The Modern Model

In the age of Instagram models and influencers its hard to make a mark in the fashion industry. When we think of the supermodels of today some obvious ones come to mind, Kendall Jenner, the Hadid sisters, Kaia Gerber. These women are supermodels for a reason, they are all absolutely gorgeous, but can they even compare to those who came before them? The models who created the supermodel with their remarkable beauty, different look, impeccable style, and attitude are still thriving in the fashion industry today but this type of model seems to be forgotten by many in the industry. And so I must ask, who will be the next Naomi Campbell? Kate Moss? Helena Christiansen? Tyra Banks? These women made the fashion and modeling industry what it is today, but the desire for the qualities they possessed seems to have faded away.

Naomi Campbell, in my opinion, had the greatest walk in history and there will never be another to do it like her. But in today’s society being beautiful, tall, and skinny with a good walk will rarely get you anywhere. What you need is a social following. To even be considered to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel you must have a social media following of at least a couple thousand. In today’s social media era who knows if any of the greats would have made it. Kendall Jenner is obviously stunning with the perfect model body, but what really puts her over the edge is her famous family and her 104 million followers. Models today don’t give their walks much effort, they want to seem effortless but honestly they look dull and lack substance and attitude. The models of the 90s walks were a show, an event, an art. possibly one of the most iconic and legendary belong to Naomi Campbell in the spring 1998 Versace menswear show. And so in this world of Instagram models, who will break the mold? Who will give us the style and attitude the fashion community deserves? We will have to wait and see if someone can pull us out of these dull times.

 

Met Gala 2019

In all honesty, last year’s met gala was a bit disappointing. The theme, Camp, Notes on Fashion, was a bit confusing and could be interpreted in many different ways which allowed a lot of room for amazing outfits. The theme was derived from Susan Sontnag’s essay and book “Notes on ‘Camp’” which considers the meaning and connotations of the word “camp”. Those who understood the theme looked amazing, unique, and dressed creatively. However, those who did not, which was a majority of attendees, were just plain boring. Since the theme was so broad there was so much room to be great, but it was mediocre at best. Many people totally missed the theme and seemed to follow the themes from previous years like Dakota Johnson, who looked amazing but her dress belonged at Heavenly Bodies. People like Hailey Bieber, Gisele Bundchen, Ashley Graham, and Karlie Kloss looked beautiful but played it too safe. This is not just any event, it is the Met Gala, where the biggest fashion and creative risks should be taken. Those who really stood out, went out of the box and looked absolutely amazing like Celine Dion, Billy Porter, Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, Kendall Jenner, Naomi Campbell, Dua Lipa, Ezra Miller, and others whose outfits were full of glitz, glam, and feathers. There were also many who got the theme, but took it a bit too literally like Katy Perry, Cara Delevingne, and Lupita Nyongo who ended up looking crazy rather than fashionable. There were also those who missed the target so completely they looked odd and out of place like Mindy Kailing, Gabrielle Union, Chloë Grace Moretz, and many others. I had really expecting a lot from this Met Gala but in the end, I felt as though the bad overpowered the good, really bringing the good name of the Met Gala down. Hopefully celebrities can really bring it next year, understand the theme, and bring back Rihanna, Blake Lively, and SJP.