Modeling Journey

Pirelli enlists the remarkable artistic talents of Karl Lagerfeld and a cast of 21 models for it's Mythology themed 2011 calendar. The calendar features Lara Stone, Bianca Balti, Natasha Poly, Lakshmi Menon, Isabeli Fontana, Anja Kneller, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Freja Beha Erichsen, Elisa Sedanoui, Jeneil Williams, Iris Strubegger, Magdalena Frackowiak, Erin Wasson Daria Werbowry, Heidi Mount, Brad Kroenig, Garett Neff, Baptiste Giabiconi, Sebastian Jondeau, Brad Davies and actress Julianne Moore, each posing as different ancient Greek and Roman deities in varying states of undress. 

At the press conference for the unveiling of the calendar, Lagerfeld surmises "I wanted to do something different. I looked at all the other calendars," he said, adding that his had a message "of timeless beauty and youth." The 36 photos selected for the calendar, depict 24 different subjects, including gods, heroes and myths. Lagerfeld's series of black and white images take on a distinctly artistic slant with an emphasis on sculpture and form. Lagerfeld creates a luminous three dimensional quality to the images by contrasting stark backgrounds with light carefully positioned on the model's bodies. The resulting images are insanely beautiful and a welcome departure from the salacious pin-up style nudity of previous years.

Aussie Mega model Abbey Lee Kershaw's latest appearance on the cover of French Numero renders me speechless. Photographed by Tom Munro for Numero's June 2011 edition, Kershaw looks flawlessly beautiful, wearing a figure hugging bodice with leather straps and a free flowing skirt from Lanvin. Represented by Next Models in New York, Kershaw began modelling in 2004 after winning the Girlfriend Model Search. Kershaw has since risen through the ranks to become one of the most sought after models working today and is an editorial favourite for the likes of Numero, Vogue Paris, US Vogue, Vogue Italia, Purple Magazine and V Magazine. Currently ranked at number 5 on the model.com's list of Top 50 models, Kershaw clearly looks like a woman in charge of her destiny and I am certain that the best is yet to come from her.

In an interview with Frockwriter, Polish model Anja Rubik who recently appeared in the 2011 Pirelli calendar lensed by Karl Lagerfeld, reveals how she turned down the opportunity to model for the 2010 edition primarily because it was being photographed by Terry Richardson. 

The Polish model who is currently ranked at position number three on the models.com list of Top 50 models, reveals that she had turned down the dream assignment the previous year because "I knew he (Richardson) would, like, push the borders and you know, I was afraid of how far they were going to be pushed and if I'm going to feel comfortable. The worst thing is to go somewhere to a shoot and be there and feel uncomfortable. Because, first of all, it's bad for me, it's bad for him, it just creates a really bad atmosphere."

Rubik who has been photographed previously numerous times by Richardson, adds as a counterpoint  to the past allegations of sexual misconduct towards models by Richardson that "I've shot with him (Richardson) many times. And I think he's great. I never felt uncomfortable, I never thought he pushed me into anything. I think if a girl, like, leaves her green light that she's open to doing different things, he maybe pushes the boundaries." 

Rubik's modus operandi appears to stem from her stance against full frontal nudity. "I was never shot actually nude before. Well I did do topless, but I had never done full-on nude. You say no, I guess. It's a very individual thing." The decision to turn down Pirelli's 2010 offer was "only because I know he (Richardson) would push it a little bit more, in a way that would be very naked and I know that I wouldn't go there probably. So that's why it was stupid to accept the challenge because I thought I wouldn't be capable. And you think...how it's going to come out, because he has a very different take of that, a little bit more on the edge of, you know, I don't want to say vulgar but on the very, very slight edge of it."

Rubik however jumped at the opportunity to model for the 2011 Pirelli calendar when she discovered that Karl Lagerfeld would be on board. "I just thought, you know, he's a genius and I knew the way he would shoot a woman would be in the form of art, it would be very beautiful and very tasteful."