Abbey Lee Kershaw helps glamorize model suicides for a South Korean fashion brand

lewitt.kr

Frockwriter can't help thinking this is the kind of PR that David Jones doesn’t need but hey, don’t shoot us. Abbey Lee Kershaw, one of the retailer's high profile ringins who is due to fill in for newlywed Miranda Kerr at Tuesday’s fashion showcase, has arrived in town looking like a rock star, with a genuine rockstar in tow - her boyfriend, Our Mountain frontman Matthew Hutchinson. Coinciding with Kershaw’s arrival comes news of a short film made by American photographer Ryan McGinley for a South Korean fashion brand. The film depicts Kershaw fleeing some unidentified adversary by climbing to the top of a building and jumping off – several times, to show the fall in slomo in various outfits. Frockwriter is waiting to hear back from Kershaw’s agents and McGinley. In the interim, it’s worth noting that South Korea has the highest female suicide rate in the OECD. The country’s most high profile modelling export, Daul Kim, committed suicide eight months ago (although not by jumping), part of an alarming new trend of model suicides – most of them by jumping. (UPDATE 02/08: Twenty-four hours later, the only party we had managed to reach was Chic Management in Sydney, which reported it has "no information". UPDATE 04/08: Abbey Lee Kershaw reveals the inspiration for the video was Alice in Wonderland).

In the absence of any further information, this is what we found out about the video.

It was uploaded three days ago by a South Korean YouTube member called WM0114. The only information provided is the Lewitt brand name at the end of the video.

A quick net search produced the lewitt.kr South Korean domain name and the still of Kershaw, above, from the same campaign.

The domain was registered by Michaa, apparently another Korean fashion brand. The latter's current face is high profile Canadian model Coco Rocha, so obviously the company has a big budget.

Lewitt, one might assume, is a Michaa sub brand. 

The jumper is a common enough cinematic theme. 

Central to the storyline of Christopher Nolan's new blockbuster Inception, for example, is a scene in which Marion Cotillard's character throws herself off a building - in a bid to wake herself up from a dream. Ellen Page's character does the same thing in another scene. One of them isn't dreaming however and winds up dead.

South Korea has a rich history of horror - like neighbour Japan, home to The Ring, The Grudge and the Dark Water film franchises.  
 
In December, while interviewing Kershaw for Today Tonight, we did attempt to ask her about Daul Kim and the model suicide trend, but she immediately passed on the question, saying she didn't want to talk about the subject. 

No idea whether or not Kim was a personal friend of Kershaw's. But if so, or if she knew any of the other (numerous) models to have recently jumped to their deaths, such as Ruslana Korshunova or Tom Nicon, it's kind of hard to imagine her going anywhere near this video. 

The McGinley/Lewitt film follows the recent release of City Limits, a short - and highly stylised and satirical - spoof starring Australian model Tanja Gacic, that was directed by Kris Moyes for Sydney fashion brand Romance Was Born. 

Here is McGinley's film and a few screen caps.

***Any readers in need of support and information about suicide prevention should contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) or youthbeyondblue.com***

Nicole Trunfio is "stepping in" for Miranda Kerr

david jones AW10/getty via daylife

On Wednesday frockwriter asked, Is Nicole Trunfio Miranda Kerr’s understudy at David Jones? Trunfio had arrived in Sydney a full week ahead of DJs' August 3rd Spring/Summer 2010/2011 runway show – while her high profile runway colleagues Catherine McNeil and Abbey Lee Kershaw only arrived over the last 24-48 hours. Sources also reported Trunfio has been booked for in-store signings, she Tweeted that she was excited to be “part of the David Jones family” and she features heavily in DJs SS1011 catalogue. Well lo and behold, if the headline on a page one splash of the first edition of tomorrow’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper doesn't read, “Nicole Trunfio – The next Miranda Kerr”. While inside, a story entitled "DJs next supermodel" reports “Nicole Trunfio is the heir apparent. David Jones has recruited the Aussie supermodel to lead its spring/summer fashion parade on Tuesday, stepping in for newly married Miranda Kerr”.

News Limited's interstate papers have added a few other details. 

Perth's Sunday Times headlines its version of the story:

"WA model Nicole Trunfio the new face of David Jones".

While Melbourne's Herald Sun reveals that Trunfio will be opening the show wearing camilla + marc - one of several labels to have recently defected to DJs from rival Myer, whose SS1011 runway show takes place two days later.

News Limited reports that Trunfio played down as "gossip" the “rumours” that she was being prepped to “replace” a pregnant Kerr. 

Just a reminder that an understudy is not a replacement. An understudy is someone who steps in when the lead player can’t perform.

Most modelling contracts, we are reliably informed, include a provision for suspension, in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

If Kerr is pregnant and, all going well, due in January, then it’s probably unlikely that we will be seeing her on DJs Autumn/Wiinter 2011 runway in the first week of February. It's possible, but unlikely.

It would be even more unlikely that she would be available to shoot that season’s campaign in the preceding months so really, what would be the point?

Trunfio is clearly being given star billing for next week's show and frockwriter predicts she will also be the star of next season’s campaign, with Kerr resuming duties this time next year. 

 

In 2007, Gemma Ward was the world number one model. Three years later, three Australians are in the Top 15. What are the odds?

 
Some don’t much care for the ranking system deployed by New York-based modelling industry website models.com. On more than one occasion on this blog, critics have called out MDC's 1,2,2,3 system (or "dense" ranking, as distinct from 1,2,2,4 or "standard competition" ranking) saying it just isn’t cricket. But it is MDC's opinion and that opinion tends to be highly valued in the industry. And it's worth noting that as of 24 hours ago, in the site's hotly contested Top 50 working models section - which calculates a model's 'authority' rank via their latest blue chip ad campaigns, magazine covers, major runway bookings and editorials, as distinct from pure earnings, which is how Forbes ranks models - there are now three Australians in the world Top 15. Abbey Lee Kershaw is #5, Catherine McNeil is #12 and in the space of a fortnight Miranda Kerr has jumped forward to #15, thanks to recent alliances with high fashion names such as Balenciaga, Prada and Jil Sander (as distinct from her more lucrative commercial work with Victoria's Secret, which has earned Kerr the ninth spot on Forbes' Highest Earning Models 2010 list).  

Just three years ago, of course, another Australian made it to the number one spot – Gemma Ward. 

Given how many thousands of girls, and how many different nationalities, are in competition - not to mention the fact that you could almost fit the entire population of Australia (21.4million) into New York - surely it's no mean feat. 

Could the gumleaf fashion media mafia have anything to do with it?   

Catherine McNeil to get her own issue of Vogue Australia

coacd

David Jones will not be the only Australian fashion institution to showcase Catherine McNeil next week. Frockwriter's sources report that McNeil is the cover star of the September 2010 edition of Vogue Australia which is due out August 5. Not only that, McNeil also appears in approximately three (large) editorial spreads within the issue. It's the first time since the Gemma Ward issue of December 2005, our well-placed sources claim, that Vogue Australia has dedicated so much space in one issue - roughly 80percent of the fashion pages - to a single model (with newcomer Codie Young also featuring). One might also recall the Lara Stone-dedicated issue of Paris Vogue in February last year. McNeil of course cracked the cover of Paris Vogue very early on in her career: September 2007. And she is no stranger to Vogue Australia, having previously graced the covers of three other editions. Not only will this be her fourth Vogue Australia cover, it will be her second this year, after the January 2010 edition. UPDATE: Here is the cover, leaked overnight by McNeil's US agency Next on Twitter. And here is a behind-the-scenes video of the cover shoot.

Now even Palazzo Versace's pool boy can wear Versace

Palazzo Versace opened in 2000 on Queensland’s Gold Coast, reportedly the world’s first first completely fashion-branded hotel (the second edition of which will soon roll out in Dubai). Where else would it open? The Gold Coast is the native habitat of Meter Maids – those permatanned and mostly blonde, gold lamé bikini-clad, tiara-rocking parking samaritans who were first introduced in 1965 in a bid to raise the region’s profile (and put coins in expired meters). Donatella Versace would be right at home there in other words. Anyhow, 10 years down the track Donatella has designed some new clobber for her staff. This is the first time, a Palazzo Versace spokeswoman insists, that Versace has focused her design attention on all 28 staff categories, from the front desk right down to housekeeping (whose uniforms apparently incorporate the same lilac deployed in Versace’s SS10 season) to the pool boy and girl. Front office uniforms feature structured, gathered shoulders and narrow patent leather belts. All uniforms boast the Versace Medusa logo on buttons and all womens’ uniforms will be adorned with the satin “Vanitas” bows that featured in Versace’s Fall Winter 0910 main women’s collection. Behold a first look at what we are told are Donatella's own sketches and photos of the various uniforms. Frockwriter loves the Olga Sherer legs on the illustrated figure with the pantsuit. The big question now is: when will Donatella turn her attention to the Meter Maids?


Images (top to bottom): 

1/ Reception

2/ Concierge

3/ Front desk
4/ Reception
5/ Womens housekeeping
6/ Mens housekeeping

7/ Porter

8/ Vie Bar and Restauran

9/ Food and beverage

10/ Pool girl

11/ Pool boy


all images: supplied to frockwriter by palazzo versace

There's no other store for maternity wear like David Jones?

The KerrBloom camp can run, but it seems it can’t hide, from those pesky pregnancy rumours. This morning, Miranda Kerr’s publicist Carlii Lyon was still adopting a no comment position on the now deafening chorus of claims that the real reason behind Kerr’s and Bloom’s elopement – and her withdrawal from next Tuesday’s David Jones Spring/Summer 2010 runway show in Sydney – is because she is three months pregnant. The US press is now running hot with the story, after US Weekly yesterday quoted an unnamed friend  confirming the pregnancy, while OK! Magazine quoted a Victoria’s Secret colleague, Jessica White, proclaiming, so discreetly, “She’s preggos!”. With The Sun quoting hotel staff. Today’s mail delivery of the David Jones Summer 2010 “Brand Book” unfortunately did not really do much to help quell speculation. Not surprisingly, it features Kerr on the cover. But inside, Kerr shares quite a lot of space with Nicole Trunfio and Viviens’ Allegra Carpenter. And while Kerr often does share the catalogues with other faces, notably when it comes to showcasing the junior fashion lines, Trunfio seems to be unusually prominently placed here, which may suggest she is poised to assume a greater DJs role.

Trunfio’s numerous catalogue cameos include the back cover (bottom, also second from the bottom), a full page of Willow runway shots and a lingerie spread (below), which includes one image of Kerr - who, some might well argue, appears a little more ample-bosomed than usual.

Trunfio also wears a one-shouldered Lisa Ho dress in which Kerr was originally photographed for the catalogue, a shot that was included in a series of images recently released to The Sunday Telegraph (several other shots from which do not appear in the catalogue). 

Kerr is photographed wearing several structured dresses but, it could be said, the angles are quite flattering. 

She does, however, seem to be wearing a number of loose garments.

Blame it on all the pregnancy talk, or just fashion’s evergreen smock/muumuu/babydoll trend – which men have been complaining for several years now makes women “look pregnant” - but dang if Kerr doesn’t look like she’s sporting the very beginnings of a baby bump in some pictures. You be the judge.

all images: chris colls for david jones, scanned by frockwriter

Did the then "almost unemployed" Lara Stone neglect to stitch up a nude Greg Lotus photoshoot in 2008?

celebrity69  via fashionising

Last week frockwriter revealed that the spectacular onyx and crystal corset and cuff worn by Lara Stone in the June edition of Playboy France were originally designed by Australian jeweller Jenny Mercian for the 2008 Victoria's Secret show. We also noted that some mystery surrounded the origin of the photos. Although some images had already been widely circulated online in late 2009, with only the website of photographer Greg Lotus cited as a source, it appeared to be the first time the shots had made it to print. Now comes news that Stone is is taking legal action against both Playboy France and Lotus, in order to "protect" her "reputation", claiming the publication of the shots was unauthorised and that she would never have posed for Playboy. Given the volume of nude work that Stone has pumped into the public domain in recent years, the claim that her reputation has been sullied by a nude Playboy spread seems a little frivolous. The far bigger issues, surely, are did Stone not have the right to consultation before the photos were sold to Playboy and is she entitled to remuneration?  

One clue to the timing of the photoshoot is Stone’s strapped ankle, which some have made light of, assuming it may have been a styling accessory (along with the wheelchair which appears in some shots).

If frockwriter is not mistaken, the images were taken some time after the 2008 Victoria’s Secret show, on November 15 2008, when the corset was worn by Selita Ebanks -  and the publication of several other photos of Stone with her ankled strapped shortly afterwards, reportedly after falling off a pair of killer Rodarte heels (possibly these) at a W photoshoot.

Just a reminder that although Stone is now ranked as the world number one editorial/advertising/runway model by models.com, in late 2008 it was a different matter.

Pivotal to Stone’s meteoric rise in 2009 was the publication, in February last year, of a virtual Lara Stone issue of Paris Vogue. With the cover line, “Et Vogue Créa Lara” ("And Vogue Created Lara" - a play on Roger Vadim’s 1956 classic, And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot).

When asked why she decided to dedicate 100 pages of editorial to the Dutch model, Paris Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld told Hintmag.com in late 2008:

“Lara had almost stopped working so I decided I wanted to make her a star”.

She might well have been in the 2008 VS show, but is it possible that the then much less high profile Stone did an edgy magazine submission with a mate, thinking it might help boost her profile - and either she, or her agent/s, neglected to formalise the terms of the arrangement with Lotus? 

With Stone now at the very the top of the industry, commanding top dollar via lucrative advertising deals - such as a triple exclusive with Calvin Klein - quite obviously her image is far more valuable in 2010 than it was in 2008. Lotus was probably paid handsomely for the shots - although a lot less, presumably, than Playboy would have had to pay Stone to pose for them.

According to leading IP specialist Stephen Stern, from Melbourne's Corrs Chambers Westgarth, the go-to IP rep for LVMH and many luxury brands in Australia, provided that Lotus was working independently at the time the photographs were taken – and was not employed by another company – then the copyright most likely belongs to him.

“Unless there was a contract of some form – even oral – restricting the use of the photographs, the photographer could use them as he sees fit” Stern told frockwriter.

“But there is no one international law on ownership of copyright. It depends in which country the photos were taken - or where you want to stop the publication. Some countries do have rights of publicity (ie of public figures) that exist independently of copyright law. Everything depends on what was agreed or could reasonably be implied in the agreement between Lara Stone and the photographer. And lastly, any damages that she could claim, if there are in fact numerous nude photos of her in circulation, if the (Playboy) photos were obscene then there may be reputational issues. If they are simply like other naked photos of her, then her loss might well be what she could charge to have those photos published”.

Is Nicole Trunfio Miranda Kerr's understudy?

getty via daylife

Speculation continues to mount regarding the August 3rd David Jones Spring/Summer 2010/2011 launch. With Miranda Kerr indisposed after tying the knot with Orlando Bloom, David Jones is attempting to fill the runway gap, as frockwriter reported on Friday, with some high profile alternatives: Abbey Lee Kershaw, Catherine McNeil, Nicole Trunfio and Alexandra Agoston - even if the latter were both in last season’s show. But the runway shows are one thing. If Kerr is three months pregnant, as many believe - with Victoria's Secret colleague Jessica White so discreetly telling OK! magazine overnight, "She's preggos!"- it's unlikely she would be available for the winter 2011 catalogue and early February runway show. Who would fill in for her? Frockwriter’s money is on Trunfio, who arrived in Sydney yesterday (above), a week ahead of the show. Our sources also report that she has been booked by DJs for a series of “in-store signings” - certainly something that would appear to go above and beyond the call of mere runway duties. Earlier today Trunfio Tweeted: “Finished my fitting for David Jones collection launch, I'm really excited, will be amazing! Ecstatic to be a part of the David Jones family!” Just walking in the show would not automatically make Trunfio, or any other model, ‘part of the David Jones family’. 


A few hours later, she Tweeted the following photo, which looks very much like a catalogue shot, claiming it was "another sneak peek of my shoot for David Jones":

nicole trunfio's twitter

Why else might Trunfio trump next week's runway superstars as a Kerr understudy?

She might not rate a ranking on models.com – while Abbey Lee Kershaw is number 5 and Catherine McNeil, number 12, with Kerr just moving up to number 21 15 (moving six spots overnight 28/7; she is also ranked number 4 in MDC’s Top 20 Sexiest Models). However Trunfio does have a highly commercial appeal – as distinct from Kershaw’s and McNeil’s high fashion cachet.

Now 25, Trunfio won season three of Ten’s Search for a Supermodel reality show in 2002, later coming third in the show's international edition.

She has US tv cred, having been hired as a model mentor for the second season of US reality show, Make Me A Supermodel.

Trunfio’s international work includes runway and/or advertising for major brands such as Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Christian Dior, Gucci, Fendi, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood, Valentino, Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, Lacoste, Sisley, BCBG Max Azria and Guess. And she has also done some work for Victoria's Secret.
 

She has three Vogue Australia covers under her belt. 

And last month she appeared in a racy spread in GQ Italy (video below).

David Jones' last fashion ambassador, Megan Gale, relaunched her modelling career as an Italian sex goddess. Kerr’s contract with Victoria’s Secret has kept her front-of-mind with the male population (hence the banker incident).

In all probability, DJs does not really want a high fashion ice queen as its ambassador, but a red-blooded bombshell who is going to attract a lot of mainstream attention.

Trunfio may fit the bill should Kerr need to take more time off. 

Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and others reportedly to offer plus size clothing at Saks Fifth Avenue, while France launches a plus size manifesto

karl lagerfeld for V via models.com

It’s been interesting tracking the story of plus sized designer clothing over the past two years. In March 2008, at Fully Chic, we incurred the wrath of some plus-sized consumers after reporting that although Target Australia made up to a size 16 in its Stella McCartney collection in 2007, so much size 16 merch was left on the sales racks Target stopped at a 14 when it came to producing its next collab with Zac Posen. Several weeks later we reported that Australian designer Leona Edmiston was doubling her size range to a 24 – but only in her online boutique. The story triggered a heated debate amongst those who lauded Edmiston's pioneering efforts - and those who claimed the move was “normalising obesity". Last year, Today Tonight took size 16 Melbourne blogger Hayley Hughes undercover into Melbourne’s Chapel Street. She found virtually no merchandise over size 12. Eighteen designers and retailers refused to discuss with the program why fashion's high end actively discriminates against larger consumers by ignoring them, with insiders citing concerns the issue was "bad for their image". So it was with some surprise that we spotted what could be the best-kept secret in the fashion business: a report that Saks Fifth Avenue is about to trial plus sizes from luxury brands including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce e Gabbana and Fendi on its New York designer womenswear floor.

New York retail blog Racked reports:

“Saks Fifth Avenue is about to become the only major retailer in the city to carry plus-sized womenswear by names like Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana. Coming very soon to the department store's super high-end third floor, fall and winter plus-sized pieces will be mixed right in with existing stock—most of which would formerly have only been available in sizes ranging to a 10. Stock will reach size 14 (Australian size 18) across the board, and in some cases—depending on the brand—will go up to a size 20 (Australian size 24)".

The story also mentions the brands Akris, Armani, Carolina Herrera, Escada, Donna Karan, St. John, Oscar de la Renta, Max Mara, Valentino, Michael Kors, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Roberto Cavalli.

The plus-size pieces will be one-offs, reports Racked, adding that if the trial is successful it may be rolled out to other stores.

No sources are cited beyond the Saks website, which makes no reference to the initiative. Due to the time difference, it was difficult to track down anyone who could throw further light on the matter. Frockwriter is waiting to hear back from Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel USA and the Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce e Gabbana and Fendi head offices.
 
Chanel Australia knew nothing about it. 

UPDATE 28/07: A full business day later and no response from any of the above. Nor does there appear to be any comment from either Saks or any of the brands reportedly involved in the plus size trial in the deluge of coverage that has since ensued on this story. This is not surprising, given my experience with October's Today Tonight story and even the Leona Edmiston story two years ago. After doubling her size range to 24 in her online boutique, Edmiston declined all interviews. Sources indicated this was out of fear of being branded "a plus size designer". Fashion companies may be warming to the idea of going after the fat dollar, but they still seem to think there's a stigma attached to it. 
 
Coincidentally, Chanel recently cast plus size model Crystal Renn in its Cruise 2011 show. 

In January, Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld also shot plus size burlesque artist Miss Dirty Martini for V Magazine’s Size issue (above), one of a raft of recent fashion titles that have been dedicated to larger sizes. They include ELLE Spéciale Rondes and Vogue Curvy.

Curiously, Lagerfeld's V Size issue shoot followed a matter of months after he derided efforts by German magazine Brigitte to use “ordinary, realistic” women rather than professional models as “absurd”, adding that the world of fashion is about "dreams and illusions.... noone wants to see round women" and describing those leading the chorus of disapproval against skinny models as:

"fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television."

The Saks Fifth Avenue story coincides with news of the launch of a "Manifesto for the Visibility of Plus Size Fashion" by online French magazine Ma Grande Taille.

Citing data published by the French Institute of Textiles and Clothing, which indicates that more than 40percent of the French population wear plus size clothes, the manifesto boasts over 1000 signatories including plus size model Johanna Dray and celebrity Velvet d’Amour. 

I first interviewed d'Amour in Paris in October 2006, after she walked in Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring/Summer 2007 show - and then again in 2008. At 130kgs, d'Amour has been considered too big for even the plus-size modelling industry. 

“My hope is that it [the manifesto] would indeed make a difference - if nothing else it details what we look to change- inclusion, particularly in fashion” she told frockwriter, adding that the biggest buzz in the plus-size industry at the moment is the controversy over Renn's alleged weight loss.

"Personally I think if we were allowed more then ONE HUMAN BEING to represent our entire chubby populace then we wouldn't be so entirely focused on her. Given her anorexic issues in the past, it cant be easy for her to have everyone and their second cousin demonizing her for fluctuation. She is not the one who books models for mags. I think the question is less about Crystal, and more about the fact that while we are globally millions strong, we have, more or less, just one individual who has made her way into the mainstream magazines. Her weight fluctuations are dramatic, and they are all her own. As I have always been on the far extreme end of ‘plus’ modeling, people would equally debate my status as a ‘plus’ model, stating I was a “bbw”, not a plus model.

“We need to push for media inclusion, so that all shapes and sizes etc ‘belong’. When the media excludes us to such an extreme, magazines like PLUS are what get started. Models make their own way, and people who haven’t the ‘right’ to be considered a ‘plus’ model, or a straight size model, etc pick up the camera and start their own revolution. If we can use the frustration our exodus encites in a positive manner, then there will be no stopping us, and there will be so many damn fat models getting thin and thin models getting fat, that we wont have time to debate it, because we will be on the way to our next shooting ;o)".

On June 27th, the Australian federal government's National Body Image Advisory Group unveiled its Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image. The code's  industry recommendations include using a greater diversity of body shapes in the promotion of fashion and the need for retailers to embrace a wider range of sizes to better reflect consumer demand.

The thorn bird

Oh the Good Lord giveth – and sometimes he giveth again. At least in the news sense. Just as the dust is settling on the news that Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom have secretly married, comes news of her latest edgy editorial. Following on from Kerr's naughty nun masterpiece in edition 114 of French mag Numéro, comes a consecutive Numéro editorial with a religious theme – this time, crucifixion. In two images authored by Sebastian Kim that even her fans are calling "blasphemous" (orginals, below - with Kerr's identity confirmed by her publicist), Kerr wears what looks very much like a crown of thorns. In another, she lies prostrate on a grassy knoll, apparently in ecstasy, while a third shot (also below) shows Kerr totally nude - save for a sinister black hood. Kerr isn't the first celebrity to don a crown of thorns this year. In February, Lindsay Lohan - who is currently serving a custodial sentence - sported a crown of thorns on the cover of another French magazine, Purple. 

all images: sebastian kim for numero via @mirandakerrfan via madeinpresse.fr

Abbey Lee Kershaw and Catherine McNeil to replace new bride Miranda Kerr for the David Jones Spring/Summer 2010/2011 runway show

David Jones might have lost its ceo Mark McInnes and now even its new face Miranda Kerr, at least just for one season - with Kerr announcing on the Nine Network's Today Show this morning that she and Orlando Bloom have married and she will be skipping the department store's August 3 Spring/Summer runway showcase (with insiders reporting she is three months pregnant). But DJs has gained a fabulous replacement for the show: Abbey Lee Kershaw. Sources close to Kershaw confirm she will be replacing Kerr in the show (which is an in-season show designed to launch DJs new designer collections to consumers). Once a DJs Youth Ambassador, Kershaw is now ranked the world number six five runway/editorial/advertising model by US-based modelling authority models.com (moving up one place in the space of a fortnight). It's a fantastic get for DJs. UPDATE: Frockwriter's sources confirm that world number 12 Catherine McNeil is also doing the show, which is even better news for DJs. Other models on DJs' runway will include Nicole Trunfio, who did last season's show alongside Kerr and DJs regular Alexandra Agoston. All since confirmed in Kerr's statement that was released at 8.00am this morning (to which frockwriter did not have access), but which no mainstream media outlet considered sufficiently interesting to report at the time.

All models, coincidentally, are from the same agency as Kerr: Chic Management.

Kerr would be on a multimillion dollar contract with David Jones and the news, although of course joyous for Kerr and Bloom, is a tad inconvenient for DJs. So very handy that Chic could step in with two modelling superstars to replace her at short notice.

It's probably a safe bet that Kerr might not be doing the DJs Autumn/Winter 2011 show in the first week of February either.

The latter coincides, perhaps awkwardly, with the launch of New York Fashion Week - a time when modelling superstars tend to be extremely busy.

Blue rondo à la Turks & Caicos: Behind-the-scenes at Zimmermann's high summer shoot

So the world’s biggest bikini fest has just wrapped in Miami. No, not IMG’s runway event, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim at the Raleigh Hotel, but that’s certainly part of the action that revolves around the Miami SwimShow, the premier swimwear showcase staged each July by the Florida Swimwear Association. Zimmermann was front and centre at the latter event, as they have been for over a decade (only appearing on IMG’s runway a couple of times). After checking out the summer popup store in New York and continuing to scout for a more permanent NY location, most of the Zimmermann camp then headed to the West Indies’ Turks and Caicos Islands last week to shoot a campaign for the brand's new high summer collection, which bows in October. Here are a few behind-the-scenes shots of New York-based photographer David Roemer, model Jessica Marie and the Oz hair, makeup and styling team of Louisa Gent, Jodie Boland and Tamila Purvis shooting in and around the islands' turquoise waters. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.

Just because the Zimmermann sisters weren't on the Miami runway this season, that doesn’t mean  they did not take in any of the action.

Some may have spotted Simone Zimmermann in the front row (R) at Sunday’s Red Carter show in this shot that popped up on Jezebel:

jezebel

But several other Australian swimwear brands were on the runway: White Sands Australia, Lisa Marie, Lisa Blue and Kooey.

Head to IMG’s website for runway images. Here are Lisa Marie, Kooey and Lisa Blue in one video:



And White Sands in a short video taken by one show attendee:





all turks & caicos location images: supplied exclusively to frockwriter by zimmermann

Jenny Mercian dresses Lara Stone for French Playboy

celebrity69 via fashionising

Jenny Mercian has made a career out of bejewelling bombshells. Since she first set foot on the fashion stage in May 2005, displaying her spectacular crystal body jewellery at a trade show stand at Australian Fashion Week, the Sydney-based jeweller has been a principal supplier to five Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows, outfitting the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks and Alessandra Ambrosio in increasingly elaborate showpieces (and on Friday, winning the Catwalk Jewels of the Year Award at the UK Jewellery Awards for her runway efforts). Well now Mercian can add Lara Stone to that list. In the June/July issue of Playboy France, the world number one wears Mercian’s dramatic onyx/crystal corset and cuff – and not much else (NSFW). Here is a clearer image of the cuff, below, although it must be said, it’s not one of Stone’s better shots.

celebrity69 via fashionising

The story, entitled “Lara Stone is my drug”, was shot by Greg Lotus last year, although it’s unclear if the images have previously been published in print.

Numerous websites picked the images up last December, including Fashion Gone Rogue, with only the Greg Lotus website cited as a source. In any event, Playboy includes several other apparently unseen images from the same series.

The pieces were originally made for the 2008 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and were worn by Selita Ebanks:

zimbio

Lara Stone was in that VS show, but did not wear any of Mercian’s jewellery. 

The jewellery worn by Stone in Playboy came via the London headquarters of Mercian's sponsor Swarovski, which holds some of her jewellery and loans it out for various shoots. 

And it obviously gets around - because here are the same pieces in the background of Mercian's Sydney studio in this Today Tonight story which ran in December. 

"I got it FedExed in and out for the TT story as it's my favourite piece" she told frockwriter.

Mercian's jewellery isn't the only Australian connection to Playboy France. 

Australian model Tiah Eckhardt who, coincidentally, has just replaced Stone as the face of French lingerie brand Eres, appeared in Playboy France in December 2008. 

Australia's Next Top Model channels Stirling Cooper

So the first episode of Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 6 has bitten the dust. What did you think? At last week's launch party, Alex Perry told frockwriter that the shooting style was going to be a little more "reportage" style than in previous years and you could see what he meant. It seemed a little grittier, almost a hand-held effect in parts. Influenced, we reckon, by the first blockbuster season of US reality series Jersey Shore. Interesting challenge to make the girls walk a runway show on their first day at the office. With zero experience, they did pretty well from what we could see. Inspired by another cult US series, Mad Men, the Jez Smith photoshoot produced some quite beautiful images. Here is a selection of frockwriter's faves. Sadly, three of our picks were eliminated in the first episode: Alison (top), Valeria (second) and Sally (fourth). New model mentor Josh Flinn made a great entrance. For anyone unfamiliar with Flinn's CV, FYI he used to work for IMG Fashion Asia Pacific and his night job is playing B2, in the Bananas in Pyjamas travelling roadshows. Here is an interview I did with him back in 2006 at RAFW.

all images: jez smith via antm