@%FORGET DOUTZEN HERE COMES LARA|}

It's time that people here start to focus on Lara Stone for a bit. I wonder if people know she's Dutch, she was born and raised here. Her father's from the UK and her mother's Dutch, but she's always listed as a Dutch model, so therefore I guess we can say she's more Dutch than British. I would like to see her get a bit of attention around here. It's always Doutzen, Doutzen, Doutzen who grabs all the attention.
I always like it when people from my country make it big. I guess it's a bit patriotic of me. Of course at the end of the day I wouldn't really care, but it's just because it shows me that people who grew up in the same part of the world like me can really achieve something and rise to the top. It gives me a bit of hope, you know. :) So it's cool seeing Lara being so successful. I wouldn't be surprised if she turns out to be the next number 1 female model out there and takes over Raquel Zimmermann's spot.

Anyway, here she's on the cover of W challenging Briggite Bardot



Image via Models.com

I'm tired of sleeping ;)

And did I ever mention how much I love Animal Collective. Just needed to say that, because I really enjoy their music. I feel I have not given them enough love.

And because I feel like posting a video, here's Animal Collective's My Girls. It's been out for months, I know. But see how great it still looks

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE "MY GIRLS" HD from KNOWMORE on Vimeo.

I LOVE Vimeo!

{+DOUTZEN COVERS BAZAAR>"

Miss Kroes. Stunning beauty. Simply impeccable. More here.

&%LET'S TALK FASHION AND LOOK AT MODELS"}

You know that right right behind my knowledge of film comes my knowledge of fashion? Well, perhaps it's a split second together with music. Because if you would tell me about Inez van Lamsweerde & Vino or mention a random name like Daul Kim, this would actually ring a bell. Visiting sites and blogs about the fashion industry and its models on a daily basis I've gained quite a lot of knowledge, or at least, I happen to know more about it than most ordinary people do. There's just something about it. It's one of those industries where all aspects of art come together. It's photography, design, modelling. It can be video, fashion used in art installations. All of those things. It's magazines, clothing, billboards, commercials. I could go on and on. Sometimes I think I should become a model scout, 'cause I think I have a pretty good eye for noticing who could be a potential model which isn't so strange when you look at a lot of people everyday who are models. So when I walk down the street I can separate the random pretty girls from those who are truly extraordinary. Same for the boys. Anyway I just felt the need to share pictures of models and clothing I like. Just because.

I don't like the entire shoot, but this shot I like. First of all, because I seem to have a weak for backshots, but just look at the framing, the position of Raquel. The way she poses with her head down, the way she has put down her hands. The use of colour. It's a good picture. Raquel Zimmermann is one of the most well known female models in the industry today and definitely the one that's still most successful. Most people know about Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen who have gained world fame, but when it comes to doing editorials, runway shows, campaigns, Zimmermann is still one of the most sought after models. She's at the top and has been for quite a long time already. Pictures by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, styling by George Cortina. Yes, 'cause styling is very crucial. I often show my love for photographers, but their models and if they happen to have worked with stylists as well, add a crucial lot to the image. At times it even makes me wonder if some of Hedi Slimane's pictures interest me because the way they're photographed or if it's just the model, the subject of the picture, that truly draws me in and makes the picture for me a good one. I guess it's a working together of both, a mix, but at times it's hard to tell what exactly makes me value a picture so much.



For more go here Fashionising.com

Freja Beha Erichsen has done a recent shoot for Vogue Nippon. I especially like this picture. For some reason I always happen to confuse her with Coco Rocha. I guess it's a name thing.



For more go here Fashionising.com

This is an older image. Can't even remember where I found it. Don't know who took it or in which magazine it appeared. But I would love to wear what this guy wears. I really would. I'm one of those people who has nothing against male tights. They've appeared at some fashion shows and I think they actually look good. You just have to think they're the ultimate of skinny jeans. ;) Them boots! LOVE



The clothing style of these guys you either love or hate. I'm with love. More tights!



I think I found the above picture via Streetpeeper. Not sure though.

I love love LOVE this one picture below. It features model Jonathan Kroppmann.



Found this kid via Hel Looks, a blog dedicated to fashion on the streets of Helsinki. I think it's a guy 'cause it says the kid is named Achilles, but you can't really tell can you? At least, the way he dresses has made me unsure. It seems it's a guy though, so let's assume he's a he. Anyway, I love the sweater.



I used to think those designer clothes models can be seen wearing during fashion shoots were so outrageous and over the top you would never find them on the street nor wouldn't I think anyone would want to wear those clothes. Nowadays I'm a complete different person and everything I see I would not mind to wear it at all. And since the existence of blogs like The Sartorialist and Facehunter street style has come to the fore and it becomes more and more clear that there are a lot of fashion forward people out there on the street who do actually go out in runway type of clothing or layer it up, making combinations which to some might seem weird.

Roisin Murphy for example doesn't mind wearing this dress, if that's what you can call it, I think the word dress does not do justice to it as it far exceeds what is generally known as a dress. This is like wearable architecture. Gareth Pugh is the guy who made it and I guess I can say he's a real fashion darling. He does menswear as well, but those pieces have not yet come any close to the greatness that Miss Murphy showcases in the picture below. Singer Beyoncé Knowles also has worn some of Pugh's pieces as can be seen in her Diva video.



Found via The Sartorialist I think. This kid has a cool style. Love them boots. And yup, it's a guy. :)



These two pictures are from the same shoot it seems, but again, I don't remember where they're from, but it features two models I like, Josh Beech and Jourdan Dunn. Both from the UK.




Request Models and Red are probably two of my favourite agencies, 'cause they keep bringing up these models who have their own uniqye style apart from having already a very distinct look. Especially most of their male models aren't the pretty type. You would not expect some of these guys being able to model. That's a misconception, the idea that you have to be beautiful to be a model. It often happens that interesting is chosen over beautiful. Though, there are of course those people who look almost perfect, if there's ever such a thing, and of whom you're like, yup, you were born to model. But Request and Red seem to prefer those with a more interesting look.

An example is Yuri for Request:



Cole Mohr for Request. This guy seems to be really fun but very hyper in real life. He got a really cool look though. :)



The above picture came from COACD which is a cool blog by casting director Douglas Perrett.

If someone wants to buy me this blue Burberry trenchcoat Mr. Mohr can be seen wearing in the picture below it would be very much appreciated! Love that colour of blue. Makes my mouth water.



Dan felton for Red:



Picture by Ryan Pfluger, found here on the Red blog.

I have to say though, that I would never ever trade my appearance for anyone else's. I'm extremely happy with the way I look. :p So don't think me seeing all these great looking people has a negative effect on me and my self image.

Tyler Riggs for Red. One of the most sought after male models. He works a lot. Reid Prebenda who's also with Red, is a very successful model as well.

Tyler Riggs got class. Anyone who wants to buy the red piece of clothing he showcases so well in this picture feel more than free to do so. That colour red is so nice. Yum.



Photographed by Nagi Saki, styling Tyron Machhausen. More of Tyler here.

Other favourites of mine are Ash Stymest, Luke Worrell and Chris Pulliam.

One of my favourite female models is Lakshmi Menon. She looks so sophisticated. She's stunning.



Mariacarla Boscono has turned into a favourite of mine because she's so versatile. Sometimes I don't even recognize her. I really like this picture of her she did for the Pucci campaign as well as this one for Moschino.




And a lot of people might not have been aware they knew such a successful model as Daria Werbowy. 'Cause I'm sure those who shop at H&M, or just have walked by one of the stores, have seen her face many times. She was at Raquel Zimmermann's level just a while ago. She's still very successful now though. But a while ago she was it. This woman might be my favourite female model. She's extremely beautiful and so unique looking. She's heaven really. :D Could never get enough of those eyes.



And as you can see her now at the H&M stores posing in the latest Matthew Williamson H&M campaign:



I love Eniko Mihalik as well and not just because of her name. This is a cover she did for i-D Magazine. She's one of those girls I kind of witnessed making it to the top seeing first only some polaroid pictures of her then some editorials and became one of the few models who really are able to stick around and truly make a name for themselves.



Iekeliene Stange is Dutch and has a really good fashion sense herself. She's also an artist and recently had an exhibition of some of her work.



Others I like are Amanda Laine and Arlenis Sosa.

Both Kendra Spears as well as Sean O'Pry have shown that it's not at all a bad thing to have a profile on a social networking site, 'cause both were discovered through MySpace.com

Kendra Spears. Some don't like her because of her mole:



Sean O'Pry. Like Daria, you can often find him at the H&M :)



And just for fun, Mr. Patrick Wolf for Burberry together with Agyness Deyn! Yup, he modelled. Not professionally, but I guess he was asked just for fun. He has the height though. Not great modelling looks, but he looks good. This is already from 2007 or something I believe.




I often visit the blog of JD Ferguson called JDvision. A former model himself and now a photographer. He seems like a really fun person and always gushes over the latest male model who posed for him. Lately he's obsessed with Twitterpic.

This one he took just the other night of Doutzen at a party:



More at
JDvision

Well, well. Finally done. That was it. Apart from surfing the internet, I cleaned my room. So even though it doesn't seem much like it, I've been sort of productive today ;)

And damn Micachu are much more fun than I thought. Listening to them right now and will do so more in the future.

&$CRUSHING YOUR MODELING DREAM<"

Probably people reading this will think go and get yourself busy with things that are really important, like the news, stuff going on in the world, instead of writing a post about the modeling industry. As I mentioned before, I don't know what took me so long, but just recently I really REALLY became aware of how close photography and film are connected. So because of that I've been looking at photos everyday and over the months I've seen a lot of pictures, mostly pictures that will appear in fashion magazines, 'cause I like pictures with people and I guess I prefer those over just scenery and landscapes. I guess I like the interaction between the model and the camera/photographer. It works two ways and it's nice to see how on a photo a person can be really captured well. I must say that seeing all those pictures from editorials or campaigns and seeing those models I sometimes, like I guess a lot of people, forget that those models appearing in those are just a small group of all the models walking around there. I know that, especially since Doutzen Kroes and all those TV programmes about modeling, with the one most well known being Tyra Bank's show, America's Next Top Model. And now almost every country has their own version. But what most girls don't know and probably aren't really aware of is that it's a tough business. If you're not a supermodel, if you don't make it big, you will be struggling paying your bills. Of course it takes a while before you get noticed and become a supermodel if you ever become one. But there are always exceptions, girls/boys who make it big really fast, because they happen to be really distinct from everyone else. As a model you don't have to be the prettiest, everyone out there is like this flawless beauty. It's either those people who are incredibly beautiful who rise to the top or those who have this distinct quality, which can be anything, big weird looking ears, an immaculate walk, a gap between the teeth, short hair, real long hair etc. You have to distinguish yourself from everyone else. Of course everyone is different, but there are some people who look just as nice as everyone else. I guess at a certain point you get this hierarchy kind of thing with at its lowest a standard beauty where all models can be grouped into, and everything higher being those who are exceptional, including those kind of distinct qualities I just mentioned. When a girl gets discovered on the street, in the mall, a scout walking up to them telling them they should try and model, because the scout sees potential, it's like a dream come true kind of thing for some of these girls. It's like, wow, I got 'discovered'. Someone saw me and offered me this great opportunity, I'm gonna be a star, I'm gonna make it big. I will be out there with Gisele, Naomi and everyone else. But wait, this discovery is only the beginning. It's just your access card. It means you made your way in. And then even still it depends on your agency. You will have to wait and see if big agencies in New York, Milan, those big fashion capitals will have you as their client as well. And from then on you will go over to that agency and start seeing all these people who are looking for people to book for fashion shows or clients for editorial spreads in magazines or campaigns. You won't be the only one, but will be together with all these other girls/boys. You have to present yourself the best way that you can. But a lot comes from just being lucky. The person seeing you must think, yes, she definitely has 'it'. Whatever that may be. But still though you have to be at the top of your game, especially for those runway shows. You can be a great mix of a Gisele and a Doutzen and be a stunning beauty, if you can't walk, they will count you out. If you can't present the clothes well, you won't be in. And then there are the expenses, the costs. Your rent, grocery shopping, things like a ticket for the metro. And apparently, the prints these models need to have for their book with all their pictures can be extremely expensive, like a 500 dollars expensive! So all that money just for some great quality photocopies. And then if you finally scored a photoshoot for a magazine with a well known photographer and earn a lot of money you won't see a penny, 'cause you still had to pay all those other people you had a debt with, which for a great part include the agency your working for at that moment, plus your mother agency, the agency which discovered you in the first place. You have to pay them as they are your promoters. You try to be the best model you can and try to win over the big clients to book you. So the agency makes sure you can go see those clients, and because of that you have to pay your agency as they will look for jobs for you. They make an appointment for you with a certain client. And then you have to try and land the job and when you do in return as a thank you you have to pay your agency with part of the money you earned with the job. 'Cause afterall, if it wasn'r for them you never got the job, saw those clients. If it wasn't for them you had not been scouted and was still in school, studying, or working as a waitress/waiter. So yes, when you make it big you can make it real big and have a huge career like Gisele, like Doutzen. But if you never get to that point, you will be struggling. Plus, the modeling life is lonely as for most of the models they will be in a huge city all by themselves while their friends and family are in this entire different country. Sure, you make some modeling friends, but it's still a tough job and not the same. I don't know why I felt like writing this warning to all those aspiring models out there, but I guess it's to show that over these months I've learned a lot about the whole industry, damnit! I know names of models, agencies, photographers. It's crazy. I almost feel like I know as much about the whole thing as about the movie industry. I kind of brainwashed myself reading about all this every day now, seeing all the pictures etc. And now of course there's the question, what to do with all this knowledge? Is there a reason why I adopted all this knowledge? I guess I have to wait and see. :)

^@PLEASANTLY SURPRISED">

There's this Dutch TV show called De Wereld Draait Door (The World Keeps On Turning) which is about all things newsworthy, like stuff going on in politics, media etc, etc. And last night my parents and I saw something funny on TV so my mum send them an e-mail hoping that they will check it out and show it. They always show clips from TV programs which viewers might have seen and which were funny and then they show them. So because my mum send them an e-mail I thought lets check out the website to see who's going to be on the show tonight. One of the name's was Sabrina Starke, a singer/songwriter who I wasn't familiar with, not until some minutes ago. I thought lets check her out and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. She's from Rotterdam but sounds as if she came straight from the US. Her first single is called Do For Love and it's a really good song. Normally I don't really listen to soul/R&B stuff, even though I really like Jill Scott. But this girl she's real talented. This song can get her real far. And it makes me proud that she's from the same small country I'm from. After supermodel Doutzen Kroes and actress Carice Van Houten who will play Tom Cruise's wife in the upcoming Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men) film Valkyrie, we now have Sabrina Starke. Keep an eye out on her, she might be real big at the end of this year.