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| The Little Extras - The Runway Divas | |
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| The Little Extras - The Runway Divas | |
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Runway Divas is an informal musing on the subject of what makes a supermodel, and what course of events brought the supermodel into existence. How did the anonymous mannequins of the post WWII period become the celebrated supermodels of the past decade? In the 1950's cosmetic companies, especially Revlon, observed that their advertising was turning nameless models into stars. The Fire and Ice girl Dorian Leigh became a star through one of Revlon's most famous campaigns, and after Dorian there was no turning back. The mutually beneficial relationship of the famous model and the cosmetics company had been created. Contemporary supermodels are almost all runway models, and have the tall, lean body necessary for runway performances. The runway is an integral part of their mystique, as is their close association with haute couture. But it was not always so. Many of the most famous models of the past never appeared on the runway. Twiggy at 5' 6" was considered too short for runway work, and her fame was based on still photography alone. The legendary Ines de la Fressange elegantly combined the components that would become the recognizable attributes of a supermodel. She had a cosmetics contract with Chanel for nearly a decade, she was a runway model, and she was a muse to designer Karl Lagerfeld. An impeccable array of successes that any supermodel would be proud to claim. And last but definitely not least, there is the sheer beauty of fashion photography. At times the beauty of the models, the clothes, and the photographer's skill combine to transcend fashion and create remarkable images of graphic perfection. We've
selected the women who we feel are most worthy of the accolade Runway
Diva and we've set up a gallery for your appreciation. Remember, once
you're in, to greater enhance your experience, simply click on the picture
to advance to the next! (Introduction by Caroline, anecdotes by Caroline and Bruce)
Send us your comments!
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