MODEL PROFILES: LAURA KAMPMAN

Dutch model Laura Kampman was born in 1994, signing with New York Models in 2011 aged 17.

Kampman made an impact early on in her career, debuting at the S/S 2012 shows, walking for Calvin Klein and Balenciaga as an exclusive. Her noteworthy appearances made her the focus of press attention, with www.models.com featuring her as one of their season’s Top Ten newcomers. 

At just over 5’ 11”, Kampman’s affinity for the catwalk developed in early 2012 when she was chosen to appear in couture shows for Giambattista Valli and Valentino. Also appearing in that month’s British Vogue, she hit a career highlight in February when she landed the cover of Italian Vogue. Models often have to wait years for such an honour – Laura managed it within months of arriving on the scene. The cover, titled ‘Surreal or Real’, aimed at creating a sophisticated glamour. Drawing on the film icons of the 1930’s and 1940’s, Laura embodies those screen sirens brilliantly, conveying confidence and glamour. In Italian Vogue terms, this cover is almost minimal in its styling – it all rests on Laura’s performance. Laura’s cover is a triumph: with nothing to hide behind, all we see is Laura’s skill at being that bold, beautiful enigma. Whether surreal or real, it just works.

Following her stint at Italian Vogue, Laura had a strong ready-to-wear season in February and March, walking for Balenciaga again, she also walked for Alexander Wang, Christopher Kane, Giles, Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs, Missoni, Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Sonia Rykiel and Versus. Already a theme was emerging in Laura’s bookings: these designers are not only at the top of their game, but they are all designers who specialise in directional fashion - Laura’s edgy look was a perfect match for their aesthetic.

Her early connection with Balenciaga went to the next level when she was booked for their Spring campaign. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Laura worked with Rosie Tapner, Juliane Gruner and Kirstin Lijegren. A Balenciaga campaign represents the ultimate challenge for any model: working a Balenciaga concept is remarkably tough as it relies on nuance. A label known for playing around with ideas, Balenciaga is unusual in that it never makes the same ad twice. Every season Balenciaga hits the refresh button coming up with an image that is completely different to the one that came before; no common factors, no familiar iconography. Every season, it’s like starting from scratch. Tough work for any model, but guided by Meisel, Laura takes charge of the campaign with an authority that is both astonishing and exhilarating.

The knock-on effect of the Balenciaga advert on Kampman’s career was immediate: from June to August, Laura found herself fully booked. In June she shot editorials for W and Japanese Vogue and in July, Laura travelled to Kiev for Dazed and Confused to shoot an editorial with photographer Yelena Yemchuk. ‘Lady Grinning Soul’ (taking its name from the song by David Bowie) saw Yelena return to her hometown of Kiev to construct an editorial that celebrates the oddity and perversity of high-fashion. Inspired by Bowie’s Seventies androgynous glamour, Laura poses as the fish out of water in retro tailoring from Prada and Miu Miu. At odds with her environment, the editorial becomes a moving exploration of the bravery it takes to express identity through image: dressed in these bold prints, Laura is at once both armoured and exposed.

Laura also appeared in the July edition of V magazine, this time for a spread titled #Instaglam. Drawing on the huge popularity of Instagram, the editorial features models including Franzi Mueller and Marte Mei van Haaster wearing the A/W collections.

August was an especially busy month for Kampman, with Laura appearing in five magazines. Shooting an editorial for British Vogue, Kampman appeared in ‘Best in Show’. Photographed by Daniel Jackson, this humorous editorial trades on the adage of dogs resembling their owners. Featuring military tailoring and rich, plum tones, the models have to work hard in order to avoid being upstaged by their four-footed co-stars.

Laura’s second editorial of the month was for Chinese Vogue. ‘Outer Limits’ explored the outsize trend that has returned after years of the waist reigning supreme. Also featuring Codie Young, Tian Yi, Ondria Hardin and Andie Arthur, the best trend pieces were featured, including the Jil Sander blush coat and Marc Jacobs’ ragamuffin hats. 

One of August’s most interesting editorials was Laura’s work for i-D. ‘Hold Hands Be Free Find the Real You’, shot by Amy Troost, was a super-edgy exploration of colours and texture: all about freedom of expression, it tests every rule we think we know about fashion, and by inverting them, we look again at the individual pieces in terms of their worth and appreciate how they can be put together in new ways. It is this envelope-pushing that has informed Kampman’s career to date: more than just a face that fits, Kampman has a connection to this type of fashion, making it not only interesting, but finding the beauty within. It takes a certain kind of model to connect on this level, and Kampman (not even a year into her career) already has it figured out.

Kampman’s reputation for great editorial work was cemented this autumn, with Laura landing a spot in the A/W Topshop campaign. Photographed by Alasdair McLellan, the campaign also features rising stars Ava Smith, Moa Aberg and Melissa Stasiuk. Coupled with the great production values we have come to expect of Topshop’s campaigns, the images lend high-street a high-fashion gloss. 

Laura returned to the catwalk this September with a RTW season including appearances for Loewe, Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens, Anteprima, Giorgio Armani, Rodarte, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung, Peter Som and MaxMara. With the notable addition of Armani, Kampman’s appeal for the edgier design talents continues. With Maison Martin Margiela presenting a collection for H&M this autumn, Kampman’s links with high-fashion and high-street are as strong as ever.

Kampman’s latest credit is an editorial for Pop magazine. ‘A Chanel Moment’ sees Laura transform to become a glamour girl with poker-straight hair, dressed head-to-toe in the latest Chanel collection. Compare this to her work for Balenciaga, and it’s hard to recognise this as the same model. Laura’s capacity to transform so dramatically is a definite asset, and in light of her body of work with fashion’s directional core, is a surprise that will challenge the industry to see her as someone with cross-over potential.

In previous years, versatility was flagged as a model’s ability to switch from commercial to editorial. Editorial was seen as the ultimate challenge; a true test of a model’s abilities. Now it is seen as a given: virtually every element of the fashion industry strives towards an editorial sensibility. Topshop – the kingpin of the British high street – is highly successful, but its campaigns denote a chain that sees itself as firmly leaning towards editorial.  Our love of editorial presents itself in what we now choose to wear: high-fashion details such as the peplum waist and studded slipper shoe, far from being ‘challenging’, are widely available and highly coveted.

With high-fashion being embraced as something attainable, editorial faces are becoming the norm and being able to flip to a more commercial look is being seen as the unique selling point. Laura has entered an industry that has changed significantly over the past five years; copying trends verbatim has been replaced by individual expression: simply put, it’s not what you wear, but how you wear it. A principle clearly demonstrated in i-D’s editorial, layering and mixing textures has become the next step in wearing clothes in a way that expresses individuality. With clothes so freely available both in store and online, buying that one-off piece (without going fully retro) is virtually impossible. The solution? Mix it up.

As fashion trends spark a global following, creating a personal style and stepping away from head-to-toe looks is rapidly being seen as the more modern way to wear clothes. Individuality is the new buzzword for fashion, and as a result, the faces that represent high-fashion have to be just as unique. Laura’s features are perfect for carrying off the cerebral chic of Balenciaga, as well as translating those trends in editorial. 

Kampman’s success is all down to playing to her strengths: it’s more than the sum of her features. Her ability to understand and interpret directional looks is invaluable in today’s fashion industry. As fashion travels ever closer to the edge, pushing us to be ever bolder in what we wear day to day; talents like Kampman will be the best means of passing on the message. Be brave, be individual – and do it now.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: MARIA BRADLEY

Born on February 21 1994, Maria Bradley signed with Chicago-based agency Factor Models in 2011. Aged 17, Bradley undertook her first major runway season that September, with a select group of designers including Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Proenza Schouler, Tommy Hilfiger and Versace.

An individual booking with any of these designers would represent a highly significant achievement for a new model. Collectively, this debut of less than 10 shows may be small, but it’s perfectly formed. Maria walked in the Balenciaga and Versace shows as exclusives – an affirmative nod from two of the biggest, most influential names in fashion.

Leaning more towards the edgier side of fashion’s spectrum, Maria’s success with Balenciaga is understandable, but her booking with Versace is perhaps more of a surprise. Traditionally aligned with high glamour, Versace has recently undergone an image revolution, with its campaign this time last year fronted by super-edgy model Saskia de Brauw. Taking the ultimate glamour-girl label in a whole new direction, coupled with Christopher Kane’s effortlessly cool work at Versus, this Italian powerhouse has toughened up. Compare its campaigns of ten years ago to its latest signing, Elza Luijendijk and it shows how a major label progresses and evolves.

In late 2011, Maria also signed with DNA Models, based in New York. In January 2012, she made her debut for British magazine, ‘Dazed & Confused’. Following that with an appearance in British Vogue, Bradley’s editorial looks were already translating well.

In February 2012, Bradley experienced her first runway season as a ‘must-have’ girl. Clocking up an amazing 50 shows, she worked with heritage brands to blockbuster labels including Chanel, Donna Karan, Gareth Pugh, Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Rag & Bone, Sportmax, Valentino, Victoria Beckham and YSL.

This roster of bookings has all the hallmarks of belonging to a long-established model. Virtually every design ‘niche’ is represented here, and it’s partly down to Maria’s androgynous looks. Once considered a niche in itself, androgynous models now have the advantage of working in a much more fluid fashion industry. Her features make her ideal for all kinds of work – with a bit of styling she is ready for the high-living glamour of a Michael Kors show; stripped back, she is spot-on for the minimal aesthetic of Helmut Lang.

In March, Maria returned to the editorial circuit again, this time appearing in cult magazine, i-D.  Photographed by Amy Troost, the spread was named ‘Don’t Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen’. Taken directly from the lyrics of Lady Gaga’s single ‘Born This Way’, Maria modelled warrior-woman, tough-as-nails fashion.

In May, Maria took to the runway, this time for resort season. Appearing in resort (or cruise) shows for Jonathan Saunders, Reed Krakoff, Narciso Rodriguez and Alexander Wang, the highlight of the Resort 2013 season was undoubtedly Chanel’s show held at Versailles. Maria modelled in this show, in which Karl Lagerfeld indulged his taste for high-drama. With the models styled in pastels and hi-top trainers, Lagerfeld worked with the classic Chanel dichotomy of masculine and feminine. Scoring serious column inches for its lavish production values, Chanel Cruise is as much an event as the main ready-to-wear shows.

The following month, Bradley made her inaugural appearance for W. Modelling for ‘City Slickers’, an editorial photographed by Craig McDean, Maria modelled the summer trend, sports-luxe. Maria exuded confidence in this shoot, no doubt explained by the fact that her hobbies include football, ski-ing, cross-country running and basketball. In this shoot, Bradley does not need to fake it: her enthusiasm for sport makes her a natural.

Repeated bookings with clients are one way of telling whether you’re on the right track, and Bradley’s career is studded with examples of clients coming back for more. Bradley returned again to the pages of W in July, and in the same month, she returned to ‘Dazed & Confused’, modelling with Prada’s latest it-girl, Katryn Kruger.

In August, Maria shot her third editorial for W magazine, this time in a portrait series called ‘Natural Selection’. Focusing on fashion’s new-season obsession with texture, Bradley worked with models Ophelie Rupp, Ondria Hardin, Jeneil Williams and Laura Kampman.

September’s RTW season saw Maria return to the runway, this time walking for Peter Som, Tommy Hilfiger, Thakoon, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Belstaff, Vera Wang, Diesel, Michael Kors, Reed Krakoff, Proenza Schouler and Christopher Kane. Look closely, and you’ll see just how many of these names Bradley has already worked for.

Maria’s editorial career took a step up this month, with an appearance scheduled for the October issue of Russian Vogue. ‘Dark Side’, photographed by Ben Toms, sees Maria transform for a beauty shoot that showcases the minimal make-up that’s bang on trend for this autumn. Re-writing the rules on the berry tones usually favoured for this season, this neutral take on autumn beauty is a breath of fresh air. A perfect complement to this season’s decadence; this make-up is low on effort, but delivers full-on impact. Bradley is an ideal choice for this type of shoot, with a very modern type of beauty just right for modelling a very modern type of make-up.

With Bradley now celebrating a year in the modelling world, a sign of just how far she has come in 12 months arrives in the form of bona-fide industry approval. Bradley can now claim to be one of a very elite group of new models, labelled as stars of the future by www.models.com. She joins successful newcomers including current Prada campaign girl Madison Headrick, British beauties Lara Mullen and Rosie Tapner and Givenchy campaign favourite, Dutch model Stef van der Laan.

What is noticeable about the popular website’s list is just how many of these new faces are unashamedly editorial. Having cross-over potential used to be modelling’s Holy Grail; girls who could book Victoria’s Secret as well as Chanel Couture. But, as ever, fashion loves to change its mind. The new season campaign for Givenchy is a textbook case in point in that it is 100% directional in tone. The bold, uncompromising image looks more like a spread for Italian Vogue than a traditional campaign. This isn’t about maintaining a consumer-friendly brand, rather more creating a strong, core identity. In short, Givenchy is marking its territory. A strong, memorable campaign means a boost in sales and good sales mean survival for another year. The face that has to front this, of course, cannot be anything but extraordinary. Brands are clamouring for these newer faces, the faces that aren’t the safe choice by any definition.  This new season is seeing a tide change in how labels are representing themselves: out with familiarity, in with beauty that’s as challenging as it is beguiling.

Maria Bradley joins models such as Madison Headrick and Stef van der Laan to become a ‘statement face’. Bradley can adapt, and brilliantly, but at heart, she is a model squarely focused on the androgynous end of the fashion market. It is here where the greatest revolutions are taking place: androgyny is no longer limited to a fashion sidebar, but it has become the modern industry’s greatest asset. In other words, true versatility.

Bradley’s great run of editorial and runway work is just the precursor to a longer, even more successful career. Bradley is the ideal candidate for future campaigns that will take their lead from Givenchy. Faces that will not only sell, but persuade at a deeper level – it’s only a matter of time before Maria becomes the rising star every label must have.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: ERJONA ALA

Born on 12^th July 1995, Norwegian model Erjona Ala made her debut in the modelling industry at the age of 15. Competing in the International Elite Model Look contest in 2010, she narrowly missed out on first place, coming in as the runner-up. However, Erjona still caught the attention of the industry, signing with Ford Models the following year. 

She made her catwalk debut in March 2011, walking in the Balenciaga show as an exclusive – an incredible honour for a newcomer. Her spot in the Balenciaga show made her an automatic standout: www.models.com featured Ala as their ‘model of the week’ as a result.

In June, Erjona modelled in resort shows for Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Louis Vuitton and Proenza Schouler. She made her couture debut the following month, walking in the Autumn / Winter show for Alaia Couture. But her big runway moment came in September, when she appeared in a mammoth 65 shows. She opened shows for Monique Lhuillier, Cynthia Rowley, Clements Riberio, Margaret Howell, Marios Schwab, Temperley and Haider Ackermann. She also scored closing spots with Sonia Rykiel and Thakoon.

For a model just months into her career, a season of this magnitude is still a rarity in an industry where a reputation can take years to build. Not only did Erjona walk in some of the biggest shows of the season, she was selected to open and close several high-prestige shows. Erjona’s look proved a winner on the runway circuit, neither leaning too strongly in either direction of editorial edge or mainstream glamour. It helps explain why Erjona would appeal to designers with aesthetic viewpoints as different as Monique Lhuillier and Marios Schwab. When a model’s look ‘connects’ with designers on this level, the effect tends to be incendiary. Like her peers Lara Mullen and Romee Strijd, Erjona has made her reputation, not through covers or campaigns, but the catwalk. Even in an increasingly digital age, the continuing importance of the catwalk should not be overlooked. 

With fashion undergoing a virtual reset every six months, a successful show creates its own momentum: the fabulous Gucci collection for Autumn / Winter 2012 created a huge stir on its debut in February, and its profile has been steadily growing over the past few months, culminating in an amazing cover spread for Italian Vogue. The catwalk still sets the pace: with campaigns, editorials and blogs relying on what comes down the runway. The magic of seeing a great collection coming down a runway in real time hasn’t lost its appeal. 

Erjona’s career then bridged out into editorial work, with a major spread in W magazine’s October issue. ‘Sects and the City’, photographed by Craig McDean, was a series of group shots featuring different fashion ‘sects’. Erjona modelled with Milou van Groesen, Ming Xi, Jess Gold and Cole Mohr in Twenties-style glamour, pre-empting the launch of Baz Luhrmann’s film The Great Gatsby’ (due for release next year). Erjona becomes a dead ringer for screen siren Louise Brooks, in a severe bob, floor-length gown and pearls. 

In March 2012, Erjona scooped the cover of British magazine ‘Dazed & Confused’. Photographed by Roe Ethridge, the ‘2012: if it’s not exciting, you’re not doing it properly’ issue, featured Erjona surrounded by banks of flowers, channelling 1980’s androgyny in washed denim. Erjona also appeared in their Spring / Summer season preview. Modelling luxury sportswear, Erjona worked the trend that, after two summers spent on the sidelines, is now feeling the love. With Team GB grabbing the golds, sportswear feels less niche and more on-trend. Erjona proved ahead of the curve, giving the sportswear a sleek sophistication; moving it away from its track and field associations to a more urban, fashion-led look. 

Erjona went ultra high-fashion in June with a spread for Bon magazine. Photographed by Marcus Ohlsson, ‘Television / Night Vision’, is right at fashion’s sharp end, establishing Erjona’s ability to work a complex shoot where themes are densely-layered and the model’s performance has to respond in kind. Erjona proved a brilliant choice for this shoot, with her looks easily lending themselves to such a premise. It often takes years for a model to be able to perform at this level – Erjona coolly handled the pressure, proving she could even take on fashion’s toughest assignments.

Her CV of edgy editorial and catwalk bookings paid off in June when it was announced that she would form part of the Autumn / Winter Louis Vuitton campaign. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Erjona joined Elena Bartels, Hedvig Palm, Julia Nobis, Marie Piovesan and Ros Georgiou. Posing in a train carriage, the models manage the blend of retro and modern that sums up the look of Vuitton.

Moving on from his blockbuster Spring / Summer collection, Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs returns to his quirky roots this winter with clothes trimmed in burgundy, with models clutching leopard-print totes. They are classic colours and prints, but given the Jacobs treatment: everything is fringed, furred or otherwise embellished. The idea of excess is at the centre of the Autumn / Winter season. Taking on a more-is-more approach, designers are adopting decadent fabrics such as velvet, fur and brocade to suggest wealth and a feeling of plenty. While some commentators have given the Louis Vuitton collection (and campaign) mixed reviews, this ad represents the core values for the coming season. The collection may be divisive, but in terms of what it says about fashion for the rest of 2012, it is impossible to ignore. For Erjona, the booking was nothing less than a stunning coup.

The most recent booking on Erjona’s CV rivals the Vuitton ad in terms of covetability, with Ala appearing on the July cover of Italian Vogue. If this wasn't enough of a score, the July issue also features a first look at the international collections - and Erjona was invited to the party. 

How Italian Vogue presents the collections for the upcoming season sets the bar for the rest of the fashion industry: much imitated, but never bettered, Italian Vogue still remains the benchmark in terms of editorial: it is an important and highly prized booking for any model to get. Photographed again by Steven Meisel, Erjona takes to the cover with Julia Nobis, Lida Fox, Mackenzie Drazan and Vanessa Axente. All dressed in dark chiffon gowns from Gucci, this fold-out cover has a supernatural, gothic theme at its heart. Italian Vogue’s message is clear: embellishment and luxury may be the focus, but they are not the same animals they were five years ago. This time, the playground of luxury has a macabre feel: the models are ‘at play’: on swings, on bikes, but the effect is anything but playful. Here, luxury is not something easy-going and uncomplicated: the right to continue making this kind of fashion has been hard-won. Fashion has come through the eye of a financial storm, but emerges as a different industry. The ideas are back, but our notions of decadence and glamour have changed and matured. Gucci’s darkly seductive collection is glamour with a twist, and has made a major impact, both in terms of editorial and appearances on the red-carpet. But Gucci is not this season’s lone wolf: every designer this season has contributed to the new breed of glamour – still beautiful, just a little older and a little wiser. 

Gucci deftly taps into the zeitgeist this season, and for a model, there’s no better collection to hitch your wagon to. Erjona’s association with Gucci – and the cover of Italian Vogue – has cemented her reputation as one of fashion’s rising stars. A choice booking for both catwalk and editorial, Erjona’s star is not just on the ascent, superstardom is within touching distance. In the space of just two years, Erjona has gone from runner-up to fashion’s front runner. 

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: KATIE FOGARTY

Born on August 6^th 1992, Missouri native Katie Fogarty signed with NEXT Management at the age of 16. Having joined the blockbuster agency, Fogarty made her catwalk debut that September with appearances for Jill Stuart, Kenzo, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Ohne Titel, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti and Prada.

The Prada show proved to be memorable, with Fogarty tripping up on the runway. The show, featuring the now-notorious 6” snakeskin heels, saw not only Fogarty struggle but several other models as well. Fogarty was helped to her feet by those in the front row, but after another trip, Katie had no choice but to remove the shoes and walk the rest of the circuit barefoot. It was a brave move for a new model and the footage created headlines across the world. Far from being a disaster for Katie, the moment scored her extra press attention, with both www.models.com and www.COACD.com featuring her as a top newcomer of the season.

Fogarty’s moment in the spotlight quickly translated into big-money campaigns with Balenciaga and Prada’s sister label, Miu Miu. The latter saw Katie model the Italian label’s beautiful pleated dresses – a trend that continues to have fashion momentum today. 

Appearing in editorials for Wonderland and Dazed & Confused, Katie’s next runway season grew to 44 shows including Brian Reyes, Chloe, Christopher Kane, Herve Leger, Jason Wu, Karl Lagerfeld, Missoni, Peter Jensen, Rebecca Taylor, Richard Nicoll and Valentino. As well as getting that all-important kudos from some of the biggest names in the business, Katie was a hit with fashion’s young talent, with Kane, Nicoll and Jensen all vying for her time.

Her successful season saw Fogarty lauded as a rising star by www.style.com and move into major editorial territory with appearances in V and Japanese Vogue. Katie made her couture debut in July, walking for Valentino. Her delicate features acted as the perfect complement to Valentino’s finely-spun take on femininity.

Katie landed another huge campaign in the autumn, this time for D&G. Photographed by Mario Testino, this was classic territory for Dolce & Gabbana’s diffusion label. Fun, exuberantly-styled clothes modelled against an opulent, stately home backdrop. With the off-setting of ‘old’ style language (headscarves, quilted jackets) on young models, D&G anticipated the trend for vintage-feel clothes several years before it became the norm. 

Katie’s stock rose even further in September with a massive 64-show season including the closing spot for the Roberto Cavalli show. Modelling for Chanel, DKNY, Erdem, Jonathan Saunders, Nina Ricci, Peter Pilotto and Thakoon, Katie was featured in some of the biggest collections of the season. Getting recognition from the American fashion press, Fogarty landed her first editorial for W in January 2010. Photographed by Craig McDean, ‘Run of Show’ included Elsa Sylvan, Frida Gustavsson and Hanne Gaby Odiele in a massive shoot featuring the season-defining looks from the best shows.

Now a runway regular, Katie appeared in the Autumn 2010 shows in February, in a smaller 33-show season. It was smaller for Katie, but of course, in the big picture, it was still a substantial total. Walking for Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli and Sonia Rykiel, it was a more niche season than the one before, with lots of newer designers in the mix including Prabal Gurung and Olsen sisters’ passion project, The Row.

Katie’s ability to take on the biggest campaigns continued in Autumn 2010, with an appearance in the Sonia Rykiel campaign with Anna de Rijk. Rykiel, a stalwart of the French fashion scene, shows the flip side of groomed Parisian chic. Rykiel takes her lead from the seamier aspects of Paris: it is not too big a leap to imagine the Sonia Rykiel woman in the Montmartre of Renoir, Van Gogh and Picasso. The feel of the brand is left-wing, artistic and free-wheeling, with a thread of naughtiness running through it. Katie and Anna get the tone of the campaign absolutely right with Rykiel sticking closely to her brand’s core values, proving that a successful campaign doesn’t necessarily need bells and whistles to grab our attention. 

In September, Katie returned to the runway with another massive RTW season including appearances for Balenciaga, Giorgio Armani, Peter Som and Reed Krakoff. Included in her list of new credits was a coveted spot in the runway line-up for designer Mary Katrantzou. This collection saw Mary go from hotly-tipped newcomer to fashion’s grande amour. Just three years ago, Mary was operating on the sidelines of high-fashion, but her fearless exploration of print has made Katrantzou a star. Her success is incredibly well-timed, as we’re all getting a little braver with our fashion choices, Mary’s way of seeing the world – a kaleidoscopic, joyful collision of pattern and colour – is not only deemed beautiful, but downright covetable.

Katie continued her association with fashion’s biggest names in early 2011 with a campaign for Barney’s department store. With stores dotted across the USA, the store has become a go-to destination for fashion’s brightest and boldest designs. The campaign follows suit, photographed by Juergen Teller, Nan Goldin and William Klein. Doing everything on a grand scale, Katie joined a slew of top models including Ming Xi, Mirte Maas, Karlie Kloss and Anja Rubik. Staged to look like a series of candid shots taken backstage at a runway show, the campaign makes itself the connecting link between runway and customer.

Following a challenging editorial for Chinese Harper’s Bazaar in February, Katie added beauty to her CV with a shoot in the March edition of Allure. ‘Spring Fling’, photographed by Greg Kadel, also features Ariel Meredith, Hannah Holman and Kate Spade’s newest campaign star, Anna Speckhart. Katie had already mastered fashion, but beauty can test even the most seasoned of runway girls. In this shoot, Katie looks cool, calm and totally on-game.

In September, Katie’s career went long haul with a trip to Australia. Working for Australian Vogue, she appeared in a major editorial plus the cover. The spread, ‘Night Watch’ saw Katie model sleekly gothic eveningwear. Each Vogue has its own personality, and Australia has a penchant for classic glamour. It might be surprising, coming from the country that as defined beach chic, but a lot of Aussie success stories are all in the field of glamour: Alex Perry, Colette Dinnigan, Alice McCall and Rachel Gilbert. Just like her long-standing association with Valentino, Katie is perfect for designers who deal in high-octane glamour. It’s a deceptively hard area to master: high-end modelling requires a subtlety that often takes years to get right. Glamour at this level is all about aspiration and creating that from scratch is no mean feat. Modelling glamour with a light touch to keep it sophisticated is a balancing act that requires confidence, poise and precision. 

Katie returned again to Australian Vogue in December with another editorial. ‘L’Afrique, c’est chic’ was an epic, multi-page shoot, featuring the tribal trend. Teeming with Aztec prints and vibrant colours, the shoot anticipates the surprise hit of the season. Shaking off its gap-year associations, tribal fashion has at last scored with consumers by playing up its adaptability: worn diluted (D&G, Stella McCartney) or in a more literal way (Kenzo), tribal fashion can be worn in endless translations. 

Its versatility makes tribal a core modern trend. The many ways it can be worn (even just an accessory can transform a neutral outfit) makes tribal a very contemporary way of exploring a trend. Its complex prints and colour palette put many off trying it for years, but its dilution on the high-street worked wonders, with consumers at last seeing its true potential. Tribal could well lead the way in how we digest fashion in the future: a trend that contracts or expands to suit us, but loses none of its impact however it’s worn, is nothing short of revolutionary. As we get choosier about where our fashion spend goes, a trend that offers serious mileage in terms of cost-per-wear is going to get our attention. Tribal may have started off as a micro trend, but its impact has been phenomenal. In making adaptability the focus of our fashion desires, thinking small could soon become the next big thing.

As Katie enters the next phase of her career, her ability to sell difficult trends puts her ahead of the pack. As fashion exits its ‘safe’ era and heads into new territories, boldly exploring print, colour and shape, the demand for models who can take the fear out of these designs will sky-rocket. Katie not only makes classic, familiar shapes look good, but can also work newer silhouettes in such a way that we feel we know them. Fashion that feels (and looks) like a friend is key to getting consumers to spend, when disposable income is at a low. The big surprise of the recession has been that fashion consumers don’t only want comfort, they want innovation. Individual pieces and limited editions have soared in popularity with new designers doing particularly well. The fact that we are buying these designs is empowering the fashion industry to create fashion that is bigger, better, stronger. Challenging the limits of what we wear, the future of fashion’s creative edge has never looked so good. 

HELEN TOPE