MODEL PROFILES: MADISON HEADRICK

Born in South Carolina in 1994, Madison Headrick was scouted by Vision agency at the age of 16. Squeezing assignments in and around school commitments, as Madison neared graduation she had a choice to make. 

Asked by her dad if she wanted to take modelling more seriously (but only after graduating from school), Madison was given the option of graduating a semester early, finishing high school in January 2012. Travelling to New York to sign up with modelling agency Marilyn, the plan was for Madison to ground herself in the basics such as casting, runway, and familiarising herself with the fashion landscape including photographers, editors and important designers.

However, modelling boot camp was put on hold. Interest in Madison was immediate, and she was asked to attend a casting session for the Prada runway show. Meeting Ashley Brokaw in Milan – a casting director who also works for Balenciaga, Miu Miu and Proenza Schouler – the South Carolina girl flat-out impressed. She was not only booked for the show, but booked as an exclusive. Headrick’s booking made headlines in the fashion industry. With her all-American looks, and Prada usually going for European, directional faces, Madison was a left-field choice for the label. 

Prada’s long-held reputation for spotting new talent remains unchallenged in the industry: previous models that have started their careers as Prada exclusives include Lara Mullen, Patricia van der Vliet, Nimue Smit and Iselin Steiro. Left-field or not, this phenomenal start put Madison on the editorial fast-track, with bookings from Interview, Dazed & Confused, Numero and British Vogue. Working with Caroline Brasch Nielsen in Numero, ‘The Trainer’ was a daring S&M-themed shoot with both Caroline and Madison working tailored glamour. Given the edgy Numero treatment, this type of editorial can push established models: but here Madison is sleek, darkly glamorous and in control.

In August, she appeared in British Vogue’s editorial ‘Best in Show’. Playing on the British love of animals, this shoot featured models posing with a pedigree pooch. With the editorial tone firmly tongue-in-cheek, Madison gets it absolutely spot on, exuding charm and refusing to be upstaged by her co-star. Mastering these types of editorial is essential: despite rumours to the contrary, fashion definitely has a sense of humour. Character editorials, like ‘Best in Show’ are particularly popular with high-fashion magazines as they give the creative team (including the model) room to explore and develop ideas within an existing framework of reference. We all get the reference of a dog show; British Vogue just took it to its high-fashion conclusion to create a fun and memorable editorial. 

Madison then channelled the Eighties in an August shoot for Oyster magazine. ‘Working Girl’ (taking its name from the famous 1988 film) saw Madison transform into a high-fashion interpretation of leading lady Melanie Griffith: coiffed, preened and styled to Eighties perfection. Book-ending the summer with appearances in resort look-books for Donna Karan and Altuzarra, Madison returned to the runway in the autumn, walking for Jill Stuart, Rag & Bone and Edun. 

In September, Madison made her debut for V magazine. ‘The New Girls’, photographed by Terry Tsiolis, was a clutch of simple black and white portraits. Modelling with Julia Frauche, Lena Hardt, Moa Aberg and Susannah Liguori, it is a beautiful editorial, with every model earning her place at the ‘new girl’ table. But in looking at Headrick’s photos, what becomes apparent is her gift for translating glamour into something fresh and modern. 

But Madison’s star-making moment came when it was announced that she would appear in the new Prada Autumn / Winter campaign. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Madison joined a raft of established talent including Iselin Steiro and Magdalena Frackowiak, plus Vanessa Axente and Versace campaign favourite, Elza Luijendijk. With their 1950’s inspired campaign in Spring being a huge hit on YouTube with nearly 500,000 hits, Prada had a lot to live up to. The collection itself was not only hugely popular but it made a star of out of models like Katryn Kruger. With Miuccia Prada putting black back at the core of the colour palette, the campaign focused on the retro mosaic print trouser-suits, studded with jewel accents. Worn cropped at the ankle with Mary-Jane shoes, this collection was quintessential Prada, transforming what we normally think of as ‘awkward’ and ‘ugly’ into a thing of beauty. 

The campaign deliberately avoided the heady qualities of the Spring campaign, opting for a quieter feel. Subtly choreographed, the campaign gives us the opportunity to look at the clothes in detail – it’s clear that for this season, the clothes (quite literally) take centre stage.

Appearing in a Prada campaign always performs its magic on a model’s career, and Madison, post-Prada, has been no exception. Following the campaign’s release, she was booked for Italian Vogue’s September issue, appearing with Constance Jablonski and Nicola Wincenc.

Rounding out the rest of this season with appearances for Vision China and Bon, Headrick is rapidly becoming an editorial force to be reckoned with. The shoot for Bon sees Madison wearing many of the clothes from the Prada collection, making it clear the bond between model and label. What started out as a chance trip to Milan has become a lasting and meaningful association.

Looking at these latest photos of Madison, it becomes clear what Prada saw in her last year: her talent for making glamour feel fresh and youthful is no simple task. Of all fashion’s greatest ideas, glamour is the one most heavily laden with ghosts of faces and images from the past. We all have an idea of what constitutes glamour and it takes someone unique to make room in that crowded concept for something new. 

Prada, as always, may have been ahead of the pack in hiring Headrick. After years of us getting comfortable with detail being the story, glamour is finally making a comeback: big, bold and out there. This autumn, the wealth of brocade and velvet alone tells us that this season is playing a very different game. The subtle sparkle; embedded on a cardigan sleeve or on a heel of a boot, has made way for a much more obvious look. Glamour isn’t hiding anymore, but on display for all to see. What’s new about this re-interpretation of glamour is that the glitz element is restrained: the excess is not in sequins, but in the textures being used: this is glamour you can feel.

This is why Prada’s selection of Madison was an act of genius: still at the beginning of her career in real terms, she has an opportunity to become the face of this glamour movement just as it’s taking off. This modern take on glamour needs a new face to represent it: an entirely fresh approach is required if glamour is to convince us to ditch our love of casual, and get dressed up again. We’ve had hits of glamour in recent years, but the crucial difference here is that this season isn’t locked into a previous era or decade. You can’t boil it down to a Great Gatsby influence or the Mad Men power-chic. This is glamour not leaning on its laurels, but attempting to persuade us of its own value, for its own sake. Embracing the personal and the individual, glamour is set to make a whole new impression. For a concept so heavily weighed down with other people’s ideas, this is a chance to refresh our notions of what glamour can mean; to make it relevant, make it new.

Now about to celebrate her first year in the modelling industry, Headrick is not just the latest American face to dazzle the fashion world. She has a chance to become that rarity: a fashion icon. Prada very rarely gets it wrong, and to place such a model in their show is a statement not only of what’s to come for that season, but a prediction that aims much further ahead. The face of fashion’s future, Madison is glamour made modern.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: SARA BLOMQVIST

Discovered whilst attending a horse show in 2007, Swedish-born Sara Blomqvist has been one of fashion’s stealth stars.

Born April 8^th 1989, Sara signed with agency Viva in Paris the same year. Debuting on the international runway circuit that September, Sara appeared for Aquascutum, Christopher Kane, Dries van Noten, Jonathan Saunders and Vanessa Bruno. A hit in both Paris and London, Sara made an even bigger impact in Milan, agreeing to walk in the Prada show as an exclusive.

The Prada connection was enough to get Sara started: booking a Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti campaign for early 2008 got her noticed by the fashion press, with www.hintmag.com featuring her as a rising star.

In February 2008, Sara took to the runway again, this time opening shows for both Christopher Kane and Armand Basi. Website www.models.com featured Sara as a Top 10 Newcomer. A regular fixture of fashion weeks, making the list is as much a rite of passage as a cover of Vogue.

The internet has seen an explosion of interest in models, as runway clips and campaign shoots routinely get commented on and dissected. The freedom of expression brings fashion to a whole new audience, who can without censorship, discuss the hottest new face or that controversial cover choice. The influence of the internet is such that names can be made virtually overnight, with even the briefest of nods from the right website. Now an institution, www.models.com definitely falls into that category.

Sandwiching in some editorial work for Numero and Amica, Sara had her first booking with Interview magazine in September 2008. Working with Freja Beha Erichsen, and photographed by Mikael Jansson, it was a smart choice for Blomqvist.

Magazines like Interview, V and Numero have worked hard to separate themselves from the bigger names of Elle, Marie Claire and Vogue. Just as fashion needs diversity to grow and thrive, the publications it appears in need to be equally wide-ranging. The fact that there is such an appetite for alternative views on fashion puts magazines – and the models they choose to showcase – at a very strong advantage.

Blomqvist’s hold on fashion’s directional design houses was rapidly becoming a given, but Sara was still capable of surprising everyone. In 2009, she was announced as the new face of Armani Jeans. Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Armani was already starting to think outside the box when it came to hiring models. Their experiment in using an edgy face to sell a blockbuster brand was a bold, game-changing strategy. Currently represented by Milou van Groesen, Armani has proved itself way ahead of its competitors, hiring Sara a whole two years before Versace booked face-of-the-moment, Saskia de Brauw.

September 2009 saw Blomqvist step up in terms of her runway hits, including several opening and closing spots with Jonathan Saunders, Missoni, Christopher Kane, Sportmax and Miu Miu. Her other credits included Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Jaegar, Lanvin, Mark Fast, Mulberry, Paul Smith, Prada, Richard Nicoll, Rue du Mail, Valentino and YSL. It was a curious mix of heritage labels plus early collections from Kane, Fast and Nicoll – the new names on the circuit that would become major industry players.

The high esteem in which Sara was held translated into further editorial bookings, including Russian Vogue in April, Japanese Numero and French Vogue in May and her first Italian Vogue shoot in June. Photographed by Steven Meisel, ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ was a heady, stylised vision of Euro nightlife featuring Meghan Collison, Anna de Rijk and Nimue Smit. Sara was rapidly becoming an international commodity.

In February 2010, Sara had her biggest ready-to-wear season to date with over 64 appearances. The A/W collections were an important marker in fashion’s recent history, with Marc Jacobs producing his ‘back to neutral’ show; Burberry piloting aviator jackets and Prada and Louis Vuitton exploring the best of the 1950’s. It was a season that sold us on new winter textures and the beauty of retro shapes. Blomqvist appeared in some of the big shows of that season including Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton. If Blomqvist ever needed reassurance that she had made it, this was the season that proved her worth.

The mammoth RTW season in February saw Sara switch to Paris in July for her very first couture season. Walking for Valentino and Chanel, you simply could not wish for a better initiation in the world of haute couture.

Blomqvist expanded on her couture experience in January 2011 with further appearances for Chanel and Valentino, plus Elie Saab. Sara’s career also came full circle in Spring 2011 with an appearance in the Prada Fantasy lookbook. Sara found herself working with Prada alumni Mariacarla Boscono, plus Jessica Stam, Lindsey Wixson, Ginta Lapina and Jourdan Dunn.

This was the ‘swirls and stripes’ collection – in theory, a ‘hard-sell’ collection, Prada smartly traded on its quirkiness. In its decision not to shy away from the collection’s complexity, Prada made difficult fashion feel fresh, modern and totally of the moment. It became the defining image of Spring / Summer 2011: playful, exuberant and full of natural energy. Enthusiasm can never be faked with any degree of success – the lookbook joins the accompanying campaign and video in being genuinely excited about new ways of wearing print. The stripes and swirls worn side by side were Prada’s nod to our growing confidence in trying new ways of wearing old favourites. Stripes are as perennial a Spring / Summer favourite as it’s possible to get, but paired with baroque swirls, they look anything but old hat.

Sara continued to be a great draw for both cutting-edge and more mainstream labels in September with a 57-show season, and then in Autumn, she made her campaign debut for Valentino.

Working with Ruby Aldridge, Kim Dall Arni and Caroline Brasch Nielsen, this collection sees Valentino return to its vintage roots, with high collars and long sleeves. Valentino’s career was kick-started when his early designs were picked up by a recently-widowed Jacqueline Kennedy, and it’s not hard to trace the lineage of this Italian luxury label to its recent collections: glamour with a sophisticated leading edge.

In December, Sara booked a special campaign with H&M, celebrating the release of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. The recent influence film has had on fashion has ranged from more casual attire (Bella, ‘Twilight’) to extreme body jewellery getting a mainstream boost. Rooney Mara in her role as Lisbeth Salander seems an unlikely style icon, but her uncompromising role has sparked a huge surge of interest in fashion’s darker persona. Body jewellery that was usually reserved for specialist shops can now be bought in the most prolific high-street stores. It seems that when it comes to our fashion choices, we’re not only getting braver, we’re getting a little darker too.

Sara finished the year with yet more runway work, this time appearing in the Pre-Fall show for Chanel. The resort / pre-fall collections are gaining in importance: as fashion moves ever faster, two main collections per year just aren’t enough to satisfy our appetite for newer, bolder designs. As well as being a pre-cursor, nudging us towards the upcoming trends, these smaller collections allow designers the space to explore their ideas on a different scale.

Jason Wu’s 2012 pre-fall collection, for example, was a wonderful extension of his previous ideas: his love for florals became an altogether different species when hung against the backdrop of sharp, gothic lines. Highly successful in its own right, Wu’s bold new vision was already claiming red-carpet space months before his A/W line was unveiled.

Sara began 2012 itself with another strong RTW season, perhaps her most eclectic season to date, with bohemian labels like Kenzo and Dries van Noten rubbing shoulders with the high-glamour vision of Dolce & Gabbana.

Also featuring in prolific editorials for Love and American Vogue, Blomqvist stretched herself even further with a beauty spread for ‘Another’ magazine. ‘Pastels and Metallics’ takes a look at the pastel super-trend, but in coming at it from the beauty perspective, tricky shades of lilac and peach become wearable, with delicate washes of colour on the eye, muted lips and brighter statements on the nails. Editorials like this show how a fashion trend can be put within everyone’s reach.

The most recent editorial appearance made by Sara proves to be the most enlightening. Another niche publication, ‘The Last Magazine’, features Blomqvist in an article featuring behind-the-scenes photographs from New York Fashion Week. The twist is that Sara is the photographer, taking snaps of her fellow models including Kate King and Othila Simon. Sara, a keen photographer in her down-time, takes photos from rehearsals and backstage, adding comments, which neatly tell the story of the real experience of being a model at Fashion Week. It is a scenario that Blomqvist herself is extremely familiar with: lots of waiting around and crowded, frantic preparations.

Her interest in photography isn’t surprising: a good model needs to be a sharp-eyed observer; taking in detail and nuance for runway shows and complicated editorials. The fact that many models have gone behind the lens (famously including Helena Christensen and Tyra Banks) draws parallels between being observed and also the need to observe. Five years into what has been an incredible career, Blomqvist must also be thinking of her next move, and photography seems like the logical step for someone who has made her name on being both deeply intuitive and fiercely intelligent. Modern in both style and approach, Sara represents fashion’s next chapter: bravery, diversity and innovation.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: LIU WEN

Born in China on January 27^th 1988, Liu Wen is already on her way to becoming the face of international beauty.

After an appearance in the New Silk Road World Model Contest in summer 2005, she began modelling locally, aged 17. Her career began in earnest two years later, with editorial bookings for Chinese Vogue and Chinese Harper’s Bazaar. Scoring the cover of Chinese Marie Claire in December 2007, she made a pivotal decision in 2008, signing with Marilyn Agency in Paris.

The move to Marilyn proved crucial: in February 2008 she appeared in not one but four separate editorials for Chinese Vogue and made her international catwalk debut, walking in runway shows for Burberry, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Martin Margiela and Trussardi.

March saw Wen make appearances on the cover of Chinese Elle and inside the pages of Chinese Vogue. Her impact on the ready-to-wear shows in February was discernible as she made her couture debut in July. Walking for both Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel, Wen’s couture-perfect height made her a must-have booking.

Having put in the legwork, Liu reaped the rewards when she saw her ready-to-wear catwalk bookings rocket to 46 appearances. Her season was so successful www.style.com named her one of their Top 10 Newcomers.

Rounding out an amazing year with two more editorials for Chinese Vogue, Liu began 2009 with a bang. Selected by French Vogue to appear in their calendar, to Wen the assignment was more than just the thrill of being a calendar girl. She was crossing boundaries, shooting daring images with fashion’s agent provocateur, Terry Richardson.

Her ability to head into uncharted territory was noted by ‘New York Look’ who featured her as a rising star. With January spent in Paris for couture season, Liu experienced a mammoth ready-to-wear season the following month with nearly 75 shows. In an industry where 40 shows are enough to get you noticed, over 70 put Wen in the big leagues.

She walked for designers such as Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera, Chloe, Derek Lam, Dries Van Noten, Gucci, Jason Wu, Lanvin, Marios Schwab, Michael Kors, Rag & Bone, Vera Wang and Wunderkind. It was an epic mix of ultra-editorial designers (Schwab, Rag & Bone) and classic, money-maker labels (Chloe, Gucci). This was a star-making season for Liu. If she wasn’t on your radar before, she was now.

Between April and June, Wen appeared in Italian Flair, i-D, Chinese Vogue and British Harper’s Bazaar. Her growing status within the industry saw her couture credits grow to include Dior when she took to the Parisian runway in July.

Undertaking her first editorial for British Vogue the same month, she began clocking up more blockbuster campaigns. Featuring in the Autumn / Winter campaign for DKNY, Wen also made her debut for Gap, Benetton and New York department store, Barney’s. She was becoming a triple threat, handling couture to commercial cool.

Most models consider themselves lucky to experience one amazing RTW season. Wen, after her amazing 75-show run in February, made the headlines again with over 70 appearances on the world’s catwalks in September. She added more designers to her CV, including Amanda Wakeley, Celine, Diane Von Furstenberg, Jonathan Saunders, Peter Pilotto, Rachel Roy and Prada.

In October, Liu went back to her roots, appearing again in Chinese Vogue. ‘Essence of Red’, photographed by Kai Z Feng, saw Liu in a series of red gowns, the editorial an avant-garde exploration of China’s primary colour. Daring and meaningful, the spread showcased everything Wen had learnt on the world stage.

With a career already filling with big moments, in November, Wen hit a high note when she became the first Asian model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Televised in America and broadcast on the internet, this was a major first for Liu. Putting Asian beauty on the map, she channelled elegance and charm: a debut perfect for the lingerie brand.

2010 showed no signs of Liu’s career slowing, as she signed up to become one of the faces of Calvin Klein’s clothing line. She undertook another successful RTW season in February, and in March, she appeared in her first editorial for American fashion bible, W.

The spread, ‘Chic Mystique’, portrayed Wen in a new light, as she became a sultry scene-stealer. Liu held her own against models that make these shoots their bread and butter: teaming up with Lara Stone, Shalom Harlow, Jessica Miller and Eniko Mihalik, Wen transforms into one of the girls.

In April, the news broke that Wen would be signed as a campaign regular for Estee Lauder. Also signed were Joan Smalls and Constance Jablonski. The news made headlines around the world, as Liu became the first Asian model to represent the iconic cosmetics brand.

By hiring French Jablonski, Puerto Rican Joan Smalls and Chinese Liu Wen, Estee Lauder made a very real and very meaningful attempt at a beauty campaign that spoke to as many women as possible. The campaign not only presented three women from different backgrounds, but three models that were equally matched in terms of runway, editorial and campaign experience. The casting was inspired with the three models working together to create campaign history. As an idea, it was powerful stuff. As a statement, it was undeniable.

In September, Liu undertook another blockbuster season with 44 shows including Balenciaga, D&G, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney and Tom Ford. The season was capped with a seminal cover of Chinese Vogue. Appearing with models Ming Xi, Shu Pei and Tao Okamoto, they were featured as the mega-stars behind the Asian modelling phenomenon. It was a feat made all the more incredible when you consider that as little as ten years ago, assembling this cover would have been impossible.

Liu appeared in three editorials of the same issue, with focus on everything from streamlined aesthetics to dreamy romanticism. Japan and China may be known for their love of sharp, clean lines; but one look at their love affair with ceramics tells us that ornate, decorative detail is in the blood. The perfect balance of economy and flourish on a Ming vase is a great metaphor for Asia’s take on fashion. As their influence is set to grow over the next decade, it’s not too far a stretch to imagine fashion following their lead: economy and flourish.

Ending 2010 with her second walk down Victoria’s Secret runway, Liu made her American Vogue debut in December, appearing in an editorial shot by Steven Meisel. ‘Asia Major’ was a rock and roll approach to haute couture, marrying the best of Parisian fashion with punk-kid street culture.

American Vogue is never one to let a trend slip by, and their celebration of Japan and China’s success in the modelling world is acknowledgement of the biggest phenomenon since the wave of talent from Eastern Europe. Like Natasha Poly, Sasha Pivovarova and Natalia Vodianova, expect to see Liu Wen, Emma Pei and Tao Okamoto become just as familiar as the bookings continue to stack up.

This year began with Liu adding Givenchy Couture to her CV, and renewing her contract with Calvin Klein. But the year was just getting started: in February she enjoyed her editorial debut with Italian Vogue. Photographed by Miles Aldridge, Liu played it straight, delivering a performance that was both polished and assured.

With a smattering of editorial work for both American and Chinese Vogue, Wen hit another career highlight in September with another magazine cover. Appearing for Chinese Vogue, Wen appeared with Du Juan, Shu Pei, Ming Xi, Sui He and Fei Fei Sun. With all the models dressed in gowns from Gucci’s A/W 11 collection, it was a true ‘East Meets West’ moment with Asia’s brightest talents wearing one of fashion’s leading labels.

The subtext was clear: for anyone who had missed it, this cover was telling the world that Asia is set to become the newest epicentre for high-fashion consumerism. The influence of fashion’s new high-spending fanbase is already starting to be seen with out-and-out luxury making a comeback. This season, quiet camels and muted browns make way for an effusion of colour. The detail is exuberant, projecting an optimism that felt like an impossibility two years ago. Asia’s enthusiasm for ready-to-wear and haute couture, and its willingness to invest in it, is giving the industry cause for hope. If not a fully-fledged solution to the economic downturn, it is, at the very least, a lifeline.

September was a busy month for Liu, working for Numero China, plus a substantial editorial with Dazed & Confused. The month came to a head when Liu made her campaign debut for Dolce & Gabbana. Joining Isabeli Fontana, Kate King and Constance Jablonski, it was the strongest indication yet that Liu was becoming one of those models who are able to work the campaign circuit at the very highest levels. Getting editorials and runway jobs are great, but for maximum visibility, campaigns are hard to beat. It is a fast-track system in turning a fashion girl into fashion’s IT girl.

Ending the year with an appearance in V magazine, Wen joined her agency stable-mates in celebrating the achievements of Marilyn.

With Wen on the books along with Caroline Brasch Nielsen, Eniko Mihalik, Lindsey Wixson and Nyasha Matanhodze, it is clear that Marilyn has a definite viewpoint on what kind of model they want to present. Maybe not as familiar a name as Elite or Storm, Marilyn has made its reputation on the calibre of high-fashion talent it represents. Caroline, Eniko and Lindsey are among fashion’s most sought-after stars, and Nyasha has just made her campaign debut with Louis Vuitton.

The models signed by Marilyn are unapologetically edgy: Wixson’s pout has made her a favourite with Miu Miu and Eniko’s curves have cornered the market in making sensuality part of the editorial experience.

Within this context, Liu fits perfectly as a Marilyn girl. Having a face that can project the core values of brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein makes Wen a valuable agency asset. Her ability to go out on a limb makes her one of fashion’s most exciting prospects.

Her career is filled with firsts: the first Asian model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show; the first model (other than Kate Moss) to front a premier issue of Numero and the first Chinese model to represent Estee Lauder. Just one of these accomplishments would be impressive: the fact that this is only the backbone of Wen’s CV is astonishing. Flesh it out with her wide range of editorial, runway and campaign work, and you get an idea of just how much this model has achieved. She is not only China’s most valuable player, but a versatile beauty that is rapidly on her way to becoming a global fashion icon.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: ANNA SELEZNEVA

Anna Selezneva was born on July 29^th 1990. At 21 years old, Anna is already one of fashion’s most-established names.

Russian-born Anna signed with Silent Management in 2007, making her runway debut that October, walking for labels such as Dries Van Noten.

Her impact on the industry grew rapidly, with Anna scoring opening and closing honours in her next ready-to-wear season, opening shows for Balmain and closing for YSL. A huge hit in Paris, Selezneva also walked for Hermes, Lanvin and Louis Vuitton.

Anna’s fresh-faced classic beauty got her noticed by the magazine industry too, with V ranking her one of the Top 10 Models of Autumn / Winter 2008. Also signing a fragrance contract representing the new Vera Wang fragrance, ‘Look’, Selezneva began to create a serious stir, with consecutive magazine covers in September for both French and Russian Vogue.

The French Vogue cover, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, became a contemporary classic. Anna, evoking supermodels of the Eighties, faced the camera head-on to make an unforgettable impression. Three years later, it has become an image closely affiliated with brand Selezneva: cool, modern glamour.

Anna’s stock began to rise even further, walking in the September shows for Calvin Klein as an exclusive. Her popularity among the world’s designers soared as she was chosen to open S/S shows for Alberta Ferretti, Balmain, Ungaro, plus closing shows for Valentino and Rue du Mail. A slew of editorials followed Anna’s success on the runway, with appearances in V, French Vogue and Russian Vogue.

2009 saw Anna take on even bigger challenges, starting with a shoot with Terry Richardson for the French Vogue calendar. She also made the cover of Italian Vogue in January, working alongside Anna Jagodzinska and Viktoriya Sasonkina. In a cover called ‘Revolution 2009’, Italian Vogue celebrated the explosion of Russian modelling talent with all three models featuring in a high-fashion beauty shot. Wearing flesh-coloured skull-caps, the models worked their Slavic beauty to make a highly original and striking cover.

February saw Anna enjoy her busiest runway season to date, with over 40 appearances on the world’s catwalks. Again opening the show for Balmain (a label gaining in popularity through its revival of the Eighties bold shoulder), Anna also closed shows for Herve Leger, Rodarte and Etro.

She undertook cover duty again in March, this time for Japanese Vogue. Her standing within the modelling industry was cemented when she signed up to front YSL’s fragrance ‘Elle Shocking’. Photographed wearing the famous YSL Le Smoking jacket, Anna’s unique mix of classic beauty and je ne sais quoi helped the fragrance become one of YSL’s biggest success stories.

Filling the next few months with editorials for V, i-D and French Vogue, Anna had her first couture season in July with shows for Elie Saab and Valentino Couture. Her connection with Valentino continued into the autumn, with the opening slot for the RTW show going to Selezneva. Also closing the show for Burberry, Anna was continuing to charm designers from season to season.

Anna ended 2009 with a bang, appearing in a now-famous Italian Vogue editorial, photographed by Steven Meisel. ‘Meiselpic’ was a Twitter-inspired spread featuring top models, past and present. Selezneva’s status moved from newcomer to established, as she took her place among models such as Gisele, Jamie Bochert, Lara Stone and Christy Turlington.

Selezneva began 2010 undertaking another editorial with Italian Vogue. Steven Meisel’s ‘Runway’, took the backstage scenes at Fashion Week and turned them into high-fashion montages. Meisel again used the cream of the fashion crop, hiring new faces such as Gwen Loos and Jac Jagaciak who both got their big break on this epic editorial.

Busier than ever, Anna took on campaign duty for Emporio Armani and appeared in back-to-back editorials for French Vogue, Japanese Vogue, Numero and Harper’s Bazaar. With her credits growing month to month, Selezneva returned to Paris in July to appear in the couture shows, adding Dior and Chanel to her CV.

Autumn 2010 saw Anna take on two massive campaigns for two of the biggest labels in fashion: Ralph Lauren and Versace. An obvious choice for Lauren’s classic palette of Americana, Selezneva was a surprise hit in the Versace ad, working with models such as Iselin Steiro and Valerija Kelava. The ad eschewed the hyper-groomed Versace siren look, favouring a youthful, street-style glamour. It was the start of a new era for the Italian label, working hard to win over a new generation of fans, with the brand going full circle in its reinvention with the hiring of Saskia de Brauw in 2011.

Anna renewed both her contracts with Emporio Armani and Ralph Lauren in 2011, beginning the year with more couture shows (Armani Prive, Valentino and Chanel). Selezneva continued the year with cover and editorial credits, working for French, Russian and Japanese Vogue. The editorials ranged from high-fashion shoots with Hedi Slimane for Japanese Vogue to opulent, fine jewellery spreads for Russian Vogue.

With a strong call-sheet for Spring / Summer 2012, Anna is still proving an irresistible force for many of fashion’s biggest names. Walking for labels such as Chanel, Dior, Isabel Marant and Gareth Pugh, Selezneva remains at the top of her game four years into her career.

The reason for Anna’s ongoing success isn’t hard to figure. Even in an industry built around beauty, faces like Anna’s simply don’t come around that often. Beautiful by any standard, Selezneva has become an established figure in modelling because her perfect proportions make her able to sell virtually any product to anyone. Regardless of whether it’s diamonds to the Russian elite or American style for the devotees of Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, Anna’s face is a perfect fit every time.

Anna has not only survived in this industry, but excelled because her beauty can handle fashion’s trickier aspects. The prospect of modelling for left-field labels such as Lanvin and Balmain can often mean classic beauty being a liability rather than an asset. Anna is a favourite with these designers because she understands what their label demands, and delivers every time. Her edgier editorials with magazines like Numero and V should by rights belong to quirky, off-beat beauties, but Selezneva convinces because she can play against the commercial aspect of her beauty.

Not afraid to get ugly is what has made Anna not just another beauty, but a true fashion superstar. Challenging, avant-garde work courtesy of Japanese Vogue works a different set of fashion muscles compared to a campaign with Calvin Klein, but mastering both requires genuine insight. Anna’s intelligent approach to each assignment has made her consistently in-demand across the world. She tailors her beauty to every new editorial, campaign or cover, as some will require it takes centre stage, while other bookings will insist that her features be played down.

Success stories like Anna’s are unusual because classic beauty hasn’t been in vogue for some time. We have seen doll-like, Pre-Raphaelite beauty; streetwise androgynous beauty and quirky faces that are all about that one killer feature. Between Lindsey Wixson’s pout and Arizona Muse’s strong, determined brows, conventional beauty hasn’t had much time in the spotlight. Seen as inflexible or even dated, designers have chosen to side-step classic beauty in favour of edgy faces that offer themselves up as a blank canvas. Anna is no blank canvas, but her adaptability in front of the lens has meant that fashion has had to take a fresh look at what was once termed ‘commercial beauty’. With newer faces such as Joan Smalls and Emily Di Donato scooping major campaigns, the line that was once drawn, clearly marking the territory between commercial and high-fashion has now been blurred. It isn’t a case of taking preference of one type of beauty over another: now there is room for both.

Selezneva has succeeded where others have failed because her modern, custom-made approach has made her perfect for high-fashion. Even with a face most would consider essential for working in the fashion industry, Anna comes equipped with the knowledge and awareness that beauty isn’t always enough. Fashion is consistent in its need for change, and being a one-note performer will ensure a career that expires before its time. Anna’s willingness to embrace an aesthetic that plays against her beauty has made her not only relevant, but a contemporary tour-de-force. Anna’s career is a great example of playing the hand you’re dealt. Beauty is a great place to start, but fashion will always ask for something more.

HELEN TOPE