Beauty

Delight Becomes Pictorial

Delight becomes pictorial
When viewed through pain,--
More fair, because impossible
That any gain.
The mountain at a given distance
In amber lies;
Approached, the amber flits a little,--
And that's the skies!

- Emily Dickinson

Speaking truth to power

Question of the day: Why are there no critical fashion magazines? There are many answers - email your best answer to James@WomenManagement.com.

Q:Why do I love a Cathy Horyn so much?
A:Because she tells it as she sees it, from her unique perspective. Cathy speaks truth to power in the New York Times

Every day I see so many uninspired fashion editorials. Even worse than that are editorials which are so blatantly inspired by recent editorials. It is one thing to copy elements of Herb Ritts' lighting for an editorial, it is quite another to make a career of mopping Bill King's style.

Paris is Burning (Dir:Jennie Livingston)says a lot aboout honesty, and living your life with dignity. It also defines two ways to speak truth to power: shade & reading.

Shade came from Reading. Reading came first. Reading is the art form of insult. When you are Reading someone you get in a smart crack, and everyone laughs. When you find a flaw and exagerrate it- then you've got a good Read going.

Shade is when I don't tell you you're ugly, but I don't have to tell you your ugly - Because you know your ugly - and thats Shade.

-Dorian Corey

Out & About

Valentina attended the screening of Peter Lindbergh's film Everywhere at Once last night at the Harper's Bazaar office building. Check out the view from the Hearst building.
Valentina is the face of Ralph Lauren.

Yelena Yemchuck @ Dactyl

Yelena Yemchuk, new show Notes on Fantomas curated by Neil Grayson opens Saturday May 3, 2008, 6-9PM at Dactyl Foundation, 64 Grand St (West Broadway x Wooster Street, ph: 212.219.2344). I first saw Yelena's photography on the album cover of Adore by The Smashing Pumpkins. The image was immediately notorious - while its notoriety has diminished, it retains a sinister beauty. Yelena recently photographed Natasa V for Japanese Vogue, stylist: Anastasia Barbieri.

Beauty

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.

- Albert Camus

Vlada - The Sartorialist for French Vogue

Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist, photographed Vlada for French Vogue on February 4, 2008 in front of the Third Church of Christ, Scientist (583 Park Avenue at 63rd Street) right after the Oscar de la Renta fall 2008 fashion show.
Vlada's interview loosely translated into English:
What she likes about herself : Her nose
What she likes the least: Her hair after fashion week
First move when waking up : look at the time
Indispensable clothing item: a scarf
Her perfume: Omnia by Bulgari
Her playlist: all genres – but a lot of club music
At home: in Omsk (Russia) “pleasant,comfortable, very cozy”
A place to unwind: some spas – but especially at home
A lucky-charm: none
In her suitcase: lots of books and chargers of all kinds

Good Times

Rainy days & Mondays always get me down. It is currently 50°F (10°C) & rainy. The forecast calls for more rain, some heavy, and a thunderstorm. On days like today its important to hold on to your sense of humor & try to laugh. Gwen Verdon dancing to Walk It Out is the best. I put it on for the ladies of the Women art dept on a friday & we all had a laugh, at both the video & my attempts to mimic the Bob Fosse choreography. It ain't easy. By the end of the video my ribs are sore from laughing & my legs are sore from the kicks. And I feel much better- positively energized.
If Gwen Verdon hosted an aerobics lesson with Fosse moves & modern music I would sign up in a heartbeat.

To do this weekend

1)Sissy Spacek will appear in person for a special screening of her breakthrough performance in Terrence Malick's BADLANDS (1973) on Saturday, April 26 at 1:05pm, at the IFC Center shown in a studio archive print. Following the screening, Sissy and the film's executive producer, Edward R. Pressman, will take part in a conversation about the making of the film, its legacy and its place in their careers. IFC Center: 323 6th ave (at 3rd street), (212)924-7771.

2)Gummo is playing at midnight on Friday April 25 & Saturday April 26 at the IFC Center. On October 17, 2007 Janet Maslin of the New York Times wrote:

October is early, but not too early to acknowledge Harmony Korine's ''Gummo'' as the worst film of the year. No conceivable competition will match the sourness, cynicism and pretension of Mr. Korine's debut feature.

Well, sourness, cynicism & pretension are three of my favorite things. Plus, Gummo was styled by Chloe Sevigny. The bleached hair, eyebrows & nipples tape inspired the hair, makeup & pasties in Steven Meisel's brilliant August 2006 Italian Vogue editorial (stylist: Camilla Nickerson), starring Iselin Steiro & Natasa Vojnovic. And there is nothing sour, cynical or pretentious about great fashion photography that fucks with gender & social class while showing the latest in designer fashions. It's just major.

3)Visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Located at 900 Washington Avenue (Carroll St x Crown Street), Brooklyn (ph:718-623-7200).The magnolia trees are blooming as well as the Sekiyama cherry blossoms. Hours: Weekends and holidays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
4)Takashi Murakami at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Open Saturday & Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, at 200 Eastern Parkway (At Washington Ave), Brooklyn (ph: (718) 638-5000).
5)Jeff Koons on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The works are set in the The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, which offers a spectacular view of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Booze & Diet Coke and snacks/sandwiches are available from 10:00 a.m. until closing, including Friday and Saturday evenings. Met hours:Saturday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m., Sunday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The Met is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, ph: 212-535-7710.

Beauty

A taste for truth at any cost is a passion which spares nothing.

-Albert Camus

POLITICAL FASHION: 'Untitled' by Natasa V and Barnaby Roper

You can talk about a model citizen, but Belgrade-born New York based model Natasa V is a true citizen of the world. In her Political Fashion film, director Barnaby Roper (literally) strips her to the bare essentials, but the most intriguing element is what she doesn’t reveal.

Click here to play movie

Untitled by Natasa Vojnovic and Barnaby Roper
Credits:
Concept: Natasa Vojnovic and Barnaby Roper

Direction: Barnaby Roper

Cast: Natasa Vojnovic

Photographic Direction: Bryon Werner

Production: Vonetta Baldwin, Emma Comley, Rachel Rumbold

Make-Up: Darlene Jones

Hair: Yiotis Panayiotou

Editing: Amanda James

Fashion: Stærk

Special Thanks to Smashbox Studios, Tom Russell at Prime Focus, Duncan Ord at Women Management, Moo Management, Trish South, David Lyons, Rebecca Donaghe, Flynn Productions

lunch

Today Olive's is offering their special sandwich. The special sandwich consists of: California Avocado, Vermont Sharp Cheddar, Crunchy Sprouts, Red Onion, Tomato, and Chilpotle Mayo on 7 Grain . My co-worker Helena LOVES Olive's Special Sandwich. Olive's is within walking distance of Women, at 120 Prince Street (Wooster st x Green st), ph: (212)941-0111.

The special sandwich got me thinking of the lunch time poll, conducted by Winona Ryder in the 1989 movie Heathers. The movie also starred model Lisanne Falk. Lisanne was a teen model at the same time as Brooke Shields and Phoebe Cates. In the 1980's there was a strong market for teen models -Lisanne's career was the subject of a book, Lisanne, a Young Model.

The lunch time poll consists of one question: You win five million dollars from Publishers
Sweepstakes, but on the same day what's- his-face gives you the check, aliens land on earth and say they're going to blow up the world in two days. What would you do?

Well, what would you do? With the weak USD, $5million doesn't go as far as it did in 1989. You could buy a whole lot of vintage Swatch's on Ebay, or a Francesco Savullo era Cosmopolitan magazine...or a cardigan from the Limited. If I got that money, I'd give it
all to the homeless. Every cent.

Lara Bonomo @ Teen Vogue Interview

Lara Bonomo is the Bookings Director of Teen Vogue - as Bookings Director she casts models, hair stylists, and makeup artists for Teen Vogue fashion editorials. There are many steps a model has to go through to get into the pages of Teen Vogue. The first step is when Lara meets the model & polaroids as soon as she arrives in NY. She tracks their progress from day one. Lara aggressively promotes the models she believes in to the fashion editors that style Teen Vogue shoots. The second step to getting into Teen Vogue is when Lara arranges for the right models to go see the photographer & stylist. The precision with which Lara matches models with the fashions in her editorials & the style of her Teen Vogue photographers & stylists makes Lara a star. Her cognizance of which model would look good in which clothes is what makes her an excellent casting director. Lara's professionalism, kindness & wicked sense of humor make her so amazing to work with. The models who start with Teen Vogue frequently move on to do Italian Vogue , French Vogue, British Vogue & American Vogue. Lara keeps a polaroid collage on her wall of models she is considering for upcoming editorials & Teen Vogue alumnus who have gone on to become supermodels. Yesterday I visited her at her office for an interview:

Q:How did you get into this business?
A:I've always loved magazines and would flip through my mom's old Vogues and Glamours when I was little- I loved the glamour and mystique of the models and how they took on different personas depending on the fashion point of view. When I graduated from college I sent my resume to model agencies and magazines, hoping to land a job where I could really learn about thhe industry. My first job was at an agency working on the new faces board and my next job was as the Asst Bookings Editor at Mademoiselle magazine. I could not have been happier-

Q:Where is your favorite city to travel and why?
A:Paris- Everything about that city is amazing- The architecture, history, people, culture. It really does have a joie de vivre all its own

Q:What do you like to do in your free time?
A:Read, see movies, hang out with friends

Q:If you weren't in fashion, what could you see yourself doing as a career?
A:I wouldn't work :)

Q:What do your friends think about you working in fashion?
A:They think it is cool- a lot of them are in industries that are very buttoned up so they like to hear the stories that could only happen in the fashion industry

Q:What are your must-have makeup essentials?
A:Neutrogena SPF 45 moisturizer
Rosebud salve for the lips-

Q:Who is your favorite designer and why?
A:I can't really say a favorite - it changes every season-

Q:What advice would you give to a girl trying to break into this industry?
A:Be realistic- Modeling has criteria that has to be met just like most other industries. It is not the right career for everyone.

Q:What is the best part about working in fashion?
A:It is constantly changing so you do not get bored-

Q:What do you miss most about home when you're working?
A:My kitty cat- Big

Q:Who are your style icons?
A:Jane Birkin - effortless

Q:How do you prepare for a photo shoot?
A:We are always shooting so I have to keep up on the newest models and hair/make-up talent. I like to keep the photographers and stylists updated n who we should think about shooting for the upcoming shoots-

Q:The best fashion advice you've ever received:
A:Less is more

My top 3:
Items I can't live without:
1.Passport
2.I Pod
3. water

Places I've been:
1. Paris
2. all over US
3. Tulum, Mexico
4. And I travel vicariously through the models who come visit me and tell me of their favorite places they have worked or the exotic locations they are from-

Designers:
1. Marc Jacobs
2. Philip Lim
3. Lanvin

Items in your handbag:
1. wallet
2. NY Post
3. cell phone

Georgina

Greg Kadel photographed Georgina on March 20th, 2008 at Milk Studios for Numero. Stylist: Bill Mullen.

Ron Galella

Ron Galella's new show, "That's Great!", opens Thursday May 1st (reception 6:00pm to 8:00 pm) at the Staley Wise Gallery . The show focuses on Andy Warhol and the beautiful people who were the celebrity, fashion, art, and social world of New York in the 1970’s and 80’s. Staley Wise is at 560 Broadway (Prince Street x Spring Street), open Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Ron Galella is a legendary fashion photographer. What makes his work transcend the photos published in tabloids is that he captured the clothes and the lifestyles of the people wearing them. He caught the subtle details of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis - the wind tousled hair done by Mr. Kenneth, the silk knit top from Henri Bendel private label, and suede trousers from Paraphernalia. He also caught the way that Jackie carried her Hermes Trim bag under her arm, with her hand in the pocket of her loose Burberry trench. She was probably on her way to have her hair done at Mr. Kenneth's and didn't want her hair to be seen, so she covered with a silk scarf, knotted at the nape of her kneck.

Ron's photos of celebrities like Jackie O inspired Tom Ford's designs - his version of the Hermes Trim bag was named the Jackie bag. The Jackie bag (in turquoise) completely sold out when it luanched in the spring of 1999.

Kasia Struss - The Sartorialist for French Vogue

Scott Schuman , The Sartorialist, photographed Kasia Struss for French Vogue's April 2008 issue on February 1st, 2008, in front of photographic agency Jed Root.

Music

Music is a huge part of the Women experience. I need music to inspire me. There is always music in the air. This morning I was listening to:
Ike & Tina Turner: Live, Raw & Funky.

Tina Turner is an inspiration. When she performs, she gives all that she has to give. She is fearless - Tina is not afraid to work up a sweat. She gives all she has to give to her audience. She challenges the audience to get up and dance.

Besides being a great singer & dancer, Tina is a fantastic model. She has worked with all of the best photographers, from Richard Avedon to Steven Meisel. Tina was 45 when Steven Meisel photographed her for the cover of Rolling Stone - she had oversome abuse, poverty & rejection - her joy & massive postivie energy shine in that photo.

All models can learn something from Tina. Like Tina, great models are fearless in front of the camera, and hold back nothing. It is always better to give too much, than to hold back.

Carmen Kass & Jonas Mekas honored by U.S Baltic Foundation

Carmen Kass was honored by the U.S.-Baltic Foundation at the USBF Gala Awards in Washington D.C last week. Carmen was awarded a Baltic Image Enhancement Award. Filmaker Jonas Mekas, founder of the Film-Makers Cooperative was awarded with a Baltic Cultural Achievement Award. Mekas once wrote:“Warhol seems to have incorporated all the transitoriness of things into his very aesthetics, and that’s why it seems to me that his cinema is really about the transitoriness of the medium and the transitory state of all things. About the transitoriness of all existence and all art.”

TGIF

It is 78°F (26°C) and sunny in NY. Today Mariya Markina & I made some friends in the park, Sheila Marquez & Bullet got comfy on the floor, Irina soaked up the sun on the roof, & the ladies heard no evil.

To do this weekend

1. Whitney Biennial (945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, ph:(800) 944-8639). Check out Tearoom by William E. Jones.
2. Bladerunner midnight movie at the Sunshine Landmark Theater (143 East Houston Street, between 1st Ave x 2nd Ave, ph:(212) 330-8182). Blade Runner has inspired the hair, makeup & style of many fashion editorials, including the March 1998 Italian Vogue (ph:Steven Meisel) & the Spring 2008 Alexander McQueen show hair.
3. Contempt at the Film Forum (209 West Houston Street, Between 6th Ave x Varick Street, ph: (212) 727-8110). Starring Brigitte Bardot, directed by Jean_Luc Godard.
4. Cai Guo-Qiang: "I Want to Believe"at the Guggenheim Museum (1071 5th Ave, at 89th Street, ph: 212-423-3500).
5. Color Chart: Reinventing Color, 1950 to Today at the Museum of Modern Art (11 West 53 Street, between Fifth Ave x Sixth Ave, ph: (212) 708-9400).

Show Studio - Political Fashion film - Natasa V

Barnaby Roper collaborated with Natasa V on a film that expresses how politics has affected and changed her life. The film will be available at ShowStudio.com on midnight, Friday, April 25, 2008 & can be viewed at ShowStudio.com

Nick Knight previously shot Natasa for the cover of British Vogue- a video of the shoot can be seen here:ShowStudio.com
an interview with Natasa V can be seen here:ShowStudio.com