Summer of the thirty-eighth doll

dempsey stewart at louis vuitton SS12/getty via daylife

Take a bow ladies - and gentlemen. Thirty-eight Australian models have just helped wrap up the Spring/Summer 2012 ready-to-wear runway season in New York, London, Milan and Paris - by frockwriter's estimate, a 35percent increase in numbers from the previous season. And what a season it has been, culminating over this past week in Paris, where the 18-strong Australian contingent included Miranda Kerr. No Balenciaga exclusive for Kerr, for the first time in four seasons. But after making her name as one of the world's highest-paid models, thanks to a lucrative contract with lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, how fantastic to see Kerr take her place alongside the world's top high fashion girls in a string of other blue chip brand shows, from Christian Dior to Lanvin and Chanel. Flanked by Abbey Lee Kershaw and Catherine McNeil, who is looking better than ever after a year's break from the shows, it was like the holy triumvirate of Australian modelling reunited. They were joined by Julia Nobis who walked in, wait for it, 72 shows, opening six. This may well make Nobis the busiest model - of any nationality - of the SS12 season by show numbers. Oddly, Nobis has yet to even be accorded a ranking on models.com's Top 50 Women list. One assumes this may soon change.   

A few honorable mentions.

Rose Smith added a fourth consecutive Chanel show to her burgeoning portfolio - not bad, for someone who didn't even register on the international radar at the beginning of the year. At 41 shows, Smith's was the second-highest Australian show tally. She was closely tailed by Codie Young, Dempsey Stewart, Ruby Jean Wilson and Melissa Johannsen.

After booking the Chanel haute couture show in Paris in July, Caitlin Lomax bagged some very impressive names in her first fully-fledged show season, among them Prada, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton.

But the dark horse award most definitely goes to Priscilla's Chrystal Copland, who entered the season without a shred of hype and walked in 21 shows across the four cities, quickly emerging as a casting director's favourite. Copland was accorded a prominent position in eight of these shows, closing four and opening four - including yesterday's Louis Vuitton show, one of the most prestigious gigs of the season (Kate Moss had closing honours).

See Copland (followed by Lomax, Wilson, Nobis and Stewart) in this video below, as the curtain rises on Louis Vuitton's spectacular circus carousel stage. The haunting musical score - in fact the theme from Dario Argento's 1977 slasher classic Suspiria - offered a subversive counterpoint to the sugared almond sweetness of the collection's broderie anglaise, cutwork lace and maribou feather-embellished confections. Copland is most definitely one to watch.





Congrats to all the models and agencies.

Below are the complete Spring/Summer 2012 Australian showlists and a photo gallery of the girls of Paris. The New York shows are in black type; London, blue; Milan, red; and Paris, in grey.

Interesting to see the 'Australian runway invasion' story take hold in the Australian media over the past month. The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and vogue.com.au were among numerous publications and websites to have picked the story up, with Grazia Australia devoting this week's cover story to the models' purported pay packets. With Australians on every top runway, it was difficult to ignore them.

JULIA NOBIS

Richard Chai

Tadashi Shoji

Peter Som (opened)

Rebecca Taylor (opened)

Rag & Bone

Lacoste

Alexander Wang

Jill Stuart

Derek Lam

Diane von Furstenberg

Son Jung Wan (opened and closed)

Edun

Tommy Hilfiger

Preen

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Tory Burch

Vera Wang

Narciso Rodriguez

Theyskens' Theory

3.1 Phillip Lim

Michael Kors

Proenza Schouler (closed)

Reed Krakoff

Calvin Klein

Marc Jacobs
Ports 1961

Jaeger London

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Acne

Christopher Kane

Antonio Berardi

Giles Deacon

Burberry

Alberta Ferretti
Angelo Marani
Francesco Scognamiglio
Max Mara
Prada
Anteprima
Gabriele Colangelo
Jil Sander
Just Cavalli
Marni
Missoni
Versus
Roberto Cavalli
1st Classe Alviero Martini
Pedro Lourenco (opened)
Dries van Noten (opened)
Rochas
Balenciaga
Sharon Wauchob
Nina Ricci
Barbara Bui
Ann Demeulemeester
Roland Mouret
Lanvin
Yohji Yamamoto
Sonia Rykiel
Haider Ackermann
Viktor & Rolf (closed)
Loewe
Céline
Chloe
Vanessa Bruno
Chanel

Valentino

Alexander McQueen (opened)
Louis Vuitton 
Miu Miu
 

= 72

ROSE SMITH
Richard Chai

Doo.Ri

The Row

EdunJill Stuart

Adam

Band of Outsiders (opened)

Y-3

Zero Maria Cornejo (opened)

Tory Burch

Marchesa

Tibi

3.1 Phillip Lim

Ports 1961

Daks
Jaeger London
Mulberry
Erdem

Antonio Berardi
Jaeger London
Mulberry
Erdem
Antonio Berardi
Blugirl
Anteprima (closed)
Antonio Marras
C’N’C Costume National
Gabriele Colangelo
Frankie Morello
Ter et Bantine

D&G
Dolce e Gabbana
Aquilano.Rimondi
Dries van Noten
Anthony Vaccarello
Sharon Wauchob (closed)
Barbara Bui
Uniqueness
Anne Valérie Hash
Cacharel
Sonia Rykiel
Giambattista Valli
Valentin Yudashkin
Chanel

Shiatzy Chen

 

= 41

DEMPSEY STEWART
Richard Chai
Rebecca Taylor (closed)
Suno (closed)
Graeme Armour
Honor
Thakoon
3.1 Phillip Lim
Jill Stuart
Marc Jacobs

Julien Macdonald

House of Holland

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Emilio de la Morena

Pringle of Scotland

Erdem

Giles Deacon

Peter Pilotto
Angelo Marani
Anteprima
Antonio Marras
Gabriele Colangelo
Genny
Marco de Vincenzo
Byblos
Massimo Rebecchi
Damir Doma
Dries van Noten
Mugler
Thimister (closed)
Ann Demeulemeester
AF Vandevorst
Rick Owens
Viktor & Rolf
Loewe
Vanessa Bruno
Ingrid Vlasoc 
Louis Vuitton
 

= 38

CODIE YOUNG
Richard Chai
Rebecca Taylor
United Bamboo
Suno
Jill Stuart (closed)
Graeme Armour
Thakoon
Tory Burch
Rodarte
Tibi
Hexa by Cuho
Milly by Michelle Smith
Wayne
Marc Jacobs

Julien Macdonald

House of Holland

Paul Smith

Mulberry

Erdem

Peter Pilotto
Roccobarocco
Antonio Marras
Moschino Cheap and Chic
Just Cavalli
Marni
Marco de Vincenzo
Aquilano.Rimondi
Rue du Mail
Felipe Oliveira Baptista
Carven
AF Vandevorst
Rick Owens
Sonia Rykiel
Anne Valérie Hash
Akris  
 

= 35

ABBEY LEE KERSHAW

Tom Ford (opened)

Pringle of Scotland (opened)

John Rocha (opened, closed)

Burberry

Matthew Williamson

Gucci
Alberta Ferretti
Fendi
Ermanno Scervino
Prada
Etro
Versace
Bottega Veneta
Pucci
Dolce e Gabbana
Roberto Cavalli
Anthony Vaccarello
Mugler (closed)
Nina Ricci
Balmain (closed)
Isabel Marant
Viktor & Rolf
Haider Ackermann
Kanye West
Stella McCartney
Yves Saint Laurent (closed) 
Chanel
Hakaan
Paul & Joe  
Elie Saab

= 30

MELISSA 'MJ' JOHANNSEN
Steven Alan
Rachel Comey
Nicholas K
The Row
Band of Outsiders
Academy of Art University
Tracy Reese
Creatures of the Wind
Rodarte
Pink Tartan (opened)
Fotini
Elle Tahari
Jeremy Scott
Patrick Ervell

Ashish

Zoe Jordan

Mulberry

Peter Jensen

Thomas Tait

Peter Pilotto

Mark Fast
Simonetta Ravizza
Blugirl
Rocco Barocco
Parah
Byblos
Amaya Arzuaga
Maison Martin Margiela
 

= 28

RUBY JEAN WILSON
United Bamboo
Peter Som
Yigal Azrouel (opened)
Graeme Armour (closed)
Y-3
Jil Sander Navy
Reem Acra
Marchesa
Sophie Theallet
Jeremy Scott
Marc Jacobs
Patrick Ervell

Julien Macdonald

Jonathan Saunders

Paul Smith

Topshop Unique

John Rocha

Giles Deacon

Burberry

Albino
C’N’C Costume National (opened and closed)
Gabriele Colangelo (opened)
Albino
Trussardi
Jil Sander
Frankie Morello

Louis Vuitton

= 27

CHRYSTAL COPLAND
Costello Tagliapietra (closed)
Libertine
Pink Tartan
Emerson
Hexa by Cuho
Jeremy Scott

Norman Ambrose

Arise African Fashion Collective

Jonathan Saunders (closed)

Topshop Unique

Giles Deacon
Antonio Marras
Damir Doma
Thimister (opened)
Carven
A.F. Vandevorst (closed)
Anne Valérie Hash (opened)
Jean Charles de Castelbajac (closed)
Véronique Leroy (opened)
Moncler Gamme Rouge 
Louis Vuitton (opened)

= 21

CAITLIN LOMAX
Yigal Azrouel

3.1 Phillip Lim

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Christopher Kane

Giles Deacon

Aquascutum 

Alberta Ferretti
Prada
Antonio Marras
Sportmax
Versus
Gareth Pugh
Sharon Wauchob
Loewe
Giambattista Valli
Vanessa Bruno
Louis Vuitton
Miu Miu

= 20

AMANDA WARE
BCBG by Max Azria
Ruffian
Monique Lhuillier
Carlos Miele
Hervé Léger
L'Wren Scott

Clements Ribeiro

Marios Schwab

Nicole Farhi

Antonio Berardi

Pringle of Scotland

Andrew Gn
Kenzo
Luis Buchinho
Léonard
Atsuro Tayama
Lie Sang Bong 

= 17

AJAK DENG
Richard Chai
Jason Wu
Edun
Ohne Titel
Wayne

Matthew Williamson

Erdem
Todd Lynn 

Mary Katrantzou (opened) 

Damir Doma
Jean Paul Gaultier
Christian Dior
Vivienne Westwood
Hermès
Paco Rabanne 

= 15

KRYSTAL GLYNN
Richard Chai
Peter Som
Rebecca Taylor
Suno
Helmut Lang
Band of Outsiders
Honor
Tory Burch
Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti
Theyskens' Theory
Marc Jacobs

= 11  

JADE JACKSON
Yigal Azrouel
Carlos Miele
Sophie Theallet
Rad by Rad Hourani
Milly by Michelle Smith
Ohne Titel
Damir Doma
Thimister
Haider Ackermann
Moon Young Hee
Vivienne Westwood
 
= 11

NICOLE POLLARD
Nicholas K
Ruffian
Band of Outsiders
Sally La Pointe (closed)
Graeme Armour
Rachel Roy
Theyskens Theory
Hexa by Cuho (closed)
Norman Ambrose
Supima

= 10

BAMBI NORTHWOOD-BLYTH

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Giles Deacon 

Mugler
Uniqueness
Kanye West
Léonard
Véronique Leroy 

= 8

JESS GOLD

Rebecca Taylor
Helmut Lang
Jen Kao
Faster by Mark Fast
Rachel Zoe
Francesc by Frank Tell

Ashish

Thomas Tait

= 8

SARAH LORIMER
Steven Alan

Wes Gordon
Christian Siriano
Libertine
A Detacher
Wayne
Karen Walker
Park Choon Moo

= 8

PHILIPPA GLEESON
Jenny Packham
Rachel Roy
Billy Reid
L.A.M.B.
Karen Walker
Nanette Lepore (opened)
Chado Ralph Rucci
Naeem Khan

= 8 

MIRANDA KERR

Christian Dior

Lanvin

Viktor & Rolf

Loewe

John Galliano

Stella McCartney

Chanel

= 7


CATHERINE MCNEIL

Matthew Williamson

Pringle of Scotland

Gareth Pugh

Rick Owens

Haider Ackermann

Jean Paul Gaultier (closed)

Hermès

= 7

VICTORIA LEE

DKNY

Libertine  
Blumarine
Blugirl
Byblos
Phillip Plein
Versace showroom presentation
= 7

CLAIRE COLLINS
Faster by Mark Fast
Cut25 by Yigal Azrouel
Rebecca Minkoff
Rachel Zoe
Suno
Wes Gordon
Sally LaPointe

= 7 

LAUREN MOODY
Imitation of Christ
Sally LaPointe
Juan Carlos Obando
Argentine Designers
Nomia
Arise African Fashion Collective

Limi Feu

= 7

LAUREN BROWN
Kimberley Ovitz

Son Jung Wan

Reed Krakoff

Chado Ralph Rucci
Arise African Fashion Collective

= 5

CARIS TIIVEL

Christian SirianoBibi
Project Runway
Bibhu Mohapatra
Josie Natori

= 5

ELIZA HUMBLE
Erin by Erin Fetherston
Chris Benz
Gen Art
Douglas Hannant

= 4

SIMONE KERR
Christian Siriano
Pink Tartan
Betsey Johnson
The Blonds

= 4

TOM BULL

Imitation of Christ

Perry Ellis (opened and closed)

Marithé et François Girbaud

Sergio Davila

= 4

JAKE GORDON
Billy Reid
Dominic Lewis
Aston Mozie
Nexus Showroom

= 4

ANDREJ PEJIC
Custo Barcelona (opened)

Jeremy Scott

Mala Breton (opened)

= 3

ELYSE TAYLOR
Nicole Miller

VPL

DKNY

= 3

JACK VANDERHART
DKNY Men

Argentine Designers

= 2 

VANESSA MILDE

Imitation of Christ

Eva Minge

= 2

MALLORY JANSEN
WISB (Way It Should Be)
Tribune Standard

= 2

TALLULAH MORTON

Jean Paul Gaultier

= 1

LYDIA WILLEMINA COLLINS

Jean Paul Gaultier

= 1

ROBYN LAWLEY

Elena Mirò

= 1

GEO BURKE

Elena Mirò

= 1

paris shows photo gallery:

1/ miranda kerr, lanvin/getty via daylife 

2/ abbey lee kershaw, balmain/getty

3/ catherine mcneil, viktor & rolf/getty 

4/ julia nobis, balenciaga/style.com
5/ rose smith, chanel/style.com
6/ dempsey stewart, viktor & rolf/getty
7/ codie young, sonia rykiel/getty
8/ ajak deng, christian dior/getty
9/ ruby jean wilson, louis vuitton/style.com
10/ chrystal copland, louis vuitton/style.com 

11/ caitlin lomax, miu miu/style.com 

12/ melissa johannsen, maison martin margiela/style.com
13/ amanda ware, giambattisa valli/style.com

14/ bambi northwood-blyth, mugler/getty 

15/ jade jackson, thimister/getty

16/ tallulah morton, jean paul gaultier/style.com 

17/ lydia willemina collins,  jean paul gaultier/style.com
18/ lauren moody, limi feu/style.com

Time out London

abbey lee kershaw backstage at burberry SS12/burberry's twitpic

The Spring/Summer 2012 shows rolled on at London Fashion Week, traditionally a bit of a breather between the far bigger and busier New York and Milan schedules. The latter put further than usual strain on the London event this season, with Marc Jacobs pushing his show back by three days, prompting many models to miss LFW's first day. Further demands were made by Gucci - whose show is today - dragging many girls to Milan at the end of the week. Nevertheless, 14 Australian models did the London shows, with Abbey Lee Kershaw, Catherine McNeil and Bambi Northwood-Blyth touching down in the SS12 season for the first time. Contrary to reports that McNeil had not done a runway show for two and a half years, in fact September 2010 was the last time we saw her on the circuit. Expect to see more antipodians in Milan and Paris, where many are already positioned attending castings and fittings.

Will newbie Krystal Glynn get a second shot at Prada? Frockwriter revealed that Glynn recently turned down two gigs with a major brand. She is now on the record that Prada was the brand in question [we understand the bookings were for the Resort 2012 campaign and lookbook]. Time will tell. In any event, we hear other luxury brands are interested.

Below are the updated show lists - with London shows highlighted in blue - in addition to an animated London Fashion Week photo galley. UPDATED: WITH MILAN FASHION WEEK SHOWS.

Just a reminder that although these showlists are ranked by the number of shows per model, contrary to sentiments expressed in comments on Friday's New York showlists post, it is not necessarily always only about quantity. Some shows are more prestigious than others and some models are far better-established. Abbey Lee Kershaw, for example, has already made her name. For whatever reason, she skipped the New York leg of the season. In London she opened the ultra-exclusive Tom Ford show, the only Australian cast. Andrej Pejic may have only done a handful of shows so far, but there was significant publicity surrounding those shows. 

,

JULIA NOBIS
Richard Chai

Tadashi Shoji

Peter Som (opened)

Rebecca Taylor (opened)

Rag & Bone

Lacoste

Alexander Wang

Jill Stuart

Derek Lam

Diane von Furstenberg

Son Jung Wan (opened and closed)

Edun

Tommy Hilfiger

Preen

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Tory Burch

Vera Wang

Narciso Rodriguez

Theyskens' Theory

3.1 Phillip Lim

Michael Kors

Proenza Schouler (closed)

Reed Krakoff

Calvin Klein

Marc Jacobs
Ports 1961

Jaeger London

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Acne

Christopher Kane

Antonio Berardi

Giles Deacon

Burberry

= 35

MELISSA 'MJ' JOHANNSEN
Steven Alan
Rachel Comey
Nicholas K
The Row
Band of Outsiders
Academy of Art University
Tracy Reese
Creatures of the Wind
Rodarte
Pink Tartan (opened)
Fotini
Elle Tahari
Jeremy Scott
Patrick Ervell

Ashish

Zoe Jordan

Mulberry

Peter Jensen

Thomas Tait

Peter Pilotto

Mark Fast

= 21

CODIE YOUNG
Richard Chai
Rebecca Taylor
United Bamboo
Suno
Jill Stuart (closed)
Graeme Armour
Thakoon
Tory Burch
Rodarte
Tibi
Hexa by Cuho
Milly by Michelle Smith
Wayne
Marc Jacobs

Julien Macdonald

House of Holland

Paul Smith

Mulberry

Erdem

Peter Pilotto

= 20

ROSE SMITH
Richard Chai
Doo.Ri
The Row
Edun
Jill Stuart
Adam
Band of Outsiders (opened)
Y-3
Zero Maria Cornejo (opened)
Tory Burch
Marchesa
Tibi
3.1 Phillip Lim
Ports 1961
Daks

Jaeger London

Mulberry

Erdem
Antonio Berardi

= 19

RUBY-JEAN WILSON
United Bamboo
Peter Som
Yigal Azrouel (opened)
Graeme Armour (closed)
Y-3
Jil Sander Navy
Reem Acra
Marchesa
Sophie Theallet
Jeremy Scott
Marc Jacobs
Patrick Ervell

Julien Macdonald

Jonathan Saunders

Paul Smith

Topshop Unique

John Rocha

Giles Deacon

Burberry

= 19

DEMPSEY STEWART
Richard Chai
Rebecca Taylor (closed)
Suno (closed)
Graeme Armour
Honor
Thakoon
3.1 Phillip Lim
Jill Stuart
Marc Jacobs

Julien Macdonald

House of Holland

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Emilio de la Morena

Pringle of Scotland

Erdem

Giles Deacon

Peter Pilotto

= 18

AMANDA WARE
BCBG by Max Azria
Ruffian
Monique Lhuillier
Carlos Miele
Hervé Léger
L'Wren Scott

Clements Ribeiro

Marios Schwab

Nicole Farhi

Antonio Berardi

Pringle of Scotland

= 11

KRYSTAL GLYNN
Richard Chai
Peter Som
Rebecca Taylor
Suno
Helmut Lang
Band of Outsiders
Honor
Tory Burch
Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti
Theyskens' Theory
Marc Jacobs

= 11

CHRYSTAL COPLAND
Costello Tagliapietra (closed)

Libertine
Pink Tartan
Emerson
Hexa by Cuho
Jeremy Scott

Norman Ambrose

Arise African Fashion Collective

Jonathan Saunders (closed)

Topshop Unique

Giles Deacon

= 11

NICOLE POLLARD
Nicholas K
Ruffian
Band of Outsiders
Sally La Pointe (closed)
Graeme Armour
Rachel Roy
Theyskens Theory
Hexa by Cuho (closed)
Norman Ambrose
Supima

= 10

AJAK DENG
Richard Chai
Jason Wu
Edun
Ohne Titel
Wayne

Matthew Williamson

Erdem
Todd Lynn 
Mary Katrantzou (opened)

= 9

CAITLIN LOMAX
Yigal Azrouel

3.1 Phillip Lim

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Richard Nicoll

Christopher Kane

Giles Deacon
Aquascutum

= 8

JESS GOLD

Rebecca Taylor
Helmut Lang
Jen Kao
Faster by Mark Fast
Rachel Zoe
Francesc by Frank Tell

Ashish

Thomas Tait

= 8

SARAH LORIMER
Steven Alan

Wes Gordon
Christian Siriano
Libertine
A Detacher
Wayne
Karen Walker
Park Choon Moo

= 8

PHILIPPA GLEESON
Jenny Packham
Rachel Roy
Billy Reid
L.A.M.B.
Karen Walker
Nanette Lepore (opened)
Chado Ralph Rucci
Naeem Khan

= 8 

CLAIRE COLLINS
Faster by Mark Fast
Cut25 by Yigal Azrouel
Rebecca Minkoff
Rachel Zoe
Suno
Wes Gordon
Sally LaPointe

= 7 

JADE JACKSON
Yigal Azrouel
Carlos Miele
Sophie Theallet
Rad by Rad Hourani
Milly by Michelle Smith
Ohne Titel

= 6

LAUREN MOODY
Imitation of Christ
Sally LaPointe
Juan Carlos Obando
Argentine Designers
Nomia
Arise African Fashion Collective


= 6

LAUREN BROWN
Kimberley Ovitz

Son Jung Wan

Reed Krakoff

Chado Ralph Rucci
Arise African Fashion Collective

= 5

CARIS TIIVEL

Christian SirianoBibi
Project Runway
Bibhu Mohapatra
Josie Natori

= 5

ABBEY LEE KERSHAW

Tom Ford (opened)

Pringle of Scotland (opened)

John Rocha (opened, closed)

Burberry

Matthew Williamson

= 5

ELIZA HUMBLE
Erin by Erin Fetherston
Chris Benz
Gen Art
Douglas Hannant

= 4

SIMONE KERR
Christian Siriano
Pink Tartan
Betsey Johnson
The Blonds

= 4

TOM BULL

Imitation of Christ

Perry Ellis (opened and closed)

Marithé et François Girbaud

Sergio Davila

= 4

JAKE GORDON
Billy Reid
Dominic Lewis
Aston Mozie
Nexus Showroom


= 4

ANDREJ PEJIC
Custo Barcelona (opened)

Jeremy Scott

Mala Breton (opened)

= 3

BAMBI NORTHWOOD-BLYTH

Jonathan Saunders

Topshop Unique

Giles Deacon

= 3

ELYSE TAYLOR
Nicole Miller

VPL

DKNY

= 3

JACK VANDERHART
DKNY Men

Argentine Designers

= 2 

CATHERINE MCNEIL

Matthew Williamson

Pringle of Scotland

= 2

VICTORIA LEE

DKNY

Libertine

= 2

VANESSA MILDE

Imitation of Christ

Eva Minge

= 2

MALLORY JANSEN
WISB (Way It Should Be)
Tribune Standard


= 2

photo gallery:

1/ abbey lee kershaw, burberry/burberry twitpic
2/ catherine mcneil, matthew wiliamson/getty
3/ julia nobis, christopher kane, vogue.it via TFS
4/ rose smith, antonio berardi/getty
5/ melissa johannsen, mulberry/getty
6/ codie young, erdem/getty
7/ amanda ware, antonio berardi/getty
8/ ajak deng, erdem/getty
9/ dempsey stewart, house of holland/getty
10/ ruby jean wilson, julien macdonald/getty
11/ chrystal copland, jonathan saunders/getty
12/ bambi northwood-blyth, giles/vogue.it via TFS
13/ jess gold, ashish/getty
14/ caitlin lomax, christopher kane/vogue.it via TFS

LOVE in the time of dysmorphia

Frockwriter thought it seemed a little odd that Britain's Love magazine removed last Tuesday's shot of Australasian model Catherine McNeil from its Twitter feed. Originally published on the Condé Nast-owned magazine's TwitPic account (a photo hosting service connected to Twitter), together with the caption "Catherine McNeil is back!", the Tweet was nowhere to be found on Thursday. Coincidentally, earlier that day, we had published the original - apparently unretouched - series of digital shots of McNeil that were taken by McNeil's New York agency, Ford Models - and which had been supplied to Love earlier in the week. But while the shot slipped off Love's Twitter feed, the image had already been reposted by several web forums and blogs, including frockwriter and remains cached on Google images. Oh, and Love also neglected to remove it from the magazine's separate TwitPic feed. What's problematic about this shot? Could it have anything to do with the fact that a quick comparison of the two images suggests some Photoshop magic has been worked on McNeil's left arm? The version published by Love is on the left, above, with the original on the right. 

screen cap of LOVE magazine's twitpic

supplied by ford models

So, who retouched the image?

Difficult to say at this stage, given that neither Love editor Katie Grand nor Ford Models have responded to our communications. 

Just a reminder that McNeil, one of Australia's most high profile models, has been having a bit of a break from the modelling business for the past 12 months. According to Ford, however, McNeil is fit and high fashion-ready, having been "working really hard to get herself together. She's really determined". 

But apparently not sufficiently 'together' for Love's purposes. 

Clearly someone retouched the photo. If indeed it was Love, then of course by no stretch of the imagination would this be the only fashion magazine in the world to have manipulated an image to make a model or celebrity look thinner than she/he is in real life. It's the kind of endemic practice that has become a key focus of such charters and groups as Australia's National Advisory Group on Body Image, whose voluntary industry code of practice recommends the disclosure of all digital retouching. 

Meanwhile, Katie Grand's peers are dedicating more and more space to special body image-focussed editions. 

The June edition of Vogue Italia stars three plus-sized models and separately, Vogue Italia editor Franza Sozzani has launched a petition to combat pro-anorexia websites that encourage young women to be competitive about their body shape. The magazine claims to be attempting to promote healthy beauty standards and to help impress upon young women that being skinny does not equal being perfect.

"Catherine McNeil is iconic for her generation" - Doll Wright

ford models

Well at least one mystery has been solved regarding Catherine McNeil - one of Australia's best-known modelling exports who has been on a bit of a self-imposed career hiatus for much of the past year and who, as it now emerges, also boasts New Zealand citizenship and travels on a Kiwi passport. The photo of McNeil that was Tweeted two days ago by Britain's Love magazine, together with the caption "Catherine McNeil is back!", was not part of any upcoming photoshoot for the magazine, but one of a handful of new digital shots of McNeil that have just been taken by McNeil's new New York management, Ford Models (curiously, the shot appears to have now been removed by Love). Here are the rest, supplied by Ford, which contacted us overnight for a little damage control, presumably not terribly happy with Timo Weiland's unfortunate Twitter shot of McNeil that we published yesterday. But while Love has yet to book her, newly-minted Ford Models agent Doll Wright tells frockwriter that McNeil has just shot 25 pages with a major photographer for a major international fashion title. 

Wright declined to comment on the Weiland shot, in which McNeil is holding a beer bottle and her NZ passport, with a cigarette dangling from her lips. Wright was also unable to clarify whether McNeil is actually an Australian citizen or merely has permanent residency here.

But Wright did stress that McNeil has been "working really hard to get herself together. She's really determined. You can see what she looks like".

“She hasn’t shot Love or worked with [editor] Katie Grand yet" added Wright. "But we’re thrilled because obviously it shows that the support is still there. At the end of the day, the industry, at the level that’s she’s at and the calibre of people she has worked with, they respect her. Catherine McNeil is iconic for her generation. As a model, she will always be remembered for that and people at the top level of this business appreciate and respect the hard work that she’s put in for them. She’s worked her ass off for this business, she’s travelled the world non stop. On the back of Gemma Ward she helped put us on the map and maybe she had a moment where she wanted to take some time out.

"Life is a rollercoaster and these girls go through so much, they’re worked to the bone. Some burn out or fade out and are never heard of again. Or they do have some fire in their belly and they come back bigger and better than ever before. And in the case of Catherine McNeil, that’s what it’s going to be”. 

McNeil and Australian-born Wright are not Ford Models' only new antipodian additions. 

Wright joined Ford a week ago after recently resigning from New York rival Elite Model Management. And she has taken a swag of Elite’s Australian highprofilers with her to Ford: Julia Nobis, Lauren Brown, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Ruby-Jean Wilson and Emma Balfour, in addition to Canadian Kate King and American Hannah Holman.

all images: supplied to frockwriter by ford models