a divine editorial lensed by Steven Meisel with the very best of the new crop of models. The cast of exuberant new faces includes Emily Baker, Kelly Mittendorf, Anais Pouliot, Fei Fei Sun, Antonia Wesseloh, Juliane Grüner and Josephine Skriver. The energy on set crackles with each turn of the page as Baker et al., duke it out for Meisel's approval. Each girl is resplendent in looks from the Fall/Winter 2011 collections by Louis Vuitton, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci styled by Karl Templer. I truly cannot pick a favourite out of this group of newbies as each model is distinctly beautiful and poses like a seasoned professional. I have a feeling though that this select group of models will reshape the landscape of modelling over the next few years.