Learn Your Supermodels: Frankie Rayder

Here’s another one of my favorite girls, who I wish would come back. Frankie Rayder was one of the toppest models in the good old Y2K days. Then she let Flea (of all people) knock her up and as far as I know they’re off somewhere californicating happily ever after. All the photos here are from between 1998 and 2003. Please notice, the models were badass and the fashions were badass. God it gives me flashbacks; Gucci’s neo-rockstar bedazzled jeans and leathers, Prada’s candy-apple loafers, Fendi baguettes, YSL’s conspicuous consumption conscious logophilia. The fact that I can look back at these clothes and actually remember what they are…well, obviously, an impression was made.

with Carmen Kass

with Carmen Kass

with Gisele

with Gisele

with Gisele and Carmen

Model of the Week: Gisele Bundchen

It’s about time I did a little rundown on someone who’s made the trek from working mannequin to supermodel to genuine star; Gisele Bundchen. Since Vogue has made Gisele Miss April, the face of their annual laugh-fest the Shape Issue, it’s time to look back at the amazing career of the girl from Brazil. Legend has it that the teenage Gisele was discovered eating McDonald’s in her hometown of Horizontina. She soon partook in an international modeling search. She didn’t win, but she placed highly. However, her career didn’t take off right away. She supplemented her bookings by doing reception work at her agency, where she had to deal with clients who asked “Please don’t send Gisele; she has a big nose.” What pushed her career over the edge I don’t know, but by the fall of 1999 she seemed to be quite literally on the cover of every major fashion magazine. In January 2000 she had the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Elle and W, which might be some kind of record. Maybe the modeling world was starved for a healthy happy looking girl, maybe it was the hair or the boobage, maybe the it was the love affair with that guy from that movie with that boat in it, or maybe her totally appealing personality, but something clicked and Gisele became the first model of the millennium to achieve first-name recognition. It’s only a matter of time before the inevitable reality show materializes. Note that Gisele hasn’t changed her signature look since…ever. She’s not the chameleonic type. She’s the always-being-herself type, but you know, versatile.

Summer 2009

April 2008 (with LeBron James)

October 2007

 

March 2006

April 2005

June 2004

February 2003

October 2002

July 2001

January 2000 (with Carmen Kass)

January 1999

August 1998

Jumping for Joy

Harper’s Bazaar, an otherwise classy magazine, hasn’t featured a model on its cover since September 2004. So I am completely thrilled to see Gisele on the cover of this month’s issue. I think that the celebrity cover trend has gone on long enough. I have my favorite stars whom I love to see, but I am sick and tired of the same faces of has beens and b-listers. For example, I am sick of Drew Barrymore. When was the last time she made a good movie? 2001. Eight years ago, that’s when. Part of the reason so many movie stars are now cover girls is that the new crop of models aren’t exactly super material. The new girls are just too bland, too wispy. I open a magazina and I can’t remember any of the girls’ names. There is no one who has the charisma to become a real supermodel. Gisele is the last great supermodel. I love her. What makes her great is that she is always herself. It’s not even her beauty or her body. (I think her body looks like a noodle with boobs) It’s her personality. No matter what fantasy she’s dressed up as, she brings her personality to it. No matter how sexy or glamorous she’s made to look, she’s always still herself – friendly, fun, relatable. She seems like someone you’d want to hang out with. And by all account she really is what she appears to be – a really nice person.

All the stories in Bazaar this month, as well as the cover, were shot by Peter Lindbergh. Lindbergh is a photographer whose style is instantly recognizable. What sets his work apart is that he’s never not shooting portraits. His pictures don’t feel posed. Even if they are posed, they feel natural and intimate. He’s not shooting clothes, he’s shooting people. Besides the Gisele shoot, there’s a story featuring Cindy Crawford, who is now a living legend. There are also stories featuring new girls and the difference is obvious. Hilary Rhoda and Lily Donaldson just don’t have the magnetic quality that a Gisele or Cindy has.

This 1989 shot is one of Lindbergh’s most iconic images. Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford show what a real supermodel looks like.

In comparison, who the hell are these people? Sasha Pivovarova, Natasha Poly, Catherine McNeil, Lily Donaldson and Doutzen Kroes. They are beautiful, but they just don’t have it. I think Doutzen is my favorite of this bunch. She needs to work on her personality, that is get one, then maybe she can be a star.

P.S. Why are girls without boobs modeling bras?