What? VOGUE's Brian Fee? Yeah, you read that right. If you've ever wondered what goes on inside the mind of an editor for the world's most illustrious fashion magazine when they are looking at street photos, now your curiosity can at least be partially fulfilled. Brian from Vogue's Art Department was cool enough to look through 17 shots I took of Hanne Gaby Odiele from Supreme Models and distill them into a mini 3 piece pictorial for my blog (everybody give Brian an ovation--better yet, send him some new Rick Owen's pieces for his Guest Edit).
With regards to the first photo, Brian's words were, "it's gentle enough as the first shot, like 'get to know Hanne'" And in regards to the last shot he stated, "I really like as a closer." Ultimately, he coined the pictorial with the experimental title, "Hanne balances multiple bags with style to spare." Personally, I like it!
And for those of you that are curious to get to know Hanne better than you ever imagined, have a visit to this post at the Supreme Models Blog for a peek inside her apartment...
plaid shirt -- ACNE bag--Alexander Wang shoes--Givenchy
p.s. a sincere thanks to Hanne as well....
p.s.s. if you live in the U.K. check out my solo page interview in the ELLE collections Autumn/Winter 2017
J. Crew recently showed tons of looks with shorts in it's Fall/Winter 2010 collection. Mix in 2 looks from Chloé, and it won't surprise me if we see lots of shorts again in the dead middle of next Fall/Winter. Add in Chrishell's Off Duty look here to the mix, and you can make your own conclusions
After the Derek Lam Fall/Winter 2010 show at New York Fashion Week. I left more of the background intact in this shot, just because it looked interesting with all the snow, buildings, cabs, police cars, police scooter, black cab, yellow cab....for a New York feel.
At the Spring/Summer 2018 New York Fashion Week shows, talking candidly with Hye Park (Sept. 2009)
At the Fall/Winter 2009 Paris Fashion Week shows (March 2009). I remember taking this shot and not being able to back up any further without bumping into a bunch of people.
At the Spring/Summer 2018 New York Fashion Week shows (September 2008).
Dorothea Barth Jorgensen (left) and Amanda Norgaard (right) outside of Miu Miu. Out of the hundreds of girls I shot during fashion month, none had a fun spirit as contagious as Dorothea's.
EDIT/NOTE: the braids are hair extensions as designed by the lead Hair Stylist Guido Palau. The difference between the extensions he designed for Miu Miu and Alexander Wang that I can see is that the extensions at Miu Miu were worn from the middle where the extensions from Alexander Wang were worn from the side.
Paul Rowland. A name that strikes reverence from anyone within the modeling industry. Paul is the founder of Women Model Management and Supreme Models, a visionaire extraordinaire, who can single handedly turn the course of the modeling industry at will.
His story is as interesting as are his accomplishments. Having managed some of the biggest names in modeling from Kate Moss to Iris Strubegger his success didn't come by accident, nor did it happen overnight.
Modeling found Paul. Over 20 years ago.
Originally, he came from Arkansas to New York City with the dream to be a painter. He had no close friends, no family, and no job when he arrived to New York. Working part time as a waiter, he was spotted by Click Models, the leading male modeling agency at the time.
In a common move, his agent left Click to start her own agency and Paul left with her. Then one fateful day, the birth of an empire began.
Paul's agent had to leave for Europe and she asked if he would be willing to man the phone. He said yes. Soon, he realized he was good at booking appointments. The businessman in Paul wanted to go where the money was at and when his booker came back from Europe, he asked if he and his partner John Gnerre could start up a womens division for the agency.
She said yes and in an unoccupied corner of the apartment, Paul made a desk from a piece of wood and set it on two sawhorses, set up a phone (there was no call waiting at the time) and got to work. It was 1988.
Two people, two phones, tons of passion and two decades later Paul's empire includes offices in New York, Paris, Milan and hundreds of people on his payroll.
Paul made it clear to me that he really doesn't care what other people think. He must've said this at least two or three times during the course of our brief conversation. While many will claim they don't care what others think, few will actually live it. From the art direction of his personal photography to the girls they choose to bring into their New York office, he will not compromise his artistic integrity for the sake of winning the approval of another.
It's a life lesson we all need to be reminded of from time to time. In an industry where outer beauty is common, people with a great passion like Paul, who have the courage to live life by their own convictions and who live with a sincerity to themself are a rare breed and worth working to follow.
I know I'm following, how about you?
p.s. one question I did ask Paul was, "With print media struggling like it is right now in terms of getting advertising and pages being cut across the board among some of the finest magazines, what impact do you see blogs and the internet having on the modeling industry in the future?" He answered, "….the internet will definitely have a huge impact on magazine sales…but there will always be a place for publishing."
