article involving gemma
Classic beauties cast alien models to outer limits
Georgina Safe, Fashion editor
July 13, 2006
ALIENS, make way for the ladies.
Gemma Ward's "alien" look has dominated catwalks around the world since the Perth model rose to fashion superstardom two years ago.
But there was no sign of her signature extraterrestrial wide eyes, high forehead and extra-long neck at the David Jones model casting in Sydney yesterday. Instead, a return to a more classical beauty was the dominant theme as more than 100 hopefuls vied to strut down the runway in the department store's summer collections launch next month.
"There is definitely a move away from the alien look and back to a more classic beauty," Chic Model Management general manager Kathy Ward said yesterday. "Women on the street want to be able to relate to a face in a campaign, and they can better relate to the classical, beautiful face. I don't think people on the street necessarily want to look like an alien."
Kate Peck, Jillian Kempton and Louise Van Brussel were among those fresh faces yesterday looking to advance their careers through a kickstart at the David Jones collections launch.
The new trend to a more timeless look is being driven by well-paid working women with the money to spend on clothes and the wits not to want to look like a 16-year-old anomaly.
"The most important demographic out there is professional women," Chadwicks Management associate director Martin Walsh said. "Those women are very savvy consumers so these days the model has to appeal to them. You can't have 16-year-old girls trying to appeal to professional women in their 30s."
Then, of course, there is that other perennial of fashion.
"Fashion is an industry that feeds upon itself," Mr Walsh said.
"As soon as you've seen something around and you think youhave a hold on the trend, it'schanging. Just because of thesheer extent of Gemma's exposure in the world, it's got tochange."
Ms Ward, however, was emphatic that Gemma Ward's career was unlikely to nosedive any time soon.
"I don't want to undermine the success of Gemma Ward," she said. "I think she is a total exception and someone who has been an incredible role model and inspiration for a lot of models.
"She will continue to be a look of the moment, but hers is a total exception."
[theaustralian]
doesn't she look sweet
thankyou!!!
