Fashion Models and the Hottest Designer Trends

Stylist Lucinda Chambers pulled together several of this season’s most vibrant, intricate, and futuristic pieces to showcase on 22-year-old Danish cover girl Freja Beha Erichsen of IMG, who recently opened for the Chanel couture show during Paris Fashion Week, is featured in an editorial entitled “Cyber Tribe” for the March 2010 issue of Vogue UK shot by photographer Josh Olins. With the spring collections, designers are creating collections that are more comfortable and colorful using sharper lines, masculine designs, and many details. Using a neutral-colored backdrop, Freja is shown in designs by Manish Arora, Giorgio Armani, Swarovski, Carianne Moore, Lucy Hutchings, Emilio Pucci, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and Versace. My favorite look in this editorial is the Emilio Pucci silk dress with the Swarovski crystallized Manish Arora shoulder pieces and Snakeskin Alexander McQueen boots being quite eccentric and extremely colorful.

Jumping into the Aussie surfing culture for the March 2010 issue of Vogue Australia is 22-year-old Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw of Next Models, who was recently featured on the cover of Vogue Nippon by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, shot by photographer Max Doyle. Styled by Naomi Smith, Abbey Lee is shown in front of a white studio backdrop, the beach behind her and with many studdly young men in designs by Versace, Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Emporio Armani, Prada, and Acne with my favorite looking being Abbey Lee sitting on a bench in a Louis Vuitton silk dress and pink Versace shoes.

Recently, Italian fashion house Gianni Versace S.p.A. signed a preliminary agreement with unions to cut jobs in Italy and introduce a lowered-price on women’s wear collections as part of the plan to return to profitability in 2011.

According to a telephone interview with Versace’s Chief Executive Officer Gian Giacombo Ferraris, he said that the deal is to “guarantee that our plan as we organized it will succeed.”

He also spoke about the closure of their three-year-old accessories factory in Burago near Milan to be closed by February 4th and the lowered prices will be in affect from March to June. Ferraris added, “The aim of the restructuring is to stabilize the company to maintain independence and to have the basic condition to create a future in the company.”

Gian forecasts Versace to realistically break even after taxes, interest, and depreciation by the end of 2011. With the closure of the Burago accessories factory, about 40 administrative and warehousing jobs will be lost, but the other 37 employees who have the “know-how” product knowledge will be moved to Versace’s ready-to-wear plant in Novara, also near Milan, and will continue to produce accessories with the same momentum as at Burago.

Elle UK features 19-year-old Australian model Skye Stracke of DNA, who recently appeared in Marie Claire Italy and Vogue Australia, in the February 2010 issue. Photographed by Thomas Nutzl and styled by Anne-Marie Curtis, Skye is showcased in a Chanel silk-tulle dress, a black Lurex dress by Dior, a lavender Burberry Prorsum silk coat, a wild printed Gucci ikat dress, a lavender, flower-print silk-chiffon Roberto Cavalli jumpsuit, a white lace long-sleeve dress with a black corset and black underlay by Dolce & Gabbana, an embroidered Ralph Lauren silk-tulle dress, and a white, long-sleeve, abstract-print Versace mini dress.

In the February 2010 issue of Marie Claire Italia, photographer Max Cardelli shot an editorial entitled “Nuove Visioni 2010” or “New Vision 2010” featuring model Marine Vacth, 20-year-old French model Heloise Guerin of Women Model Management, French model Melodie Dagault of Marilyn Model Management, 17-year-old Hungarian newcomer Sohpie Srej of IMG, 19-year-old American newcomer Mathilde Frachon of Next Model Management, Czech model Daniela Kocianova of Elite Model Management, Ophelie Rupp, and 19-year-old Russian model Daria Strokous also of Women Model Management. With a plain white studio setting, they are shown in a silver gem embellished Prada top, a one shoulder black Lanvin evening gown, a black and white striped Givenchy blazer, a black and white lace Dolce & Gabbana dress, a blue long-sleeve Gucci dress, a long-sleeve pink insect print Versace mini dress, and a gray with silver embellishment top and belt by Dior.