fashionologie

What's Going on with Tanya Dziahileva?

fashionologie — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:19:20 PDT

>> There have been a lot of big model-agency switcharoos lately, with both Agyness Deyn and Snejana Onopka moving to Women, but conspiracy theorists have a new model on their minds: Tanya Dziahileva.

In the past few days, she has gone missing from her agency IMG's site; when you add that information to the fact that she left IMG's Milan branch for Why Not Models, and IMG's Paris branch for Marilyn, some are calling foul, especially since shedidn't walk New York Fashion Week because of a lost passport, but made it to Milan and Paris just fine.

Was the lost passport an excuse because she didn't have New York representation? Was she dropped by IMG, did she quit, or is her disappearance from the site all a mistake?
*image: source

fashionologie — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:47:01 PDT

>> THE MODELIZER —Show season is upon us in just two short weeks, and show packages are starting to surface. Marilyn commissioned Glynis Selina Arban to photograph its stable of girls — including Liu Wen, Caroline Trentini (left), Arlenis Pena, and Eniko Mihalik — in a Spring-worthy ethereal way. [Of the Minute]

Peep the First Missoni for Target Ad

fashionologie — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:26:10 PDT

>> In June, images leaked of Margherita Missoni shooting the campaign for the upcoming Missoni for Target collaboration, and now the first official image has hit. The 400-plus piece collection - which spans everything from clothes and bedding to dinnerware, luggage, and bicycles (see a few peeks from the August 2011 issue of Vogue here) - is expected to hit Target from Sept. 13 through Oct. 22 and ranges in price from $7.99 to $199.99. [@MarilynAgencyNY]

The Rise of the Asian Model - A Moment or a Movement?

fashionologie — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:41:14 PST

>> Is the current rise of Asian models a moment or a movement? The latter, Kwok Chan, director of international scouting at Marilyn Agency (which represents Liu Wen), tells Vogue in its December 2010 issue. Curiously, of all the most in-demand Asian models currently, none of them are Asian-American. "The only way I can explain why there are no big Asian-American names is, why are photo shoots done in some exotic locale and it looks like you've shot in someone's backyard?" Chan says. "Fashion is fantasy; it's about perception."

Dick Page, creative director of Shiseido, chalks up Asian models' increased visibility to "most economics. Everybody in the fashion/beauty industry recognizes the importance of global markets, and currently, China, Taiwan, and South Korea are at the forefront. The upshot is that customers want to see some version of themselves represented." And Anita Bitton, a casting director who has worked on Alexander Wang's shows and Gap campaigns, says that an ease in travel restrictions could also be a contributor: "Some of these girls had trouble obtaining work visas."

Liu Wen herself has noted a change within the last two seasons: "The challenge for me, and for Asian models in general, has been convincing editors, stylists, and photographers that we can have mass appeal. "But Asian, especially Chinese, models have become a stronger presence. Just a season or two ago, there weren't many models for me to talk with backstage in my native Mandarin. Now I usually have no trouble finding someone at any show." Du Juan adds: "There still are brands or clients that would not consider using an Asian model, but things are changing dramatically and quickly. I am not so sure if being Asian was or is a hindrance. In fact, I think it is a plus."

Because of the shift, Angelica Cheung, editor in chief of Vogue China, has noticed a shift in the Chinese ideal of beauty: "Traditionally the Chinese favored a classic kind of beauty - big, round eyes, cute small mouth, a high nose, and very fair skin. The Chinese models who have made it internationally are not beauties in the traditional sense, so they are modernizing the concept of beauty in China. When I was growing up in the seventies, everyone wore a blue, gray, or green Mao suit - there was no chance for women to be glamorous or different. Now you see young Chinese trying to be radical by dyeing their hair blonde or blue, sporting tattoos. It is a combination of copying what they see is popular in the Western world and trying to stand out in a nation where almost all of the 1.3 billion population have straight black hair and brown eyes. I like to joke that in less than a decade, China has gone from Karl Marx to Karl Lagerfeld!”

fashionologie — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:11:27 PST

>> Snowstorm May Keep Some of the Industry Away from Beginning of New York Fashion Week -If your favorite model is missing on the first day of Fashion Week shows, snow may be to blame. New York experienced a snowstorm last night and well into this morning, and because of it, the Fashion Week crowds may be thinned out for the first day or so. Marilyn Agency reports: "No models will be flying in today to NY! 'No flights coming in, none going out' Thankfully most of ours are already here..." Elle's Joe Zee is in Los Angeles and was on the phone with American Airlines this morning about his flight back to New York today. But Sasha Pivovarova fans, rejoice: she caught the only flight to New York from London Heathrow that wasn't canceled today. [@MarilynAgencyNY, @mrjoezee, @evachen212, @evachen212]