Modeling Journey

Steven Meisel assembles a diverse group of Supermodels and up-and-coming stars for US Vogue's August 2011 edition. The eclectic group consists of familiar and newer faces ranging in age from twenty to forty six years. The cast of models includes veterans Kristen McMenamy, Audrey Marnay, Guinevere Van Seenus, Liya Kebede, Raquel Zimmerman, Karen Elson, together with faces of the moment; Candice Swanepoel, Miranda Kerr, Arizona Muse, Fei Fei Sun and Anais Pouliot. Each model has posed previously for Meisel's lens hence the editorial title "Double take".

Victoria's Secret high fashion takeover continues with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's sizzling British Vogue cover and Candice Swanepoel's Vogue Italia cover coup. Swanepoel's crossover from mainstream commercial modelling to the high fashion arena was kick started in 2010, with her editorial appearance in the Winter issue of V Man lensed by Mario Testino. Swanepoel turned more than a few heads, with Testino giving his seal of approval, "Candice is an amazing new find for me. Gorgeous, free, fun. She was awesome and did not feel inhibited. She made the shoot an amazing experience."

Indeed 2010, was the year of the Victoria's Secret high fashion ascension with Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio amongst others, making their mark. Kerr landed three Vogue covers (Italian, Spanish and Australian versions of the magazine) and appeared in multiple fashion editorials for US Vogue. Ambrosio transformed into a glamourous Goth for the cover of Love Magazine and was cast in the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2011 campaign alongside fellow Victoria's Secret models Isabeli Fontana, Maryna Linchuk, and Izabel Goulart. Victoria's Secret Angels Doutzen Kroes, Chanel Iman, Adriana Lima, Ambrosio and Kerr, were the subject of a feature editorial in US Vogue shot by Peter Lindbergh, dissecting the return of sexy curves to the catwalk. With the lines between commercial and high fashion modelling becoming ever increasingly blurred, what Swanepoel et al prove, is that a little va-va-voom and a whole lot of personality are the just what the world of high fashion needs right now.