Modeling Journey

Born on April 17^th 1981, Dutch model Saskia de Brauw is fashion’s very own comeback kid, re-emerging at the age of 30 as one of its most sought-after faces.

Saskia started modelling in 1996, when she was discovered at the age of 15. Quitting a year later to concentrate on studying art, Saskia returned to the fashion industry in 2010, signing with DNA Models.

Saskia made an immediate splash in the industry when Eres Swimwear decided to replace Lara Stone as their face of the brand, instating de Brauw as their new campaign model.

In July 2010, Saskia was profiled by www.models.com and made her international catwalk debut in September. Walking for Reed Krakoff, Matthew Williamson, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Daks, Saskia was an immediate stand-out. Her debut got the attention of designers and editors alike, and in October, Givenchy’s creative director Riccardo Tisci introduced de Brauw to the then-editor of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld.

After another successful runway season in February 2011, Saskia’s introduction to French Vogue paid off with a starring role in their summer preview editorial. ‘Et Vogue L’Ete’ was a multi-page special, outlining all the season’s key ideas. The bi-annual season preview is a centrepiece feature for French Vogue, presenting the most important looks, in a manner that’s typical of the magazine’s ethos: bold, creative and fun.

Saskia’s editorial debut was a blaze of glory, softening her androgynous looks for Oscar de la Renta, and revving them up for Miu Miu. She also appeared alongside Daphne Groeneveld, in the pelmet neon skirts from Jil Sander. De Brauw’s headlining in French Vogue was an announcement to the fashion world that this was a model not about to sit in the background.

Saskia’s status as model-of-the-moment was cemented in March when she was invited to appear on the cover of French Vogue; it was the final cover under Carine Roitfeld’s leadership. Labelled ‘Fantasy’, the blush-coloured cover saw Saskia in a frilled collar and jewels. The dichotomy of Saskia’s bold features against such a romantic background made it a fitting adieu for Roitfeld who had championed model talent throughout her stint as editor.

Roitfeld specialised in finding faces that didn’t necessarily ‘fit’, transforming Lara Stone’s career and making Isabeli Fontana a modelling legend. Her support also boosted the careers of Natasha Poly, Daria Werbowy, Arizona Muse and Joan Smalls. Going against the grain is a French Vogue speciality, and what Roitfeld did for modelling during her time at the magazine cannot be underestimated. She recognised that it was not always trends that move fashion forwards, but faces. Saskia, who was her last discovery whilst at Vogue, promises to be another model that helps to define where fashion goes next, and that’s no small legacy.

In the same month, Saskia did cover duty for Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel. The two covers could not be more different: French Vogue, evoking high glamour and Italian Vogue going for the cerebral vote. Winning hearts and minds is the core business of high-fashion – without that connection, it’s just clothes. Roitfeld understood this very plainly, hence her interest in sourcing the next great face.

Saskia also appeared in editorials for W and Italian Vogue during the month of March. The Italian Vogue shoot, also steered by Meisel, was a symphony of clashing patterns, swirls and stripes. Combined with eccentric accessorising and artisan make-up, ‘Wasted Luxury’ was textbook Italian Vogue.

Appearing for W, de Brauw took on a more expected persona, and performed in a street fashion / punk editorial. Working alongside new faces Eliza Cummings, Jana Knaverova and Bambi Northwood Blyth, Saskia’s features lent themselves perfectly to the hard-core attitude needed to sell punk on a fashion stage.

In June ’11, Saskia made her couture debut in Paris, walking for Chanel and Givenchy. It demonstrated Saskia’s pull in the fashion world: she is 1.5 inches shorter than the average couture model, but her appearance for both couture houses was assured and confident.

Autumn 2011 will see Saskia’s profile reach another level, with two major campaigns. Italian duo DSquared have booked her to appear in their street-cool designs, but the big news is that de Brauw has landed one of the most prolific campaigns in the business: Versace.

Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Saskia plays against type to become the ultra-feminine vixen that Versace demands. Recalling the hey-day of the label, the Versace insignia is clearly seen on buttons and buckles, but the rest of the campaign marks a considerable shift in semantics for the luxury brand.

For a label that usually hires blonde, uber-groomed glamazons, Saskia marks the beginning of a cleaner, sharper vision for the label’s future. Evoking all its best attributes, and its own brand mythology, Versace is using a different face (in every sense of the word) for a subtle re-brand.

Think of the Italian label and you tend to come up with the same adjectives: glamorous, seductive and super-sexy. All those things are still here in this campaign, but with it, there’s an extra layer of insouciance that makes the designs appear effortless. Everyone knows that the main ingredients of any fashion collection are blood, sweat and tears, but no-one wants them to show up in the final designs. It should look like what it is: inspired.

Saskia endows the Versace campaign with an element of androgyny that directly plays against its previous form. It’s a new direction for Versace and one that promises to bring new admirers. If you found Versace a little intimidating in the past, a little too glossy perhaps, this ad goes a long way to redressing the balance.

Still in terms of credits a relatively new face, Saskia has managed to make herself indispensable. Androgyny is experiencing its first real moment in the fashion spotlight since the mid 1990’s. For a period of nearly twenty years, glamour has been the definitive look – whether that was full-on glitz, or mixed with street style and grunge.

Where fashion goes, models suit themselves to fit. Faces that have been in favour have all suited fashion’s glamorous agenda. What has been missing is a selection of models that are proudly and defiantly off-message. With the arrival of Freja Beha, one haircut really did make all the difference. Her choppy cut took her from one of the pack to one of a kind. It marked the advent of a new kind of model: bold, not classically beautiful, but a true breath of fresh air.

Saskia’s comeback in 2010 could not have been better timed: despite her age placing her at the point where most models are considering their next move, de Brauw is working at the very heart of the fashion industry.

What is genuinely exciting about models like Saskia and Freja is that they are pushing back at the boundaries of what type of project a model can and can’t do. Saskia’s signing with Versace is a perfect example of this: from leather pieces to a Black Swan-inspired feather dress, she moves from flirty and feminine to cool sophistication.

The loosening of the old fashion rules: androgynous face = androgynous fashion, pairing chocolate-box beauties with ultra-feminine looks has resulted in a free-for-all that’s hitting the spot in terms of self-expression and individuality. Carine Roitfeld’s passion for launching faces that don’t fit the current look was an instinct ahead of its time: no-one wants to think of themselves as a fashion formula, and fashion has responded by creating trends that give you room to manoeuvre.

This celebration of individuality and self-sufficiency will be the way forward for the fashion industry and Saskia is part of this revolution, moving from soft and dreamy to angular androgyny in a heartbeat. Never the same woman twice, Saskia’s popularity stems from her ability to multi-task at the highest levels. Compare her covers for Italian Vogue and French Vogue and you could almost swear you’re looking at two models, rather than one. Saskia’s transformation is so complete it becomes modelling from the inside out. Her decision to quit modelling in 1997 to study art has resulted in a stronger and more developed model in 2011.

An avid photographer with her own blog (http://sdebrauw.blogspot.com/) Saskia’s unique outlook also gives her an advantage when it comes to photo-shoots. Knowing that the further you delve into character, the better the result is invaluable to making the most of your time in front of the lens. Also being aware of which angle creates which effect allows Saskia to utilise her face to maximum effect. Her work on film is testament to how crucial it is to know your face and what it can do.

De Brauw’s CV is part timing and part skill – her comeback at the time when the industry was ready for something new is a phenomenal story, but her amazing run of success is more than luck. Her collective skills and experience, and the way she uses them, take her beyond the ordinary and move her into a league of faces that are truly extraordinary.

HELEN TOPE

Born on the 4^th of September 1987, Belarus-native Maryna Linchuk is one of fashion’s best kept secrets.

Signing up with DNA Models in 2006, Maryna got her first editorial that September with Harper’s Bazaar. A quick starter, Maryna also made her runway breakthrough, walking for designers such as Catherine Malandrino, D&G, Elie Saab, Givenchy, Marchesa and Versace.

Shooting her first Vogue cover in November, Linchuk’s unstoppable progress continued with runway bookings for couture shows in January 2007, walking for both Givenchy and Valentino. Maryna experienced another career high the same month with an Italian Vogue editorial, photographed by Steven Meisel.

In September, Maryna got to open and close the ready-to-wear show for Helmut Lang, appearing in 43 shows overall. Finishing the year with another appearance in Italian Vogue, Maryna’s groundwork resulted in a seriously impressive pay-day. In early 2008, she was signed to front five campaigns, including Belstaff and Mulberry.

In April 2008, Maryna got the backing of French Vogue when they featured her as a top model. French Vogue is particularly good at supporting modelling talent, with Isabeli Fontana and Lara Stone among their favourites. Every Vogue has its own in-house style: Italian Vogue highlights the boldest and newest design influences; American Vogue channels classic elegance and sporty silhouettes, and Russian Vogue favours old-Hollywood style glitz and glamour. Where French Vogue has laid down its colours is in making daring, atmospheric editorials that reference their proud cinematic history. Skim through its pages and you’ll see every French master represented, from Jean-Luc Godard to Francois Truffaut.

This type of work requires a very special kind of model to bring the ideas to life. Striking the right tone is everything, and this takes serious skill. French Vogue needs models who can take a performance down to the finest detail, and Maryna’s instincts, already tested by some of the toughest in the business, were already proving to be world-class.

Following a summer of editorial work for American Vogue, Maryna was again profiled as a top model, this time by Russian Vogue. At this point in her career, Linchuk was still a relatively unknown name, but the support she was getting from fashion’s most prolific magazines was showing the industry at large that she was a talent not to be underestimated.

In September 2008, Maryna filled her runway CV with names such as Alexander Wang, Gucci, Derek Lam, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Rag & Bone, Stella McCartney and YSL. Her continued success on the runway got the attention of casting agents looking for a new face to front a campaign ad. Linchuk was signed to represent Christian Dior’s fragrance ‘Miss Dior Cherie’. Launched in 2005, the perfume was intended to be an accompaniment to Dior’s iconic ‘Miss Dior’ perfume, introduced in 1947.

Maryna’s signing saw a new approach to the marketing of Dior Cherie. Hiring director Sofia Coppola fresh from her historical biopic ‘Marie Antoinette’, the film presenting Dior Cherie was a heady confection of girlish sophistication and sorbet shades with Brigitte Bardot on soundtrack. With Maryna modelling a ruffled, cerise gown from the couture vaults, the advert is a master-class in bridging old-world sophistication with modern joie de vivre, and it made the perfume an immediate hit.

Maryna’s year just kept getting better, being approached to appear in the annual Victoria’s Secret show. Victoria’s Secret offers the ultimate challenge to models used to the world’s biggest runways. Getting that ready mix of fun and sex appeal is the very reason why the brand has become such a huge name in the States. Maryna’s ability to be at ease in such a new environment made her an instant favourite, being re-booked for both 2009 and 2010.

Adding Armani Prive to her couture CV in July 2009, Maryna made it onto the pages of American Vogue in November, appearing in ‘After Hours: Fashion’s Big Night Out’. Shot by Patrick Demarchelier, it was an extraordinary roll-call of fashion’s brightest modelling talent. From Alek Wek to Raquel Zimmermann, every model of note was featured, and that included Maryna.

Beginning 2010, Linchuk signed up to take part in another couture show for Dior. This time, the theme was equestrian chic. With riding crops and lace veils, the show made headlines, not only for its dressage theme but the way it put couture firmly back in the saddle. One year on, despite all the gloomy predictions for its future, haute couture still thrives, thanks to a new customer base, with serious money to spend.

Maryna also got the chance to work in untried territory, when picked to model for Derek Lam’s A/W campaign. Only a year into producing campaigns, Lam didn’t have the luxury of a huge back-catalogue of images to fall back on. For example, we all get the Prada ‘message’: eclectic, quirky and cerebral. Making a new set of images, creating that message from scratch, is a huge responsibility, not least for the model. Get the tone wrong, and the campaign will struggle to make a connection with the public. Maryna’s success in making Dior Cherie such a huge hit has made her significantly viable in terms of fronting campaigns.

Finishing off the year with a cover for Turkish Vogue, Maryna returned in January 2011 with another cover for German Vogue. Maryna, head-to-toe in pink, feathered couture is hard to miss. The choice of colour is unlikely to be a coincidence as her long association with Dior Cherie has made her a high-fashion purveyor of pink, a shade that’s been reclaimed by the industry after years in the fashion wilderness. Its revival, at Burberry and Chanel Couture for A/W 2011, allows it to take centre stage in a season that will be awash with colour. Pink – in its vibrant, punchy guise – has been given a second chance to wow the fashion crowd, and its charm offensive looks to be paying off. Some might argue whether pink has ever really gone away, but this type of pink is an entirely different animal. Brave and bold – it’s pink with attitude.

Linchuk has begun 2011 returning as a face for Dolce and Gabbana. Taking her lessons from French Vogue, Maryna manages the Italian cinematic style effortlessly. Filling the early part of the year with work from Russian and German Vogue, Maryna returns this autumn to reprise her role for Dolce & Gabbana. Working this year’s big theme of texture – in every possible variation – she features alongside Isabeli Fontana, Liu Wen, Constance Jablonski and Jac.

Already tipped to be one of the big hitters of the A/W season, Maryna’s link with Dolce & Gabbana is already poised to be an association that will reap major rewards as the year continues. Her success boils down to the fact that she is the type of model the industry loves: high-street, sportswear, lingerie, RTW, couture – there’s no aspect of the fashion industry Linchuk’s career hasn’t covered.

The recognition of Maryna’s hard work – the covers, the high-status campaigns – are just fashion’s way of acknowledging what designers have known all along. Maryna has outrun the trend for Russian / Eastern-European models to become fashion’s ‘everywoman’. Her appeal has transcended passing fads to create a career that is truly global. From Dior and Dolce in Europe, to winning over the Americans on the Victoria’s Secret runway; Maryna has become expert in making herself a must-hire all across the world.

As we move into a new decade, not only has the pace of growth changed, but where that cash is being spent. In 2005, Russia’s contribution to the fashion industry was in supplying new faces: Natasha Poly, Sasha Pivovarova, Natalia Vodianova to name just three. But the balance has shifted to find Russia supplying fashion with some of its most loyal and high-spending consumers, and Russian Vogue joins Italy, France, America and Britain to become one of the most important publications in fashion today.

Those who are spending are choosing to spend big. The exuberance of colour and detail on this season’s runways is more than a collective sigh of relief: a label being thankful they have survived the worst of the storm. The details tell a bigger picture of an industry heading into new territory: geographically, financially and creatively. By becoming more inclusive, the fashion industry is opening itself up to new influences, creating a message that’s truly exciting.

Where Maryna slots into this is her wealth of experience in working in fashion’s new territories such as Russia, China and Japan. Her skills honed at editorial level makes her not only a valuable asset right now, but her profile will grow and develop, making her a name to watch. To be a good translator, you need to speak the language and Maryna’s familiarity with all things fashion has made her effortlessly fluent. Maryna’s triumph in being able to translate into every market makes her a truly modern model.

HELEN TOPE

Born in Brazil on the 4^th July 1983, Isabeli Fontana is one of fashion’s longest-serving models, now clocking up her 12^th year in the industry.

In interviews, Isabeli describes being drawn towards modelling from childhood, competing in Brazil’s Elite Model Look contest at the age of 13. Placing third in the competition, Fontana moved to Milan in 1997 to actively pursue a modelling career.

Fontana made her runway debut in 1999, walking for Givenchy, Michael Kors and Versace. Isabeli also started what would become a famously-diverse career with her first booking for Victoria’s Secret catalogue.

In March 2002, Isabeli got the cover of French Vogue. The publication took to the Brazilian model immediately, re-booking her extensively throughout her career. Just as they have recently done with Lara Stone, French Vogue continues its role as mentor to new faces, and Fontana is one of their most prolific success stories.

Isabeli took a break from modelling in 2003 after giving birth to her son, Zion. Returning in 2004, Fontana had been much-missed and got booked for an once-in-a-lifetime shoot with Richard Avedon for Hermes.

Her return was celebrated by American Vogue, who placed her on their September cover. Naming Fontana as one of the world’s next top models, Isabeli went on to book a 53-show season for Fashion Week, including appearances for Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang and Zac Posen.

2005 saw Fontana score her second cover with French Vogue in June and later that year, she signed a fragrance contract with Viktor and Rolf. Named ‘Flowerbomb’, the early controversy over the name gave way to the perfume becoming one of the industry’s most enduring sellers. Still marketed today as one of the world’s most popular fragrances, ‘Flowerbomb’ has become a modern classic. Isabeli’s campaign shot – ethereal but with a couture sensibility running through it – has remained the defining image of the perfume. Six years on, Isabeli remains the face of ‘Flowerbomb’, an achievement especially impressive when you consider how frequently some perfume houses change their models.

Isabeli hit another career marker when she walked in the 2007 S/S Prada show in Milan. Finishing off 2007 with a cover of Brazilian Elle and editorials for W and French Vogue, Isabeli hit the headlines in April 2008 when she was named by Forbes as the 11^th highest paid model in the world. Having reportedly earned $3million in 2007, Fontana boosted her income with yet more lucrative campaigns. Signing with Belstaff, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino and Versace, Isabeli filled the rest of the year with runway and editorial work, ending with the cover of Numero in December.

Opening 2009 with a German Vogue cover, Isabeli got the chance to take part in a very special shoot. Featuring in May’s American Vogue, Isabeli appeared in ‘The Godfather’, a tribute to legendary photographer Steven Meisel, who himself made a rare appearance on camera. Meisel is renowned for spotting and nurturing talent, creating some of fashion’s most memorable moments from his recent plus-size cover for Italian Vogue to his long-standing associations with Balenciaga, Mulberry and Prada. Photographed by Meisel for the A/W Roberto Cavalli campaign, Fontana was a perfect choice for the brand: strong, confident and sexy. With clothes that are deliberately a challenge to wear, Isabeli was more than a match for the heady Cavalli designs.

Fontana worked with Meisel again in January 2010 when she appeared in the mega-editorial ‘Runway’. Isabeli hit another high-point featuring in the French Vogue editorial ‘Vogue-a-Porter’, a preview of S/S trends. Playing against type, Fontana was a tattooed tomboy in stripes and hair-gel. Featuring on covers for Japanese and Mexican Vogue, in June Isabeli featured in a French Vogue editorial that was tailor-made for her. In ‘L’Heure Bleu’, Isabeli worked the sun-soaked smoulder to perfection. Keeping the sizzle but still showcasing the fashion, Fontana made it look alarmingly easy.

In October, Isabeli closed the S/S show for Isabel Marant, also walking for Chanel, Balmain, Hakaan, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta and Proenza Schouler. At this point, Fontana had been working in the industry for over 10 years. Maintaining this level is a rare occurrence in the fashion industry, putting Fontana in the same bracket as Angela Lindvall, Carmen Kass and Kate Moss.

Finishing off 2010 with a Brazilian Vogue cover, shot by father-and-son team Patrick and Victor Demarchelier, Isabeli then made a splash in 2011 appearing in the S/S ad for Dolce and Gabbana. Shot entirely in black and white, the cinematic style of the ads created one of the most striking campaign images of the season, charting Dolce & Gabbana’s roots in classic, Italian style.

Fontana’s next campaign booking was a complete 180 from the va-va-voom favoured by Dolce & Gabbana. Photographed for the Jil Sander collection made especially for high-street store Uniqlo, Isabeli is decked out in cosmopolitan chic. The two campaigns could not be more different, but neither feels like a wrong fit.

Filling April and May with editorials for Spanish and French Vogue, June saw Fontana hit a career high-note that reminded the fashion industry of why she is such a special find. Appearing on the cover and in the pages of French Vogue, Isabeli worked with Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott to pay homage to a 1990 Italian Vogue photo-shoot from Steven Meisel and Linda Evangelista.

The results were incredible. In a short, cropped wig, Isabeli became Evangelista. The cover and editorial were such a huge hit they were even featured in the mainstream press. Every model needs a ‘moment’, and Isabeli’s career has been filled with them. Fontana’s editorial may make us nostalgic for the heyday of the supermodel, but the genius of the shoot is that Isabeli’s rendition is so perfect because she is a master of editorial work, a very modern modelling skill. What for many would be a career-best performance is all in a day’s work for Isabeli.

Where we leave Isabeli now is on the news that she has clinched two major campaigns for A/W 2011. Working for Dolce & Gabbana again, plus Italian luxe label Bottega Veneta, these coveted bookings show just how Isabeli has remained current in a rapidly shifting industry. Where the tastes and definitions of beauty are constantly changing, Isabeli has met them all.

Isabeli’s inclusion in the latest campaign for Dolce & Gabbana is more than a courtesy booking. Working alongside new faces such as Kate King, Liu Wen, Maryna Linchuk and Constance Jablonski, Fontana effortlessly stands out. There’s next to no flesh on display in this ad, but the resulting photos are undeniably sexy. Dolce & Gabbana make clothes for women who want to reveal, not expose. That difference can often be subtle, and Fontana knows how to portray sexuality in a way that sells fashion first. Isabeli has graced the pages of the Pirelli calendar four times, and appeared in Sports Illustrated famous swimsuit edition. But she’s also the face of Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren and Valentino.

Isabeli’s strength is that she is a true chameleon. The Linda Evangelista spread in French Vogue is so striking because Fontana and Evangelista are essentially two of a kind. From Victoria’s Secret to Chanel Couture, Fontana has been every kind of model. Her achievement is made all the more extraordinary when you consider how much the fashion world has changed since Isabeli’s debut in New York Fashion Week, 1999.

The no-nonsense minimalism of the Nineties was making way for an exuberant, decadent movement that was all about show. Details took centre stage, with the must-have item of the year being Gucci’s boho-luxe feathered jeans. In a gut-reaction to minimalism, fashion went for decoration, and the more, the better. The details all pointed to a bigger picture that rejected the low-key, invisible branding of the mid-Nineties in favour of indulgence and visible wealth.

Fast forward to 2011, and detail is making a return, but the clothes look very different. We’re all a little battered and bruised from the events of the past 12 years. Boom and bust has not been kind to anyone, but the high-fashion luxury market is making a comeback.

The key difference now is that those able to make large purchases are buying less dazzle and more substance. The emphasis is on the luxury you can’t see. Brands that make keep-for-life pieces such as Mulberry are doing particularly well. The age of the brand isn’t over; it’s just a little more discreet.

The big story of A/W 2011 is texture; shearling, tweed, wool and leather. Thoroughly tactile and encouraging the wearer to engage with the clothes, the industry has moved from celebrating how fashion looks to how it makes you feel. Fashion’s often been criticised for being shallow, but it’s undergone a transformation that’s body and soul.

That change has been partly organic – fashions are designed to come and go – but also change that’s been imposed from outside forces. Fashion reflects what’s going on in the world, but it does more than passively show and tell. It translates as quickly and deftly as any broadsheet.

It’s said that change is the only true constant, and nowhere is this truer than in the fashion world. As one of fashion’s greatest translators, Isabeli’s reputation as an out-and-out chameleon has created a career that’s without equal. Bold, exciting and wholly unpredictable – Isabeli Fontana’s next move really is anyone’s guess.

HELEN TOPE