>> The 96-page September issue insert The Imagist teased back in June turned out to be for V: Paul Rowland, founder of Women and Supreme agencies, photographed 19 of his models in studio back in April with help from stylist Nicholas Grasa.  His inspirations were "Joel-Peter Witkin, paganism, mysticism, vampires, witches — all the things I love," and V has a video of the shoot in action, which required Hannelore Knuts to have raw meat draped over her chest and the rope holding it together lit on fire on both ends. The supplement will be available with V61 in select cities. 

Maybe this whole project is the start of a move into a new arena for Rowland?  As V puts it: "Rowland, whose lavish and intricate agency show packages are the talk of the industry each season, has a creative verve that extends beyond model agency moving and shaking, and into photography and fine art. After this outing, however, he might need his own magazine as well."

>> Nothing's going to beat the Fall 2009 Marc Jacobs ad with Natasa Vojnovic leaning out of a brick building, but her campaign compatriots — Ajuma Nasenyana, Olga Sherer, Kamila Filipcikova, and Irina Kulikova — put up a good fight in this acid-washed full set, which was photographed by Juergen Teller back at the end of April.

>> The Louis Vuitton Cruise 2010 we saw last week was the work of new Vuitton design director Julie de Libran, who has taken Peter Copping's place now that he's heading up Nina Ricci; apparently for some time now, Marc Jacobs has entrusted Resort designing to one of his lieutenants.

Meanwhile, the Fall 2009 ads for his namesake label are starting to appear; one with Natasa Vojnovic leaning out of a building precariously, and another a collage of portraits of Natasa, Ajuma Nasenyana, and Kamila Filipcikova.  Irina Kulikova and Olga Sherer are also supposed to appear in the Juergen Teller-lensed set.

>> Gareth Pugh never fails to surprise with his runway shows, and for Fall 2009, he pulled the rug out from under editors by showing them an eight-minute video when they came expecting a runway show.  He's not the first — in recent seasons, Stefano Pilati, Viktor & Rolf, and the good people at Halston have all dabbled in the format — but using a video in place of a runway is polarizing, since it makes it harder to get a good look at the clothes.  Natasa Vojnovic marches, writhes, and dances to demonic music in the mostly black-and-white film — which features one striking scene with her birthing herself from a bronze pod jacket.  When interviewed on his choice, Gareth explained that he finds sending a girl walking up and down the catwalk "a little half-assed, for lack of a better word.  It's a well-trodden formula and I think it's time for a change."  And how appropriate that the first clear picture of the collection comes courtesy of Natasa, who walked away from the show in a Fall 2009 Pugh cape.

>> New York Fashion Week is known as the springboard for new faces every season, but for Fall 2009, it's become the springboard for comebacks — especially with models right around the 30-year-old mark.  This morning, Frankie Rayder (34), who hasn't hit a catwalk since the Fall 2004 with the exception of Spring 2009 Givenchy, walked Michael Kors.  The runways of Preen, Rodarte, Alexander Wang, and Marc Jacobs have been especially overrun with these mainly late-'90s, early-00's faces — from those who have hovered in and out the past few seasons: Anne Catherine Lacroix (29), Natasa Vojnovic (29), Caroline Ribeiro (29), Jamie Bochert (28), Christina Kruse (34), Carmen Kass (30), Colette Pechekhonova (28), Hannelore Knuts (31); to those who have exited the runway for a while — Tasha Tilberg (29), Kirsten Owen (38), Trish Goff (32) — all are booking some of the most coveted spots this season.  Kors, Behnaz Sarafpour, Staerk, VPL, and Diane von Furstenberg are feeling it too — the mature woman is back in New York.
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>> The line to get into the Roseland Ballroom, where Alexander Wang showed his Fall 2009 collection, went down the entire block and around the corner — it stayed this way for a good half an hour or so after the show was scheduled to start . . . This season brought in the attendance of Alex's first big celebrity front row — Sarah Jessica Parker; also in attendance were Diane von Furstenberg, Patrick Robinson, and Philip Green of Topshop, the latter sparking some questions.  Green said Anna Wintour had just suggested that he come check the show out . . . Wang's obsession with Hooters continues — they provided the backstage catering . . . Alex wrote a sign backstage for the models promising "tequila shots for those who don't fall!!!" . . . Fur was worked into his collection for the first time . . . Anna Wintour brought Bee Shaffer along for the first time (lots of firsts); usually she just comes to Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs.  Does that mean Alex has moved up into Proenza and Marc territory in Anna's eyes? . . . Among the model cast were a few '90s and early '00s faces — Trish Goff (who's also supposed to walk Preen tomorrow), Tasha Tilberg, Natasa Vojnovic, Christina Kruse, and Hannelore Knuts — runway comebacks in the works?
*image: source