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: 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