Models Get Their Due at 2009 Costume Institute Gala

fashionologie — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:18:39 PDT

>> Hints at the 2009 Costume Institute Gala theme have been swirling since May - first, it was thought to be an ode to Marc Jacobs, and then an ode to fashion muses. Now that the official announcement has come out, we learn that both subjects are involved, just not quite in the way that was originally thought: the May 4 gala rings in "The Model as Muse," with Marc Jacobs as honorary chair, and Kate Moss, Anna Wintour, and Justin Timberlake as co-chairs.

The accompanying exhibit, which runs May 6 to Aug. 9, will explore the evolution of models and "their roles in projecting and sometimes inspiring the fashion of their respective eras," with special focus on one of the first publicly known models, Marion Morehouse; the first supermodel, Lisa Fonssagrives; fifties mannequins Suzy Parker, Dovima, Sunny Harnett, and Dorian Leigh; sixties icons Jean Shrimpton, Moffitt, Twiggy, and Veruschka; Seventies faces Jerry Hall, Iman, and Janice Dickinson; the supermodel trinity of Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell; Nineties “It” girls Kate Moss, Amber Valletta, Nadja Auermann, and Shalom Harlow; and more recently, Gisele Bundchen.

As Harold Koda, curator of the Costume Institute, explained: "We look at the power of clothing, fashion photography and the model to project the look of an era. With a mere gesture, or the line of her body, a truly stellar model can sum up the attitude of her time, creating an alluring synergy between herself and the clothing to communicate a designer’s message to the wider world."

Seventy haute couture and ready-to-wear looks, plus photography, runway images, and video footage of models, rock stars, socialites and actresses who set the tone for each era will emphasize the theme, but most exciting of all - think of all the models who will be representing at the gala.
*image: source

Vogue Pays Tribute to Model Muses for May 2009

fashionologie — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:13:43 PDT

>> The wait is over. The May 2009 issue of Vogue, wholly dedicated to models in anticipation of this year's Model as Muse Costume Insitute Gala next month has debuted, and Liya Kebede, Natalia Vodianova, Anna Maria Jagodzinska, Isabeli Fontana, Lara Stone, Jourdan Dunn, Raquel Zimmermann, Caroline Trentini,and Natasha Poly all made the final cut, wearing what appears to be Rodarte. This cover, shot by Steven Meisel, is notable not only because of its subjects, but because it marks the third consecutive cover to feature a woman of color on the front.

Inside, Natalia Vodianova, who has been called "the Baby" by Steven Meisel and makeup artist Pat McGrath since they starting working with her, collaborated with them again on a tribute editorial to models past, from Twiggy to Dovima, similar to the one Gisele Bundchen did for Harper's Bazaar last month. The key to Natalia's chameleon act? "I looked at each woman's lips - they're all different."
*image: source, source, source

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