Naomi Campbell slams supermodels

[á la Balenciaga]

The 38-year-old beauty believes younger catwalk stars including Lily Cole and Agyness Deyn have a lot to prove.

She told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper: "I think the term 'supermodel' gets thrown around too much nowadays.

"Models need to earn their stripes - I just think the term is used a little too loosely.

"Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but after Gisele Bundchen I don't think there's been one."

Naomi is currently organising the Fashion For Relief charity runway show but says she won't be asking her close friend, Kate Moss, to take part.

She explained: "Kate hasn't walked down the catwalk for years. She never really liked the shows so I won't be pushing her to do it this time around."

The model also hit out at Kabbalah, the mystical Jewish faith whose followers include Madonna and Demi Moore, comparing it with Alcoholics Anonymous.

She said: "I knew about Kabbalah before Madonna got involved. Kabbalah is not a religion, it's a programme.

"I don't like getting hooked on things like that. It reminds me of AA but just with different words.

"They've got the same principles. We're all looking for positivity in our lives and looking towards the light but I just believe in God.

"I am religious. I pray most days and do my thing. But each to their own."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4627248a1860.html

[mkd1187]

Naomi Campell does not believe in sisterhood.
The angry Brit told U.K. tab the Daily Mirror that the only model worthy of the title supermodel today is Gisele Bundchen.
Slap happy Campbell said that the 'golden age' of supermodels is likely over and that the new wave of fashionistas such as Agyness Deyn have a lot to prove.
She also revealed that her good friend, hasbeen model Kate Moss, isn't a fan of the catwalk and that's why Dopehead's ex hasn't appeared in the Fashion For Relief charity runway show Naomi organizes each fall.
"Kate hasn't walked down the catwalk for years. She never really liked the shows so I won't be pushing her to do it this time around."
And, apparently Naomi and Victoria Beckham are quite chummy!
The ill tempered model said, "I speak to Victoria pretty regularly about normal mundane stuff. When I was going through my hard time recently she was immediately on the phone, asking me how I was doing and saying, 'I hope you're well.' "She was very sweet. We share girl stuff and she is so funny - people just don't know her or get her. She also works incredibly hard - that girl works her a**e off. And she's a mother of three - that can't be easy. I really love Victoria and David Beckham."
We actually agree with Naomi on something…we LOVE Victoria and David Beckham too!

perez

[lonn3k3]

there are some models out there who deserve more than Naomi to be considered supermodels

why was she a supermodel? her personality is awful and she's not even attractive! don't tell me she's versatile and poses well many of us can do that

[LegsXI]

i'd consider lily cole a supermodel. definitely not agyness though. sometimes i forget she's a model at all more of a socialite

[Bahiyya]

Originally Posted by lonn3k3

there are some models out there who deserve more than Naomi to be considered supermodels

why was she a supermodel? her personality is awful and she's not even attractive! don't tell me she's versatile and poses well many of us can do that

Which models are these that deserve it more? And I mean based on work and global appeal? And where are all these masses of people with the exceptional face and body who are versatile and can pose well, this "us"? Names and portfolio, please .

Anyway, while Naomi is right didn't Claudia Schiffer already talk about this? I guess reporters keep asking supers the same questions in the wake of their curent ascendancy.

Originally Posted by LegsXI

i'd consider lily cole a supermodel.

Huh? What is she doing now? When's the last time she did anything? More persons will probably know her name now because of who she's dating rather than for anything she's done in fashion, ever. There really hasn't been an actual supermodel since Gisele. It's pretty much just used for any girl with a couple of good runway seasons and a blue chip campaign under her belt, these days. I like Lily but no one outside of fashion knows about her and I don't think she cares one way or another (otherwise she wouldn't have had the gumption to give up the De Beers campaign).

[simons]

i think gemma is somewhat supermodel status, isn't she? she did begin a whole new generation of models, a new "type".. didn't a magazine do a story on that?

[á la Balenciaga]

imo, the term "supermodel" is for a model with a solidify career. nowadays, we only get seasonal girls. These girls disappear and suddently they're back on board doing fashion week which personally there's a lot more to do to be recognized in this business. The exposure models got back then was totally different than today. And today, the minute these girls are called "supermodels" for their little success, it goes to their head and they think they've finally made, which in reality, they're not even close.

[Bahiyya]

Well...the thing is I think supermodels have to make waves in both high fashion and mainstream. Gemma was huge in high fashion sure...but who outside of Vogue subscribers could mention anything about her? Her look is what critics point to to support the argument as to why there aren't any more supermodels. (Too strange and alienating for mass appeal.) At best we could hope that her face looked kinda familiar to the man on the street.

Hilary Rhoda is probably in the best position to bridge the divide but I don't know if she can or even wants to. Maybe Doutzen Kroes as well although I never saw her as high fashion girl at all. (Still, she's done some stuff.) Agyness Deyn is a legitimate contender as well, though I mention this here in fear of my life and the onslaught I tempt by doing so .

Originally Posted by á la Balenciaga

imo, the term "supermodel" is for a model with a solidify career. nowadays, we only get seasonal girls. These girls disappear and suddently they're back on board doing fashion week which personally there's a lot more to do to be recognized in this business. The exposure models got back then was totally different than today. And today, the minute these girls are called "supermodels" for their little success, it goes to their head and they think they've finally made, which in reality, they're not even close.

Well, I think girls like Raquel Zimmerman have definitely gone beyond the "seasonal" level but I wouldn't call her a supermodel according to original definition a la Christy Turlington or Kate Moss.

[kimair]

Originally Posted by á la Balenciaga

The 38-year-old beauty believes younger catwalk stars including Lily Cole and Agyness Deyn have a lot to prove.

She told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper: "I think the term 'supermodel' gets thrown around too much nowadays.

"Models need to earn their stripes - I just think the term is used a little too loosely.

"Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but after Gisele Bundchen I don't think there's been one."

Naomi is currently organising the Fashion For Relief charity runway show but says she won't be asking her close friend, Kate Moss, to take part.

She explained: "Kate hasn't walked down the catwalk for years. She never really liked the shows so I won't be pushing her to do it this time around."

i agree with this 100%...
agyness, gemma, etc. are not supers...everyone wants to make agyness out to be a super, but she is not...
would a woman in kansas know who gemma is? probably not...

i think daria had the best shot of reaching supermodel-dom, because she's been in GQ, etc. but she's not really commercial...she's not doing victoria's secret, etc.

the age of the supers is over, which honestly is fine with me...
variety is the spice of life...

[á la Balenciaga]

Originally Posted by Bahiyya

Well, I think girls like Raquel Zimmerman have definitely gone beyond the "seasonal" level but I wouldn't call her a supermodel according to original definition a la Christy Turlington or Kate Moss.

Raquel has been in this business for quite sometime now, but what else is she doing besides modeling? Don't get me wrong, I love her work, but she's no supermodel like you said. she has an opportunity to use her career and branch out to other things.

[Bahiyya]

^^Ahhh, ok, I see what you were getting at .

[112fan]

i think naomi's right about the term being thrown around too loosely. i've heard people refer to chanel iman, hilary rhoda, lily donaldson, etc. as supermodels. as much as i love the first two, they're nowhere close to that status. even hilary with her contract is an unknown outside the industry. someone like doutzen could be but her face may be recognizable to some, but her name still means nothing.
i know the term may mean something different nowadays but i can't justify calling someone who hardly anyone outside of fashion knows as a super. therefore lily cole wouldn't qualify. i feel like you have to not only be know as a fashion and commercial model but for things outside of modeling. as much as i don't like agyness, i've heard people i'd never thought would know who she was mention her. she's known outside of modeling and i think she has the greatest chance of achieving that status, or at least today's equivalent. all she has to do is hang around the right people and cross over from british media to american mainstream media. perez already loves her.

[smartarse]

i kinda agree with Naomi on this one

[Bahiyya]

While I think that being known beyond high fashion circles is definitely a requirement for being a supermodel I still think that modeling has to figure highly in the girl's career . Doutzen has De Beers, a Calvin Klein line, Victoria Secret and L'Oreal. If she were to do more besides show up for bookings she'd already be exposed to a wider and more legitimate audience. Hilary Rhoda is the face for Estee Lauder (judging by the print campaign) and it's pretty obvious that the company held her back in order to give her a massive re-launch in high fashion and have that coupled with their product. Plus she's already done campaigns for Balenciaga, Gucci and Valentino and pretty much all the couture shows.

The thing about Agy (who I love) is that she hasn't solidified her model status yet. Unlike Zimmerman, she hasn't risen too far beyond seasonal status, doesn't have all the right campaigns in her portfolio (yet?). Agyness is definitely up there as a possible contender but, outside of modeling, is pretty much limited to the hipster music scene at this point which isn't as big hipsters like to think it is (although British tabloids are helping to push her beyond that). Her European perfume contracts give her some security but they're not enough, really, and one or two seasons from now it's not improbable that she won't be a hot property. And without the modeling none of her current best buddies are big enough to keep her profile up. I think she should work on getting more campaigns like Giorgio Armani S/S 08 that show she can do more than give the British punk rock thing she's stuck in with Burberry and the JPG fragrances (as cute an ad as that second one is).

[vogue28]

I kinda agree with Naomi too, the term is getting passed around abit and not getting taken seriously.
In my opinion the supers are the original supers. e.g Claudia Shiffer and Cindy Crawford.