WANTED: A Model Citizen

I thought I'd have photos to share of the fruitful and wonderful casting I was conducting today. I thought you would be able to see the other model who, along with Valencia, will be posing and cavorting in front of the camera on June 20. Not. This time craigslist let me down. None of the candidates worked. They were either not camera ready or did not match Valencia's measurements. And since all the pieces were made to fit Valencia's body, that's just not going to work. But there was one glimmer of hope. Her photos were playful, yet sophisticated. Sexy, yet appropriate. She is lovely to look at possessing a beauty that is accessible. And best yet, her measurements matched Valencia's. I knew, looking at her images online, that I'd found my other goddess. So this morning I packed up all the denim pieces and shoes and jewelry and trudged into Manhattan. That bag was heavy. By mid morning I received word from my sister that our goddess was filming a movie starring Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep. She was not available, but wished us luck. That stinks. But the show must go on, so we have rescheduled the casting for this Monday. These photos have got to be magical and my dresses have got to POP. And we're hoping that we find that model citizen who has all the snap and crackle to do just that.

Peace & Fashion!

America's Next Top Model?

My life with fashion models has always been bittersweet. Usually, I love working with women. I have found them nurturing, incredibly forthcoming, hardworking, intelligent, and easy to talk to. But with models I have noticed that the dynamic sometimes transforms into something weird and unfortunate. My experience has varied from the sublime (I can call one model in particular a very dear friend) to the nightmarish (the kind who have given me diva 'tude or not shown up to photo shoots). Anyone who has watched "America's Next Top Model" knows that it takes more than beauty to become the next Kate Moss. You have got to connect both in front of the lens and on the runway. And models are subjected to scrutiny (nose too wide, hips too narrow, lips too thin) that us mere mortals rarely have to suffer through. So it begs the question, "Why do so many young women foster dreams of becoming supermodels of the world?" Does it validate their existence to know that they are considered beautiful? Does the lifestyle seem uber glamorous? Maybe most do not understand that models suffer from low self-esteem because their physical shortcomings are constantly underscored by industry monsters? Or perhaps they have not realized that models are often treated as if they have no brain capacity? And then there is the thing about the level of success - most women do not reach supermodel status so there is a constant struggle to make ends meet.

This weekend past thousands of women lined up for the New York audition of Tyra Banks' next cycle of America's Next Top Model after Ms. Tyra herself announced that the producers would only be accepting applications for hopefuls who are 5'7" and under. Chaos ensued, several were stampeded, and dreams were crushed. Now don't get me wrong, I am the last one who wants to quash anybody's dreams. I'm just sayin'! Beautiful young women should really consider their options before they leap into such a ruthless world populated by sharks. Know that you are fabulously beautiful in your own unique way and work with people who support that truth.

Peace & Fashion!