Kate by Kate Moss perfume launch

Kate Moss is to launch her first fragrance 'Kate by Kate Moss' in September.

The perfumer is a collaboration between Moss and company Coty Inc., who also manufacture other scents ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Marc Jacobs.

Moss told Women’s Wear Daily: "It's something I've thought of doing for a long time, but it just never felt right. It felt natural to take the next step,"

Describing the scent Kate said, "When I put it on I want to feel fresh and light and as the day goes on I want to feel sexier." The 33-year-old style icon said that she is not simply the face of the product, but is taking on hands on role in the latest venture.

"I learned a lot about having to smell layers and picking out the scents. I don't think people generally smell a perfume and say, 'Oh, that bottom note!'"she said.
‘Kate by Kate Moss’ will be launched in Europe and Asia in September, and will reach the US next year.

www.coty.com
6 August 2007

A model's wages

We've all thought its an all-play-and-no-work-type-job, but model's who are paid lucratively in fees are only done so if they are truly the best. In a poll of the highest-earning beauties, Amazonian Gisele Bündchen tops the list. According to The annual Forbes magazine list, the Brazilian-born model is ahead of Briton Kate Moss having earned approximately $33m a year, much of it from the Victoria's Secret deal that ended in the spring.

According to WGSN her earnings are not likely affected with the model licensing her name to a Brazilian footwear firm and being in demand for almost 20 high-paying ad campaigns annually. Bündchen is the Guinness World Record holder as far as supermodel earnings are concerned and is believed to have amassed a $150m fortune during her career. Other models on the list also earned handsomely from Victoria's Secret deals with third-placed Heidi Klum, 34, fourth-placed Adriana Lima, 26, and fifth-paced Alessandra Ambrosio, also 26, earning $6m-$8m each.

Kate Moss, 33, ahead of them in second place, earned $9m and saw a boost in earnings on her comeback after a drugs scandal two years ago. She regularly models for brands from Rimmel to Dior and Burberry and also launched her own fashion line this year in a deal with Topshop. Natalia Vodianova, 31, earns $4.5m, while Prada and Lancôme face Daria Werbowy, 22, earns $3.5m, as does Victoria's Secret model Karolina Kurkova. The youngest model on the list, Gemma Ward, 19, earns $3m.

18 July 2007

New law bans underage models

Following the footsteps of Madrid and Milan, London Fashion Week designers will no longer be able to use girls under the age of 16. The controversy surrounding the size zero debate has led for new legislation where young girls and the ultra-thin are banned from photo shoots and catwalks. The new age limit will mean that teenagers aspiring to be the new Kate Moss, Lily Col e or Naomi Campbell, who all began modelling at 14 or 15, will no longer be used to sell clothes.

However, fashion bosses have decided not to ban size zero models, who have sparked accusations that those, particularly the young, who seek to emulate them end up with eating disorders. Size zero is generally attributed to a body mass index of 18 or below.

The new guidelines will come as part of the independent report into the 'size zero' crisis, according to The Observer. The inquiry, under Labour peer Baroness Kingsmill, follows the death last year of two South American models working on the international circuit, one from anorexia and the other from malnutrition.

Kingsmill's Model Health Inquiry will release an interim report on Wednesday which also recommends better health and nutritional advice for models, improving ways in which they can complain about their working conditions and education for models' agents about eating disorders. The British Fashion Council, the industry's trade body which commissioned the inquiry, has indicated that it will accept and implement the recommendations.

12 July 2007

Helena Christensen to open London boutique

Danish supermodel and photographer Helen Christensen is planning to open a clothing boutique in London in addition to her two stores in New York. Christensen currently runs an antique shop and the clothing store, Butik, in Manhattan, and is planning to expand her business with a new shop in Notting Hill.

Says Helena: "Many of our best customers are British, so it makes sense to open our second shop here. Notting Hill would be ideal. "There are just two of us in New York, so it's hard work. But we're keen to move the business on." Butik is Helena Christensen and her life long best friend, Danish flower artist, Leif Sigersen's shop. Filled with their favourite things from Denmark, Sweden and Paris, it's clothing, antiques, candles, lamps, flowers and chocolates. A collection of everything Christensen and her fellow Dane have picked up in their travels. Weird and wonderful, it's a journey through their mind and experiences.

6 June 2007

A model's logo

Kate Moss has teamed up art director Peter Saville, to design a logo for her Topshop collection and perfume, launching later this year. The logo must of course reflect her style icon, hence she isn't taking any chances when it comes to her brand identity.

"Logically, Kate and Storm [Moss' modeling agency] realised there had to be some coherence between the Kate Moss logo and the Kate Moss brand," Saville quipped to WWD, who added he worked with typographer Paul Barnes to design the lettering for Moss' logo, based on a typeface created in the Fifties by the late Harper's Bazaar art director Alexey Brodovitch. "From Kate's point of view, it's her graphic identity — it's a very nice bit of lettering."

And, according to Saville, who is best known for the record sleeves he designed for Joy Division and New Order in the Seventies and Eighties, Moss has her finger on the graphic design pulse, too. "We presented Kate with a dozen possibilities, and [she] agreed immediately on the best one. She was able to spot it for herself."

19 April 2007

Size battle of the vanities

Vanity sizing, the American-coined term for retailers flattering your true measurements with terms such as size zero, is now just as relevant to UK customers. In fact, if you've been flattered by those 29 inch jeans, you may in reality be two sizes bigger, or even more.

According to the Daily Mail, Britain's High Street stores are flattering the vanity of their customers by understating the true measurements of their trousers, according to new research. A study of popular brands revealed that many stores are now making trousers on average three inches wider than is stated on the label. It found that many retailers are being more generous with their sizing as a sales ploy to make customers think they are thinner than they actually are.

And it is not just an American practice, Next, Zara and French Connection are also thought to have favourable sizing discrepancies. Researchers also found that designer names in fashion, such as Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana were guilty of understating the true sizes of their trousers by a couple of inches, although the discrepancy tended to be smaller than at some High Street retailers.

Research by the Sunday Times found that French Connection had the biggest discrepancy in its actual and advertised sizes. On one range of men's slim-fit jeans, a size 30in measured 36in and a size 32in was found to be 37in. Women's jeans were also wider than stated by as much as 4in. According to the most recent National Sizing Survey, 44 per cent of men and 38 per cent of women in the UK are either overweight or obese. The average male measurements are now a 42in chest, 37in waist and 40.5in hips.

Whilst for women, average waist measurements have increased six inches since 1952 and gone up 1.5in in height. Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time, with the implication that manufacturers do so to satisfy the buyer's wish to appear thin . This also means that some customers may have to wear smaller nominal sizes without much change in their body shape. So the next time you go shopping, you might think you've dropped some pounds - but that smaller size doesn't necessarily mean you've lost weight. 

www.fashion-incubator.com
15 April 2007

Big-bottomed girls

It's not just a song from the beloved repertoire by pop group Queen, but also a theme that is taking over the fashion world. The skinny debate is still raging and with inexplicably perfect timing US Vogue – to many the fashion bible – has featured the full-figured actress Jennifer Hudson on its March cover. Not only is she the third ever African-American to front the magazine, she is also the antithesis of everything that Vogue – and the fashion industry at large – have stood for through the ages. For decades women have been taught that the only truly acceptable version of beauty is the slim one. Fuller figures have never been the mark of success…until now, that is. It is hard to believe that Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour would condone anyone over a size 2 gracing the cover of her magazine, but her words are evidence to the contrary. Of Hudson she writes: “ “(She's) also a style icon whose happiness in her own skin is something we can draw strength from. The question of body image is a current one, and I can't think of a more compelling and beautiful argument for the proposition that great fashion looks great on women of all sizes than the sight of Hudson in a Vera Wang dress on the red carpet...” Having a publication like Vogue celebrating the fuller figure in its magazine could help adjust the concept of beauty as it stands.

Less than a decade ago, rake-thin model Gisele Bündchen was held up as the poster child for “voluptuous” curves. Nobody could compete or even compare themselves with that standard. Hudson, who won a Golden Globe for her role in the film Dreamgirls after losing out as a contestant on American Idols, is someone most women can relate to. Vogue may have won a major battle in the war on skinny, but only time will tell how much impact the victory will have.

20 February 2007

Naomi Campbell back on the catwalk

Troubled supermodel Naomi Campbell went back to her roots, and modelled for her friend the designer Julien MacDonald at his AW07 London Fashion Week show on Tuesday. The show, which took place at the Park Lane Hilton, opened with Campbell wearing a fur-trimmed black parka, greeted by a huge applause from the crowd. The show marked a change of direction for MacDonald, who's penchant for uber revealing outfits was complemented by 20's flapper-style dresses, belted pencil skirts, hourglass silhouettes, paired with sequins, opaque tights and black gloves.

There was no sign of PETA and fur protestors, although the designer used plenty of fur in his show – which insiders say may see MacDonald move to show in Milan or Paris, where fur is more acceptable. No doubt the designer will be pleasing the Russian Market, where MacDonald is a hit with the fashionistas.

14 February 2007

Italy launches model license

Runway models in Italy will require a modelling license in order to appear on the world's most glamorous catwalks in an effort to combat the ongoing battle with size zero models deemed too thin to be healthy. After Spain, Italy is the latest country to publicly combat unhealthy disorders and the growing influence of ultra-thin body types. Models booked for the Milan ready-to-wear shows will need a license to walk the runway next season, if Italy's Chamber of Fashion has anything to say about it.

The license will be issued by a committee ranging from nutritionists to city officials, and act as a ‘guarantee' that the model is healthy before she treads on the catwalk and is photographed. The license is just one of the issues of the "ethical code of self-regulation" that was presented to the press on Monday by the Camera della Moda and the mayor of Milan, according to WWD.

The growing concern for underweight models perpetuated by an industry that celebrates thinness is being reverberated around the world, with well-known designers such as Giorgio Armani and celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, also a former model, to speak out against fashion houses using too thin girls with the message that that to be beautiful means being thin, even underweight.

The new rules stipulate that models should be aged 16 or older (Kate Moss was discovered when she was 14 and others as young as 13 have graced the major brand's catwalks.) To ensure optimal health, the code plans to comply with a Body Mass Index of 18.5, set by the World Health Organization. However, the Italian code takes into account geographical and ethnic factors that may define different body types.

The ethnic-geographic consideration had been overlooked by Spanish fashion industry officials, who last season banned superskinny models from the Madrid runways. Madrid was both ridiculed and praised when it gained headlines around the world by drawing attention to the connection between fashion and the risks of eating disorders by reinforcing the World Health Organization's Body Mass Index. But the Italian code points out: "We cannot limit ourselves to numerical parameters or preset formulas. For this reason, a personalized analysis is necessary."

www.cameramoda.it
19 December 2006

Black lace and promises

If Kate Moss and her rocker boyfriend Pete Doherty do eventually make it down the isle, the bride will reportedly, and most appropriately, be wearing black lace. The supermodel is said to have asked her personal friend, designer Alexander McQueen, to design her wedding dress. When McQueen married his partner George Forsyth in 2000, Kate was a bridesmaid at his wedding.

According to News of the World, McQueen said the creation will be “traditional with a modern unique twist.” A friend of the designer is reported to have said that “it's every designer's dream to be responsible for that dress.” Doherty's detractors- who are legion due to his hard living and drug abuse – will undoubtedly find the choice of black lace ironic. Many believe Moss, who is the mother of a young daughter, is being self-destructive in her choice of partner, particularly in light of her own problems with addiction.

As yet, a wedding date has not been made public.

15 November 2006

Campaign Kate

Kate Moss is everywhere. You can't turn a page in any reputable fashion glossy without seeing the Croydon beauty fronting a campaign or being the subject of photographs taken by always-hungry paparazzi, who intrinsically follow her every move. But to some degree, this is very much premeditated. Kate is riding the wave of her popularity and this season is the face of a record 14 advertising campaigns.

Whoever said we'd seen the last of Kate most definitely got it wrong. To start, a new campaign this season sees Kate modeling jewellery for Yurman. But that's just the start. She's got it in the bag with an ad for Louis Vuitton. The model's £11 million annual income is now believed to have tripled to more than £30 million. An advert for Virgin Mobile made a joke of the fact that Moss had lost lucrative contracts following accusations of cocaine abuse.

But her friends stuck by her, and Kate also been signed as the face of pal Stella McCartney's fashion label. Sales of popular cosmetics brand Rimmel have risen 20 per cent each year since it signed Moss in 2001. No stranger to the photographer's lens, Moss bared all in a recent ad campaign for Nikon cameras. She also stripped off for Longchamp with just a strategically-placed leather bag to hide her modesty.

Kate's contract to model Christian Dior accessories was worth a cool $3 million. And she negotiated the same sum when she slipped into a pair of skinny jeans for Calvin Klein. Of course, not one to do things by halves, she proves diamonds are a girl's best friend as she gets glammed-up to model Bulgari jewellery.

Burberry re-signed Kate this season, paying her a reported $3 million, to be the face of their iconic fashion label in an attempt to distance themselves from their association with chav culture. In another great British advert, Moss wraps up warm for a rather windy shoot for a Belstaff womenswear. Her latest ad for Agent Provocateur will no doubt send sales of sexy underwear soaring. In this latest ad, Kate also starred in a mini movie, which was revealed in four parts on the Agent Provocateur website. Next season will see Kate unveil her collaboration with TopShop. And the wave she's riding shows no sign of crashing.

30 October 2006

Size zero debate continues

Size zero models could be replaced in fashion magazines by "real-sized" women under plans for a media code of conduct to curb rising rates of eating disorders among the young. Fashion industry figures have joined magazine and newspaper editors to tackle the trend of rake-thin models being portrayed as the perfect shape. The moves come as part of a proposed £1 million package of measures to promote healthy body image.

The funding, which would be spread over four years, follows a parliamentary inquiry into body image which found young people wanted to see normal body sizes and shapes. Recent studies show that 81 per cent of women feel the media portray an unrealistic standard of beauty.

Media focus on obesity and weight issues has also been blamed for an alarming number of children being admitted to hospital with anorexia and bulimia. The Age recently revealed a three-fold rise in hospital admissions for children as young as 10 in the past two years.

30 October 2006

Pete Doherty to follow in Kate Moss' footsteps

British rocker and bad-boy Pete Doherty is following in the steps of model girlfriend Kate Moss and is close to sealing a deal to design clothes for trendy Manchester label Gio-Goi. The deal, which insiders say could be announced this week, would come only days after Moss landed herself a deal to design a collection for Topshop, the British high street fashion chain.

Gio-Goi co-founder Anthony Donnelly, reached by Reuters by phone, remained tight-lipped. He said the group would hold a news conference on Wednesday but he would not give any clues as to its agenda. British newspaper the Daily Mirror, citing a fashion source, said on Wednesday that the 27-year-old Babyshambles frontman, who was recently discharged from rehab, would design and model a range of clothes for the label.

Gio-Goi, a cult 1990s fashion label, was a big hit in the electronic music scene. The label was re-launched in 2005 and is again dressing members of the music industry such as Doherty, The Streets, Arctic Monkeys or the Paddingtons. Gio-Goi has dressed a host of British rockers in the past including The Rolling Stones, Happy Mondays, Oasis, New Order, and Primal Scream.

www.gio-goi.com
30 September 2006

Kate Moss trebles income

Kate Moss has trebled her income according to the Daily Mail, since the cocaine scandal nearly a year ago. Moss' GBP11 million annual income is now believed to have tripled to more than 30 million in a time when the fashion world was divided when photographs of Kate allegedly using drugs were published. Some advertisers dropped her; others stood by her. But after 12 months, the scandal seems to have boosted her career with a host of international contracts worth between $1million and $3 million each for prestige brands Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Calvin Klein and Christian Dior.

Fashion experts said the scandal has had an amazing effect. Marina Marzotto at Propaganda GEM said: "Good or bad, the cocaine scandal reinforced her notoriety. She's come out the other end of the celebrity meat grinder stronger than ever, just by being herself."

New York retail analyst Jim Hurley said: "She's like the goose that laid the golden egg. Everyone wants her." The once gawky teenager, spotted at JFK airport in New York by Storm model agency founder Sarah Doukas now has the power to lend cult status to any brand - from Bulgari jewellery to Virgin Mobile phones.

Sales of Coty's Rimmel have risen 20 per cent each year since it signed Moss in 2001. Last week, Moss was photographed clutching £2.99 Superdrug charity bag - sales have since shot up 10-fold. "Moss is 32 years old in a slavishly ageist industry yet she adds an edgy cool factor to high-profile brands like Virgin and Rimmel. I can't think of any other celebrity who has been the face of so many campaigns at once."

22 September 2006

Gisele the face of RED

Brazilian supermodel Gisele has come out of seasoned retirement to be the new face of RED American Express Card. The model, who has posed for every trend from D&G corset dresses to Balenciaga motorcycle bags, says she is most proud of her recent ads. The campaign for Red, according to Style magazine, is the only reason the model came out of a season of retirement: “I had decided I wasn't going to do anything,” Gisele said. “But this was so great -the whole idea - I have to do this.”

Sine Red was first launched with Bono and Scarlett Johansson back in February this year, the awareness has been growing steadily. What seized everyone's attention was the cooperating labels such as Gap, Emporio Armani, Convers, American Express, were saying buy what you like, knowing a percentage of your purchase will help someone along the way. Red, however, shouldn't be mistaken as a charity, says a spokesman for the campaign. Rather, it is an economic initiative that aims to deliver a sustainable low of money.

www.joinred.com
24 September 2006

Size 0 models cause catwalk frenzy

One of the main backers of London Fashion Week, Marks & Spencer, has rejected calls for restrictions on the size of catwalk models, saying it was for designers to decide the type of models they wanted. With the capital gearing up for an annual week of high fashion and celebrity and the debate raging about whether 'super-thin' models should be banned because of the message they send to young girls, Stuart Rose said people had to be given creative freedom.

His interjection comes after the mayor of Milan said that she would be seeking to ban women with a body mass index of less than 18, a figure which is considered to be officially underweight. She was following the lead of the Spanish, who recently introduced restrictions on models for the Madrid fashion show. The British Fashion Council, of which Rose is the chairman, has already rejected any restrictions.

'It is not a question about size specifically,' Rose said. 'It is question about health.' He argued that the mayor of Madrid may have overreacted, and that this was not an appropriate area of the business for legislation or bringing in external restrictions. 'I am very wary of knee-jerk reactions. There is a debate, of course, just as there is at the moment about obesity, but the designers are not uncaring and we have to leave it to their own common sense. Nobody would want to use a model who was unhealthy. I would say there has been a bit of a over-reaction.'

As the leading agencies in the capital nominate hundreds of slim young models for hectic final casting sessions for the week ahead, many of the designers are happy to back the British Fashion Council's view that no one should meddle with the process of organising a show.

This year's London Fashion Week has been revived by its Marks & Spencer sponsorship. The high-street commercial giant has provided the cash to pay for a series of top name models to promote and appear at the shows. Chief of these is the lofty and super-slim Erin O'Connor, best known for her part in the latest successful M&S advertising campaign.

www.marksandspencer.co.uk
18 September 2006

Elle Macpherson on board of surfwear brand

Elle Macpherson, the supermodel, is to join the board of Hot Tuna, the Aim-listed surfwear brand, as an executive director. Macpherson will be granted shares and options in the company worth more than £2m at current prices. She will attend all Hot Tuna's board meetings and advise the company on product development, brand positioning and sales strategy.

"I believe this to be a maverick and dynamic union," said Macpherson, who has signed a two-year contract with the company.

9 July 2006

No model behaviour

What is it with models these days? It’s been a violent week and no model behaviour in the land of the beautiful. The Guardian reported that last week Danish Victoria's Secret star May Anderson was wrestled off Martinair Flight 643 charged with battery, resisting arrest and disorderly intoxication, after she allegedly hit an air stewardess en route from Amsterdam to Miami.

To continue the Scandinavian trend, Swedish supermodel Marzena Kamizela started dancing on her seat in the middle of a flight from Heathrow to New York last weekend. This activity was only brought to an end by the alleged intervention of former England and Manchester City full-back Danny Mills.
 
Tatyana Simanava became the third model involved in violence this week when, on the way to a Staten Island photo shoot, the Russian dislocated her shoulder, broke her arm and damaged her $20K (estimated) face after mistaking the emergency exit on her coach for a toilet door, and hitting the motorway at 40mph. "I am not angry, but I would like that there are some changes made, so that nothing like this can happen again," she said from her hospital bed.
So where does all this aggressive behaviour come from, you may ask? As the Guardian aptly points out, these models are hungry. Very, very hungry. It's not easy being beautiful - underneath that handsome surface lies a steaming pit of insecurity, wrapped in compliments, cloaked in couture. It's difficult to stand out, to make a name for yourself. And so, when Naomi Campbell was first arrested for assault with a telephone, her gorgeous peers may have pricked up their ears.

When, after attending anger-management classes, Campbell was investigated for a further five attacks, and stepped out in a "Naomi Beat Me ... And I Love It" T-shirt, the models sharpened their nails and got livid. Models get angry because rage turns them super. In fact, expect more carnage before the year is out. We can’t wait until London Fashion Week.

17 May 2006

Royalty marries former CK model

Prince Charles' stepdaughter Laura Parker Bowles, the gallery manager at Eleven Fine Art, married Harry Lopes, a former Calvin Klein underwear model, at the 11th Century church of St Cyriacs in a small Wiltshire village last Saturday.

Camilla witnessed the nuptials in the company of Prince Charles and his sons Princes William and Harry in a church in Wiltshire. Prince William's girlfriend Kate Middleton was also there. Accountant and former underwear model and pin-up Lopes, 29, had been courting Parker Bowles, 28, for 10 years.

Kate Moss to launch own label

Kate Moss, possibly the world’s most stylist model, is to launch her own fashion label, according to this week’s Grazia, London’s weekly glossy magazine.
The report states that Ms Moss, who this week attended the AngloMania launch at the MOMA in New York, is to use her knowledge of the fashion industry and combine it with her zest for trends to design her own label.

According to Grazia, Kate said: “she knows what women want” and knows how to use her name, face and knowledge of fashion to market herself as a brand in its own right. We think Kate has as much potential behind the catwalk as on it, and look forward to seeing her first collection.

Helena Christensen new face of Ultimo

Helena Christensen was yesterday unveiled as the new face of lingerie line Ultimo. The Danish supermodel follows in the footsteps of models Penny Lancaster and Rachel Hunter in representing the brand.

Michelle Mone, founder of MJM International, which produces the popular bras, said Ms Christensen always looked "amazing". The model said she was happy to be working for Ms Mone, who has transformed her Glasgow-based firm into a multi-million pound empire. Ms Christensen, 37, said: "I am delighted to be the new face and body of Ultimo and I am looking forward to the campaign."

Kate Moss celebrates Burberry's 150th birthday

Burberry's Autumn/Winter 06 catwalk show in Milan this week was a celebration of its 150th anniversary - and the British fashion house even managed to persuade Kate Moss, in her first high-profile public appearance since last September's drug scandal, to join the party.

Wearing a black backless dress and a quilted leather jacket, Moss arrived at her front-row seat to be bombarded by paparazzi, but seemed composed and cheerful, posing for pictures and whispering to her friend, the photographer Mario Testino, who sat alongside. Rumour has it that Kate will make a ‘re-appearance' in the new Burberry campaign. It's as if she's never been away!

Not so kooky Kate

It has to be said, Kate Moss is on great form if the recent cover of Vogue is anything to go by. The media frenzy surrounding her detox and dating the young aristocratic models mustn't have made life easy for the stunning 31-year old.

Stella McCartney certainly kept her faith and her new ads featuring a svelte Kate Moss are beautiful shot. As are the ads for Longchamp Paris (Kate looks almost angelic, holding a leather/canvas bag) and of course the now infamous Roberto Cavalli photos of a gloriously tanned Ms Moss wearing very little a la Tarzan's Jane in the first campaign she shot after re-hab. No wonder Vogue has dubbed Kate their favourite pin-up. She really does look good in everything.

Project Catwalk on Sky

Up and coming models and designers will jostle for the limelight with Liz Hurley hosting Sky One's Project Catwalk.

The television show, which runs on Thursdays at 8pm, whittles down 12 designers to three – the winners who will get to present their collections at London Fashion Week in February.
The winner will also receive £20,000, a mentorship with the Topshop design team and a spread in Elle magazine.
Expect plenty of cat-fighting on the catwalk!

Scarlett Johansson new face of L'Oreal

L'Oréal Paris this week appointed Scarlet Johansson to be the face of its new cosmetics line called HIP, or High Intensity Pigments. The new beauty line is aimed at bringing shoppers back to drugstores. The contract is set to earn the actress $3 million a year. The fair-skinned, plump-lipped beauty will first appear in HIP TV ads during the Golden Globes telecast that will air January 16.

What a year for Kate

Despite having suffered a terrible summer in the scrutinised eyes of the media, Kate Moss has risen high above the tabloid press. In terms of fashion, she made popular several looks such as skinny jeans and city sorts and waistcoats, all which soon turned into public consumption and widespread trends. Next, she was presented with a Council of Fashion Designers of America award for Fashion Influence.

And the recent photographs of Kate shooting new campaigns for Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney and Rimmel show that she is the same style icon before the cocaine scandal this summer. Now fresh out of rehab, the sex, drugs and rock ‘n' roll have only served to cement Moss' position as the fashion inspiration of a generation.

Celebrities rally around Kate

In the wake of her alleged cocaine scandal Kate Moss may have lost some lucrative contracts with the likes of Burberry and Chanel, but she can be assured of some great lasting friendships. Photographer Mario Testino defended the supermodel, saying he had never seen her “debauched or out of control.” “I know Kate very well and I don't think she's at all tormented, torrid, depressed,” Testino said on BBC radio.

Danish supermodel turned photographer Helena Christensen also leapt to her defense. “Kate is going to come back, she is going to be super-strong again,” she told Reuters. “Everybody is going to want her again because she is that kind of person. She is very professional and she's beautiful and she is someone who is going to be around forever.” Christensen went on to criticize the press for building people up simply to pull them back down again. Sharon Stone also spoke out in support of Moss, who is currently residing in the US.

24 October 2005

Team Moss

She may have horrified luxury houses like Burberry with her alleged cocaine habit, but Kate Moss has once again inspired others in the fashion world. Commercially-minded retailers know that La Moss still sells. Spreadshirt is selling tote bags (£14.20) and T-shirts (from £14.90) sporting the slogans Fashion Victim, Dreaming of a White Xmas and Free Cocaine Kate.

Also by the same design team are badges with Pop Art-style drawings of the scorned supermodel. “Torn at by the tabloids, bloodied by the broadsheets, its time to kick against the pricks. Get your ass behind the leader of the party-hard generation.Vote Moss” commands the Palakon website, which offers black and pink ‘Vote Moss' t-shirts.

www.palakon.co.uk
www.spreadshirt.net
17 October 2005

Miss Selfridge and Premier in model search

Miss Selfridge and Premier Model Management have teamed up for annual model contest 'Miss Selfridge 2005'. Throughout September Premier scouts visit stores across the UK, with cities targeted including London, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.

The winner, chosen from 12 finalists at a grand final event in Leeds on October 26, receives a contract with Premier and is photographed exclusively for young women's title B, plus takes home a £500 Miss Selfridge wardrobe, a Canon digital IXUS camera and a SELPHY compact photo printer.

13 September 2005

Shop Pammy-style

Beach babe extraordinaire Pamela Anderson has launched an accessory line which is now availble across Europe. The new Pamela Anderson Collection consists of three separate ranges. There is the Winter Beach range, which harks back to her days at the beach. Star is a range with a big rock influence and Sensuality represents the Pam of today.

"My lifestyle is always changing, one minute I'm a beach babe, the next a rock chick and the next a mom of two at home in Malibu," says Pamela. "Thanks to my collection of accessories, wherever I am or whatever I am doing - I always look great." The bags - for which Pammy has refused to use real leather - are available in bronze, shimmering or dusty pink, and blasted denim. They sell for between £20 and £60.

13 July 2005

All about Elle

Only last week Elle Macpherson announced her split from her partner of nine years and the father of her two boys, Arkie Busson, and people are already speculating about her love life.

Aside from rumours surrounding her friendship with Irish filmstar Colin Farrell, she has been spotted with actor Al Pacino. According to the New York Post the Australian beauty was seen on a date with the diminutive actor at Il Sole restaurant in LA. The paper's source said the dinner was "definitely romantic". Pacino's representatives have declined to comment.

4 July 2005

Atomic model

Atomic Kitten singer Jenny Frost will be the face of designer Julien Macdonald's new line for Kotex underwear.n The gorgeous 26-year-old is planning to release her debut singel Crash Landing in August, but also has a contract with Premiere Models.

A source told the Daily Mirror: "Julian thinks Jenny has been one of the most exciting girls in the charts. He says she's very sexy with a great look. Jenny's spent the past week being measured up by Julien and his team and they're putting the final touches to the range at the moment."

20 June 2005

Bundchen new face of St John

For 22 years Kelly Gray has been the face of California-based fashion house, St John. Relinquishing that role to continue acting as creative designer for the label, she makes way for ubermodel Gisele "the body" Bundchen.

St John's new ceo, Richard Cohen, said that the firm's choice for Gisele was a step towards repositioning the label in the designer category. David Lipman, the head of the agency responsible for the ad campaign, which was shot by Mario Testino, said: "Califormia is where it begins. The wide-open spaces, the sunshine and the infinite possibilities. Gisele is the personification of those things."

St John was founded in 1962 by Kelly Gray's parents, Bob and Marie Gray. They sold the company to Vestar Capital for $420 million in 1999. The Grays retained a minority stake. Meanwhile Mary Gray has signed on for another year as head designer.

16 June 2005

Elle's a winner

Supermodel Elle Macpherson has won the Entrepreneur of the Year award for her hit lingerie line. She received the award at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in Berkeley Square in London. Macpherson was delighted with the accolade. "I've never won anything in my 23-year career. Not for TV, not for films and not for modeling - I'm moved."

Other winners that night included designer Alice Temperley and Dame Kelly Holmes, who was pronounced Sportswoman of the Year. Celebrities such as Teri Hatcher, Usher, Kim Cattrall and Laura Bailey attended the event.

13 June 2005

Thief steals Naomi Campbell's jewellery

Naomi Campbell had her 35th birthday ruined after a thief stole more than £25,000 of jewels and clothes earmarked for a charity auction. The thief sneaked on board her yacht at the Cannes film festival by telling guards he was one of her entourage.

He searched the cabins before literally striking gold in the supermodel's room. Ms Campbell immediately arranged for replacement items to be flown out to make sure the Nelson Mandela Foundation didn't lose out. Nationwide, the biggest building society, believes the property market will stagnate by the end of the year. Previously it had forecast a 2% rise in house prices by the end of the year. This figure has now been revised to between 0% and 2%.

The society said it believed there would be a 'soft landing' for the housing market. It reported net mortgage lending had fallen to £10.9bn in the year to 4 April against £13.2bn last time.

20 May 2005

Models on a roll

Plans are on the horizon for the world's first ever wheelchair fashion show. After the Paralympics, this is only a natural progression.

Next week, designers Nicole Miller, Lloyd Klein, Heatherette and Miguel Pena will join wheelchair-bound women to discuss the organisation of such a show. The meeting, which is sponsored by Discovery Through Design and the MUSE organisation, will plan the Rolling With Style show. It is a benefit featuring designer wheelchairs and wheelchair-friendly fashion by New York designers.

Discovery Through Design is an organisation that rewards accomplishments by wheelchair-bound women. It was founded by women with spinal injuries and it helps all wheelchair-bound women by promoting creativity and increased quality of life.

18 May 2005

Supermodel overcomes bankruptcy

How did the famous 90s model Maggie Rizer become overweight and bankrupt, earning an estimated $30,000 a day model, amassing a $7 million fortune? The supermodel, who graced the covers of Vogue, Prada and Calvin Klein ad campaigns, saw her fortune being gambled away by her stepfather, John Breen, who managed her accounts. Breen, who has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud, spent his days at a local pub, betting away on lottery tickets, and hiding his alcohol and gambling addiction from his step-daughter.

Rizer reacted by stopping with exercising and dieting on pizza and cocktails She went up from a size six to a size ten and was no longer in demand with her modelling agency IMG. Today, however, she has lost the weight and has already done a catwalk show for Hugo by Hugo Boss. IMG have taken her back on their books and are promoting her to reclaim her place at the pinnacle of the fashion world, where she once stood.

13 May 2005

Helena Christensen opens New York boutique

Danish-born supermodel cum photographer Helena Christensen has opened Butik, at 605 Hudson Street in New York. The 900 square foot shop stocks Christensen's favourite things, a quirky mix of vintage, new, and specialty Danish goods. Or, in Helena's words: "everything strange and weird and wonderful and aesthetic and antique and new."

Covetable items include a jacket by Rutzou with a self belt covered in a handful of buttons and a fabric flower near the lapel. Capelets from Baum und Pferdgarten, a popular brand based in Copenhagen, look like something an old-fashioned doll would wear. More modern are Iven Hoj's finely knit sweaters, Camilla Staerk's black silk dresses and Norgaard Paa Stroget's simple maritime shirts for men and women.

Butik, 605 Hudson Street, New York, NY

27 April 2005

Heidi pregnant again?

German supermodel Heidi Klum is rumoured to be pregnant with her second child. She is engaged to the father, singer Seal, and the two have bought a $4.3 million house in Beverly Hills.

Seal reportedly gets on very well with his soon to be stepdaughter, eleven-month-old Leni, and has even dedicated his last album to her. Leni's biological father is Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore, who is reknowned for dating supermodels like Klum and Naomi Campbell.

15 March 2005

Capricious Naomi

The fashion world appears to finally be losing its patience with whimsical Naomi Campbell. At London Fashion Week she managed to hold up the shows by arriving over an hour late. She was blamed for delaying both the Julien MacDonald as the Gharani Strok show. Tempers flared while she kept everyone waiting.

Co-designer for Gharani Strok, Nagress Gharani, told the Irish Examiner: "I think (she) probably woke up and decided she wasn't in the mood to do it. By the time her agent had talked her into coming, everyone had been waiting for her for ages. We were almost at the point of going ahead without her. I was thinking to myself that she just wasn't worth the hassle."

When Naomi finally arrived at the show she was very apologetic. This situation begs the question: Why does anyone still bother to wait for Ms Campbell, who appears to care less about anyone but herself?

21 February 2005

Million dollar baby

Last week a portrait of supermodel Kate Moss by Lucian Freud sold for GBP3.9 million. An anonymous telephone bidder bought the painting, titled "Naked Portrait 2002", at auction at Christie's in London after a heated bidding match.

Moss, who had once announced that it was her life's ambition to be portraited by the German born Freud, sat for the artist for months. She was pregnant with her daughter Lila Grace during the sittings.

Another painting by Freud, "A Red-Haired Man on a Chair" sold for GBP4.15 million. A spokeswoman for Christie's told Yahoo: "We are delighted with the results of th sale of the two works by Freud, painted exactly 40 years apart."

14 February 2005

Modeling Drew

The latest Hollywood star to join the ranks of models with lucrative contracts with cosmetic's giants is Drew Barrymore. The star and producer of the Charlie's Angels films has been persuaded by her good friend, make-up artist Gucci Westman, to be one of the faces of Lancome's spring 2005 line, French Riviera.

The campaign sees Drew posing naked, wearing only Lancome make-up applied by Westman. When Drew saw the collection, she responded: "What could be more beautiful than colour like this?"

www.lancome.com
18 January 2005

The ultimate cover girl

Supermodel Cindy Crawford is back as cover girl for the February edition of UK Vogue. Eighteen years after her first cover and about to turn 39 on February 20th, the woman who defined the term 'supermodel' is back gracing the cover of one of the most important fashion magazines.

After two children, Cindy still has what it takes to attract readers. Crawford is not simply a beauty, but has always been known for her business prowess, trying her hand at acting, presenting for MTV and producing fitness videos. Her newest project is to develop a skincare line. UK Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman is delighted with the new cover. "It's the ultimate pinup girl doing pinup pictures," she said.

www.vogue.co.uk
11 January 2005

Kate Moss back with ex

Kate Moss, after a string of high-profile romances, is back with Jefferson Hack. Hack, who is the father of their two-year old daughter Lila, has been patient for over a year waiting for Kate to 'come back.'

Magazine owner Hack has reportedly told friends that they are to give their romance another go after spending a relaxing family Christmas together at Kate's 2 million pound home in the Cotswolds.

31 December 2004

Moss painting worth millions

A painting of supermodel Kate Moss, painted by artist Lucian Freud, is expected to sell for GBP3.5 million. The painting, which depicts Kate in naked splendour while pregnant with her daughter Lila Grace in 2002 is to be auctioned by Christie's in London in February.

The auction house revealed that the painting is being sold by a private art collector who bought the painting soon after its completion. Freud asked Kate to pose for him after she had admitted that sitting for Freud was something she definitely wanted to do.

21 December 2004

Beauty versus Bill

Fashion's darling Naomi Campbell has been caught in yet another feud. This time at her ex-boyfriend's Cipriani restaurant in London. Dining with current beau Usher, Campbell reportedly lost her temper when presented with the bill, and claimed she shouldn't have to pay because the restaurant is owned by her ex, Flavio Briatore.

In the end Flavio was called and he told staff to waive the bill. But there was anger that she'd got away with being so rude and not having to pay. Campbell's spokesman says, "There wasn't an argument. When the bill came, Naomi said Flavio was taking care of it as agreed."

1 December 2004

Juicy Barbie

You know you've made it when Mattel decides to immortalize you as Barbie. If the balance sheets hadn't already proved this fact to the LA brand Juicy Couture, Barbie has.

Juicy Couture founder Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash Taylor join the ranks of legendary designers like Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani, who all got to dress the plastic beauty. The dolls were even made to look like the duo. Skaist-Levy's blonde hair was copied for one of the dolls, while the other sported Taylor's brunette do. The buxom, narrow-hipped icons sport terry-cloth hoodies and pants, or in the case of the Skaist-Levy doll, a skirt. The latter is even accompanied by her little pooch.

The Juicy Couture Barbies were revealed in Las Vegas, where the first Juicy store opened four days ago.

24 November 2004

Heidi Klum on modelling

German supermodel Heidi Klum is sharing her modelling experience with young girls who want to enter the profession. The 31-year-old beauty says that contrary to what most people might think, modelling is not particularly glamorous. It is hard work and can be detrimental to a young girl's self-esteem. As a model you are a commodity, which is not very good for the ego. And if a stunning, successful model like Klum can suffer at the hands of the industry, imagine how it is for young girls who still have to find their way.

Klum also took the opportunity to crush rumours of an upcoming marriage to rock star boyfriend Seal. She pointed out that her marriage to Ric Pipino had been enough to satisfy all her romantic needs. "I was married and I have no regrets, but the good thing is that I have done that. A lot of my girlfriends are still dreaming of the white dress and the beautiful cake. I don't have to fulfil that dream anymore."

9 November 2004

Supermodel duped by dad

With family like this who needs enemies? Supermodel Maggie Rizer's father has just pleaded guilty to defrauding his daughter of $ 7 million. John Breen, who is in fact Rizer's stepfather, pleaded guilty to felony counts of first, second- and third-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheming to defraud and two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument.

Rizer, who enjoys a good relationship with Breen, had put him in charge of her finances. She was aware of his gambling and alcohol addictions, especially when faced with the fact that he gambled away the family's life savings of $80,000 during a five-day gambling spree. However, the extent of his problems has only just surfaced.

Breen will be sentenced on 3 January. In the meantime, Rizer is doing her best to pick up the pieces and is working hard at her career.

28 October 2004

Naomi's latest love

Supermodel Naomi Campbell appears to have found a new love. Rumours had been flying around about her and the 26-year-old R&B star, Usher. The stories seemed to be confirmed when they arrived at his birthday party at the Rainbow Room in New York two weeks ago. They flirted outrageously with each other on the red carpet before entering the premises to party with the likes of P.Diddy and Donald Trump.

19 October 2004

Naked Charity

Supermodel Kate Moss and the Duchess of York are to appear in a new book to raise funds for Elton John's AIDS Foundation. They are among fourteen famous women who have been asked to model naked for a book by Jimmy Choo-owner Tamara Mellon.

All the women featured in it will be wearing nothing but Cartier jewellery and Jimmy Choo shoes and will be photographed by female photographers. Model Rachel Hunter and actress Lara Flynn Boyle are among the women who have been invited to work on the project. The book is being published by the London-based Scriptum Editions and will be on bookshelves early next year.

19 October 2004

Moss new muse for shoes

The British supermodel is the latest muse of Terry de Havillard, the British cobbler and self-titled "rock 'n' roll cobbler". In the seventies he created platform shoes for international super celebrities like Jackie Onassis and Bianca Jagger. These shoes will now sell at auction for up to £800 per pair.

Having disappeared for a while back in the eighties, he is now ready to conquer the fashion world again with a new line of shoes in the image of today's celebrities. He has already made a pair of shoes resembling Debbie Harry, and a pair in the image of David Bowie. His plans for the Kate Moss shoe are to design a bow across the foot in the shape of her lips, the sole in the shape of her body, and into the sole the image of her face will be etched. Therefore, when you walk where you could leave in imprint, in mud, snow or sand, her face would be visible. When these shoes will be available is not yet clear, but we await their arrival eagerly.

14 October 2004

Milla says "I don't"

The topmodel and actress Milla Jovovich has expressed concern that the hectic pace of her career is keeping her from getting married. She and her long-term boyfriend, director Paul Anderson have agreed that marriage is not in the cards for them. At least, not for the time being.

Although Milla claims the couple is very much in love, their conflicting film schedules have managed to keep them apart for the past eight months. And the pace shows no sign of slowing down.

www.vogue.com
12 October 2004

Supermodel launches clothing collection

Eva Herzigova, the Czech supermodel famous for her Wonderbra ads, has unveiled her first collection in Paris.

Eva is one of a number of celebrities who are lending their name to fashion brands. Although the blonde beauty already launched a swimwear line a year ago, it never reached the same heights of popularity as Christy Turlington's yoga line, Nuala or Jennifer Lopez's J.Lo brand. However, the supermodel has now expanded into clothes and shoes, and plans to venture further into sunglasses, bags, body products and perhaps even a spa.

She expressed her ambitions for her business venture when interviewed by news service Reuters in Paris. Eva does not fear the competition of other designers, attributing her advantage to the fact that she has control over her product. She does not intend to simply lend her name to it, but is involved in the creative process.

6 October 2004

Heidi Klum Fit For Secret

Supermodel Heidi Klum got back to her super glamorous figure just one month after she gave birth to her daughter Leni, and it was her 1.8 million pound deal with lingerie giants 'Victoria's Secret, which inspired her to do that, reports The Sun. The 31-year-old model is a regular on the Victoria's Secret catalogue, which also includes models like Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks.

29 September 2004

Naomi Campbell: No Model Behaviour

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is being sued for assault by a former assistant only days after her housekeeper went to the police because of an alleged beating. Simone Craig stated she was held hostage by Campbell in a Los Angeles hotel back in 2001. The ex-assistant wants a cool couple of million for suffering "psychological and emotional damage." Campbell's housekeeper, Millicent Burton, ran to New York police only last week with accusations that Campbell brutally slapped her.

13 August 2004

Jerry Hall On Beauty

Jerry Hall has vowed to never have plastic surgery. The model-turned actress recently stated: "that stretched skin, the permanent expression of surprise and trout pout is scary," says the 48 year-old. "It must be psychologically damaging to look younger than you are and have all those weird expressions. It's a sad state of affairs when women feel the need to have plastic surgery in order to get or keep a man. If they need to do that, he's the wrong man."

5 August 2004

Hilary Swank To Y-Front Calvin Klein

Another celebrity is to promote yet another brand. Oscar winning actress Hilary Swank is to be Calvin Klein's new underwear model. Following the footsteps of Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss, she will be the exclusive celebrity model for the upcoming global launch.

>> more Calvin Klein news on FashionUnited
30 March 2004

Girls On film!

Fashionland is having a Hollywood flashback. Remember when Duran Duran performed their 80s smash hit Girls on Film at last year's Fashion Rocks event, Le Bon and the boys were totally in tune with the mood on the spring/summer 2004 catwalks.

'I've been watching a lot of old movies', said Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff after her show during New York Fashion Week. That was obvious. From the tap-dancing Shirley temple to a Fred and Ginger routine, the big-screen references shone through.

At Dior, John Galliano was having a Dietrich moment. His models were swanked up like latter-day movie queens, while the designer took his bows in a silver satin suit and love tipped beret.

At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs was inspired by the golden era of Cleopatra and Miuccia Prada sent out models looking dead ringers for Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Meanwhile, the models at Ungaro carried shiny gold cameras. Get ready for your close-up!

4 February 2004

Celebrities Are The New Supermodels

Celebrities are the new supermodels and they don't come much more celeb-tastic than Jennifer Lopez. With hip hop-inspired street style overtaking the catwalk in terms of influence, retailers increasingly need to keep an eye on what the likes of Jennifer Lopez are sporting.

Jenny from the block or not, walk down an average high street and marvel at the number of girls emulating her style. The bizarre paring of Lopez with Louis Vuitton shows that even the luxury end of the market has recognized her worth.

28 November 2003

Laura Bailey New Face of Jaegar

Model and actress Laura Bailey has followed in the footsteps of 60s icon Audrey Hepburn and is officially the new face of Jaegar, the fashion retailer.

Bailey, 31 will promote the revitalized Jaeger as it embarks on an ambitious global expansion plan. The 120-year-old brand, once famous for its classically British style, is being re-launched under the new ownership of Harold Tillman, the fashion tycoon who bought the company in March.

A picture of Bailey is to be unveiled this week across the front of Jaeger's Brompton Road store in Knightsbridge, London.

12 August 2003

Anouk Lepere ear jewel

Belgian supermodel Anouk Lepere has created her first collection of ear jewelry, a reinvention of the earring. The concept behind her designs is new and clever: no piercing!

One day she found an unusual piece of jewelry in a small shop in Antwerp, the piece is held comfortably behind the back of the ear. When she lost it some years later, she decided to just make one herself with the help of a master craftsman in New York.
Success was immediate, everybody wanted the same earrings, so she decided to launch her own collection. You can get your hands on a pair at the hip Paris department store Colette. We hope these are in better shape than the original pair, and that they'll not get lost.

March 1, 2003
www.anoucklepere.com

Sponsored models give London fashion a lift

London Fashion Week has suffered in the past from a lack of well-known names on the catwalks, partly because Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell do less and less catwalk work and partly because London's reputation as a fashion capital had been waning.

But this year, ten top names are appearing in the shows, thanks to sponsor P & G Beauty. The famous faces include Kirsty Hume, Erin O'Connor, Jasmine Guinness, Jodie Kidd, Jade Parfitt, Valerie Sipp and Adina Fohlin, who will do a minimum of three shows, one of which must be for a new young designer of their choice. P & G Beauty (maker of Olay and Max Factor) puts £2,000 towards the models' expenses, including flights and hotels.

That a top model can make a show is a regrettable truth in the competitive fashion industry, when a designer's clothes should be doing the talking, instead of the models. But the difference a top name makes should not be underestimated. They now all the tricks, are great walkers and of course they are very glamorous. And of course, photographers will certainly choose for a well-known face - it's positive advertising for the designer.

Simon Walker, the famous Times photographer who has been covering the shows for the past ten years, could not agree more. "It's really quite a practical reason," he said in an interview. "They can make an ordinary outfit look great and a great outfit look fantastic. They really know how to work those clothes and how to react to the photographers."

February 20, 2003

Generous Gisele

Top model Gisele Bundchen is to contribute the 150,000 USD she will be paid in a fashion show in Sao Paulo Fashion Week, to a new Brazilian government campaign to fight starvation. Bundchen wants to hand over her fee directly to Brazil's First Lady Marisa Silva. This was reported in the Brazilian newspaper O Globo last Sunday.

The tall blonde is slated to do a show for Ricardo Almeida, a designer who also dresses Brazil's new president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The fashion week started on Monday. Silva has made the fight against hunger the top priority during his four-year term that started on the first of January. The government plans to proclaim details of its "zero hunger" program that is said to cost no less than 700 million USD per year.

"The campaign is very important for the country," O Globo quoted Bundchen. Almeida hopes other celebrities will follow this generous move and donate funds to Brazil's anti-hunger plan.

January 28, 2003

Kristin Scott Thomas stars in Armani campaign

Actress Kristin Scott Thomas (41) has made a new career-move. She will star in Armani's spring/summer 2003 campaign. Scott Thomas, who starred in several movies such as The English Patient and Random Hearts, reckons it will be the beginning and the end of her career as a model.

"I'm not sure what is expected of me", she stated in an interview with the Sunday Times. She's also a bit insecure about her looks: "I keep feeling so old and I don't know whether my bottom looks big in these trousers."

Whether fashion-conscious or not, Giorgio Armani is thrilled with his choice of model. He claims he loves "her British calm and candour". Armani-photographer Paolo Reversi has doubts about Scott Thomas being a model. "I don't think Kristin likes to be a model," he says. "She likes to act, to escape."

However, Kristin Scott Thomas will get plenty of free Armani clothes to provide her with a whole new wardrobe.

December 17, 2002

First ever cybermodel search

America's leading retailer in plus-size fashion Lane Bryant, is searching the country for a new 3D model. The model will feature on the company web site. In the first ever 3D Model Search, Lane Bryant is sponsoring a contest for one of its customers to become the next cyber supermodel.
Eligible plus-size women (size 14+) can enter by visiting the retailer's award winning web site, and creating a 3D model of themselves using me@LB, advanced virtual software.

Me@LB allows customers to try on dozens of outfits on a their 3D twin without ever leaving home. Currently over 500,000 women have created their own personalized 3D models on the Lane Bryant web site by answering a few simple questions about body shape, facial characteristics and hair.

Customers also have the option of using Lane Bryant's own 3D model to "try on" different outfits, if they don't want to create a model of their own. Currently, Lane Bryant's 3D model is based on a real-life Lane Bryant model, Tami. To date, Tami has "tried on" over 5.8 million outfits for customers. Lane Bryant estimates that "try-ons" will double for its new 3D model in 2003 because the company will be launching online shopping in the spring.

"We see gorgeous customers in our stores everyday and feel strongly about launching this search to find a real woman for our new 3D model" states Diane Missel, president of Lane Bryant.

With over 650 stores in the US provides fashion for plus-size women in sizes 14-28. Lane Bryant offers a wide selection of apparel from career and casual to eveningwear-as well as a collection of accessories, hosiery and underwear.

November 21, 2002
www.lanebryant.com