Mélodie Monrose

rubydon · May 17, 2015

artandcommerceproduction

rubydon · May 17, 2015

artandcommerceproduction

rubydon · May 18, 2015

NINE MODELS OF COLOR SHOW US A VAST SPECTRUM OF AMERICAN BEAUTY

photography by Plamen Petkov / text and makeup by James Kaliardos

For our American Dream issue, photographer Plamen Petkov and makeup artist and all-around creative powerhouse James Kaliardos teamed us to give us this breathtaking fashion story. In the following introduction, Kaliardos reveals the inspiration behind "American Beauty."

When I was growing up outside of Detroit, my mother would borrow magazines from our public library that were filled with women of all ages and all colors. This became my early fashion and beauty training. I'd rip pages from Vogue, Bazaar and W (when it was a large newspaper) and make collages on the basement walls that were filled with models, celebrities and performers with every color of skin and every kind of face.

That's why it's been so strange to see the fashion industry take such a big turn toward milky homogenization. It just doesn't represent what is currently out there in popular culture or the real world. I've seen designers who sell millions in China, Japan and Korea fail to include a single Asian girl in a show. When a show of 100 girls has only one black girl, it sends out a very clear and unfortunate message. African-American pop stars may sing songs for millions of fans that popularize fashion labels, and yet women of color are nowhere to be seen on those same labels' ads or catwalks or in editorials. Diverse women sell music, movies and TV shows; they report the news and get voted into office. So why is the appearance of a woman like Serena Williams on the cover of Vogue (incredible on so many levels) so rare?

These days, fashion favors uniformity, an "army" of one type of girl. Hairdressers and makeup artists are often impossibly tasked with making this "army" look the same when each girl has different hair and facial features. As for me, I love the individual, and that is what diversity is all about. Each model in this story has her own identity, her own personality and her own beauty. The faces of America have never been just one color -- and neither has the definition of American Beauty.

Photography by Plamen Petkov / makeup by James Kaliardos at Art + Commerce / hair by David von Cannon at Streeters / manicures by Candice Idehen at Deborah Lippmann

Casting by Roger Inniss for Boom Productions Inc / makeup assistants: William Jay Kahn and Yoshie Kubota / hair assistant: Mario Sisneros and Kayo Fujita.

papermag

LANZO_358 · May 18, 2015

^Beautiful! And all girls have such strong discrete features.

rubydon · May 18, 2015

LANZO_358 said:
^Beautiful! And all girls have such strong discrete features.

quite true -- each lady's look is very distinctive, in the best possible way. truly a diverse lineup. :heart:

nataliaapple · May 18, 2015

Loveeeeeeeee this! :heart:

modelista · May 18, 2015

Melodie Monrose Loves A Good Brush

Choosy moms choose Jif, and every makeup artist we've ever met chooses Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Model Melodie Monrose confirmed, after trying out a bottle in 13: "Every makeup artist who I have ever met tells me I need to get this. It's worth the hype—definitely. You put it on and you feel ready for a photoshoot immediately."

Just as important, but often getting the short side of the marketing budget, is the proper brush. "You can tell the difference between a good brush and a bad brush as soon as it hits your face," Melodie says, picking up the Sigma F60 Foundation Brush. "I have really sensitive skin, but every girl can tell. Hourglass has really good ones, which I stole from my mom. I also have some from MAC that I've been using forever. This one is really good though—it makes applying foundation a lot more fun–especially if they're fluffy brushes."

Wands are also useful (and sometimes underrated), and the one inside the YSL Full Metal Shadow (she's using Grey Splash mixed with Aquatic Copper here) should not be overlooked. With a little imagination, application feels like a soft windshield wiper across your lid and not just because the color deposit has 'wet look' written all over it. Swipe, swipe, swipe...flawless makeup achieved. Now for finding a pair of jeans like Melodie's...

Melodie Monrose (Next Models) photographed by Tom Newton.

intothegloss.com

modelista · May 30, 2015

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2016

wwd.com

modelista · Jul 27, 2015

ph: Michael Raveney
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modelista · Aug 2, 2015

Victoria's Secret

victoriassecret.com

modelista · Aug 2, 2015

Victoria's Secret

victoriassecret.com

rubydon · Aug 2, 2015

insane body. she's almost like a fitness model.

nightclubbing · Aug 5, 2015

Melodie is a dream, she's so slept on!

modelista · Aug 13, 2015

Nordstrom June 2015 Catalog

nordstrom

ghostfeed · Aug 24, 2015

Next Questions — Melodie Monrose

NEW YORK — Radiant is a word that immediately comes to mind when describing the beauty of Melodie Monrose. Native to Martinique, the rugged paradise of an island in the Eastern Caribbean that is part of the Lesser Antilles, Melodie has always loved the beach and the sunlight miles and miles of unobstructed sands afford. Melodie brings that sunlight with her no matter where she goes. Melodie recently achieved a personal milestone by having a campaign of hers appear along Houston Street, the prime advertising spot of Lower Manhattan. “I took a picture [of the billboard] and sent it to my mom and she was so happy for me,” explains Melodie about the afternoon she spotted the campaign rendered at such an immense scale. “That would be one of the peak fashion moments, but I have had so many.” True story. Melodie’s many peaks include having walked the runways for nearly every major fashion house, photographed with Mario Testino, appeared in various editions of Vogue and other leading publications, and much more. In an industry where models of color are continually underrepresented, Melodie is a shining example for all. Melodie is unequivocal in the advice she gives young models of color and insists they should strive to move far beyond expectations set for them. Aim for the radiant sun, which is what Melodie has always done.

Credits include: Title, “Next Questions — Melodie Monrose”; Interview and video, Damien Neva; Model, Melodie Monrose.

blog.nextmanagement.com