'Nista

Whack-in-Back Hairstyle...

Oh boy. I admit rather freely to having fallen under a spell—though brief and mostly due to an imbalance of seratonin and dopamine in my brain—where I watched TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8. It was usually the best thing on the boob-tube-affixed gym equipment whenever I decided to haul my rather large caboose to the gym. The show's synopsis is short and sweet: Jon and Kate had twins on the first romp; the second bout in the bedroom got some in vitro assistance and then—whip-bam-boom—a batch of sextuplets up and cold changed their lives. The kids (not the parents) became media darlings, and TLC swooped in to cash in on this cute large family. 

And then came the "quirks"...those little personality disorders that might not have presented if never affronted by six screaming babies. Like Kate's acerbic quips and her complete lack of viewing Jon as 1) a man and 2) a father. And then there's Jon...passive aggressive in every way. Watch the marriage unravel while eight cute kids run around, cry, burp, spill things, and yell each other. It's Magic, TLC, pure Magic!

But what's really Magic is Kate's hairstyle. And what I mean by Magic is that it deceives us oh so brilliantly with somewhat normal-appearing front and side slats of frosted highlights, but then, POW! Like a magician who's ultimate illusion goes vewy, vewy wong, we find that rather than him holding high a snow white rabbit, he's wielding a flaming hedgehog. That is the back of Kate's hair.

Working in the beauty industry, I have to say like Hall & Oates: "I can't go for that. Nooooo. No can do." But apparently, Kate looooooooves her style, and her hairstylist fields sooooooo many requests for this hedge-head 'd0. Via Totalbeauty.com (via an interview with EW):

The reality TV super mom (perhaps the precursor to Octomom), claims that her hairdresser gets calls from around the country wanting to know how to emulate the style. Gosselin gushes, “Everybody wants it,” referring to her high-maintenance mane.

(Source: Dlisted.com)

And as if on cue, Oprah brings a little girl by the name of Jordan on her show. The 10-year-old specifically asked for the Kate Gosselin's whack-a-hedgehog mullet. Thankfully, this little girl's hair will grow back and all of the eventual partying and cramming for tests will make this small blip in her beauty blunders disappear forever...

If you haven't had enough prickling of your eyeballs with this tragic bob/mullet/grass creation, check out Buzz Feed's 15 Celebrities That Look Hot With Kate Gosselin's Hair Style. 

I'm personally choosing Jen Anisten as best to rock out this party in the back of her head...

Ode to: Richard Burbridge

Beauty photography makes my heart skip a beat. I've always wanted to create interesting, gorgeous, different beauty images. Those who achieve this feat create images that literally take my breath away.

Today's ode is to photographer Richard Burbridge, who is represented by Art + Commerce. His beauty images are quite simply breathtaking. I find myself drawn to the more fantastical of them—the more far-out, the better. 

(Source: Art + Commerce)

It's the way he brings in some strange, out-of-place element that takes his imagery to a whole new level. 

(Source: Art + Commerce)

I'm not sure if he retouches his own images; some photographers do—they just don't trust their work in another's hands. I can understand that. If he does outsource his photos for retouching, that retoucher is a god. Some people don't like that feel of retouched perfection, perhaps because it lends a hint of falsity to the image. I adore that feel. When done beautifully, a heavily retouched image has a life of its own. In fact, beauty images really require retouching these days to lend them that fantasy feeling so often attributed to beauty.

(Source: Art + Commerce)

Desaturation/heightened saturation, playing up the intensity of certain elements, contorting shadows and highlights—it's all part of the beauty photography game.

Anyway, an ode to Richard Burbridge...

Lost Soles...

(Source: Style.com)

Oh, Project Runway, how we all miss you dearly! So much so, Bravo had to come out with The Fashion Show, which I've only watched one episode of, and felt lacked in so much (mainly: no Tim Gunn). And now there's another show in development: Sole Perspective. 

"Drawing from the design competition elements of shows like Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model, as well as corporate driven marketing challenges from The Apprentice, Sole Perspective will provide a never-before-seen inside look into the world of footwear design and shoemaking, one of the most influential areas of the fashion industry today. In addition, it will leverage the intense drama of a top shelf competition reality format, shepherded by one of the top reality producers in the business.

 

“When I was first presented with the concept for Sole Perspective, I was immediately intrigued” noted Bud Brutsman, Executive Producer and CEO of BCII.  “The shoe industry is the pinnacle of the fashion business. This gives us the opportunity to take TV design competition to a whole new dramatic level, with new on-screen challenges in design and marketing never before attempted by other series.”

Hmmm...interesting. Bud does have a point: Shoes have become increasingly spectacular (see my previous post It's Official, The Shoe Is In), and sometimes outlandish...and the celebrities who seem to be able to afford them (Beyonce, Gwyneth, Mary-Kate, Victoria Beckham) and brave their soaring heights certainly do wear them. I'm personally waiting for my fave pair of boots from the Fall 2009 season by Rodarte to hit the red carpet. If I had to choose a celebrity to brave them, it would be Vicki Posh. But I'm not sure she has a relationship with Rodarte. The girls that wear Rodarte—Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman—they don't seem to have the cojones for such out-there gorgeousness.

(Sources: Style.com)

I, of course, have the cojones to tackle these Rodarte bangers. These boots were made for me! Alas...my bank account begs to differ.

I'm a Cat Lover...

This is hilarious. "I'm her mom." "No she's not."

I Remember When...

...I had four of my permanent teeth pulled when I was a little kid, and after I woke up I could swear I was one of those turtles in Super Mario Bros. For the first 10 or 20 minutes, I kept asking my mom if I was.

So I feel like kindred souls with this kid.

I'm a Scroller, Baby...

Stupid Question: To people really like to click through several web pages?  

Reason I'm asking stupid question: I think it's sort of lame that merch companies ask if you want to "View 12" or "View 60" or "View All"...I mean, duh. I want to "View All." Why would I want to click through a bunch of pages and wait for them to load? I'd rather just scroll down.

There must be some study behind what type of people like "click" and what type like to "scroll."

I'm a scroller.

Where Are They Now...

I can't sleep...so after I make the usual computer website-weblog rounds (Dlisted.com first, followed by Gawker.com, then, if I'm feeling particularly brainy, NYtimes.com), I dilly dally on Jezebel.com, and come across a post about America's Next Top Models: Where are they now? I'm always wondering where the ones I thought should win—or thought had a chance on hitting it big in high fashion—are. 

Contrary to popular belief, ANTM isn't a career squasher—if you possess the high fashion genes. Some of the girls they let onto that show...I mean, come on! They don't have a chance at being anything more than a promotional model for Paulie Girl's Beer! But there are always those few who really do have the look (and, let's not forget, the age) to make it big.

ANYA

(Source via Elite)

Anya from Cycle 10 signed with Elite, even though she didn't win, and is being primed for the big time on their Development Board.

FATIMA

(Source via New York Model Management)

Iman doppleganger and Cycle 10 stunner, Fatima, signed with New York Models and is on their highest board: Editorial.

KATARZYNA (AKA KAT DOLL)

(Source via Elite Paris)

Katarzyna, also from Cycle 10, signed with Elite Models Paris—a fabulous move to build up her portfolio with more cutting-edge editorial images. What I find funny is that they changed her name completely—it's now "Kat Doll." If ever there was a stage name! Anyway...She's found on the Image Board—which I gather is a bit edgier.

So, it would seem Cycle 10 boasted a bunch of "winners"...no?

Aside from ANTM, I already keep a steady eye on model agency websites (for inspiration for work), so as I made the rounds looking at agencies to see how Tyra's kicked-off babes are fairing, I decided to look at some agencies I often use for booking models to see how one of the models I worked with is doing. Her name is Payton, and when I worked with her, she was 14. Very young...but absolutely stunning. Payton was a real trooper and great consummate professional. 

Any-hoot, on the agency website, I saw that they actually used images from the shoot I directed in her portfolio. This is unusual as it seems that not many models want to show they worked in a nail magazine (hey, I guess I can't blame them...). Here's a screen capture:

PAYTON

I made that headpiece...I still have it actually. I wore it for Halloween this year. I didn't look as angelic in it as she did, but I looked pretty darn good. I was a "garden party."

I think the birds added a slightly scary touch to it, don't you think?

But besides how not-as-hot-as-Payton I looked in that headpiece, I was still psyched to see that her agency advised she use images from a shoot I dreamt up. Even if they cut the polishes out of the image—which they did. (I always tell my exec editor not to put the polishes on the same page as the model image, but she won't listen to me! We squabble about it all the time...friendly squabble...but I'm right.)

And look out for Payton. I see big things in her future!

Adventures in Retouching: No. 342...

The scene: New Year's party, friend's house, Lower East Side

The crowd: a mish-mash of 20-somethings and 30 year olds wishing they were 20-something

The convo: models and their "perfect" genes

Of course, I couldn't help myself and interject, telling everyone that, in fact, models, though blessed with "thin + tall" genes, usually have horrible skin. My friend kept saying, "I don't believe it!" I said, "Trust me; I look at their pimples magnified by 1,000 on my laptop when I'm retouching said pimples out of the image."

Which brings me to a trip I took to Ohio recently, for a photo shoot (images to come...have to wait until they are printed in the magazine). On my way back from the trip, what do I spy on my flight? A model—not a top of the top model, but one I regularly see at the Baby Phat show and Chado Ralph Rucci show...and, one that I've retouched before.

Which got me to thinking: How weird is it that I see the insides of these girls' noses? That I take away their mustaches? That I am intimate with their zits and large pores? 

Weird.

Example of retouch magic below...

(Source: Andreea Angelescu for Launchpad)

Weird indeed. I could've walked up to her and said, "You know, you have better skin than most models." Or, "Thank you for tweezing your nose hairs; it helps." But, you know, I didn't...because I have restraint.

Let's Get Off the Celebrity Kick

New Year, New Attitude: I propose fashion magazines stop featuring actresses on their covers and return to their roots by showcasing models on the covers. I mean, we have tabloid and entertainment magazines where actresses can be flaunted.

Russian Vogue gets it.

Paris Vogue gets it—sometimes.

Come on, America. Let go of your celebrity fixation...

Eh, who am I kidding? I love me some Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan shenanigans. 

Project Runway's Kenley: Rip-off Artist?

So, I am obsessed with Project Runway for a few reasons:

1) It's focus is fashion, and I love fashion.

2) It allows you to witness part of the creative process that goes into making clothing.

3) It champions talent, rather than just being another reality show that feeds our voyeristic needs by following a bunch of drunken kids around.

4) It has Tim Gunn.

So I couldn't wait to see last night's finale. I prayed Leanne would win because I love her aesthetic and I like her attitude. I prayed that Kenley would lose because I don't think there's anything too special about her designs—mostly because she re-creates fashions I've already seen and then denies it—and her attitude is pretty stinky. I mean, who gets mad at Tim Gun? 

So, I was pleased when Kenley lost. And, in true Kenley form, she griped and moaned and called "consipiracy"..and when the judges told her, quite bluntly, that she had ripped off not only Alexander McQueen, but also Balenciaga, her retort of "I'm sick and tired of you telling me I am ripping people off! This is like the fourth time you've accused me of it and I'm sick of it!" was completely classic bratty Kenley. Because, I even knew she had ripped off Alexander McQueen, and as was also made clear, ALL fashion editors would know. 

Because my friends and husband (yes, he loves the show) aren't in the fashion industry, I thought I'd send them the referenced designs so they could draw their own conclusions. And, while I'm at it, I thought I'd share them with you too.

RIP-OFF CASE NO. 1: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, FALL 2008

Alexander's version of a pheasant-flocked dress (via style.com)...

...and Kenley's rather inferior version.

RIP-OFF CASE NO. 2: BALENCIAGA, SPRING 2008

Nicolas Ghesquiere's painted floral pompom frock for Balenciaga (via style.com)...

Kenley's eerily similar floral painted pompom dress.

I rest my case.