House of Style: Back In Style

It’s hard to believe, but it was 20 years ago that MTV debuted a little show called House of Style, hosted by an up-and-coming catwalker by the name of Cindy Crawford.

The show focused on fashion, beauty, the modeling industry, and 'controversial' topics such as eating disorders and breast impants. During its 11 year run, House of Style launched the careers of Crawford, Daisy Fuentes and Rebecca Romijn. In middle and high school, House of Style was must-see TV…and I never missed a Todd Time segment.

For those of you too young to remember House of Style, you’re in luck…because the show has been resurrected and will soon take up residence on MTV's schedule. Bar Refaeli and Chanel Iman will co-emcee.

Tyra Looking For Some Shorties For America's Next Top Model, Cycle 13

The number 13 may be considered unlucky to some...but for aspiring short models, it may just be a blessing.

For the first time in America’s Next Top Model history, Tyra Banks announces that girls must be 5'7" and under to qualify for cycle 13 of the hit reality show.

Typically, ANTM requires that contestants meet a minimum height requirement of 5’7” – matching the industry standard. But next time around, Tyra is searching for shorties, ages 18 to 27, of diverse backgrounds, shapes and sizes.

"There have been top supermodels in the past that weren’t as tall as the industry demands, like fashion icon Kate Moss," said Tyra. "So we are changing up Top Model for cycle 13 and making it a year for the shorter model!”

Open Call Cities:

Saturday, February 28
10:00am-3:00pm
Eden Roc (A Renaissance Beach Resort and Spa)
4525 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33140

Tuesday, March 3
10:00am-3:00pm
The Westin San Francisco Market Street
50 Third Street
San Francisco, California 94103

Saturday, March 7 – Washington, D.C. *

Saturday, March 14 – New York City *

Saturday, March 21 – Dallas, Texas *

Wednesday, March 25 – Chicago, Illinois *

Saturday, March 28 – Los Angeles, California *

America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12 premieres Wednesday, March 4th on the CW.

*locations TBD

Chanel Iman Talks To Page Six Magazine About Diversity - Or Rather A Lack Thereof

Chanel Iman strikes a pose for the cover of Page Six Magazine.

Don't underestimate Chanel Iman; she's not just a pretty face. In her interview with Page Six, Chanel Iman speaks frankly (and intelligently) about the lack of diversity on runaways and magazine covers:

"It's not just black girls. It's ethnic girls in general: Brazilian girls, Hispanic. You really don't see a lot of Asians either. A lot of designers think that if every girl on the runway looks exactly alike, then people will come to the shows and buy the clothes because they won't be focusing on the models. So they're scared to use ethnic girls from all over the world because people would focus on [the models] - 'Oh my god, she's so beautiful. Look at her face!' - and not on the clothes," Chanel says. "It's not even just runway either…us ethnic girls should be getting a lot of the covers too! I would love to be on half of the campaigns these [white] girls are booking, all looking exactly alike. It's not right. It's not fair."

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Fresh Faces: Revlon And Neutrogena Get New Spokesmodels

Elle Macpherson - who is nicknamed 'The Body' – will now be the face of Revlon. Elle joins Revlon’s diverse lineup of gorgeous spokeswomen including Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, and Kate Bosworth. “Elle’s special qualities as a businesswoman, beautiful and talented model, actress and mother represent the essence of the Revlon brand,” says Revlon’s President and CEO David Kennedy.


In related news, American Idol alum Katharine McPhee has signed a two-year endorsement deal with Neutrogena to become the new face of their anti-acne line. Katherine shot her first Neutrogena commercial in L.A. last week. The ad will be coming to a TV set near you, beginning in May.

Pink Eyes

I am absolutely infatuated with Lily Donaldson’s pink eye shadow in the new Spring 2008 ads for Max Mara.

I don’t know if I’m daring enough to rock this look. But for those of you who are, no need to purchase pink eye shadow (though MAC has a great selection). Just find a matte/satin pink blush that compliments your skin tone (I’m a fan of Bobbi Brown blushes), and apply with an eye shadow brush.

Let the shadow be the focus, and leave the rest of your face alone – think natural lashes, bare cheeks, and a nude, understated lip.

Gisele Bundchen Is No Angel

Gisele Bundchen may have ended ties with Victoria’s Secret last year, but she won't be resting on her laurels. Word on the street is that the supermodel has been tapped to be the new face of Max Factor. She is slated to replace current spokesmodel, Carmen Electra – and the new campaign will begin this summer.

According to E! Online, “Bündchen is excited to vamp for Max Factor because her VS contract had precluded her from endorsing beauty products while under contract.”

ANTM and Project Runway Join Forces - So Fierce!

Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model are two of my absolute favorite reality shows. So imagine my delight to learn that there was a strong ANTM showing at the Project Runway finale at New York Fashion Week!

Jaslene Gonzalez, winner of Cycle 8, walked in the Jillian Lewis show. While Danielle Evans, winner of Cycle 6, and Bianca Golden modeled dresses from Chris March’s collection.


I met Bianca later that afternoon, but had no idea why she was there. Now I know.

And bravo to Bravo for employing so many minority models for the Project Runway finale.

If you’re impatient, like me, and can’t wait to see the final collections – click here. Who do you think is going to win? I have some predictions, but I'm anxious to hear your opinions. I know many of you are fans - so talk to me. Don't be shy. Leave a comment below.

Fashion Week: Movin On Up, To The West Side

So after meeting with Samara, but before the MAC dinner at Indochine, I made a pit stop at the Lancôme Boutique on the Upper West Side for an evening of fashion and beauty. Julia, Marina, Amber, Erika, and I sipped on mocktails, picked up copies of Violet by Design, and got our hands on the limited-edition (but not yet released) Christopher Kane Juicy Tubes. Amber picked up a tube of the Tokyo Plum Blossom gloss, while Julia couldn’t decide to wear, smell, or eat the butterscotch scented/flavored Grand Café Crème Brulee.

My favorite part of the event was the opportunity to meet Kerry Diamond, Vice President of Global Communications at Lancôme (she is the former Beauty Editor of Harper’s Bazaar). I talked with her for at least ten minutes - and she was absolutely delightful.

We vowed to warn younger generations against plucking their eyebrows, and chatted about the plight of the nearsighted. While on the topic of contact lenses/glasses/Lasik surgery, Kerry told Amber and me the cutest/funniest story. Not too long ago, she fell asleep without removing her contacts – which she says she never does. The next morning when she woke up, she turned to look at the alarm clock and was shocked by how clearly she could read the time. She said that, for about 45 seconds, she thought it was a miracle and that her eyesight had been restored. How hilarious is that? I enjoyed talking to Kerry so much; I was a little in awe of her, to be quite honest. She’s so chic and successful, but completely unpretentious and personable!


Erika and Kerry Diamond


Me and Lancôme Spokesmodel Selena Breed

Fashion Week Part Deux: Thuy Fall 2008 Collection

I woke up on Saturday morning and headed to the Exit Art Building for the Thuy Fall 2008 Collection presentation. A presentation is different from a runway show, in that there’s no actual runway – just models strutting their stuff amongst us mere mortals. The show was very impromptu, which I really enjoyed. Though after waiting almost an hour, it began without warning (I attended with Amber and Marina – Marina was somewhere getting juice when the show finally began).

Romero Jennings, Head Makeup Artist for MAC, was responsible for the models’ ethereal eyes and lengthy lashes; he lined the inner rims with shimmery white pencil and applied a few coats of black mascara for definition. Jennings polished off the look with a strong matte mouth. Lips were lined and filled in with Brick Lip Pencil (intense golden red), then Brown Lipmix (a MAC Pro product) was applied on top of the pencil.

To balance the bold lip, Liam Carey, Senior Stylist for Ted Gibson, pin-curled the models’ hair. Then, keeping it soft, he styled tresses into dreamy side-ponys and updos*.

Amber, Marina, and I walked away from the Thuy show with a goodie bag filled with, well, goodies. Of the beauty treats, I am most excited to try Ted Gibson’s Beautiful Hold Hairspray; its fool-proof formula allows it to be layered depending on hair styling needs, and it has a sophisticated gardenia fragrance.

*Marina was so enamored with the models’ curly tresses, she accompanied me back to my hotel so she could use my T3 Medium Duality to re-create the look. Unfortunately, in the short period of time she had before her next appointment, she couldn’t figure out how to curl with the flat iron – so she straightened her hair instead. And it looked fabulous nonetheless.

Look at the models giving me face. I felt like Mario Testino.

Monochrome Models

Yesterday, the New York Times ran an astute piece about the lack of diversity among fashion models. Despite the fact that 30 percent of Americans are non-white, and although African American women in the U.S. spend more than $20 billion on apparel each year, ethnic faces have been few and far between on the runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan; they are even more noticeably absent in magazine fashion editorials.

Jezebel.com took a thorough look at the October issues of nine of the largest American women's fashion/service magazines, and found that that black models are far more common in advertisements than fashion editorials; their report is quite alarming:

Black Models In Advertisements, October 2007:
Marie Claire: 10, 1 of whom is a celebrity: Walgreens (3), Olay (1), Johnson's Soft Lotion (1), Diesel (1), CoverGirl (1), Puma (2), JCPenney (1).
W: 3, 1 of whom is a celebrity: Target (1), L'Oreal (1), Turks & Caicos tourism board (1).
Vogue: 6, 4 of whom are celebrities: Revlon (1), American Express (1), Diesel (1), JCPenney (1), Vaseline (1), Avon (1).
Harper's Bazaar: 2, 1 of whom is a celebrity: Make-A-Wish Foundation (1), CoverGirl (1).
Glamour: 3, none of whom are celebrities : Aquafresh White Trays (1), Liz Clairborne (1), Lee Jeans (1).
Cosmopolitan: 0.
Allure: 8, 4 of whom are celebrities: Diesel (1), Revlon (1), Sephora (1), L'Oreal (1), Revlon (1), Aquafresh White Trays (1), CoverGirl (1), Olay (1),
Lucky: 9, 4 of whom are celebrities: CoverGirl (1), Target (1), American Express (1), MAC Cosmetics (1), Dillard's (1), Puma (2), Sephora (1), Avon (1)
Elle: 13, 3 of whom are celebrities: Target (1), MAC Cosmetics (1), Diesel (1), Puma (2), Benetton (1), Avon Foundation (1), House of Dereon (4), Secret (1), Botox (1).

Black Models In Fashion Editorial, October 2007:
Marie Claire: 1, starring solo in a 6-page fashion editorial
W: 1, appearing on 1 page of a 20-page fashion editorial
Vogue: 0
Harper's Bazaar: 0
Glamour: 0
Cosmopolitan: 0
Allure: 0
Lucky: 0
Elle: 0

In the wake of New York fashion week, fashion photographer and ANTM judge Nigel Barker was reported as saying, "Everyone is always talking about the weight issue, I think they should be talking about race."

To read Guy Trebay’s New York Times article, click here. For Jezebel.com’s insightful commentary, follow this link.