MODELS.com > ModelCulture

Feb 2000

CLEAN SLATE

It is only the first leg in the four city marathon that is the semi-annual Ready To Wear collections, but New York designers transmitted a clear message for Fall 2000. Essentially, it is that last year's sex bombshell is out and the next look in models is a kind of clean cut Debutante Chic. Among the more directional designers a new flock of girls emerged as being the new defining faces.

Mini Auden - Arena Magazine, shot by Mikael Jansson

Leading the pack was Karin's Claudelle, T's Mini Auden and Women's Anna Claudia. Last season's triple pillars of sex and sizzle, Gisele Bundchen, Frankie Rayder and Carmen Kass found themselves out of step with this season's more conservative design aura.
That fact was brought home with full impact with Marc Jacob's last minute decision to cancel Gisele, Frankie and Carmen from his willfully "retro" show.
That is not to say those ladies are over (there's still three cities to go), but it does signal that the switch from spring to fall is the segue from sexy to serious. Look for that very message to surface in the September editorials of your favorite glossy.

DIRTY GIRLS

Speaking of glossy, did you notice that among the new girls the critical backstage fashion statement was all about a dirty, destroyed almost (whisper the word)... grunge pair of jeans? How delightful was it seeing the new cutting edge crop - girls like Anna Catherine and Marianna - slumping about in some seriously worn Levi's. Of course the deliberately down market look is counter pointed by an extravagantly logoed Louis Vuitton tote or a fabulous Hermes scarf. Now watch every "edgy young stylist" pump out the requisite "status handbag and old Levi's" look!