Modeling Journey

Russh Magazine's August/September issue features a treasure trove of editorial goodies. Golden girl Nyasha Matonhodze stars in an Alex Franco lensed editorial entitled "On a Wing." Matonhodze looks simply sublime wearing an assortment of creations embellished with ostrich feathers, plastic scales and fur by Gareth Pugh, Prada and Haider Ackermann. Gillian Wilkins clever styling is perfectly suited to Matonhodze's unembellished natural beauty which is further enhanced by the surrounding landscape, and flora and fauna. At only sixteen years, Matonhodze seems poised for an incredible future having already landed a Louis Vuitton campaign shot by Steven Meisel, as well as editorials for Teen Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and V Magazine, and a stunning cover debut for the issue 6 of Love Magazine. 

Love Magazine strikes editorial gold yet again in it's Supernatural issue. Lara Stone, Maria Carla Boscono, Daphne Groeneveld and Kristen McMenamy pose alongside stunning new face of the moment Nyasha Matonhodze in this riveting beauty portfolio. Photographers Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott team up with the styling genius of Katie Grand and Panos Yiapanis for this mesmerising editorial. The natural beauty of Stone, Matonhodze, McMenamy, Groeneveld and Boscono's tear streaked visages are enhanced by the minimalist make-up and visually arresting head pieces adorning each model's head. The incandescent beauty, raw emotion and vulnerability conveyed by Matonhodze et al. resonates with each turn of the page.

Sixteen year old Nyasha Matonhodze is being hailed by fashion industry pundits as one of the most exciting new modelling prospects in years. Zimbabwean native Matonhodoze moved to Great Britain at the age of eight years and was signed on by Elite Models when her parents took her into an agency open casting call. Matonhodze made her debut at the Spring/Summer 2011 season where she was championed by fashion editor Katie Grand, who booked her for Louis Vuitton, Emanuel Ungaro and Loewe. 

Matonhodze has since had a meteoric rise within the modelling world with editorial appearances in Teen Vogue with Jason Kibbler, US Harpers Bazaar with Daniel Jackson, V Magazine with Peter Funch and a cover for Love Magazine lensed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. If that wasn't enough, Matonhodze topped all of this off with a Fall/Winter 2011 Louis Vuitton campaign shot by Steven Meisel. In an interview with the Cut, Matonhodze recalls on landing the campaign, "I danced on the table, I jumped on the bed, and was screaming from excitement. I must say that Katie Grand has to be one of the best people that I've ever worked with, and I hope that I never stop working with her; she's genius." On working with Meisel, Matonhodze reveals to models.com that "Steven is amazing. As a person he's very down to earth. I was scared at first, but when you meet him and you're on set with him he makes you feel very beautiful." Already being referred to by industry insiders as "Baby Naomi", Meisel could well play an instrumental role in realising Matonhodze's full potential.

Multi-girl casts appear to be all the rage with Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton, all opting for a diverse line-up of models with maximum market appeal for their Fall/Winter 2011 campaigns. Jourdan Dunn, Cara Delevigne, Molly Smith, Amber Anderson and actress Felicity Jones front up for Burberry's Fall campaign under the ever-reliable lens of Mario Testino.