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 modelling industry is like a magnet drawing beautiful women from all over the world in pursuit of fame, adulation and fortune. Every few years distinct modelling trends emerge reflecting consumer needs and demand, and the socio-economic climate. From the sexy Brazilians, to the androgynous Belgians, the ubiquitous Russians, and the current wave of models from Asia and Scandinavia, it's no wonder at times castings can resemble a veritable United Nations beauty summit.

Photographer Peter Farago and stylist Ingela Klemetz Farago celebrate the beauty of models hailing from Nordic and Baltic countries in their new photographic tome entitled Northern Women in Chanel. The photographic travelling exhibition and accompanying coffee table book features 46 of the most sought after models from Nordic and Northern Baltic states in archived Chanel collections from the past ninety years.

Over a period of a year the creative duo worked in close collaboration with Chanel, gaining unrestricted access to the fashion house's archives of haute couture collections. Helena Christensen, Carmen Kass, Louise Pedersen, Freja Beha Erichsen, Sigrid Agren, Iselin Steiro, Edita Vilkevicuite, Caroline Brasch Neilson, Kirsi Pyrhonen, Frida Gustavsson, Siri Tollerod and Suvi Koponen amongst others, pose for Farago amidst tundras, arctic plains and native forests in an epic visual story which melds together the worlds of photography, art and fashion.

Klemetz Farago's meticulous styling draws inspiration from dance, opera and art, whilst matching each model to a particular Chanel creation and setting. The resulting visuals are breathtaking and capture a unique universe in which timeless fashion is reinvented amidst ethereal and startlingly beautiful Scandinavian landscapes. The 384 page photographic book has a limited edition release of 2112 copies with profits of sales going towards the Save the Children organisation. The exhibition is currently showing at the centre of contemporary photography Fotografiska, in Stockholm, and will tour the world throughout 2011 to 2013.

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.