Modeling Journey

Steven Meisel photographed Fei Fei Sun for the fall 2011 Louis Vuitton campaign with stylist Karl Templer on April 11-12, 2011.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2011 Campaign
Model: Fei Fei Sun
Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Karl Templer
Makeup: Pat McGrath
Hair: Guido Palau

Steven Meisel photographed Fei Fei Sun for the fall 2011 Louis Vuitton campaign with stylist Karl Templer on April 11-12, 2011.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2011 Campaign
Model: Fei Fei Sun
Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Karl Templer
Makeup: Pat McGrath
Hair: Guido Palau

Born in Canada on May 7^th 1991, Anais Pouliot is set to make the transition from catwalk to campaign this year, emerging with the potential to become one of the most striking beauty faces to hit the industry in years.

Discovered at the age of 14, Pouliot signed with Trump Models in 2007. Later that year, Anais scored her first campaign, working for See by Chloe.

Pouliot didn’t make her runway debut until February 2010, walking for John Rocha, Betty Jackson, Lacoste, Miu Miu, Peter Jensen, Twenty8Twelve and William Tempest. Working with some of the most talked-about young designers in the business, Anais made a great first impression, walking in Paris for Miu Miu as an exclusive.

In June 2010, Anais modelled for the resort presentations for both Miu Miu and Prada in New York. Resort shows are fast becoming more than appetisers to the main Spring / Summer and Autumn / Winter events. The fashion industry is beginning to realise that the four seasons are not as clearly defined as they once were. Trans-seasonal clothes that bridge summer to autumn, winter to spring, are selling incredibly well. The provenance of the layering trend can be traced back to the need for fashion that can accommodate rapidly-changing temperatures. It’s paved the way for a looser feel when it comes to trends, explaining why airy, translucent white is being featured in the A/W 2011 collection for YSL, and how lightweight tweed jackets inspired by Isabel Marant are selling all year round. As our weather gets more extreme, fashion’s adapting by being freer with its once hard-and-fast rules.

Anais’ breakthrough season occurred in September 2010. Working in 36 shows, she walked for established names such as Chanel, D&G, Marni, Prada and YSL, plus newer labels such as Christopher Kane, Holly Fulton, Mark Fast, Mary Katrantzou, Peter Som and Versace’s newly-revamped diffusion line, Versus.

Pouliot’s striking appearances on the runway circuit got her noticed by magazines, and in November Pouliot had her first major editorial, appearing in W. Photographed by Paolo Roversi, the editorial named ‘Family Circus’, was an epic winter fantasy starring Lindsey Wixson, Arizona Muse and Britt Maren. Ethereal and downright gorgeous, it was a perfect starting point for Anais.

In February 2011, Pouliot’s editorial career went international, with a spread in Japanese Vogue. Appearing almost bare-faced, Pouliot’s confidence is unflinching. Anais’ gift for taking a great beauty shot pegged her as a potential face for big-money campaigns. Also featuring on the S/S 11 cover of French Revue de Modes, Pouliot pulled another trick out of the hat, appearing in avant-garde florals. Anais was compelling the industry to think of her not only as a potential beauty headliner, but someone who can handle new design.

In April, Pouliot appeared in Russian Vogue, photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth. Featured in electrifying Armani Prive, the shoot called for a high-glamour affinity with couture, but with an element of fun. Pouliot captured the essence of ‘girl on the town’ brilliantly: flirty, sexy but definitely chic.

The following month, Anais appeared in German Vogue. The editorial, ‘Uber-Sinnlich’ (which roughly translates as ‘supernatural’), featured Anais in an exquisite beauty shot. With her beauty literally shining through a heavily-jewelled veil, the photo is a masterstroke, revealing Pouliot’s ability to command your attention.

This month, Anais appears in Russian Vogue and turns her hand to working the smoulder. Working sex-appeal in editorials requires razor-sharp instincts. You need to convey seduction, but the wrong angle or the overplaying of a facial expression can turn seduction into parody all too easily. The line between silly and sexy is wafer-thin, and remarkably quick to cross.

Anais’ confident handling of the shoot, in Gucci’s S/S 11 collection whose heady Seventies glamour has become one of the summer’s most popular looks, points to a model who is not easily phased. A model with a poker player’s nerve is a model tipped for greatness.

Sure enough, Anais’ work on the runway and for some of the world’s most respected magazines has culminated in a booking with serious star-making potential. Earlier this month, pictures of the A/W 11 campaign for Louis Vuitton were previewed by WWD. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Anais works with Daphne Groenveld, Zuzanna Bijoch and new British modelling hopeful, Nyasha Matanhodze. The theme is military glamour, playing allure against discipline.

The signing with Vuitton marks a massive rise in status for Pouliot. The French label, now steered by Marc Jacobs, has a well-won reputation for producing some of the most striking images each season. Just these few teaser images are enough to give you an indication of what to expect this autumn. Neutrals working side by side with block-brights, bring the best of last winter and this summer to make what has the potential to be an incredible season.

The rise of Anais through the modelling industry charts how glamour and beauty are making a comeback. The latest beauty ads to emerge: Arizona Muse for YSL, Lara Stone for Tom Ford and Jac Jagaciak for Chanel all have one thing in common. The images may waiver between wholesome and wanton, but they all chronicle beauty that’s recognisable and readable, not just to the fashion industry, but to us as well.

Beauty ads are all about the face – seems an obvious point to make, but with little else to showcase, every ounce of meaning has to count. Although Pouliot is a fashion girl, it’s clear that her strength is being able to take a great close-up. It is this ability to grab our attention that makes Anais a fairly safe bet when it comes to figuring out which faces will become fashion’s next big-hitters. Pouliot’s traditional type of beauty is a surprisingly good fit with high-fashion. Going from haute-couture glamour to edgy florals, Anais never looks out of place – no mean accomplishment for a model endowed with a face that looks like it came from another century. Pouliot’s old-world, painterly type of look makes her curiously modern. In an industry filled with models that run from tomboy to sexpot, there’s not many names that can step and fill that niche for prettiness.

The idea of a model that’s objectively ‘pretty’ does seem at odds with everything we’ve learned about the fashion industry. But this swing from quirky and cool to gently feminine is symptomatic of a wider move. Whether you chalk it up to the Middleton effect, or bigger economic influences, the rising mood of the moment is ‘real-girl’ fashion. Knee-high boots, petite florals and white cigarette jeans are all flying out of the shops, but they are noticeably missing from this season’s runway.

We’ve been happily delving into trends for the past decade – harem pants, asymmetry, platform heels – we’ve worn the lot, experimenting with shapes and colour to our hearts’ content. But there’s been a tide change, with tastes visibly moving towards the conservative. Simpler silhouettes and lower hemlines have returned – they are a reaction to fashion’s desire to shock, but not from the direction you might expect.

The literal opposite of neon and tribal print jumpsuits would be full-on minimalism. But instead beauty is making a power-play for control of our wardrobes because it offers a viable alternative to fashion’s wilder, experimental side. For the past few years, fashion has been devoted to challenging us to wear new shapes, textures and colours. While this is fashion at its purest, encouraging us to be braver and bolder, it has left a gap in the market for the days when you just want to look good and feel good with minimal effort required. Even the urban uniform that has evolved from designers such as Rick Owens, The Row or Zadig & Voltaire, requires an awareness of how to layer different fabrics and what boots work best with leather leggings. It certainly looks good when done right, but it can’t beat jeans and a t-shirt for ease of use.

What’s developing is a movement aimed at catering to people who want a look in three moves or less. But this emerging trend isn’t about indulgence, but something that’s grounded in a real fashion literacy that’s all about the detail. Those white cigarette jeans may not be ultra high-fashion, but look closer and they will be from a brand such as MiH or Citizens of Humanity. No-one likes to be left of the loop and this new trend for prettiness is fashion by stealth. The ingredients are all there – they’ve just been mixed a little differently.

Anais’ growing career is part and parcel of this very movement – her height allows her to do runway, but her face is her unique selling point. Fitting fashion’s interpretation of ‘pretty’ is a rare gift. Too much ‘girl next door’ and you’re better off finding work in the lingerie / Sports Illustrated mould. Too left-field and you risk your looks not translating in big-brand cosmetic campaigns.

The beauty that Pouliot represents is an able translator because it works with high-fashion, not against it. Now that fashion’s relaxed the rules, it’s a whole different game. Playing with a portfolio that’s anything but simple, Anais demands you take a closer look.

Born June 6th 1987, Canadian model Alana Zimmer’s profile may lack the celebrity kudos of a Lara Stone or Georgia Jagger, but she has been a lynchpin of the fashion industry since her discovery in 2005.

Alana’s story begins when she was discovered whilst working in a restaurant. She was spotted by the friend of a model scout. Encouraged to consider a career in fashion, Alana emailed off some of her prom photos. The response was immediate, and Alana began to model locally in Toronto. In September 2006, she made her international catwalk debut, walking for designers such as Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Prada and Vera Wang.

That same month, website http://www.wwd.com/ named her a face to watch, and Alana found herself featured on http://www.style.com/, on their list of Top 10 Models of the Spring / Summer 2007 season.

In October, she landed her first major editorial with fashion heavyweight, Italian Vogue. Capping off the year with a 10-page editorial for Numero, in 2007 Alana became the face of Missoni Sport. It was a brilliant casting for a model whose hobbies include running and yoga.

Fitness modelling exacts very particular requirements. Sportswear shows up poor muscle tone quicker than any couture design and being fit is essential if a model wants to be an all-rounder. Zimmer’s intelligent blend of cardio and body conditioning made her the perfect candidate for the campaign.

Zimmer’s ability to do it all was confirmed when show season arrived in February. Closing shows for Dries van Noten and Jill Stuart, she also appeared for Cacharel, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jonathan Saunders, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Prada. Her comprehensive list of credits got her noticed by Marie Claire, who dubbed her the face to watch in March.

The press attention made Zimmer hot property, and her dreamy, ethereal look put her in pole position for Autumn / Winter campaigns. Later that year came the announcement that Zimmer had been waiting for. She had landed the coveted spot in the new Marc Jacobs campaign.
Jacobs was, and still is, the king of the fashion jungle. Not so much a designer as the pace-setter; walking in one of his shows is an achievement. Scooping the campaign puts you in a different league altogether.

In September, British Vogue (unsurprisingly) feted Alana as a model to watch, and in October, she closed the show for Louis Vuitton. The vintage label, now steered by Marc Jacobs, has been rejuvenated under his guidance, and famously brought back bunny ears as a legitimate fashion accessory.

Dubbed the playful, girlie cousin to Marc’s own label, Zimmer’s pivotal role in the show also meant more bookings from other designers, eager to get the new Marc Jacobs muse on board. Walking for Alexander Wang, Chloe, Dior, Gucci, Marchesa and Rodarte, Alana was landing the type of work that figures on pretty much every aspiring model’s wish-list.

Her ability to command a runway got her the cover of the Italian Vogue couture supplement. The high-stakes booking did not phase Zimmer one bit, and she finished the year with an editorial for i-D and a Numero cover in December.

2008 began with more campaign news for Zimmer, whose versatile look got her the lead role in Moschino’s campaign.

January was couture season, with appearances for Jean Paul Gaultier and Armani Prive, and in February, Alana was closing shows for Moschino and Marc Jacobs. It was a real career high: in terms of runway, it doesn’t get much better. Marc Jacobs also selected Zimmer to open his resort show in June, which she had to balance with editorial work for Japanese Vogue.

The campaigns kept coming with Alana being signed to do the A/W advert for DKNY Jeans. Five years ago, Zimmer’s look would have made her unlikely to be anyone’s first choice for a jeans commercial. Paired with rising star Chanel Iman, the duo made for a new kind of aesthetic. Traditionally jeans advertising has relied on the bronzed sex-bomb approach, and both Zimmer and Iman were the antithesis of the Brazilian bombshell look that had until recently been in favour. Neither models were conventional casting choices, and their appeal was defiantly off-centre, but it worked and it got DKNY noticed. Where cosmetic brands like Estee Lauder are just beginning to adopt a more cosmopolitan look for their campaigns, DKNY showed they were ahead of the curve. It was a brilliantly timed fashion coup, and gave both Alana and Chanel a huge career boost.

Alana followed the DKNY campaign with editorials for Italian and German Vogue during the summer. When show season came around in September, Zimmer was given the honour of opening the S/S show for Louis Vuitton.

Her roster of bookings, including appearances for designers as diverse as Alberta Ferretti, Alexander Wang, Cacharel and Thakoon, points to the importance of being able to pick up a designer’s aesthetic and run with it. In today’s industry you will find precious few one-trick ponies. Alana’s ability to switch between strictly editorial and fashion’s playful, feminine aspect has her pegged as one of the industry’s best team players. Whatever the brief, Alana delivers.
2009 saw Zimmer branch out into more campaign work, including high-street stalwart Topshop. Sandwiching this and an ongoing contract with DKNY in between editorials, Zimmer hit another highlight in September with the S/S 2010 season.

Walking in what was to be Alexander McQueen’s final show, along with appearances for Christopher Kane, Erdem, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Mary Katrantzou, Rachel Roy and the re-launch of Versus (Versace’s diffusion label), Zimmer’s catwalk range featured an effortless mix of editorial high-flyers with more traditionally feminine labels.

2010 is already proving to be a crucial year for Alana, with her move from Supreme Management to Ford Models. So far this year, Zimmer has opened the Jean Paul Gautier couture show and signed up for the S/S Sonia Rykiel ad campaign. The French label, which is a perfect blend of pretty and quirky, is about as tailor-made to Alana’s strengths as it’s possible to get.

With a strong A/W season done and dusted, Zimmer has continued her reputation for being a favourite with up-and-coming designers. Not only walking for press favourite Mary Katrantzou, she has also appeared for Prabal Gurung, who has recently been debuted on the red carpet by Gossip Girl Leighton Meester.

Being able to see-saw from cutting-edge print to mainstream appeal, Alana is doing well in this economic climate because she represents a softer side of editorial. Zimmer’s look translates as clearly to the pages of Italian Vogue as it does on the runway wearing a Diane von Furstenberg wrap-dress.

The fact that Alana is able to do both points to how fashion is rethinking its stance on trends. Just look at the choice available for this summer: there are modern, spare neutrals, nautical (as ever) and edged-up florals and gingham. Trends instead of being polarised are starting to meet each other halfway. The utilitarian nature of the neutral trend is softened by a feminine palette; florals give us attitude when paired with directional dresses.

The emphasis is now on good design, not top-to-toe trends. The idea of copying runway looks verbatim is becoming increasingly outdated. The looks you see on the runway were never meant to be copied, but to be used as inspiration: a sartorial jumping-off point to explore new ideas. Looks were absolutes: the most literal translation of a designer’s vision.

This idea got lost in the pre-recession era where consumerism often outranked common sense. The race to be the first to wear the latest dress, or ‘it’ shoe became so frantic that mere mortals just couldn’t keep up. Allowing fashion to operate in a tortoise-and-hare manner, also robs us of the joy of the experience. Fashion should be about fun and self-expression, not a manic dash to be the first to wear that must-have label.

The idea that you can only be ‘in fashion’ by donning the latest label is a notion that’s had its time. The rigours of a season dictated by key pieces and statement bags don’t allow space for creativity and movement, and isn’t fashion autonomy what style is ultimately about?

Slowing down the pace, partly through financial necessity, has been good for the fashion industry. It’s given everyone a chance to step back, reflect and catch a breath. The return to classic shapes and familiar styles is about more than appealing to the masses; it’s about exploring what truly works. The perennial trends that we keep returning to, however they’re spun, translate across the board.

Tossing out the rulebook is what fashion does best, and this time it’s going back to the start. It’s finally time to stop and smell the roses - even if they’re courtesy of Erdem.