Dale Magazine

Top 5 New Faces NYC S/S 08

2007-09-14T14:35:00.000+02:00

New York fashion week is over again already and, well it was more boring than ever if you ask me. There was not one show to get excited about. Even though the Marc Jacobs show was overhyped as always, I didn't have any feelings for that collection this season whatsoever. But, luckily, there is always a small crop of interesting new girls to hit the New York runways. Some predicted stars didn't prove their warnings right (read: Siri, Meghan, Cicely), so there was enough space for some other girls to take over. As usual, I will give you my five favourites without explanation and when Paris is over, you'll have my list of 10 definite girls with explanation. Oh, and don't expect any Marc Jacobs exclusives on this list...they were ugly anyway. The exlusive-eyes were all on Calvin Klein this time.

Toni Garn

Oxana Pautova

Masha Novoselova

Flo Gennaro

Erin Heatherton

New Model Crush: Masha Novoselova

2007-08-24T20:18:00.000+02:00

It's almost fashion week again and the showcard madness has already started, but even before that this Russian stunner already caught mine and others eyes. Meet Masha Novoselova, one of my latest crushes. She's sure to be a hot cake on the S/S 08 runways and has actually proven right already now. She's graced the Numero 85 cover together with Caroline Trentini. Just like that, out of the blue. Isn't that quite something? But who's to blame? Isn't she gorgeous? She's just in time to ride along on the wave of Catherine McNeil's nouveau-sexy. Red hot, so now, so starquality. I can't wait to see what happens to her come September.

Dale Magazine 16: July 2007

2007-06-29T17:14:00.000+02:00

Oh July, July! The month of couture....and if we may believe the words in the press from these past few weeks it's going to be one of the most exciting couture weeks ever. Valentino celebrates 40 years in the biz and Galliano celebrates 60 years of New Look at the Versailles palace. I can't wait...but alas, tonight I'll go on vacation to Croatia and I doubt I'll have a lot of acces there to the internet. So when I'll get back, I am in for a huge surprise! But even if I am not here, July still needs a cover. So here's one hell of a Power Woman! Elsa Sylvan is celebrating her strong womanhood in a more than cool pose. Enjoy the Summer, people!

Feature: Cruise Should Be About One Thing

2007-06-21T20:37:00.000+02:00

Well, aside from sunglasses, bathing suits and a weird hat or two, the Cruise/Resort collection should all have one thing in common: flirty, breezy, summerdresses which are suitable for a walk on the beach and for a night out. Plus, they should be expensive with a capital E - because, hey, we are talking St. Tropez here! Here are some of my favourite cruisedresses from the shows that have been held thusfar.

Badgley Mischka

Chanel

Christian Dior

Gucci

Oscar dela Renta

Showstoppers: Chanel Cruise 2008

2007-06-04T23:53:00.001+02:00

Check out the video right here http://www.vogue.fr/mode/Chanel_cruise_vidéo-12098-103-art.htm on online French Vogue. I didn't necessarily like what Karl showed clothewise, but it was quite the spectacle as he pulled out two Chanel printed jets in an LAX setting. Hoo-ha location planning!

News: Dior Couture To Show In Versailles

2007-06-01T14:01:00.000+02:00

Here's some wonderful news via wwd:

GALLIANO'S GETTING BUSY JOHN GALLIANO is gearing up for one hell of a party. As Christian Dior prepares for its 60th anniversary this summer, rumour has it the British designer will stage a one-off couture show on July 2, inside Versaille's stunning Orangerie. According to WWD, models have already been booked and instructed to arrive an enormous eight hours before showtime - now that's a lot of hair and make-up. No stranger to fashion, the exact location was chosen for a Dior "Matrix"-themed couture show back in 1999. The palace itself, which hadn't permitted a fashion shoot for over 25 years, also miraculously opened its doors to the American Vogue team last year, for the memorable Kirsten Dunst cover shoot inspired by Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. If you can't make it to France for the show, John will also be making his way to London to throw a Champagne reception with British Vogue, at the V&A, during London Fashion Week on September 18. One of the world's most passionate ambassadors for the survival and genius of Haute Couture, Gallliano will be celebrating the gallery's opening of its aptly named exhibition, The Golden Age of Couture.

(May 30 2007, AM) Louise Roe

Naturally, I cannot wait...how awesome does this sound? Rumor also has it that there will be a fully installed choir and orchestra to do the music. That is said to be the last wish of Steven Robinson - Galliano's partner in crime who recently died - concerning the coming couture show. If Galliano won't go for the obvious, which would be a Marie Antoinette inspired collection, then this couture show (which will by the way mark the 60th anniversary of the groundbreaking New Look collection by Monsieur Dior himself) will be absolutely amazing. On the downside, I will be so so late for the party, because on July 2nd I will be on holiday in Croatia, only to return 10 days later. Damn it! I hope there'll be some internetcafes there, because I so cannot miss this!!

Dale Magazine 15: June 2007

2007-06-01T13:52:00.000+02:00

Finally a cover that is posted in time! Anywho, June is one of my favourite months of the year, because it's that month just between Summer and Spring. So it's not too hot, just perfectly warm and nature is at it's greenest. So for June I had to use one of my favourite pictures of the past few weeks for the cover of Dale Mag 15. And that has to be this divine picture of Canadian Alana Zimmer. How perfect can it be? Who knew Mary could be totally fashionable? Well, here's the proof! The only suitable reaction to seeing this pic would be Holy Mother Of Couture!

Highlight: Escorting Jean-Paul Gaultier

2007-05-29T20:11:00.000+02:00

You know that you officially are a muse when you get to escort Jean-Paul Gaultier to the Cannes Filmfestival...twice! So yay for Morgane Dubled. Doesn't she look spectacular with that smile on her. You go girl!

You Fall, You Get Up

2007-05-29T20:00:00.001+02:00

It was quite the scandal when Milana Keller stumbled and fell numerous times only to be escorted of the runway by a bodyguard at the Dior cruise show two weeks ago. Rumours existed that she might've been a tad bit drunk when she entered the runway. I refuse to believe this and think that the impossible shoes are a sufficient explanation. Anyhwho, her fall might've been a sensational one but it's only grown my love for Milana!

Here's the showcard I made for her back when the shows were in February. She was still Milana Bogolepova at all her agencies back then, but she married and the agencies adjusted her name to Keller. I just love this sexy blonde woman who has an awesome runwaywalk and totally aced the Dior couture show in January by the way. Love love love her!

New Model Crush: Genevieve Godbout

2007-05-17T22:29:00.000+02:00

In a new topic you'll see more often I will present to you totally new girls that have caught my eye and made me fall in love with: New Model Crush. First up is Genevieve Godbout. This Montreal native totally worked the Dior cruise show. She looked like such a regal queen and totally stole my heart when I found her sexy pics at her motheragency Folio. In New York she is signed with Marilyn. I hope to see her way more! What a stunner!

Showstoppers: Christian Dior Cruise 2008

2007-05-17T22:15:00.000+02:00

It came totally out of nowhere for me, but it is time for a select ammount of resort/cruise shows again! When Dior did a show last year for the first ever time in cruise history, a trend was set and more brands followed. More will follow each year untill it probably gets it's own calendar in a few years. Galliano through up an amazing sixties show where he went on with the bold colours of his Fall-Winter 2007-2008 show for Dior. It fitted the sixties theme better than the Oriental theme and it looked absolutely amazing as far as I am concerned. Love the wigs and glasses! And who cares if the shoes nearly killed May Anderson and Milana Keller on the runway (one of them was drunk apparantly, my bet is on May) because the shoes look totally cool. Enjoy some of my personal faves:

^Sexy Marta Berzkalna!

Dale Magazine 14: May 2007

2007-05-17T22:10:00.000+02:00

Another quiet month has passed, but I have some posts ready to be placed. Some action is definetly required here, so what better excuse to introduce you all to one of the biggest trends of Spring-Summer, sportswear! Not just sweatpants or Adidas shoes, but innovative, futiristic ways of incorporatong sportswear into your everyday haute look. Let uber-topmodels Caroline Trentini and Hana Soukupova tell you how to take it to an extreme in this month's cover. Be sure to remember Spring's Message: Get Sporty!

Dale Magazine 13: April 2007

2007-04-19T17:22:00.000+02:00

Ya, I know, It's halfway through April already, but I have been caught up in school so my blog and a lot of other online stuff got left behind. But school's died a bit again so it is finally time for the new cover of Dale Mag! Issue 13 marks my first year anniversary of this blog! It went faster than I could imagine and was surprised that it's been a year already when I realised it, so I figured that should be the theme of April's cover. Romina Lanaro makes the perfect face of a disbeliever and I can just hear her say the words "For Real? A Year Already?". Believe it! Because it is true and we are celebrating it!

Showstoppers: Dolce & Gabbana F/W 07.08

2007-03-18T19:26:00.000+01:00

Finally somebody who is really bringing sexy back. Dolce & Gabbana is fast asociated with sex, sex, sex, so to see them kinda going back to their nineties image was a feast for me. The collection consisted of tight, black bustiers, gold, shiny materials, leopard prints, fur overlayed with lace, sequins, whips, Madonna soundtracks and to top it all, Gisele herself opened and closed the show. I love it all! Enjoy my picks:

Feature: Top 10 New Girls F/W 07.08

2007-03-07T21:02:00.000+01:00

It's been a turbulent season in modeling, but F/W 07.08 knew how to deliver us some gorgeous faces anyway. New York had us prepared for the successes of several girls, but alas, some of these successes never came. Or at least, not yet. Some faces survived and some others popped out of nowhere in Europe and started to rule the runways. But what's most the characteristic of this season is that some of the major new girls were in fact not new at all. They've been aroun for some season but never really got to do a lot of bog shows. But this season, some of these girls just started to do major shows with opening and closing priviliges all the time. All in all, this is the result of F/W 07.08 as far as i am concerned.

One of those breakthrough girls who ard finally stealing the limelight after a few seasons of smaller shows is Alyona Osmanova. After her Prada appearance last season, casting directors probably realised that this one is special. And she is! Alyona was everywhere. YSL, Dior, Calvin Klein, she even opened John Galliano with a bang! This girl is up for a more than good future!

Carolina Panoliano is a softer version of Daiane Conterato. And whoever loves Daiane, cannot not love Carolina. She is beautiful and London noticed. She was the bell of the ball in London doing everything, opening everything, closing everything and appearing at Marc by Marc. In Paris, she did Vuitton and Dries van Noten. Plus, Miuccia featured her in both her shows, which is something you want as a model. Go Carolina!

Where should I begin? Catherine McNeil has STAR written all over her. She skipped New York to do some interesting shoots that we'll probably hear about soon. She did Noir in London, which seemed alright and didn't prepare us at all for what was about to open. This Australian sexbomb was suddenly opening and closing every major show in Milan and Paris and setting foot on every other catwalk that mattered. In the recent modeling history there has been no other model with such a high profile success in her first season. So remember her name and watch out!

Diana Moldovan was one of those New York promisses. And luckily for her, she was one of the few to make it true! Diana was embraced in Milan and Paris by fashion houses such as Gucci, Jil Sander, Chanel and Nina Ricci. And who's to blame, because she is gorgeous! Apparantly more people agree on that because overall she has done 74 shows this season, which is amazing! Keep up the good work, girl!

Prada does great wonders. Irina Kulikova is one girl that noticed this. After opening Prada this girl was in demand! But we should have known after her Calvin Klein exclusive in New York. In Paris she opened and closed Antonio Berardi and Undercover. She opened Cacharel and Nina Ricci and she closed Louis Vuitton and YSL. Do you need to hear more? Ok, since you asked: this girl is beautiful! You better watch out!

Fifteen year old Johanna Jonsson made a sure impression on us modelwatchers about a year back when she appeared at Chloe and Yohji Yamamoto F/W 06.07 in Paris. We knew we were in for something good right that moment. Finally, this season it happened. She was a stunner at among others, Dior, Chanel, Galliano, Burberry, Prada and also at her Calvin Klein exclusive. I can't wait for her success to expand even more. Hopefully some nice ads will appear and perhaps Vogue Italia smells the same excitement as I do.

The second fifteen year old and the second Johanna on this list is Johanna Stickland. She showed her face last season as well where she shined on the runways of Christian Dior among others. This season she was back with a blast. A Jil Sander exclusive in Milan, appearing at Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler in New York and re-appearing at Dior and also at Givenchy in Paris ensures great success for this very young but very pretty girl. Probably, with age comes even more success.

Stunning Kasia Struss is one of the most beautiful newcommers of the season as far as I am concerned. Marc by Marc, Calvin Klein, Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana must have thought the same. With a total of 70 shows this season, she is right up there with all the established models. But what did you expect? A great walk, a great face and a very fresh beauty need to be seen and the runway is definetly the right place for it. Not to mention magazine and bilboards. Ads galore I tell ya!

Another girl that was around before but started to catch more eyes this season is Kinga Rajzak. She has a unique beauty and an amazing runway presence. If you don't believe me then check out the pictures of shows such as Dolce & Gabbanana, Alexander McQueen, Donna Karan, Lanvin, you just name it! Beautifully cute Kinga is already a runway favourite of mine and hopefully she'll be around for a long time to convince more people of this belief.

Last but not least on this list is Olga Sherer. She had appeared at several Dolce & Gabbana shows already but not untill this New York season it seemed that she had more up her sleeve than we had imagined before. She opened the one and only NYC show Marc Jacobs, so she was just bound to survive after New York. And thus it happened. As a lot of New York success failed misserably in Europe but olga reigned supreme. Appearing once again at Dolce & Gabbana of course, but also at every single other show that matters. Think in the likes of Versace, Prada, Viktor & Rolf, Lanvin and she opened Christian Dior! This flaming redhead is on a roll and this rock will keep on rolling and won't be stopping for a long time, trust me.

Dale Magazine 12: March 2007

2007-03-03T00:07:00.000+01:00

Come March, come a new cover. Finally it is time for Han Hye Jin to take it to the cover of Dale Magazine. It just had to happen, especially since she is ruling the runways at this moment. As mentioned, she isn't missing one major runway show and came out as the runwaycount winner of New York fashion week. Han's teaching us the message of March and coming Spring: Go Strike A Pose! Enjoy your fashion, enjoy the the birth of a new Spring and you better sashay and shantee untill there is no tomorrow. Pose, pose, pose is the message!

Feature: Oh My God, Shoes!

2007-02-25T19:57:00.000+01:00

Let Kelly teach you how to get some shoes! So hilarious!

Highlight: The Prada New Girls

2007-02-21T15:00:00.000+01:00

Every season all the modelwatchers pretty much only have their eyes pointed at the Prada and MiuMiu shows. Miucia Prada always has the most interesting and promising new girls as mostly exlusives for her shows. When you've walked a Prada show, you know that in the near future - it might be next season, or the season after that, or... - you will be making a splash in the modeling world. Think in the likes of Sasha Pivovarova, Tanya Dziahileva, Freja Beha Erichsen and more recently, Suvi Koponen. For F/W 07.08, she presented us with these very lovely ladies, with the first girl being the opening girl (which instantly guarantees you a starcareer next season) Oh and let this also be a look into the fabulous new Prada collection. It's not in your face beauty, but lovely none the less:

Irina Kulikova

Serafima Vakulenko

Eva Arlauskaite

Oxana Pautova

Anabela

Showstoppers: Preen F/W 07.08

2007-02-21T14:52:00.000+01:00

This is how the eighties should be referenced in a 2007 collection. The bold colours, sharp cuts, amazing shapes and shoulders, texture and textiles and let's not forget the supermodel era hair! After last season's let down for me, Preen made a full return in my book! Enjoy my favourite pieces from this collection.

Highlight: Han Reigns Supreme

2007-02-11T18:08:00.000+01:00

With the first week of the Fall-Winter 2007-2008 fashion season fresh behind our backs, it's time to see what models are the winners. And after counting all the shows, it appears that my very own Han Hye Jin is the ultimate runway way champion of New York fashion week with an astonising amount of 32 shows! Congrats Han! Here is her full show list and some highlights:

Anne Klein, Antonio Berardi, Baby Phat, BCBG Max Azria, Carmen Marc Valvo, Chaiken, Charles Nolan, Chris Han, Cynthia Steffe, Dennis Basso, Designers for Darfur, Diesel, Jason Wu, Luca Luca,Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Monique Lhuillier, Nanette Lapore, Peter Som, Phillip Lim, Proenza Schouler, Richard Chai, Rock & Republic, Ruffian, Sari Gueron, Tadashi, Temperley London, Thakoon, Vera Wang, Yeohlee, Yigal Azrouel and Zac Posen.

Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors

Zac Posen

Top 5 New Girls After NY FW 0708

2007-02-11T17:29:00.000+01:00

The first fashion week of the season has finished already and of course, it has delivered us some great new faces. To be honest, there haven't been that many new interesting faces as last season, but of course there are always some. Here's my top 5 after NY fashion week in random order. Wait untill after Paris for my comments on them:

Veronika Antsipava

Ali Michael

Georgia Frost

Jourdan Dunn

Diana Moldovan

Showstoppers: Lanvin S/S 07

2007-02-11T17:19:00.000+01:00

In one of the most fashion forward collections of the Spring-Summer 2007 shows, I found my favourite collection of the season: Lanvin by Alber Albaz. Enjoy some of my favourite looks from the show:

Dale Magazine 11: February 2007

2007-02-11T17:10:00.000+01:00

After some delay it's time for the February issue of Dale Magazine! In a month where all the fashion weeks all busily going on, the time is right to start looking to the future and acting Fashion Forward! Thus Coco Rocha shines in her totally fashion futuristica Balenciaga outfit on the cover the 11th issue of my blog. Enjoy the fashion weeks and enjoy the future!

Dale Mag 10: January 2007

2006-12-31T14:16:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year! That is the message of the January 2007 issue of Dale Magazine. Iekeliene Stange is featured in a colourful splash of joy as we celebrate the arrival of the new year in Dale Mag 10. Hopefully it will be a great fashion year with a lot of fantastic fashion moments. And with the couture shows just around the cornor, the last week of January might just be the first week of the year with such a fashion moment. Or perhaps the Milan and Paris menswear fashion weeks? January brings us a lot of fun stuff to look out for, so this month is a Fashion Festivity: The Colour Issue.

Feature: Fashion Forward

2006-12-30T19:03:00.000+01:00

After the Spring-Summer 2007 fashion weeks ended it was clear that the fashion world was opting for only one thing: the future. The majority of the collections purposed to achieve a fashion forward statement. Be it in the clothes, the accessoiries, their casting, the make-up, you name it, the key word was future. Blown away with geometrical shapes, new fabrics, space armor and out of this world beauties, the fashion lover had to take some rest after the season ended to digest it all. To some up what I feel are the strongest elements of that futuristic fashion that awaits us, here's a small line-up in no particular order.

As far as I am concerned it all started in July, when John Galliano presented us his armored warrior queens for the Fall-Winter 2006-2007 Dior couture collection. As he posed in a space-suit with four of his out-of-this-planet goddesses the chain of events was set in motion. Armor, space, geometrical shapes and the future were the sources to draw inspiration from. And so it happened!

In a dazzling presentation, Hussein Chalayan showed us that technique is also the future in fashion. With hidden wires and motors he presented dresses that changed shape at the spot! With a ticking clock for music, the spectators were amazed when this dress above flipped open, changed pattern and created a superbly futuristic look. In the last look of the show an even more unimaginable event took place as model Leah de Wavrin entered the stage in a beautiful white chiffon dress. Second later the dress was swallowed up by her hat and Leah was buttnaked. How's that for a fashion moment?

Alber Elbaz was most fashion forward when it comes to fabrics. For the house of Lanvin, he let models parade down the runway in technofabrics such as silicone, parachute and vinyl. No good old chiffon or cotton this time. The statement here was to make way for a new generation of fabrics in a new generation of fashion to project fashion forwards like it has never happened before.

Perfectly in line with a desire towards the future is the interstellar beauty of Dutch model Iekeliene Stange. Her never seen before bone structure, cool attitude and amazing photogenic abillity her success screams for a new trend in models. Gone are the aliens and bugs, enter the strong, unique, futuristic models of today and tomorrow.

In a show of extremes the man of extremes Garreth Pugh made men and women transcend into each other, creating a sexless, androginous hodgepodge of geometrical shapes, Star Warsian fabrics and a new silhouette. This collection might be one of extremes, but it is the biggest mirror you can imagine to reflect the desire in fashion to move on from a past full of war and misery into a future with new exciting things.

The icing on the cake, the king of futurism: meet the C3PO's come to life by Nicholas Ghesquire for Balenciaga. Drawing his inspiration from the movie Tron and obviously the above mentioned couture collection, this collection had nothing fashion backwards about it. Only forwards. New shapes in jackets, techniques in dresses, amazing armored legs and tanky shoes were the clear message here. It is time to move on already!

South African Sweetheart

2006-12-24T02:39:00.000+01:00

A girl that is quickly becoming one of my favourites is freckled sweetheart Behati Prinsloo! With her precious face that sometimes reminds me of Grey's Anatomy's Ellen Pompeo, this girl stomped her way from the runways into my heart. She's done all the shows and all the eds that count. Perhaps she'll scoop some ads for Spring, but even if she won't, her success on the runway will most likely continue. Of course it will, with lush legs like that!

Highlight: (Hair)Doing It Together!

2006-12-24T02:19:00.000+01:00

You know, it always makes me happy to see great eds. It makes me even happier when a fave of mine is featured in it. And I am extatic when there are two faves. Not to mention how I feel when one of them doesn't usually get to so much! So you can imagine how I felt when I saw this Beauty ed from Vogue Nippon February 2007 with Rachel Alexander and Ekaterina Kashyntseva. Love it! Enjoy the pictures, they are scanned by Gold Star at tFS so eternal thanks to her!

Dale Mag 09, December 2006

2006-11-30T14:47:00.000+01:00

Dale Magazine is leaving 2006 behind with a big bang! So in this last month of the year it is your last chance to Shout It all Out! For the ninth installment of Dale Mag, the December issue's cover is graced by yet another guest appearance: the veteran stunner Raquel Zimmermann. When you scoop the Viktor & Rolf for H&M campaign then you definetly deserve to be on this cover. So the strong Raquel Zimmermann shouts 2006 out in the most energetic cover yet!

Models Top 10 S/S 07

2006-11-03T18:09:00.000+01:00

I actually wanted to do this before Style.com came with a list, but you know, busy life... So here I am after all with my final list of the new girls that I totally digged the most during the S/S 07 runway season. The list is in alfabetical order, so first of is Alana Zimmer!

Alana Zimmer's first show was the Yigal Azrouel show and she immediatly got to open it. That's the best start you can have as a model and that proved to be so! Later on she did completely everything in all the major cities. From Dolce & Gabbana to Marc Jacobs and from Prada to Chanel. If this doesn't spell major star than I do not know what does

Anna Mikhaylik has this very charming Russian ooze over herself which I find mysteriously attractive. In Paris, we saw her at Lanvin and Givenchy among others. Milan brought her Jil Sander and Marni. And in New York she graced the catwalks of Marc by Marc and Badgley Mischka. Keep your eyes open for this 19 year old - yes - mother!

Bruna Tenorio deserves the same introduction that I gave Flavia Oliveira a couple of months ago: Brazil still serves! Oh yes it does, because Bruna was litterally everywhere. There was not a show she missed and who could blame those designers. This browneyed stunner has a bright, bright modeling future, I can tell you that!

Cecilia Mendez is this season's cutiepie, without doubt. Her supershort bowlhead makes her even sweeter than she already looks. Aside from the fact that she is lovely, she is also dropdead gorgeous. Those freckles make me melt! I can see her scooping some big eds or ads any time this season.

Chanel Iman lives up to her name. She is elegant, she is a stunner on the runway and she is super beautiful. Finally some new bigtime black model on the runways! We need to see more girls like her on the runway, and to be honest we had quite some darkskinned beauties on the runway this season. But none of them, or anyone else for that matter, could match her fresh beauty.

Egle Tvirbutaite did some small shows in the past season, but this season she really got her name heard among the big names. Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Emporio Armani are here to prove my point. Can't wait to see her getting huge next season.

Iekeliene Stange, what can I say. Well, what can I not say, because she is THE it-girl of the season. Well duh to that. I am probably the one millionth to say this, but with cheekbones that cut through paper, this Dutch out of this world beauty is getting ready to conquer the world. The number of mags she's in now is already of the chart and she is undoubtedly receiving all the big ads. A star is born.

Magdalena Frackowiak is sexy, soultry, gorgeous and so wow. Absolutely a face that the modeling world needed. Sometimes it helps to get some in your face beauties back into fashion. And she fits this profile perfectly. Taking in mind that she opened Yves Saint Laurent, she has a path of gold paved in front of her. I'm anxious to see her walk it!

Michaela Kocianova was the surprise of Paris this season. Every season there are one or two of those girls that do barely nothing and then suddenly conquer Paris which gives them a ticket to a succesful magazine season and an even more succesful follow-up runway season in all big cities. Her akward beauty and pretty good walk for a totally new girl deliverd her the shows of Dior, Chanel, Galliano, McCartney, the list goes on. Need I say more?

Olya Ivanisevic is last but definetly not least on the list my fave new girls. She took New York by surprise with her opening slots for Proenza Schouler and Vera Wang and other slots at Marc Jacobs and Derek Lam. Her success continued overseas and this proves again that Supreme's hair-make-overs do wonders.

Dale Mag 08, November 2006

2006-10-30T16:03:00.000+01:00

After seven issues with a Dale Girl on the cover, I decided there is no harm in putting other gorgeous models on the cover of Dale Magazine as well. So for the November issue of Dale Mag the honours go to the slammingly gorgeous fellow Dutchy, Doutzen Kroes. She is a supermodel in the making booking huge million dollar contracts. So an appearance on the cover of Dale Magazine could not be absent from her resumé! For the eighth issue already, Doutzen shines in a beautiful nude picture stating exactly what I want Novemver to do: unveiling The Naked Truth!

Showstoppers S/S 07: John Galliano

2006-10-11T18:48:00.000+02:00

After a lukewarm Fall-Winter collection and an unconventional Spring-Summer collection last year, my favourite designer John Galliano had to do something special to win back my entire heart. And so he did! The Spring-Summer 2007 John Galliano collection was one of my favourite collection of the entire fashion week month.

The show started with sharp and tailored suits, dresses and pantssuits, all in white with perhaps a small touch of black. The hoes for this section looked as if they were knitted platforms, which immediatley made them fantastic.

Then some brightly coloured outfits followed, with touches of white and floral, playful prints. The fabrics were fantastic here. From silk to cotton, it was all there. This piece is one of my favourites. The top just looks liquid. Very sexy!

This gold dress caught my eye immediatly. The colours of the flowers are exactly right and the silhouette the dress creates is just lovely. Plus, it looks fantastic on Jessica Stam!

There was a very wearable, sandcoloured part as well is in the show. Easy, but beautiful outfits paraded down the catwalk accesoirised with humongous flowerbroches. This was my favourite look from the particular section.

The show ended with some showstopping bias-cut dresses. They came down in all colours and all kinds of metallic embroidery. But first and formost, with all kinds of hats! Stephen Jones created some gigantic, transparant hats to math the breazy eveningwear Galliano showed. In this collection he had finally struck a perfect balance between dramatic extravagance and desirable wearability. Keep up the good work John!

Showstoppers S/S 07: Burberry Prorsum

2006-10-05T20:03:00.000+02:00

Everyone who has been following these fashion weeks must know it by now: armor and metallics are the biggest trends of the Spring-Summer 2007 season. And we've seen a metallic galore at Burberry Prorsum this season. Christopher Bailey worked with aliminumthreads, silverthreads, anything to give his Burberry collection the ultimate shine!

We can clearly see this in this supershiny silvery coat. A cute collar to finish it up and you have the look of the future.

The above is my favourite none-shiny piece of the show. First of all I love the sand colour and the crochet sleeves. They fall perfectly over the wrist and hand. Secon, I love what's going on around the nexk. The fabric's been pleated to shape a very decorative and beautiful neckline.

This white-silver piece is my favourite shiny piece of the show. It just looks so good! The double buttons, the three quartered sleeves and texture of the fabric make this a perfect coat for Summer.

And like every other collection, Burberry had some simple white pieces. White is once again the it-colour of Summer. Bailey got it exactly right with this slightly embellished dress, accessoirised with the perfect bag.

And last but not least, this skirt is just wonderful. I love the colour and how it changes with the light. The shiny, rhinestoned top finishes this look to make it really contemporary and beautiful.

Showstoppers S/S 07: Versace

2006-09-30T18:03:00.000+02:00

It's officially a miracle: I'm in love with a Versace collection. Usually I am near to appawled by the trashy and cheap attempts by Donatella Versace to produce a sexy line, or I am bored by her attempts to create a sexy approachable line. But this time, she nailed. The collection was sexy and actually wearable. Plus, it had some - for Versace standards at least - innovative twists. Just to immedtaily prove the sexiness of this collection, here's a drop dead gorgeous close-up of Tanya Dziahileva.

The collection, like many collection, revolved around the eighties. Both in shape, colour and in print. Prominent eighties volumes have been toned down for modern times and brown is making a return. Prints you could almost call simple, yet very present, definetly hinted the eighties and even the sixties in this Versace collection.

Another reference to the eighties and the sixties in one is the bathing suit. A corset like, very high waist psit of short with a very cute and simple bikinitop. It puts your body right back into shape, because you can clearly see the lines of construction in this ensemble.

Construction was something that was very recurrant in this collection. Such as in this really great, hotpink dress. There's a construstion that shapes up the breasts here. It looks a lot like the metal armor used in Galliano's latest couture collection for Dior, but actually, it weighs nothing: it's plastic. So you will look and feel great wearing this.

The last dress I am showing you has such a beautiful green colour. And it perfectly shows why this is not a Versace show built on cliches. What we know of Versace's dresses is that they are almost always exactly the same: plunging necklines, too much glitter and sequins and over the hill splits. Now, this dress does have the split, but the rest is all missing. Just like all dresses in the collection there are no sequins and just like most dresses, no plunging necklines. Yet, this dress is sexy as hell. Keep up the good work, Donatella!

Dale Mag 07, October 2006

2006-09-30T17:54:00.000+02:00

October is acoming, so it is time for a new cover of Dale Magazine! This time, the honors go to Tiiu Kuik who is gracing the beauty issue that October will be. Fall has now officially started, so aside from a new wardrobe, it is also time to updat you face. The red lip is the talk of the town, so in the seventh installment of Dale Mag, this glamourous cover is all about Fall's Beauty: Million Dollar Pout.

Feature: Model Hierarchy

2006-09-27T16:04:00.000+02:00

There's been endless debate on how to define a certain model. Can we or can we not just label the next big thing with the title 'supermodel'? What makes a supermodel and what does not? Well, if you'd ask me, there araea whole lot more definitions of models than just the 'supermodel'. I've decided to create a Model Hierarchy: a ranking order that for me answers all the questions as to how we should label models with a title.

Rank 1: Super

The highest category in the modeling industry is the Super. Not the supermodel, no, just the Super. They are the biggest models to ever've reigned the modeling world. There are only a few of these girls around and they are the big names of the nineties. Linda, Naomi, Christy, you name 'em. Above we have Claudia Schiffer, a girl who is definetly one of the Supers. And with these looks, she certainly will stay one for a long time!

Rank 2: Supermodel

Second is the Supermodel. In these days, nobody can get any bigger than the supers, they will always be the highest ranked. So any model who is coming a tad close to the status that they had is defined a Supermodel. The world knows they're name and can put a face to it. Great example is Gisele Bündchen. This Brazilian bombshell is the biggest of the Supermodels if you'd ask me. Other names to add are Tyra Banks - yes, you read that right - and Heidi Klum.

Rank 3: Topmodel

After the supermodel we get the Topmodel. Topmodels are on their way to becoming institutions in the modeling world. Every designers knows them and wants them. Every magazine has had them on the cover and the world is slowly but surely starting to know her name. Topmodels only get the biggest ads and assignments. Ultimate Topmodel is Gemma Ward. Her angelic, alienlike beauty has created her to become an icon in the fashion world. Other names that fit this title are Daria Werbowy and even Angela Lindvall.

Rank 4: Established Model

The Established Models are models that, well, used to be at the sheer top of the modeling world but have now become the exclusive, elite models. These girls don't do castings or whatever. No, they get asked to do a show and they either say yes or no. They are established enough to be able to afford that. Erin O'Connor is my favourite Established Model. Others include Carolyn Murphy and a more recent addition to this rank, Malgosia Bela.

Rank 5: A-Lister

The A-Listers are models that are at the top of the game and do only the best shows and many ad campaigns. They are the girls that you see on the covers of the biggest magazine and of course inside of those mags. They have been around for a few - or many - seasons and have become famous within their own little world. A great example is Hana Soukupova. She's still around and this A-Lister is still doing only the best. More A-Listers are Caroline Trentini, Heather Marks, Eugenia Volodina and Natasha Poly.

Rank 6: It-Girl

The It-Girl is experiencing her second or third season and is being the talk of the town. She gets all the big ads, all the covers and does all the shows. After her second or third season - it depends - she gets promoted to an A-Lister and makes way for a new It-Girl. The number one It-Girl of the Fall-Winter 2006-2007 season has got to be Du Juan. She has got five very high-profile ads, has been on several Vogue covers and is doing many, many ads. More recent It-Girls are Coco Rocha and Hilary Rhoda. Some that have made way for them not to long ago are Freja Beha Erichsen and Sasha Pivovarova.

Rank 7: B-Lister

The B-Lister is a model that does do some or a lot of work and has been doing it for a few seasons, but never really gets to the real top. She does some big shows or work once in a while, but mainly, you'll see her at the medium, or smaller shows and in the smaller magazines. A good example of a B-Lister that does her work great is Asia Pulco. She is beautiful and occasionally does a big couture show or a high profile show, but she never reached the status of A-Lister. More girls to join the ranks of B-Lister are Guisela Rhein and also Sonny Zhou.

Rank 8: Emerging Model

The Emerging Model is the Hot New Face of last season and shows that she can last more than one season and even expands her resumé more. She is getting more shows than last season - some even get all, they are closer to It-Girl - and probably will get a lot of high profile jobs after this fashion week. Eventually she will become an A-lister or perhaps a B-Lister. The may or may not become an It-Girl. Daiane Conterato is a girl that is definetly one of the Emerging Models of this season. Others include Mariya Markina and Bette Franke.

Rank 9: Commercial Model

The Commercial Model is a type of model that hard to rank. Some are having great success by way of salary and high-profile commercial brands, while others just stick to catalogue. Because there are definetly Commercial Models getting the big bank I decided not to put them all the way down at the ladder. Also, some of them might even be just as well known as any Topmodel or Supermodel. Even without doing all the high fashion work. Someone who this might happen to is Selita Ebanks. The newest addition to the Victoria's Secret Angels, without having done any high fashion work.

Rank 10: Hot New Girl

The Hot New Girl is exactly what it says: she's new and she is hot! It's during fashion week when these girls pop up. They are experiencing their first or sometimes second season and are doing every single show. The girls that are the Not New Girl usually are the Emerging Models of the next season. There are a lot of Hot New Faces this fashion week, one of them being Olya Ivanisevic. Opening many high-profile shows in her first season and appearing in even more, she really is hot news. Other Hot New Girls of this season are Iekeliene Stange, Alana Zimmer and Bruna Tenorio.

Rank 11: New Girl

At the bottom, we find the New Girl. They are new and inexperienced and they might or might not eventually break through. The list of New Girls is endless, but if I had to pick one to show you, it will be Truus Hooiveld. She is completely new and has done almost nothing, but yesterday she was suddenly in the Prada show! And we all know what appearing in the Prada show means to your modeling career: only good things. I am guessing she belongs to the type of New Girls that will eventually break through.

Feature: Potheads!

2006-09-21T00:58:00.000+02:00

If you are tired of your old haircut and you want something new and trendy, then you need to take a bob. If we are to believe the modeling world, carrying the flowerpotdo is the next big thing. Here's a rundown on the biggest models with the bobbydo.

First of, we have got to start with the initiators of this look on the runway and in eds: Rachel Alexander (up) and Patricia Schmid. Patricia Schmid came with her full head of bobhair during the S/S 06 fashion week and she definetly gained some attention. When Rachel Alexander took to the F/W 0607 runway with a very skinny bob, it was clear that a trend has been made!

And there is enough prove to back that by now. Take the beautiful Heidi Verster. She cut it down to very sexy, long bob. She definetly started to catch my eye after her make-over.

Stunning beauty Juliana Imai took the dare as well and appeared on last week's NY catwalks with a new bob, too. And it looks very good on her. It just hangs over her eyes and makes her look extra sensual.

Cut down to the minimum is the bob of it-new-girl Cecila Mendez. She cut her hair to minimal lengths with of course a bob and suddenly she is taking over all the runways. Watch out for her cute face in Paris!

And last but not least, we have Allison Nix. She has the classic bob and she is working it to the max. Booking all the runways, Allison reassures us that the bob is definetly the new haircut to reign.

Top 5 New Faces Olympus Fashion Week S/S 07

2006-09-15T17:03:00.000+02:00

With Olympus Fashion Week coming to an end, it's time to sum up my personal Top 5 of new faces in New York! No comments on the, I will comment on my final Top 10 after Paris, because you never know what Milan and Paris will bring us! Also, keep an eye on the honourable mentions, because those ten girl are no nothing as well. So here's the Top 5 in no particular order:

Cecilia Mendez

Bruna Tenório

Egle Tvirbutaite

Alana Zimmer

Giedre Dukauskaite

Honourable mentions to: Chris Reilly, Evgeniya Mandzhieva, Olya Ivanisevic, Magdalena Frackowiak, Chanel Iman, Eva Helene Skarvig, Daiane Conterato, Tayla Collins, Alyona Osmanova and Anna Mikhaylik.

Showstoppers S/S 07: Yigal Azrouël

2006-09-15T16:22:00.000+02:00

Second up in the S/S 07 Showstoppers is Yigal Azrouël. He showed us a simple, modern collection of totally accessable and beautiful clothes.

Beginning with thise ensemble above, he immediatly introduces us his sleek silhouette, enforced by the calf-high skinny pants. Finished with a cute jacket and lovely shirt, this is a very modern look.

I think the above outfit is my favourite of the show. It's so very simple, but still it has this twist. It is just a simple t-shirt, but that purple chiffon overthrow makes me totally dig it. Gorgeous pants as well.

I'm in love with this jacket. It is just a jacket, but it is so modern and looks so light. Very cute dress as well. The pleads are what do the trick.

Highlight of the show was this sandcoloured floorlenght. Fantastic fabric. Love the folds and pleads. One of the best dresses of the week!

Showstoppers S/S 07: Marc Jacobs

2006-09-14T14:30:00.000+02:00

Yup, the fashion weeks have started already and before New York fashion week ends, it's time to anounce the first Showstopper of S/S 07! The honours go to Marc Jacobs, a collection that showed romantic luxury. Such as this shoe, which has a rhinestone for a heel and even more rhinestones for decoration.

Overal, the luxury returned as glittery glamour, metalics and more stones. A great example o the glittery glamour is the dress below. It has this Arabian Nights feel to it and the fantastic blue colours are just a dream. Note the details in the cropped rose on Vlada's left shoulder. How can you not like this look?

The romanticism was portrayed in a more simpler approach to embellishment and such. Basically the cut of the clothes delivered the romantic vibe, together with the soft white colours. Such as in this cute dress, with original types of folding and pleading. The grey stripes and the jewelry around the neck finish this look completely.

As for the metallics, Marc Jacobs showed us several jackets, bags, hats andcoats such as this one. It again looks very luxurious. The pants are great too. Some of the pants were cut to give you that Arabian feel again. Also, the scarf is very cute.

The main colour palette of this collection was black, white, brown and grey. Some greyish blue as well. Thsi white ensemble is one of the more romantic pieces in the collection and probably one of my favourites.

I had to show this one last because it is just so gorgeous. I love the shape! Also the slightly puffed sleeves are great. Worn with those pants this is a great look and Ekaterina wears it perfectly!

Dale Mag 06, September 2006

2006-08-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

Yep, September is only a day away and September is a special month in the year of fashion. It's the month wear all boutiques and shops throw out their Spring-Summer collection and bring in the Fall-Winter collection. At the same time it's the month in which magazine go all out in trying to be the issue to buy. And perhaps more importantly, it's the month where the fashion weeks for Spring-Summer 2007 take place! So, to sum it all up, in September you are wearing S/S 2006, shopping F/W 0607 and watching S/S 07! This can cause immediate Wardrobe Anxiety, thus that is the theme of Dale Magazine 6. With Anna Mariya Urazhevskaya gracing it's cover, this issue let's you know that you are not alone!

More Dutch Supremacy

2006-08-27T14:46:00.000+02:00

As the Dutch invasion is about to start, this will be it's biggest new star for the Spring-Summer 2007 fashion weeks. With her highly unusual, yet gorgeous bonestructure, Iekeliene Stange is going to turn some heads coming month. Not only a unique bonestructure, but also beautifully shaped blue eyes and a perfect skin will take this girl around the world. She has already been in the Spring- Summer 2006 ads for Albert Feretti, together with the very lovely Ekaterina Kashyntseva. I am positively sure that with her recent appearances in V Magazine, Vogue Paris and one girl ed in Vogue Italia, Iekeliene is gonna steal the show in all major fashion capitals of the world.

Showstoppers S/S 06: Christian Dior

2006-08-26T14:30:00.000+02:00

Now that Summer is coming to an end and the shops are filling up with the Fall collections, I thought it was time to conclude the season with my favourite collection of this Spring: Christian Dior.

The show introduced the nude colour and nude fabrics that we saw all throughout the Summer. John Galliano took the theme from his F/W 05.06 haute couture collection where he payed a tribute to Christian Dior and the atelier by showing everything in tulle, making it possible for us to see how a dress is constructed. For the ready-to-wear follow-up this resluted in a sexy and fresh look.

Hihghlights of the collection are the fantastic knotted dye-down dresses. These two pieces above are very couture like in there quality and price, might I add. But that's ok, because it gives you beautiful and wearble dresses.

John Galliano also experimented with trompe l'ouil. Showing some dye-down, fitted dresses with glittery indications of seamlines and pockets. This was not always executed that well, but it does seem to work on this top. The broken colours of the top and the skirt really work well too.

Other than a great collection of clothes and technique, this is also a collection that marks Galliano's most wearable Dior collection of at least the past 4 years, as far as I am concerned. There were no crazy shapes this time. No dramatic hair and make-up, just a natural look. Wearablity is best expressed in this look above. The coat is just beautiful and embellished with appliques that do not take away any of it's wearability. Same with the pants. Absolutely stunning.

I had to show the above look because the model in question, Dal Girl Marta Berzkalna, delivered that look so incredibly well. It looks really great on her and it makes the clothes she wears very powerful. The dress with the appliques is again, nothing dramatic but still so superb. As is the black jacket she wears. Anyone could wear that and look great in it.

The piece that set the tone for the collection is this little number. It was exit number two and I think it should've been exit number one. The double layer of tulle of chiffon with the black embellisments translate the theme of the couture collection best, in my opinion. Also, not the great shoes and the new Dior Gaucho bag! Fall-Winter 2006-2007 was only so-so, which makes me hope that Spring-Summer s007 will be just as great or even better than Spring-Summer 2006!

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Jean-Paul Gaultier

2006-08-26T14:13:00.000+02:00

With the Spring-Summer 2007 shows just around the corner, it's time for one more Showstopper of the Fall-Winter 2006-2007 fashion weeks. The honor goes to Jean-Paul Gaultier and his sinister and romantic collection of furs, layers, goth and animals!

The show featured not only amazingly dramatic clothes but also a theme of people that start looking like their pets and how that could transcend into an animalistic kind of personal style. Therefor, some models were accompanied by cast, dogs and even an owl.

The above dress is my personal highlight from the show. It is layered in chiffon and finished with bits of fur. The Victorian goth it exudes is wonderful as well. One of the most dramatic and couture like pieces of the entire show. The dress below is a more wearable interpretation of the theme. Note how the dress resembles the dog.

Below is a great example of the increbible furs in this show. It's very sinister and makes me think of this Dietrich like woman, alone in some bar smoking cigarettes in the fifties. I love this look.

I had to show the dress below because there is something about it that makes it so romantic yet very goth. Perhaps it's the deep brown colour or perhaps it is the texture and cut of the fabric. Either way, it is a great dress.

Aside from animals, some models also carried around dolls, wearing what the girls were wearing. This was the opening dress to the show. I love the shape and how Gaultier played with the fabric. Also the blue colour is really great. Let's see what he shows next month!

Cute With Cheekbones

2006-08-10T16:21:00.000+02:00

I usually go nuts when I see a girl with beautiful cheekbones, so I went berserk when I saw South-African Heidi Verster. She has a very cute face, meaning that she has lovely pouty lips and a broad nose. Combine that with her superb cheekbones and her new bob-like haircut ans you have a beautiful model! She's done runway for brands such as Givenchy and Akris and is currently in the Benetton ads, which she is totally working. Look out for her in the S/S 07 runways!

Highlight: Rest In Peace, Audrey Lindvall

2006-08-04T17:48:00.000+02:00

It's a sad time in the modeling world, because shortly after the unexpected death of Heather Bratton two weeks ago, Audrey Lindvall - sister to Angela Lindvall - died in a cycling accident last Wednesday. She was cycling to meet some friends as she was overrun by a gastank semi. My condolences go out to Angela and the rest of her family and friends.

Audrey was signed at IMG and was turning 24 next week. She has been in magazines such as Glamour and was a full-time model, about to move to New York to live with her sister.

May you rest in peace, Audrey....

Dale Mag 05, August 2006

2006-07-31T16:44:00.000+02:00

It's time for the August 2006 installment of Dale Magazine, so that calls for a new cover. I announced in the Mag Update that Du Juan will be on the cover, so here she is. August is a month of mystic beauty and serenity. So coming month you have to Show Your Beauty, but also Stay Mysterious. That is what this beautiful picture of Du Juan portrays perfectly.

Classic Beauty Defined

2006-07-30T21:57:00.000+02:00

Meet Ukrainian girl Snejana Onopka. The ultimate definition of 'the classic' beauty. Clear skin, fair hair, cheeckbones to die for and eyes that seem to stare everyone to sleep. She is one of the biggest crazes in the fashion world and has already been in and on numerous Vogues, campaigns for brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and is currently in, among others, the Gucci campaign. Besides her somewhat lacking walk, there is nothing to hate about this girl. Not that that walk stopped her from doing shows, because she was litteraly everywhere last ready-to-wear and haute couture show season. She is gonna be bigger than huge, I tell you. That is, if you think she isn't already.

Dutch Supremacy

2006-07-27T19:26:00.000+02:00

As a Dutchman myself, I cannot neglect the beauty that has been storming out of the Netherlands and into the modeling world. I believe that Holland is gonna be the next Brazil when it comes to the delivery of many awesome models in a short period of time. One of the members of the Dutch hype is Sophie Vlaming. Her piercing blue eyes and her uniquely shaped face give her just that beautiful edge she needs to become a star. She has already starred in magazines such as Italian Vogue and she has worked with photographers in the likes of Steven Meisel. If that's not an alarm for a great future, then I do not know what is.

Highlight: Dale Girls Ad News

2006-07-27T14:06:00.000+02:00

There is a lot of ad news on almost all the Dale Girls. So I chose to post one ad of each girl, with additional info on their ads. Click on them for bigger versions:

Du Juan (l) and Marta Berzkalna (c) for Swarovksi. Du Juan is also in the Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, Gap and Louis Vuitton ads.

Romina Lanaro (r) for Mulberry. She is also in the Dolce & Gabbana pre-Fall ads.

Rachel Alexander for D&G.

Morgane Dubled (r) and Tanya Dziahileva (c) for Jean-Paul Gaultier. Morgane Dubled is also in the Dolce & Gabbana and Piazza Sempione ads.

Han Hye Jin for Anna Molinari.

Flavia Oliveira (l) for Salvatore Ferragamo

Ekaterina Kashyntseva for L'Oreal.

Coco Rocha for Balenciaga. She is also in the Dolce & Gabbana Fall and pre-Fall ads

Anna Maria Urajevskaya for Kenzo. She is also in the Blumarine, Bulgari Perfum, CK by Calvin Klein and Hermès Perfume ads.

Ana Mihajlovic for Celine.

Highlight: Rest In Peace, Heather Bratton

2006-07-27T13:57:00.000+02:00

Just yesterday, the sad news reached us fashion and modelfans that Florida star Heather Bratton has passed away this last weekend. She was involved in a severe carcrash after returning from a photoshoot. Sadly she did not survive the accident. The modeling (fan) world is mourning and my outmost condolences go out to her family and friends. This news has struck me very hard and made me really sad. And if I am sad, while I didn't even know her or was her biggest fan, imagine how her family would feel.

Heather was only 19 Springs young and is currently in the Mulberry ads. Previously she appeared in the Balenciaga ads, a lot of high-profile editorials and landed two Vogue Italia covers in 2006. One in February and one just as short ago as last May. Last fashion week she walked for designers such as Gucci, Dior and Chanel. She was certainly a rising star and she will be terribly missed. If you want to say something to Heather as well, go to www.heatherbratton.com and leave a message in the guestbook.

Rest in sweet peace Heather....

Update: Dale Magazine Covers

2006-07-09T21:41:00.000+02:00

Okay, here's the deal. I'm a perfectionist, so when I was thinking a few days ago that I started my blog in April and that the first cover was only for June, I got annoyed. Thus, I decided to make covers for both April and May, making the June cover with Marta Berzkalna the third cover instead of the first and the July cover with Rachel Alexander the fourth cover instead of the second. You can see the edited versions of both these covers down below.

Now, when I had to decide which girls should do these covers, I came up with the idea that the original three Dale Girls deserved a cover asap. So I put Tanya Dziahileva on the April cover and Morgane Dubled on the May cover. Which leaves us with Du Juan. I'm afraid you'll just have to wait and see what I have for her in August.

Dale Magazine 01, April 2006: Tanya Dziahileva; The Sweetest Spring.

Dale Magazine 02, May 2006: Morgane Dubled; You're The Queen! So Dress Up

Dale Magazine 03, June 2006: Marta Berzkalna; Smokin' Hot...

Dale Magazine 04, July 2006: Rachel Alexander; A Daring Summer. Take The Plunge!

Haute Couture: Christian Dior F/W 06.07

2006-07-06T16:41:00.000+02:00

As I warned about a few weeks back, haute couture fashion week was about to kick of yesterday in Paris. And what a kick-of! Highlight of the day has to be the Christian Dior show. It was just as amazing as it was insane. A hodgepodge of inspirations based on the same starting point - armour - was shown in seven different section. Together they portrayed strong heroines and sci-fi warrior women.

The first section consisted of amazing evening gowns embellished with superb headdresses, sequins, colours and... armoured plating. True warrior queens!

The second section was a presentation of crazy Vampira creatures wearing leather, latex and again, some crazy armour. This time executed in a more bondagy way.

Then a collection of tightly corseted Dali-uo-suited women paraded down the gardenlike runway. All colours included and beautiful embroideries and sequins shone bright. The millinery on the girl hats was amazing as well and fitted perfectly with the armoured theme: crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans graced the girls heads

Alice in Wonderland was the next stop in Galliano's crazy universe. Big green dresses - already dubbed walking lettuces - passed the audience - which included Cher, Drew Barrymore, Mischa Barton, Liv Tyler, amongst others. Accesoirised with knights trumpets, these girls were ready for a fairytale battle!

One of my favourite sections was the punky section. Black tights and moody, feathery Blade Runner pieces vavavoomed by as the models were truly portraying their role as Barbarians on acid.

The most beautiful section of the show was the one that featured serene chiffon dresses that could easily be spotted on any red carpet occasion. Stunning shapes and techniques of draping made this a highly dramatic section.

The final section featured full on warrior women, dressed as million dollar knights with jewelry incrusted helmets and armour. Extremely gigantic dresses sweeped the floor, but gave this collection the ultimate boost that made it absolutely incredible and truly unforgetable. Perhaps John Galliano's entry as an astronaut proved that he really think otherwordly, but it certainly made this show interstellar!

Perfect Skin

2006-06-28T20:57:00.000+02:00

Just in case you were wondering who has got the best skin in the modelling world, or who has done a gazillion Covergirl eds and even more beauty ads. Or when you were curious about that girl in the J'Adore Dior, Moschino, Louis Vuitton or whatnot ad, then you have come to the right address! Because this is the Estonian Tiiu Kuik, one of the most perfect models out there. She can pose, she can laugh, she can do drama, she can walk, she's incredibly versatile, she has a superb beauty mark. She is everything but bad. She might not be the biggest star, but she sure is big. Rumour has it she is at least 183 cm, some even dare to go as high as 189 cm, but her agencies keep saying it's 'only' 180 cm. Either way, she is a stunner and very close to perfect.

Highlight: Ad News On Morgane Dubled & Du Juan

2006-06-27T20:06:00.000+02:00

Much to my surprise and that of many, it is Dale Girl Morgane Dubled (c) modeling for Dolce & Gabbana F/W 06.07! This is the only shot she appears in, together with Caitriona Balfe (r) and the lovely Ines Crnokrak (l). In the baroque styled campaign we see Morgane resting on the lap of some sort of general, where she is about to be stabbed by a jealous lady. The whole ad campaign has this freaky baroque vibe, which I totally love. Good for Morgane!

And more news on Du Juan. The second released campaign of Du is this photo of her in the Roberto Cavalli ad. It's a very stylish and elegant shot, which kind of brings up that 80's feel that lasted through in the 80's and 90's ad campaigns. Stay tuned for more updates!

Dale Mag 02, July 2006

2006-06-26T16:47:00.000+02:00

It's already time for the second coverissue of Dale Magazine! And for July our lovely covergirl is Dale Girl Rachel Alexander. June was already Smokin' Hot, so July is the ultimate opportunity to Take The Plunge and cool down a bit. Since the hot weather of coming month will make us all lazy and relaxed, it's time to take on your bathingsuit and go for a fashionable swim in the waters of fashion. July is the month of haute couture fashion week and the month of summertrips, so let us hope for that Daring Summer!

The Name Game

2006-06-22T16:22:00.000+02:00

There's been some debate on how to spell her name, but who cares? Because Russian 15-year-old Anna-Maria Urajevskaya is a stunner and has one of the brightest modeling futures amongst the recent new girls. She opened and closed the last Prada show. She's been on the cover of Russian l'Officiel and Vogue Paris. And already, has she been booked for the Fall ad campaigns of Blumarine, Kenzo, Hermès Perfume and the perfume CK by Calvin Klein. If that's not a list to get this girl exploding even more next season, then I am lost. I say if often, but this time I mean serious business: keep your eyes open for this girl!

Haute Couture: Christian Lacroix S/S 06

2006-06-20T16:49:00.000+02:00

Haute couture fashion week is only two weeks away, so now's the best time to look back on what last January brought for this Summer's lunching ladies and classes riches. My personal favourite of the S/S 06 couture week was the Christian Lacroix collection.

It was filled with dreamy, airy dresses that seem to have jumped right of a Hans Christian Anderson story. Light fabrics and an extremely romantic cut combined with breezy colours resulted in classic example of real couture.

Showstopping dresses, such as the two above, were the highlight of the show. The looks featured Egyptian, Arabian and 17th century influences in both print, shape and embellishments. One of the airiest numbers of the collection was the chiffon dress below, which simply floated in the air.

The dress below is a great example of the Arabian influence in the collection. The shape of the skirt and the pattern of the top combine into a dress fit for a 1001 Arabian nights. Finished with a cute bag and glamourous shoes, this look is brilliant.

This last dress is one of my favourite looks. It's so otherwordly and magical in it's colour and cut that it's just so caprivating to look at. The colours of the jacket and the print of the flowy chiffon make this a fine example of the dream that this collection portrays.

Serbian Elegance

2006-06-15T20:51:00.000+02:00

She's tall, she's thin and she is extremely elegant. Serbian Ana Mihajlovic has been on the background for a few seasons, but last season she suddenly did a lot of big shows. Think in the likes of John Galliano, YSL, Balenciaga, et cetera. Since then she became one of my new favourites. She's got that 30's jazzsinger vibe that is extremely chic. Plus, she has a big nose! Which is not always a plus of course, but for Ana it just works perfectly. I hope she'll have a great season in September and October, but I am also counting on her to pop up at some couture shows in July.

Highlight: Du Juan For Louis Vuitton

2006-06-15T19:29:00.000+02:00

Like I warned about a few months ago, Dale Girl Du Juan is gonna be the it-girl in Fall advertising. The first step has now officially been made with this firstly released Louis Vuitton bag advertisement featuring her and the lovely Raquel Zimmerman! Keep checking back here for more exciting ad news!

Highlight: Non-Stop Ultimate Pumping, Vogue Italia

2006-06-12T20:20:00.000+02:00

This month's Vogue Italia feautures such a groovy editorial that I just had to post here. It is shot by Steven Meisel and features Hana Soukupova, Gemma Ward, Raquel Zimmerman, Hilary Rhoda, Missy Rayder and Dale Girl Coco Rocha (plus some male models) The ed fits this month's Dale Magazine so well, because it is one smokin'hot editorial! Click and see for yourself down here:

Feature: Tanning And Swimming In Style

2006-06-12T18:02:00.000+02:00

The Summer is only a week away, but it feels like it has started already. So if you're planning on sunbathing by the pool or swimming at the Cote d'Azur then these are my trendtips to look stylish throughout the heat.

One of the biggest overall trends this Summer is the nude colour. It was the main theme of the Christian Dior S/S 06 collection and it also appeared in the swimsuit section. So when you are planning on tanning but not yet ready to try it in the real nude, try something fake nude such as this glamorous sunbathing suit.

This Summer it is also time to bring sex back to the poolside. Roberto Cavalli showed that perfectly with a finale parade of about 20 hot bathingsuits and steamy bikinis. This particular suit is perfect for lounging in the pool enjoying a Sex On The Beatsh cocktail. You are definetly gonna steel the show wearing this number.

Another aspect of the return of sex is the return of the Glamazon. Alexander McQueen put that feeling in his collection by giving it a gladiatrix theme. This sexy, gold and almost bondagy number is the ideal example of the seductive Glamazon. When you wear this down at the boulevards of the Costa Brava and you will be the center of attention.

The Emilio Pucci collection had some of the best bathingsuits of the season. They were bright and colourful and came in every shapes and sizes. To fit the sextheme, I chose to point out this bathing suit with a plunging neckline. Perfect for anything, it being swimming, tanning, lounging, et cetera. Who wouldn't want this?

When you're talking sex and swimsuits, then how can you not even mention Versace? Versace showed some bathing suits with that Baywatch silhouette but also this small, sexy number in blue. I think that blue is one of the best colours on the beach or especially by the pool, for any Summer. So I had to show this one too. It's blue, it's small and it's downright sexy. Everything you need for a hot Summer!

Bob This!

2006-06-12T17:55:00.000+02:00

She got discovered by Steven Meisel a couple of years ago, but Rachel Alexander only burst to the scene during the F/W 06.07 runway season. It's only a guess but her new bobline might have got something to do with it. She cut her hair and bang, suddenly she gets noticed. Now she's scooping all the major editorials and she earned a place in the upcoming Dolce & Gabbana ad. I guess the bob still works miracles, because I forsee a great modeling future for her!

Dale Mag 01, June 2006

2006-05-27T16:09:00.000+02:00

I am very proud to anounce the very first cover of Dale Magazine! It is of course a fake cover, but what's a magazine without a cover? Every cover kind of introduces how I feel that the coming month will be. Fashionwise, but also personally. On the June cover of issue 01, we see our very first covergirl Marta Berzkalna! I have introduced her before to you all and I thought that she would be perfect for the first Dale Mag cover.

June will be a smokin' hot month, as the cover already provokes. Not only will it bring us Summer 2006, but it is also the time that the party season starts. Hot Mediteranian beachparties will be the talk of the town. And of course, you've got to look smokin' hot to attend one. Bring out the shades and the bathing suits!

Miss Unconventionality

2006-05-24T17:09:00.000+02:00

Some call her ugly or scary. Some call her Kat Bespyatikh's evil twin. That last one may be right, but I think that Canadian Coco Rocha is super photogenic and above all extremely unique. She is currently in the Dolce & Gabbana pre-fall campaign and there are rumours that she will be in the Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana Fall campaigns. She is one of Marc Jacobs' favourite new girls, apparantly. Since she walked all three his shows and opened Louis Vuitton. She's been on the cover of Italian Vogue and is probably gonna do a lot of printwork in the near future. So be sure to keep your eyes wide open for this unconventional beauty.

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Preen

2006-05-13T15:33:00.000+02:00

Another great example of how London Fashion Week is really bursting back into the scene is the Preen show of coming Autumn. It was a minimalistic collection, with a lot of basic colours, excellent tailoring and geometric shapes.

Designer duo Thea Bregazzi and Justin Thorton took their inspiratian from an early nineties photograph by Mario Testino featuring Nadja Auermann.

Overall, their main focus was on the waist. Clever tricks of wrapping and tieing the fabrics around the waist gave a very feminine and modern silhouette on this seasons Preen runway.

Colourwise, they started of with beige and greyish tones. A bit metallic as well. As the collection developed, red pieces started to take the runway and there were also some reallt great black numbers. Such as this excellent coat above.

The coat below is my favourite piece of the collection. It is very elegant, a bit fifties and perfectly not over the top. I am hoping that Preen will amaze me again next season. I am almost sure they will, with London fashion week growing and growing.

Korean Splendor

2006-05-01T21:17:00.000+02:00

The one of a kind looks and excellent walk of Korean Han Hye Jin immediatley caught my eye while I was watching the latest Peter Som show live online. Turns out I am not the only one liking this new girl. Later on she appeared in both the Marc Jacobs shows, the Vuitton show and also the Gucci show, among others. The latest news also has it that Han is gonna be the solo-girl in the Anna Moulinari ad campaign for next Fall. Which is definetly no nothing! Be sure to watch out for Han in the next few seasons.

The Speediest Legs

2006-04-23T23:15:00.000+02:00

Whenever you see a brownhaired model with extremely long legs racing down the runway with full on power and strength, it's ought to be Ekaterina Kashyntseva. This stunner from Ukraine has one of the fastest walks out there. Aside from that she photographs fantastically too. Alas she hasn't been noticed alot to do many eds or ads. But I still have all the trust in her because she keeps on doing every single major designer show each season. You'll find her at Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu, Christian Dior, Yohji Yamamoto, you name it, she was there.

Electronics On The Runway

2006-04-23T16:01:00.000+02:00

New Chinese model Sonny Zhou (sometimes credited as Sony, hence the title) is one of the many Asian faces that have come to be some of my favourites. She hasn't done a lot of work yet, but when she had done even less work she suddenly popped up in the Christian Dior S/S 06 RTW runway show back in October. Later on in the week she did the shows of Viktor & Rolf and Givenchy. That shows her great potential! In the F/W 06.07 runway season she did a lot of shows in New York, such as Lacoste and Miss Sixty and in London she did even more shows, such as Bora Aksu and Boy George's B-Rude. I have got my hopes up for her to do a lot of shows next season.

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Noir

2006-04-23T15:36:00.000+02:00

London Fashion Week is finally starting to become interesting again, after seasons and seasons of boring and uninspiring collections. One of the best examples of a London collection that made London exciting again was Noir by the Danish designer Peter Ingwersen.

Just like the brandname suggests this collection consisted of a lot of black. We saw skinny trousers, romantic blouses, dresses and even tophats that were completely black.

The Noir collection is one of the most romantic collection of this season. As in it's cut, the neo-gothic presence in the collection. But also the way the ensembles were accessoirised with beeds and interesting scarfs.

It was also a very sexy collection. With slim silhouettes and some seethrough pieces such as the top in the picture below. Also there was some fur that added just a little eroticism to the collection.

The Fall season hasn't even started yet, but I am already looking forward to Peter's next collection for Noir, that will be showed in September at the S/S 07 London Fashion Week.

Ice, Ice Baby.

2006-04-23T15:12:00.000+02:00

The incerdibly tall and lean Argentinian Romina Lanaro has put herself in my spotlight once again by dying her hair icey blonde to the max. She already had a great runway presence, but with her new hair colour she stand out ecen more. Combined with her blue, blue eyes and killer cheekbones, I am still expecting her to explode. Hopefully she will get some ads soon. She definetly has what it takes to get some.

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Viktor & Rolf

2006-04-22T19:00:00.000+02:00

The Dutch fashion duo doesn't know where the brakes are, now do they? But that certainly is not a bad thing as far as I am concerned. For this season they produced the poshest collection out there, focusing on the class and elegance of the women of the fifties.

They showed the ladylike look which we have seen of so much in the past few years, but this time it had a little twitch. All the models were wearing masks so that we couldn't completely see their faces. And at the end of the collection, the looks turned completely metallic.

Some people have uttered that Viktor & Rolf should stop trying to be avant-garde, but I don't get this at all. Who says they're trying? What if they just are?

Apart from the superchic clothes they also showed really nice accesoiries. Rich jewelry and desirable shoes passed along on the runway. They way they played several fabrics was very luxurious as well.

Such as in this coat where they sort of cropped the sleeves. There were more extreme versions of this treatment with sleeves completely existing of this cropping but I think this coat is the most beautiful. All in all they won my vote once again with this collection.

Brazil Still Serves

2006-04-22T18:47:00.000+02:00

Yes it does. Next one up is the supersexy Flavia de Oliveira. Her legs are super, her body is incredibly fit and her cheekbones are just interstellar. One of the leaders of the pack of new girls we saw for last runway season, this beauty is bound to be really big. This season she is in the Blumarine campaign and next season she is at least gonna be in the Adidas campaign. But with looks like this, she will probably do a whole lot more in the future.

The Latvian Walk

2006-04-21T21:17:00.000+02:00

Marta Berzkalna, a Latvian beauty with one of the greatest walks out there, is another girl at the top of my list. First noticed when she still had black hair, but even now with her reddish brown hair she still stuns. Among others she has done campaigns for Prada, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana and Dior Eyewear. Rumour has it she has at least one big campaign confirmed for next Fall. But which one that is stays a secret, or at least for now. Be sure to check back here to find out what ad that will be and do not forget her unique beauty. Not that you will after you've seen her take over any runway. I'd book her in an instance!

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Dolce & Gabbana

2006-04-21T20:29:00.000+02:00

This Showstopper from Milan was all about baroque. Napoleon jackets, military ensembles, rich embellishments, gold, decorated accesoiries and luxurious collars. It was all there at Dolce & Gabbana.

I'm not always the biggest fan of their collections, but sometimes I am and when I am, the collection really stands out as well. This time that was certainly the case. After their spectacle for this summer celebrating their 20th anniversy they show that they definetly still have it.

There were some fans that complained about the fact that the clothes from this collection had a strong empire line, as apposed to the regular sexy silhouette they deliver. But I think that there is nothing wrong with that. It perfectly shows how versatile they still are.

One of my favourite pieces from the show is this beautifully embellished coat. It simply oozes with 17th century riche and could easily fit in the court of Louis XIV. It's detailed pattern also showcases the fight designers are starting againt high street copying of runway looks. With details like these, it is hard to copy it and sell for a small price.

They were not the only designers applying this trick to keep their pieces unique. But this extremely rich collections mirrors it at it's most extreme. Prices of designerwear might rocket skyhigh with such tactics, but at least you know you'd look absolutely slamming wearing this. I can't wait for the ad campaign.

Showstoppers F/W 06.07: Alexander McQueen

2006-04-21T15:45:00.000+02:00

In the recurring item 'Showstoppers' I will be letting you know what I think are some of the best shows of a certain season. The first Showstopper is Alexander McQueen and his extraordinary collection for F/W 06.07.

After letting several McQueen fans down the past few seasons (not me though) he won them all back with this spectacle of baroque, utter chicness, feathery hats, plaids and exquisite clothes.

The show also featured the biggest attraction of all Paris Fashion Week, a 3D hologram of a twirling Kate Moss (top). How's that for a statement?

China Doll

2006-04-21T15:23:00.000+02:00

Another current favourite of mine is this beauty from China: Du Juan. She is the advertising it-girl for next Fall. She has already been confirmed for the ads of Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Swarovski and YSL Rive Gauche. Which is quite atsonishing on itself, but even more spectacular when you realise that this is her first season as an international model! But who can you blame for that exploding success? Just look at that porcelain skin, those intriguing eyes and her totally cute and symmetrical face. She's been dubbed the next Asian supermodel already by some and trust me, they are completely right.

Young, Fresh, Stunning!

2006-04-21T14:54:00.000+02:00

Acing the current Yves Saint Laurent and Hugo Boss ads, this 15 year old Belarussian stunner is the biggest promise for the future. We first got to know Tanya Dziahileva at the Spring/Summer 2006 Prada show at the tender age of 14 and immediatley captured many gazing eyes. After the most recent runway season she has walked for every major house. Gucci to Alexander McQueen and from Chanel to John Galliano, she was everywhere. Look out for her in the Jean Paul Gaultier ads for next season too.

Beauté Francaise

2006-04-21T14:40:00.000+02:00

Meet Morgane Dubled. This beautiful French girl is my personal number one model. You might just know her face already from Jean Paul Gaultier and Dior Cosmetics ads. It is on the runway that she stole my heart first with her gorgeous big brown eyes. But soon I found out that she was absolutely stunning in print as well. Remember this mademoiselle's name because I am sure we will be hearing much more from her in the future.

By the way, the true Victoria Secret fan will recognise her from it's 2005 runway. Also, you will be seeing her in the upcoming Jean Paul Gaultier ads for Fall/Winter 2006-2007 as well.

Welcome!

2006-04-21T14:27:00.001+02:00

Welcome to Dale Magazine! On this blog you will find info and my opinions on the latest fashion collections, my favourite models and more fashionable subjects. I will be updating this blog regularly so remember to check back here when you want to be the first to know!

Have fun and don't be a stranger,

Mr-Dale