Diana Dondoe

[anibalenci]

funny pic from preen 2007 fw

morgane thread

 

[r_r_r]

^so cute!!

 

[Faith Akiyama]

Allure US April 2007
"Prime Time"
Ph. Michael Thompson


Scanned by me

 

[anibalenci]

thanks faith!!!! Diana so versatile like always

 

[lonn3k3]

thank you!!

 

[r_r_r]

^that ed. explains why i love her so much!!!

 

[avgm]

ELLE Romania April 2007

 

[anibalenci]

new editorial!!!thanks!!

 

[lonn3k3]

love the cover!thanks!

 

[cosmocat]

^Lovely, thanks very much

 

[mizenkay]

thanks faith and avgm for the new Diana edits.

just gorgeous! and i just LOVE that photo of her in the iron in the Allure story. oh, and is there anyway we can get a rough translation from the Romanian Elle story?? or just the highlights? didn't we read she was doing a film (during S/S 07 shows) - would love to know more about that if it's mentioned in that interview.

 

[lonn3k3]

here is the first page (its not the best translation but you'll understand)


Diana Dondoe, the protagonist of the most vanguardist? Shoots of any Vogue edition, the imagine of Balenciaga or Prada, the muse for photographers such as: Patrick Demarchelier, Juergen Teller, David Sims or Nick Knight and runway model (seasons in a row) for Ann Demeuleemester, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Celine, YSL was about to have a shoot for us exclusively. Wow! Those who aren’t involved in the fashion world perhaps wont understand my enthusiasm , but trust me Diana is one of the main characters of this scene.
I first met Diana in a very stylish Paris during the pret-a-porter fashion week and it has been a pleasure talking with her at a glass of wine. Right now the scenery changed, I was in Bucharest, and I began to prepare the shoot. I have gone through the panic moment when I found out that Diana only has 4 hours available for the shoot (usually a shoot takes about 12 hours). Her journey in Romania lasted only for a few days just enough to see her parents and to solve various administrative stuff. So she was out of time ( by the way one of her usual states). She was about to begin the FW 2008 season.

So I had to join her rhythm of work because I knew exactly only 2 days earlier that the shoot will take place- normally it takes us about a week to prepare a shoot especially if it is so important. So I started desperately give calls. The first one was headed to Gabi Hirit from whom I expected a certain decline because of the short time. Wrong! Gabi accepted to shoot Diana even by her own rules ( who knows him also knows that it is very unusual for him to do something like this). Next-Alex Abagiu- who called off everything he had to do, then Geta Voinea, who promised she’ll be back from the mountains especially for our cover.
I set with Diana to meet at 8 o’clock, on Victoria Street…. I had the best team so the success was guaranteed. Which it doesn’t necessary mean that I wasn’t about to have emotions , because in the “ big day’s morning”, at about 6:30 AM, Alex Abagiu was receiving desperate messages from Geta Voinea who had settled a team-building? In the only winter weekend from Romania, just from the top of the mountain and now she had been snowbound. Alex and I started to call desperately at all the hair stylists, our salvation being in the end Andreea Raileanu.

 

[lonn3k3]

8 o’clock, Victoria Street, in front of the Capsa Restaurant. I’m meeting Diana and Giani Portman her agent. Diana is wearing a pair of black slim jeans, beige boots Vanessa Bruno, a vintage white tshirt, a black pullover and a black voluminous coat. Her look is so simple stylish and cosmopolitan. Instead of the last must-have purse ( I am used to see at all of our stars) Diana carries a leather suitcase which she pulls with gently. We arrive at the studio. Alex and Gabi were anxiously waiting but Diana’s offhandedness and relaxation attitude made them forget about the stress. While the two guests drank the coffee and smoke the morning cigarette, Alex, Gabi and I retreat subtle in the kitchen and settle the last details. Makeup: super natural, Clothes: minimalized?, Hair: Natural, Photograph: based an Diana’s attitude, Conclusion: a shooting that reveals her personality. This time she’s about to play her own role.
At 9 we begin: all the clothes that we had chosen look faultless on Diana. I think it was one of the few times when we didn’t use a clamp or a pin? to help ( you don’t wanna know what usually happens behind models). First picture. Diana sits in the setting ready for the cover, Gabi looks at her for a few moments and he starts taking pictures…and he doesn’t stop! Everybody is quiet all you can hear is the music from the Hotel Costes cds and the camera’s click. Diana and Gabi communicate in a language only known by them. We arrive at the end. Surprise! We finished everything a half an hour earlier so we had time to look with Diana at the just discharged photos. Actually instead of looking at the pictures I looked at Diana. She was overtaken by how well Gabi managed to show her naturalness … “Hmm this is actually me”.
As a conclusion Diana is the perfect model! It was the fastest and the best shooting we ever made! Diana wasn’t wrong when she said: ”I assure you we only need 3 hours” I have to admit I didn’t believe her until everything ended.

 

[***Bianca***]

Allure US April 2007
"Prime Time"
Ph. Michael Thompson

Scanned by me

thanks for scanning Faith love that ed

 

[avgm]

mersi pentru traducere lon3k3

 

[chipping sodbury]

love the 'Elle' cover. Just great.

 

[lonn3k3]

cu placere avgm

ELLE: You have an enviable career. Did you get here by your own strengths or there were other people who helped you? Tell us how everything started-I know there are some controversies regarding this.
Diana: I don’t think there are many controversies. I’d rather believe that it was created an “artificial” controversy with the purpose of harming me. I have been working in Romania for a long time before I had left to Paris. I started with a small agency in Craiova and every week I took the train to Bucharest. Then I left to Paris where, at the beginning, I did some insignificant jobs. I was living tough, with few money, I was rejected very often because I was considered too skinny and because I wasn’t dressed fashionable. My career means a lot of work, sleepless nights, coffee, luck, my manager (Gianni Portman), agency (IMG), my parents, my cats, my friends…All of these gave me a physical and psychic equilibrium which allowed me to deal with the pressure of the level I have arrived.
ELLE: You are working with some of the biggest names in fashion (Marc Jacobs, Ann Demeuleemester, Nicolas Ghesquiere). How do you get along with them, it was hard to “enter their graces”(make them like you)?
Diana: Every designer has his own vision and aesthetic idea about women. I understand which is my place in this world, what is it from my look and personality that stimulates each of them. You don’t have to make them like you, you have to chisel you style and understand you part in their perception.
ELLE: How does your schedule look like during fashion week?
Diana: I am already at my 8th season. That means a very long career. I’m lucky that I have arrived to a point where I can choose the shows I want to do and the people I want to work with. During Fashion Weeks, my day starts at 7:00 am and ends at 2 or 3 at night. There were seasons when I couldn’t sleep at all and that not because of the parties but because of the fittings i did for the next day’s presentations. By the way, in the Romanian press it was written that I want to get married and stop working. I don’t really see the liaison between getting married ( which I still haven’t set) and working. And I am not getting married with a “fat baldy” full of money, like some like to believe. Even though I have nothing against this type of men.
ELLE: Speaking of parties, you probably arrive at the coolest ones in Paris or New York. Describe us the atmosphere!
Diana: I’m not really into these but they come “with the career “. Sometimes I go for obligation, other times I go because I enjoy meeting people I admire and with whom I have a friendship relation. I’ve met a lot of movie and music stars but I cannot say that I …… They also come at these parties to relax. You drink a glass of champagne you talk about meaningless or important stuff, that depends of what you have in common with your interlocutor, you dance and that’s how the night goes by.
ELLE: I’ve heard that P. Diddy sent you 999 roses. What was your answer?
Diana: I think anyone would be flatered. I nicely said “ thank you” and I went on with my things. Sean is a business man and he is very connected with the fashion world.

 

[cosmocat]

^That's a great article, I like how they were trying to portray a sense of 'Diana'. It's lovely when one of your favourite models is celebrated, and she's had the French Elle speical issue too. Thanks very much for translating

 

[lonn3k3]

you're welcome

ELLE: What’s your opinion regarding the fashion image nowadays, is it good bad? Is modeling a “serious” occupation?
Diana: I think in Romania fashion has a very bad image. Thus it cannot be seen as an art (because people have other problems and worries) and also not as a job because there is no sale market or a request. Nor for the models it is not a serious occupation because as far as I know you can’t really get a living from this, it is more like a help to enter the television area or other domains. Abroad, when you reach a certain level , there is no problem because this is a job from which you earn enough money.
ELLE: Which is the most beautiful recall regarding fashion?
Diana: There are many places and shootings that have impressed me for example Iceland where I took pictures on a iceberg, the desert from Tunisia or a shooting with a baby tiger. The dearest memory remains the Balenciaga campaign from 2004 shot by David Sims. Nicolas Ghesquiere and David decided to take the pictures onto a horse and even though I ride when I was young It didn’t feel comfortable to do it again. So I took riding lessons at an equitation club in Paris where the horses were trained mostly for movies. I took 10 hours of riding and it was one of the most incredible moments of my life. The shooting was however quite difficult because I was wearing a short dress and a pair of sandals and after a few hours my legs were full of bruises. Still it was worth it!
ELLE: You’ve worked with some of the most famous photographers, designers, stylists, for the most “in vogue” magazines and fashion houses, you’ve experienced thousands of looks. It is anything left that can surprise you in this domain?
Diana: Like every other job, at one point, routine interferes, but there are still certain photographers and designers with who I have the same pleasure to work as in the beginning and who always bring something new- Ann Demeuleemester, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Jurgen Teller, Miuccia Prada, Patrick Demarchelier, Enrique Badulescu.
ELLE: How did you feel at the Vogue November 2006 shooting when you posed nude? Did you enjoy playing the part of Helmut Newton’s muse?
Diana: Well, maybe you won’t believe it, but at this shooting I wasn’t completely naked. I don’t have a problem with this, but I have never posed completely naked. I don’t feel really comfortable in this situation. If you look attentively the bags hide (in my case) the skin-color string that I wear. Besides that photoshop exists. Indeed the shooting was made in Newton’s style, who I consider one of the most interesting photographers of all time. I truly regret that I have never posed for him, we would have gotten along very well.

 

[lonn3k3]

ELLE: According to you, which is the spring-summer 2007 look?
Diana: I don’t really focus on this aspect but in the past seasons the 80’s and 90’s looks were leading, and for the next summer futuristic elements have appeared. The perfect look is the one you feel comfortable in and matches your personality. I am not a fashion victim and I dress with what I like regardless of the trends….
ELLE: Have you made real friends in the fashion world?
Diana: Louise Pedersen is one of my best friends, then Jurgen Teller ( with who I meet outside the jobs and I have also organized a surprise party for his birthday where the incredible actress Charlotte Rampling took part also), Roxana Voloseniuc ( who I meet every season at the prêt-a-porter shows) are some of my closest friends that are dealing with fashion world.
ELLE: What do fashion personalities talk about? Have to managed to have some “intellectual” discussions with them?
Diana: Anything, from children and personal issues to art, literature. Intellectual discussions rarely have their point and sense, but that doesn’t mean that we only chat about clothes. It doesn’t matter what job you have, any can allow you to talk about “serious” things. And in fashion I often meet educated and intelligent people, even though for some it is hard to believe. Additionally they are very open to new things and I believe that is the most important.
ELLE: I see you are passionate of Cioran and Eliade. What other writers do you like?
Diana: I’m not that passionate it sounds too pompous. I like Cioran, I read him in highschool. But let’s not make a big deal out of it. I have nothing to prove. There are times when I cannot manage to read a page and others when I “devour” any book that falls in my hand. I really enjoyed the classical French literature.
ELLE: What do you think about the dispute regarding model’s anorexia? Are there really girls that starve themselves over the limit?
Diana: I think first of all the ones to blame are the parents. The model agencies or the designers have a certain guiltiness but they are not obliged to take care of each model. I don’t think I’ll ever manage to emphasize the importance of the family equilibrium in my job.
ELLE: But do you think fashion has enforced some tyrannical beauty standards, that became a true obsession among young girls?
Diana: Possibly. Probably. I’m still not sure that these beauty standards are understandable in the right way. When the supermodels era ended and some new different faces, some weird ones, appeared, it was told that these girls are really ugly. It must be understandable that every type and shape of beauty is accepted. Even in a face without harmony, or a strange one you can find beauty, and in a body that has nothing to do with the well-known 90-60-90 you can find grace.