Linda Evagelista, the Beautiful Chameleon

     Today I want to begin a series of posts dedicated to the great supermodels of our time. These are the 90's supermodels, the supermodels that never went away, the supermodels who are still monopolizing the covers of fashion magazines and the hearts of  fashion lovers.


     Today I want to begin with the great Linda Evangelista. I have to confess that I don't consider Linda  a stunning beauty. I think she is very attractive and that she has a very self-confident personality that has allowed her to reinvented herself a thousand times. Her large feline eyes,  mixing green and blue, have provided her a magnetic gaze, full of mistery and seduction.

     Linda was born to Italian parents in a little city in Ontario (Canada) As many as others models was discover at a beauty pageant. This was called Miss Teen Niagara. Then she moved to New York and signed with Elite Model Management. Then she moved to Paris (France) to further her career and continued walking up and down the catwalks each season.


     In 1998, she cut all her hair off to brandish a little-boy-style haircut and was promptly cancelled from her runway shows that season. This could mean the end of her career but the British Vogue published a picture of her new look and her career went straight to stardom.  As Karl Lagerfeld said: "That was the day she was born"
     From that moment on,  she appeared in almost every fashion magazine cover all around the world, showing her constant makeovers, and everybody began to call her: "the Chameleon". Not only her hair changed from brunette to blond, right through the red, but also amazed everyone with her new haircuts.

     In 1989 she becomes the face of Versace and her reign in the fashion world begins. Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and herself were called "The Trinity"... and The Trinity dominated the fashion world at the time. Evangelista once uttered the quote: "We don't wake up for less than 10,000$ a day", spoken to Vogue and talking about money and how she and some others models had changed the rules of the game.

     In 1990, Linda appeared in "Freedom", a George Michael's music video, with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Tatjiana Patitz. Quite a jewel to behold.
     In 1992, "Too Funky" sounded. The music video was a satire of a fashion show, where the models were beautifully dressed by Thierry Mugler. From all the great supermodels of "Freedom", the only one who repeated was Linda.

     Since then, her face has appeared in almost every cover magazine. She has worked with the best fashion designers. She has been the face of major campaigns such as Alberta Ferreti,  Clavin Klein, Chloé,  Dolce&Gabanna, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Yves Saint-Laurent...

          But this luck proffessionally, not always accompanied her in her personal life. At 22, she married Elite executive Gerald Marie but ,after 7 years, they separated and she began a relationship with actor  Kyle MacLachlan. Then she divorced from Marie.

     After breaking up with MacLachlan, she  became pregnant from French footballer Fabien Barthez but, unfortunately, she delivered a stillborn baby. They broke up.  Motherhood became a priority and Linda left modeling to recuperate. Finally, in 2006, she gave birth to a boy, James Augustine, refusing to name his biological father . In July 2011 The New York Post reported that Evangelista's child was fathered by billionard Frenchman François-Henri Pinault, married with actress Salma Hayek and father of his only daughter.


     From 1998 to 2002, Linda disappeared from the fashion world but in 2003, she came through the front door: photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi; after then, the Dolce&Gabanna show, the Steven Meisel photoshoot for Escada, the Christian Dior show and the Autunm '09 campaign for Galliano.

     Linda has returned with renewed strenght and as beautiful as ever. Her transformation capacity  remains intact and all the photographers adore her. A proof of this are the pictures below.  Hope you enjoyed them.

Linda Evangelista, el camaleón de nuestro tiempo

     Hoy me apetece comenzar una serie de entradas dedicadas a las grandes top-models de nuestro tiempo. Ellas son las top-models  de los 90, las top-models que nunca se fueron, las top-models que a día de hoy siguen copando las portadas de las revistas y los corazones de muchos amantes de la moda que nunca las olvidaremos.


     Hoy me apetece comenzar con la gran Linda Evangelista. Sinceramente, a mi Linda nunca me ha parecido una belleza al uso. Me parece enormemente atractiva y con una gran seguridad en sí misma que la ha llevado a reiventarse una y mil veces. Sus grandes ojos felinos, que mezclan el verde y el azul, le han aportado una mirada magnética, llena de misterio y seducción.

     Linda nació en el seno de una familia católica  de origen italiano  en un pueblito de Ontario (Canadá) Como muchas otras modelos fue descubierta en un concurso de belleza. Éste llamado Miss Teen Niagara. Entonces se mudó a Nueva York y firmó para la agencia Elite. Posteriormente, como muchas otras modelos se mudó a Paris a probar suerte y siguió recorriendo arriba y abajo las pasarelas cada temporada.


     En 1988 se cortó el pelo a lo chico y, como consecuencia, le fueron cancelados todos los desfiles que tenía contratados para esa temporada. Esto podría haber supuesto el fin de su carrera pero  entonces  el Vogue británico publicó la foto de su nuevo look y su carrera fue directa al estrellato. Tal como ha dicho Karl Lagerfeld, "éste fue el día que ella nació"
     Desde ese momento en adelante,  empezó a aparecer en las portadas de medio mundo mostrando sus constantes cambios de imagen y se la bautizó como "el Camaleón" No sólo su color de pelo varió del castaño al rubio, pasando por el pelirrojo, sino que además siempre asombraba con sus nuevos cortes de pelo.

     En 1989 se convierte en la cara de Versace y comienza su reinado en el mundo de la moda, junto a otras compañeras de profesión. The Trinity (la Trinidad) es el nombre que recibió junto a sus amigas Christy Turlington y Naomi Campbell y The Trinity dominó el mundo de la moda en aquel momento. Suya es la famosa frase de "No nos levantamos por menos de 10000$ al día" en una entrevista para el Vogue y en alusión al dinero y como ella y otras compañeras de profesión habían cambiado las reglas del juego. Y así se convirtió en la fundadora de la Unión de Top-models.

     En 1990, junto a Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford y Tatjiana Patitz, protagonizó el vídeo de George Michael "Freedom" Toda una joya para la vista. 
     En el 92 llegó "Too Funky", una sátira de un desfile, en el que las modelos aparecen magníficamente vestidas por Thierry Mugler y donde también aparecen nuestras internacionales Victoria Abril y Rossy de Palma. De aquellas magníficas modelos de "Freedom" la única que repitió fue Linda.

     Su cara desde entonces ha aparecido en prácticamente todas las revistas de moda del mundo. Ha trabajado con todos los grandes diseñadores de moda. Ha sido la imagen de grandes campañas como Alberta ferreti, Calvin Klein, Chloé, Dolce&Gabanna, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Yves Saint-Laurent...

     Pero esta suerte en lo profesional no la ha acompañado siempre en su vida personal. Con tan sólo 22 años se casó con el ejecutivo de la agencia Elite, Gerald Marie, pero tras 7 años de matrimonio, se separaron y ella comenzó una relación el actor Kyle MacLachlan. Entonces se divorció de Marie.

     Tras romper con MacLachlan, en 1999,  comenzó una relación con el futbolista francés Fabien Barthez, de quien se quedó embarazada pero, desgraciadamente, perdió el hijo que esperaban y la relación también se acabó. Ser madre se convirtió para ella en una prioridad y Linda abandonó la moda para recuperarse. Finalmente, en el 2006, dio a luz a un varón, Augustin James, y aunque en un principio se negó a decir el nombre del padre, en julio del 2011 el New York Post  afirmó que el padre de su hijo era el empresario francés  François-Henri Pinault, por entonces casado con la actriz Salma Hayek y padre de su hija. 


     Por tanto, de 1998 a 2002, Linda Evangelista desapareció del mundo de la moda pero en el 2003 volvió por la puerta grande: para Fendi y fotografiada por Karl Lagerferld; a lo que le siguió el desfile de Dolce&Gabanna, las fotos de Steven Meisel para Escada, el desfile para Christian Dior y la campaña de otoño del 2009 para Galliano.

     Linda ha vuelto con fuerzas renovadas y tan bella como siempre. Su capacidad de transformación ante la cámara sigue intacta y todos los fotógrafos la adoran.  Y muestra de ello son estas fotos que aquí os dejo. Espero que disfrutéis.

The Versace Male Collection for H&M

     Today let's see the Versace  male collection for H&M.


     From the bottom of my heart, I believe you´d love it or you´d hate it. Everybody knows that Versace doesn´t like the middle ground and this collection is a clear demostration of principles. Risky propositions, everything but discreet and, therefore, not suitable for all audiences.


     Tailored line is made up of jackets and a coat of, apparent, impeccable cut; skinny pants and shirts in black and fluorescents colors, such as electric blue and electric pink.

     Pelle Borchie line is made up of outfits for a rocker look with some kind of glamour. My favorite garment is a black leathered jacket with Greek patterns and the one that I think is the less remarkable is a short pant. Very useless in a male's life in winter...

     Graphical line is full of geometric patterns in black and white. A total Graphical look is impossible to wear, just for those men with no ridicule fear. But it'll look wonderful if you combine  one Graphical garment with another one in black. It's up to you!

     Stampa line, as well as the women one,  takes me back to those Gianni´s days, with those impossible-to-wear silken shirts. We find bold prints of palm trees and all kind of plant motifs in electric green on blue or black. There are also animal prints and golden symbols. As Versace as usual.

     There are prices to suit everybody: from 14'95€ of an underwear boxer to 299€, that costs the leathered jacket or the leathered pant.


     Now we have to wait till the 17th to see how many men dare to wear this Versace collection for H&M. Are you one of them?

The Best of Versace for H&M

     I'm a lucky girl and not because it was my birthday a few days ago, but because, in November 17, the new Versace collection for H&M, designed by Donatella Versace, will be available in 300 stores worldwide. As she stated: "the collection for H&M is the essence of Versace. For the collaboration we've brought back from the archives, as well as from more recent collections, some of the icons of Versace, such as the bright prints, the Greek key and daring cuts"
And that's the reason why I am a lucky girl: I adored Gianni Versace. He knew how to exlote women feminity and how to transform a group of models into the real top-models from all times, into the most desired women of the world. And, luckily, this collection has rescued some wonderful Gianni details.


     Let's explore the collection. Donatella has designed one collection for women, one for men and  a  homeware one. Today I'm going to present just the women one.


     Several lines are presented. Among the clothing, I love a black studded leathered dress, which Donatella wore in her last male fashion show in Milano.

     This dress, belonging to the Pelle Borchie line, is accompanied by  black leathered jackets, silken skirt and shirts, studded patent leather little bag... There are even silken dresses in fluorine colors and animal printed bags. Quintessential Versace.

          The Frange line is characterized by its heart prints and fringes. It reminds me to the designs of Spanish fashion designer, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, and I have to say that I like it.

     
     Stampa line is, for me, the most overloaded: oriental flower prints and animal ones in orange and yellow, blue and green. Very Gianni details from the 90's. Who doesn't remember those printed silken shirts weared by eastern soccer players as Mijatovic, Suker or Prosinecki..? Or the stunning dress which Jennifer Lopez wore at 2000 Grammy Awards? A classic.

    Baby Doll and Bottoni Oro lines are the quietest ones and  also the more commercial. Although they  remind me that wonderful dress weared by Elizabeth Hurley at the "Four Weddings and a Funeral" premier. Do you remind it? It was the moment when I began loving Gianni Versace...

     Finally, Metal Mesh line, ideal for party time, full of golden and silver shines.

     This collection will be launched November 8 in New York, but it won't be in-stores until November 17 (in USA, 19) I can imagine large crowds of women waiting outside the stores to get some pieces of the collection. Prices vary between 100€-200€ in dresses and 20€-50€ in costume jewelry accesories.


     I can't stand large crowds. In fact, I feel overwhelmed. But it won't be strange if you find me the 17th waiting at the gate of my nearest H&M store to enjoy a Versace piece over my body. Will I see you there?