>> Anna Wintour, who turned 60, wasn't the only fashion figure celebrating a birthday today — Gemma Ward turned 22. Ward, who according to her sister Sophie dressed up as a "crazed Elvis fan" for Halloween over the weekend, appeared with a couple of friends in New York's East Village today after an extended spell under the radar.
*image: bauer-griffin online
>> THE MODELIZER —Despite the fact that she was spotted in New York the night before taking in an Animal Collective concert with her brother and some friends, Gemma Ward failed to appear for her DJ gig at the Doe Fund's charity event last night. The weird part: She had personally arranged to appear at the event, without the help of an agent or manager, and it's unclear why she didn't show. [The Cut]
>> THE MODELIZER —Gemma Ward hasn't hit editorial pages in a while, but she's gearing up for her DJing gig tomorrow by hitting up the Animal Collective concert this evening in New York with her younger brother. Another off-duty model, on the other hand, got into something a little less innocent — Eugenia Volodina was snapped getting up close and personal with Mickey Royrke last night at the Bijoux Lounge in New York (photos at the Daily Mail). [Daily Mail]
>> While Gemma Ward is still missing from the fashion scene — instead, she's DJing this Thursday in New York — but some of her compatriots are making a return to the influential editorial fold after lengthy breaks, courtesy of the May 2009 Vogue Italia.
Irina Lazareanu, who has been in full-on hiatus mode, skipping both the Spring 2009 and Fall 2009 runways save for a couple of turns during couture in January, is back in Miles Aldridge's technicolored "Dreamy." And Suvi Koponen, who skipped the Fall 2009 runways to travel the world, returns to major editorial ground showcasing what she does best — pose — in Richard Burbridge's "A Summer Blend." Not to mention Sasha Pivovarova's return to Vogue Italia cover territory, Moroccan-style.
*image: source
.xlarge.jpg "May 2009 Vogue Italia Heralds Editorial Comebacks of Suvi, Irina")
>> Just a week after promises of Gemma Ward's imminent return to modeling came, Australian tabloid The Sunday Telegraph ran a front page story yesterday advertising "shocking pics" snapped Friday of the model in a swimsuit at Byron Bay, where Ward is currently vacationing, and maliciously labeling her a "Roll Model."
Gemma first experienced weight-related backlash in October 2007, when she walked the Chanel Spring 2008 runway in a swimsuit, debuting a more voluptuous figure than she carried in the past. Soon after, she took her year-long sabbatical from modelling; According to an unnamed friend, "She knows she did let herself go during the year, but she had fun doing it, just being herself and doing whatever she wanted."
Supposedly, she's currently exercising daily with the help of a personal trainer, presumedly to hit model weight for that comeback. Although she's never talked publicly about wrestling to maintain the "ideal" model weight, Gemma is far from alone in her struggle — Ali Michael told Teen Vogue about her debilitating laxative use last year, and Coco Rocha detailed her battle with diuretic pills at a CFDA panel.
*image: source
>> THE MODELIZER —It's a new year, and Gemma Ward is still promising that she hasn't given up on modelling — in fact, she confirmed that 2009 is the year for her comeback. No word on any jobs, but to ring in the new year, she's renting a beach house in Byron Bay, New South Wales with Nicole Trunfio. [The Sunday Times]
>> This week seems to be all about fashion in film — Wednesday brings us both the debut of Karl Lagerfeld's short film and the televised version of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and on Friday, Gemma Ward's film, The Black Balloon, finally makes its US debut, just in time to throw itself into the ring for awards season contention. The film already swept the nominations for Australia's most prestigious film awards — results come out this Saturday — and a similarly positive reception stateside could do wonders for Gemma's film career.
>> THE MODELIZER —We haven't seen much of Gemma Ward lately — except for the unexpected cover in October — and according to this week's Australian Grazia, she spends most of her time with her mother, "refusing invitations to parties and other events" at her New York base, but she made a surprise appearance on Tuesday night, celebrating in the streets of New York with a picture of Barack Obama. That's not the only reason Gemma should be celebrating — her movie The Black Balloon recently picked up eleven nominations at Australia's most prestigious film awards, and it's set to make a New York debut on Dec. 5. [ONTD_FF]
>> Gemma Ward hasn't been a presence on the runways since the Spring 2008 season a year ago, but she's followed through with her no-retirement promise. It's no Vogue Italia of yesteryear, but she appears on the cover and inside the October 2008 issue of Spanish Marie Claire wearing Burberry Fall 2008. As for that burgeoning movie career of hers, she recently picked up an Inside Film nomination for Best Actress in The Black Balloon — which, if she wins, could place her in the running for an Australian Film Institute Award, the Australian equivalent of an Oscar — and there's a Strangers sequel in the works, with the expectation that villain Gemma might return. As for what's on her plate right now — your guess is as good as mine — IMDB lists nothing.
*image: source
>> Sasha Pivovarova has long garnered comparisons to fellow model Gemma Ward, and vice-versa, but lately, she has been resembling some other models . . . and they her. Take Kate Moss, left, in a lookbook picture for her Topshop holiday collection — and then have a look at Sasha on the right, in the Fall 2008 Zara campaign — same blonde hair, sideswept bangs, smoky eye, and even the mouth shape.
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