Model Focus: Diana Moldovan

Her name might not immediately ring a bell, but it’s pretty sure you have seen Diana strutting down one of the many runways each season or striking on one of the huge billboards in the city. This 28 year old Romanian model, known for her doe-eyes and film-noir esque appearance, is growing bigger every year, leading the Romanian fashion pact as no other and captured a sturdy spot in the top 50 models.

It all started in 2006, when she signed a model contract with IMG in New York and Storm Management in London. It catapulted her right away to the top named models; it was even the same year she opened the spring Jil Sander show in Milan and was named as one of eight new girls of the season by WWD magazine. Followed only a year later by V Magazine and Style.com, marking her as one of the seasons hit girls. It turned all eyes on her. The result is an impressive resume packed with glorifying names such as Giorgio Armani, Clarins, Yves Saint Laurent, Blumarine, Cacharel and Chanel and numerous magazine editorials and covers (Vogue! ELLE! Harpers Bazaar!). And when you go looking on Pinterest for beauty images, there’s no doubt you’ll quickly stumble upon her pretty face. Or just Google #modelcrush and you’ll find your way out.

Yep, succes seems to be her middle name right from the moment she started out as a model. For this pretty face the only way is up. On and off duty that is, as in 2006 she won another lot out of the lottery: male model Sean O’Pry (ohlala!).

Model Focus: Imaan Hammam

“If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much.” Excuse our prejudice behaviour, but if you have it why not flaunt it.
And we’re more than proud of this Dutch topmodel coming from Amsterdam. Only eighteen years old and already ruling the biggest fashion shows, campaigns and major magazine shoots that most models could only dream of. She already made it to the cover of American Vogue’s September Issue (Anna Wintour even mentioned the model in her editor’s letter the first time she appeared in the magazine), walked the Victoria’s Secret Runway, was the face of Givenchy and had the privilege to open for Reed Krakoff’ show in New York.These are some of the highlights from her fast growing modelling career that started at the humble age of 14 at Amsterdam Central Station, discovered by an agent from her current agency CODE Management, thanks to her endless legs, eastern looks (a Moroccan mother and Egyptian father) and outstanding features. Along with the fashion world’s expanding of racial diversity there was no doubt about if catapulting her straight to the top, but only a matter of timing. Let’s face it; what could possibly go wrong when having a name reminiscent of powerhouses Iman Abdulmajid and Chanel Iman?

New Face: Daphne Groeneveld

Meet new beauty and upcoming topmodel Daphne Groeneveld. She’s only fifteen years old but is yet conquering the world with her unforgettable lips and classic beauty. She opened the shows of Maxmara and Calvin klein, is the face of MiuMiu’s ad campaign and is said to be on the cover of the November issue of Vogue Paris.

Name: Daphne Groeneveld

Age: 16

Date of Birth: December 24th, 1994

Place of Birth: Leiderdorp, The Netherlands (she’s 100% Dutch)

City: she currently lives in Voorschoten

Discovered: By Bloom Model Management while shopping with her mom.

Breakthrough: 2010; opening the Calvin Klein SS2011 fashion show

Runway debut: Calvin Klein SS2011

Fashion shows: She opened the SS2011 shows of MaxMara en Calvin Klein. She also walked the shows of Marni, Prada, Fendi, Bottega Venata, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Versace and Emilio Pucci.

Covers:  Models.com and Style.com named her as one of the New Faces of SS2011.

Ad campaigns:  MiuMiu

Agencies: Union Models (London), Women (Milan)

Interests: Holidays, dancing (ballet & modern dance), listening to Beyonce & U2.

Favorite piece of clothing: jeans and a little black dress

Personal style: sporty

Obsessed with: Doutzen Kroes

Dreams of: becoming famous and then having her own hotel

Favorite food: Fruit and Italian food

Favorite movie: 2012, by Roland Emmerich

Favorite designers Prada.

Personal motto: I want it, I like it, I do it.

Dutch Models: Lisanne de Jong

Dutch models are doing well at this moment. Out of the ten new faces Style.com selected three were Dutch. These girls are proclaimed to become the new Doutzen Kroes and Lara Stone.

Dutch 19-year-old model Lisanne de Jong did not make it to that top ten, but is actually just as successful as the other girls. She walked shows for Balenciaga and Hervé Leger, she opened the Miu Miu and Max Azria show and in Milan she walked exclusively for Prada. In that Prada show six Dutch Models walked the runway.

Lisanne de Jong proved she’s got more than a pretty face and a good walk; she can pose in front of the camera as well. She is the new face in the Balenciaga and Celine campaign and was photographed in all the new Burberry Prorsum and Missoni clothes for the lookbooks of those brands.

The title of topmodel is getting close…

Topmodel of the Week: Anja Rubik

Name: Anja Rubik
Age:  27 (she turned 27 last Saturday)
Date of Birth:  12 June 1983
Place of Birth: Rzeszow, Poland
Discovered: in a modelling contest in Paris. Her mother sent in her pictures.
City: Anja now lives in New York
Runway debut: Givenchy in Paris, 2000
Fashion shows: Givenchy, Chloe, Proenza Schouler, Hermes, Christian Dior, Valentino, Gucci, Fendi, Missoni, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenzo, and Ralph Lauren.
In 2009 she walked a Victoria’s Secret fashion show.
Covers: Vogue (Germany, Paris), Numero, Elle, V magazine
Vogue named her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
She was on the 3d place in the Top 50 Models Womens List.
Style.com named her the rising star of 2005.
French Vogue featured Anja as a topmodel in 2008
Ad campaigns:  Armani Code, Gucci, Barneys New York, Etro, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Chloe, GAP, Jimmy Choo, Estée Lauder, Dolce & Gabbana, Tod’s, Belstaff, Dsquared, Oscar de la Renta, Fendi.
Tv Commercial: Armani Code
Agencies:  Next
Quotes:
‘I have a ring that brings me luck’
‘I love tea so I always travel with it, like an old grandma’
‘New York is so busy, where I come from it’s rather calm and things change slowly’
‘I like my legs’
‘I hate my lower lip’
Extra:
Anja lived in several countries. She moved from Poland to Greece, Canada and South Africa.
She wanted to finish school before starting a modelling career (and so she did).
Rubik is featured in a 2009 fitness video game for Wii Nintendo.
She talks kind of funny, her lower lip indeed looks strange when she talks. She lisps a bit.
Her photos (covers, ads, editorials) were taken by Inez & Vinoodh many times.
Anja loves scuba diving.

Topmodel of the Week: Lily Cole

This red-haired beauty is not only a great model, she does some acting too and is even still studying at Cambridge University. Though she’s slowing down on the modelling she’s still making the headlines. Like last week when Glamour reported on her finishing her exams and other media spoke of her participation in a search for a new topmodel. Read here why Lily Cole is different from other models…

Name: Lily Cole
Age: 22
Date of Birth: May 19, 1988
Place of Birth: Torquay, England
Discovered: by actor Benjamin Hart at the age of fourteen
Breakthrough: 2003, when Steven Meisel took her picture for Vogue.
Runway debut: Anna Sui
Agencies: d’management (Milan), Marilyn Agency (Paris), Storm (London)
Fashion shows: DKNY, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Louis Vuitton and Hermès.
Last season she opened the fashion show of Hermès
Covers: Playboy, Numero, Vogue
Lily was the youngest model to appear on the cover of the British Vogue at the age of 16.
Ad campaigns: Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Hermès, Cacharel, Accessorize, Rimmel, Prada, Moschino, Tiffany & Co and Longchamp
TV Commercials: Rimmel London make-up
Quotes:

• ‘I’m compared to a doll a lot’
• ‘I’m a student and a model; I get the best of both worlds’
• ‘It’s much nicer to watch a fashion show than to walk in one’

Extra:

• Lily is still studying history at Cambridge University
• She was named Model of the Year at the 2004 British Fashion Awards
• She appeared in a video clip of the Sugababes
• Together with Storm Model Management she is now scouting some New Faces.
• Lily Cole is an actress too, she played in movies like St Trinian’s and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (with Heath Ledger).

Topmodel of the Week: Sasha Pivovarova

Most people know this girl from Prada. She was the face of the brand for three years in a row. Yet this Russian beauty does so much more….

Name: Sasha Pivovarova
Age: 24
Date of Birth:  21 January, 1985
Place of Birth: Moscow, Russia
Discovered: Her friend, photographer Igor Vishnyakov took her picture in 2005 and sent it to IMG modelling agency. She was studying art history back then.

Runway debut: Prada, the brand immediately signed an exclusive three-year contract with Sasha.
Fashion shows: Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Pringle of Scotland, Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Max Mara, PHI, Christian Dior (couture), Elie Saab(couture), Valentino (couture).She opened last season’s (fall/winter 2010/2011)shows for: Jean Paul Gaultier
Covers:  American Vogue, Greek Vogue, Russian Vogue, British Vogue and Australian Vogue.In May 2007 Vogue named her as one of the new ‘supermodels’ together with models like Doutzen Kroes, Jessica Stam and Chanel Iman. As one of the favorite models of Steven Meisel, she appeared on the cover of the Italian Vogue five times.

In 2009 Pivovarova was ranked second on the Models.com top 50, together with Natasha Poly.
Vogue declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
She won the Best International Model award in Shanghai in 2006

Ad campaigns:  Pirelli 2008, Armani, Longchamp, Chanel, H&M, Mulberry

Agencies:  IMG models (NY), Unique (Denmark), Donna Models (Tokyo)

Quotes:

• ‘I was on board  of 148 airline flights in 2008!’
• ’I’m not a person who likes waking up early’

Extra:

• Sasha loves to paint and draw.
• Her paintings have been published in French Vogue.
• She uses anything as a canvas hotel papers, casting and itinerary papers.
• She is working with Miuccia Prada to produce a book of her own artwork.
• She is also illustrating a book for Karl Lagerfeld based on Russian fairy tales.
• She is married to long-time friend and photographer Igor Vishnyakov.
• She practices Kung Fu.
• She recreated her wedding for a Vogue spread
• She has a very strong Russian accent

Topmodel of the Week: Abbey Lee Kershaw

This topmodel from down under is unstoppable. She walks in all the big fashion shows, was a Victoria’s Secret angel twice, was a model for the famous Pirelli calender and did a tv commercial for Gucci. You might wanna read more about this Australian beauty…

Name: Abbey Lee Kershaw
Age: 22
Date of Birth: June 12, 1987
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia
Discovered: While she was on the beach with her grandma in Australia. After that she took part in a modelling competition and won.
Runway debut: Milan, Gucci. She was booked exclusively for Gucci.
City: New York
Fashion shows: almost any fashion brand; one season Abbey walked in 84 shows.
She was a Victoria’s Secret angel for two years (2008 & 2009).
Last season (fall/winter 2010/2011) she opened the shows of Chanel, Michael Kors, Isaac Mizrahi, Issa, John Rocha and Pucci.
Covers:  Australian Vogue, Japanese Vogue, V, Dazed & Confused, Muse, Numéro. In 2008 Style.com named her one of the top ten newcomers.
Abbey Lee is ranked 8th on the Top 50 Models Women list by models.com.
Ad campaigns:  Gucci, D&G, CK Jeans, H&M, Levi’s, Lord & Taylor, See by Chloé, Guilty Brotherhood, Express Jeans and Pirelli Calender 2010.
TV Commercials: Gucci fragrance Flora
Agencies:  Next Management (London, New York, Paris), Chic Management (Sydney), 2pm Model Management (Copenhagen)
Quotes:

• ‘I like my hands. They do most of the talking.’
• ‘Let’s just say, if I weren’t a model, I’d be a walking collage. I see my body as a blank canvas that’s aching to be decorated; I find it all very fascinating.’
• ‘TV will never be something I commit to.’
• ‘I didn’t even know modelling existed as a job’
• ‘In New York you have to be very ambitious to stay ahead of everyone, otherwise you get lost in the crowd.’

Extra:

• Abbey Lee worked in the bakery section at Newmarket Safeway before.
• She has a pierced nose and a pierced nipple.
• During Paris Fashion Week Abbey Lee fainted at the Alexander McQueen runway right before she was to exit the runway.
• She is currently seeing Puerto Rican fashion director, producer, and runway coach Daniel E. Rivera.
• She fell at a spring Rodarte show in New York (2008)
• She had to skip a whole fashion season due to a knee injury.
• She smokes.
• She said no when Alexander McQueen asked her to walk in the spring/summer show in the crazy Armadillo shoes

Topmodel of the week: Chanel Iman

This week we focus on topmodel Chanel Iman. She always wanted to become a model. And with a name like that she did seem destined to work in the world of fashion…

Name: Chanel Iman Robinson (yes, this is her real name!)

Age: 20

Date of Birth: November 30, 1989

Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia

City: she currently lives in New York

Discovered: when she was thirteen years old she was already accepted at a modelling agency.

Breakthrough: 2006, after ending third in the Ford Super Model of the World Contest

Runway debut: 2006 (fall/winter) for: Anna Sui, Derek Lam, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler

Fashion shows: Aquascutum, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, House of Holland, Nathan Jenden, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexis Mabille, Christian Lacroix, Diane von Furstenberg, Valentino couture, Christian Dior coutue, Givenchy couture.

Covers:  Korean Vogue, Teen Vogue, V Magazine, Time, i-D and the premier cover of Harper’s Bazaar Dubai

• In 2007 Vogue named her as one of the next topmodels

Ad campaigns:  Gap, Benetton, Ralph Lauren, DKNY and Victoria’s Secret

TV: she appeared on America’s Next Top Model as a guest judge

Agencies: Supreme Management

Quotes:

• ‘If I sound like my own drill sergeant it’s because modeling sometimes is like boot camp.’
• ‘In a couple of years, I’ll be the most glamorous woman, hopefully.’
• ‘But I’m still a regular girl. I go to basketball and football games. I want to go to prom.’
• ‘I used to dress up as a model for Halloween, like every year.’
• ‘All I can do is being myself. And either you like it or you don’t..’
• ‘Most models wear all black all the time. I’m kinda tired of all the black’

Extra:

• She is Phillip Lim’s muse
• Her mother is with her during the shoots and shows, because she does’t want Chanel Iman to experience ‘the dark side of fashion’.
• She loves eating icecream when she is in Milaan
• She appeared in in two editorials for the all-black issue of Italian Vogue
• She has a boyfriend; rapper Tyga.
• She walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show in 2009
• She was the DJ for the Sonia Rykiel for H&M party this year (2010)
• Chanel Iman has her own website.
• Follow Chanel Iman on twitter: @ itsmechaneliman

Dutch models: Lara Stone

One of the Dutch Models that is internationally moving towards the top is Lara Stone. The daughter of a Dutch mother and a British father is doing well in the modelling industry. Ever since she signed with modelling agency IMG in 2006 she’s really breaking through.

For spring/summer 2010 we saw her in shows of Givenchy, Chanel, Miu Miu, Hermes and Prada. Yet she’s also doing well in photo shoots. The French Vogue payed a tribute to the Dutch model in their February issue of this year and The British Vogue recently named her Girl Of The Year. Stone appears in big photo shoots in major international fashion magazines, as if she was born for the modelling business.

Every big fashion brand wants her in their show or campaign. And although Lara Stone didn’t walk in the Louis Vuitton fashion show, she will feature in the SS2010 ad campaign of the brand. In this position she will follow up Madonna, who was the LV face for 2009.

It seems Stone will be one of the future super models. Will she be the next Kate Moss or Claudia Schiffer? Anyway, we’re very proud she is Dutch. 😀