Archive for December, 2007
She may have been Australia’s favorite new model, surf-turned-fashion model Cheyenne Tozzi has sparked a recent “frown” from her native Australian critics. Sporting a newly dyed beach blonde ‘do, many Australian fashion bloggers are said to be in agreement with user comments in a string of Cheynne Tozzi message boards, criticizing the rising supermodel for her friendships with Hollywood celebulites Paris Hilton and Brandon Davis. Users claim Tozzi has “turned her back on her home-ground” and “made the LA girl transformation” calling her new bleached look “generic.”
Tozzi, who once wore her hair in her natural dark to dirty blonde look, was said to resemble the All Australian girl with her mixture of tan skin, sultry body and ocean culture. However her new Hollywood antics have left her fans and critics wondering were this new life is taking the model. Not seen since her most recent Just Jeans ad aired nationally in Australia, in which Tozzi sported her new appearance, many are left speculating that the models friendships with “ditzy” celebrities such as Hilton will affect her credibility as a serious model.
Media circulating has also suggested that Tozzi has left her boyfriend of two and a half years, Australian surfer Taj Burrow, in favor of Hollywood disaster Brandon Davis (responsible for the drunken slurs about Lindsay Lohan, coining the phrase “fire crotch” when caught on tape by TMZ cameras) said to be an attempt to establish herself in the US market.
It’s a shame she has decided to portray herself as the Australian version of Paris Hilton in order to successful overseas. It won’t work and the exposure she may get from attaching herself to a well known name like Hilton’s will be short lived. She was one of Australia’s most promising new models and had a large fan base in her native country, but the white blonde hair, tabloid attention and sleazy grabs at Hollywood name-dropping has really left a hole in her popularity.” - Australian model agent Marfus Sidkio
Sister to aspiring actress and musician Tanhya Tozzi, who is dating surfer Koby Abberton, Cheyenne may want to re-think her social antics if she wants to break the US market and keep her dignity.
“She needs to remember who she is,” says insiders.
Cheyenne, who is close friends with Australian actress Elissa Sursara (Sex Is Bad, Ok? and who has reportedly just signed on to star in the upcoming season of LOST) works predominantly in the United States.
December 14th, 2007
It’s been almost six months since Alice Burdeu slaughtered her Australia’s Next Top Model competitors in Cycle 3 of the series, but the public uproar about the waif-like model’s weight has continued to ripple through Australian media publications. For her entire Top Model experience, Burdeu fought off suggestions from her competitors, the judges and the Australian public that she was battling an eating disorder, remaking:
“It’s unfair to assume all skinny women are starving themselves, it causes just as much self-doubt to a girls self-image as it would if you were to call her fat. I’m built this way and I can’t help it.”
Titles such as ‘Bony Burdeu no role model’ headlining Australian newspapers and websites are said to be a suggestion of Australia’s low tolerance for anorexic-esque celebrities, despite Burdeu winning a higher percentage of votes in the Cycles final episode as to who Australia thought should win.
“Compared to her rival [a then sixteen year old Stephanie 'Steph' Hart] Alice was the sure winner. She looks like a model, she looks like she belongs in New York or Paris and Steph did not. But that doesn’t mean we don’t think she’s too thin — don’t ever think it means we support her body type. Australians love curves. We love healthy, fit women and that is what Australian women are typically renound for; You imagine them jogging out of the water, flicking their hair and looking like beach born goddesses. That in itself is evident in Australia’s most successful exports, seen in Elle McPherson and Jennifer Hawkins.”
Recently, Burdeu signed with Elite Model Management, New York.
December 14th, 2007
Topless shots of Kate Moss frolicking with a mystery man - not her boyfriend rocker Jamie Hince - while on a holiday in Mexico have been released.
The model was staying in a ?450-a-night suite at the plush Esencia Hotel in Cancun, on a break from a TopShop photoshoot, report News of the World.
The mystery man, wearing just a swimming costume, lay on top of the semi-nude Moss while she chatted away on her mobile phone.
A witness tells British newspaper News of the World, “They were very playful and touchy-feely and seemed to be having a lot of fun.” Moss has been dating Hince since she split from Pete Doherty in September this year.
Meanwhile, Moss has made the Who’s Who list. The famous reference book is world-renowned for having its finger on the pulse of culture. As one source put it, “The 160th annual edition brings together over 33,000 personal vignettes of those whose achievements are noted in today’s society.”
Along with Kate, rugby player Jonny Wilkinson, golfer Darren Clarke, and fashion designers Stella McCartney, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana will also be getting first-time mentions in the chronicle.
image credit: Splashnews
December 7th, 2007
The publishers of the new James Bond book, written by Sebastian Faulks, have unveiled the cover they hope can capture the spirit of Ian Fleming’s creation.
Like the work itself, the cover of Devil May Care aims to harness the elements which turned 007 into the world’s most celebrated spy while adding enough of a twist to keep modern audiences hooked.
The design, recalling at first glance a blooming, blood-red flower, features the naked silhouette of model and diplomat’s daughter Tuuli Shipster, 25.
Faulks was unveiled in July as the author selected by the trustees of Fleming’s estate to write the new novel to mark the centenary of the author’s birth.
Alex Clarke, Penguin editor of Devil May Care, said: “The cover had to be something stylish and sophisticated - all the things that one associates with Fleming’s James Bond.
“With such a great concept the challenge was then to find the perfect girl to bring it to life. We just knew the moment we saw her that Tuuli was our Bond girl.”The jacket image was created by award-winning design agency The Partners, who work with some of Britain’s oldest heritage brands including Jaguar, Wedgwood, Harrods, the BBC and The National Gallery.
Jack Renwick, The Partners’ Creative Director, said: “It’s an honour to become a small part of Bond’s rich visual history.
“Bond is sex, intrigue and violence. We wanted to capture this and give a subtle nod to the familiar, iconic Bond images of old.”
Faulks finished writing the book in six weeks, commenting that he was happy to follow the recognisable Bond style with exotic locations, glamorous women and larger-than-life villains.
Devil May Care is set in the Cold War and will be published on May 28 to mark the centenary of Fleming’s birth.
December 6th, 2007
Britney Spears has reportedly threatened to leak a lesbian tape of Paris Hilton and another woman locking lips at a party. The pair allegedly had a fall out at the singers’ 26th birthday on Sunday and Spears threatened to release the tape if Hilton did not stop being rude.
“Britney and her pals wrote to Paris and told her they are hearing rumors of a new sex-tape scandal,” says a source. “The letter also claims the tape shows footage of Paris locking lips with one of Britney’s female friends at a party.”
“It warns Paris that if she continues being rude to people, the footage will be leaked online,” the source added.
Hilton is no stranger to sex tapes. The hotel heiress’ sex tape with Rick Salomon was leaked online and has become one of the most popular celebrity sex tapes.
December 6th, 2007
Kate Moss has sparked rumors she is cheating on boyfriend Jamie Hince, after the supermodel was snapped frolicking half-naked with a mystery man while on a working trip to Mexico.
The catwalk star, 33, was sunbathing topless by the pool at the Esencia Hotel in Cancun when she was photographed with the unnamed pal. At one point, the man, wearing just a pair of swimming trunks, lay on top of the semi-nude Moss while she chatted away on her mobile phone.
And the pictures are sure to anger rocker Hince, who stayed behind in Britain to work on his new album.
A witness tells British newspaper News of the World, “They were very playful and touchy-feely and seemed to be having a lot of fun.”
Moss has been dating Hince since September.
December 5th, 2007
Ann Taylor has launched a new fragrance Possibilities and Petra Nemcova is fronting the product.
“Petra is inspirational.”, notes Ann Taylor President, Adrienne Lazarus,”Her warmth, grace and courage, combined with her desire to make a meaningful difference in the world, really moved me. She is truly beautiful on the inside and out — and perfectly exemplifies the qualities of possibilities and the Ann Taylor brand.”
The products are available at Ann Taylor stores and website. I believe they picked the right supermodel for the face of their fragrance, Petra is beautiful and she has a great personality.
December 4th, 2007
Sophie Anderton has checked into rehab following allegations earlier this week that she took drugs and offered sex to an undercover newspaper reporter.
The 30-year-old model is said to be seeking professional help at The Priory in London to help her kick her drug habit once and for all.
In a statement released yesterday, Anderton’s parents Sue and John Deacon requested their daughter be allowed to seek help in private.
A family friend said: “She’s been screaming and crying down the phone, yelling, ‘It’s all over.’ Sophie is absolutely shattered. Everyone is terrified about her state of mind. Sue and John have been worried sick. But hopefully she is in the right place now.”
This is Anderton’s third attempt at rehab, after previously trying to deal with her drug demons in 1998 and 2003.
The video expose by the News Of The World alleged that the former Gossard lingerie model, offered sex for money and also asked the reporter if he wanted cocaine as she snorted the drug in front of him.
Anderton has since been sacked by bottled tanning firm Fake Bake, which paid her around €100,000 a year to be its face, following the allegations.
December 3rd, 2007
‘Fredrick’s of Hollywood’ supermodel and reality star Joanna Krupa talks to LA Direct about her upcoming TV show and her catty feud with Paris Hilton.
With all the attitude that Joanna Krupa and her younger sister Marta are spitting towards the Hilton sisters, we may be seeing a four-deep Hollywood cat fight going down in the near future.
“Paris tried to get me and my girlfriends kicked out of a club one night at a bar in Los Angeles about a year-and-a-half ago,” says Joanna. “We walked into the VIP section, and Paris walks in and starts screaming at us, ‘You don’t do that! Who do you think you are?’”
“Paris is crazy! What’s wrong with her? I’ve had no problem with Nikki Hilton,” says Marta, “but every time we would bump into Paris, she would always have a problem with us. I can still hear her screaming at us. She was jumping up and down like a little baby. She was almost crying. There were a lot of times that we bumped into her or Lindsey Lohan, and they are always so crabby.”
Joanna’s yet-to-be titled reality show should be hitting the airways soon, but in the meanwhile you can check her out in the December issue of LA Direct magazine.
December 2nd, 2007
When Israeli fashion model Hila Elmalich died last month after years of fighting anorexia, she weighed less than 60 pounds. Her death sent a shockwave through Israel’s fashion world.
Elmalich, who had been in and out of hospitals for several years, collapsed at home and died Wednesday of heart failure.
The Israeli fashion photographer and modeling agent Adi Barkan was her friend. He spent hours at her bedside over the years. “I don’t know how to feel, I don’t know what to say,” he told ABC News Monday. “It’s still too fresh.”
For the last three years Barkan has been campaigning against the fashion industry’s use of super thin models. He now refuses to use models whose body mass index is less than 19. The BMI is an internationally recognized measure of a person’s weight in relation to their height.
Barkan led the charge against the pressure on models to be ultra-thin, and in 2004 Israel became the first nation to pass laws requiring modeling agencies to hire only healthy models who have a body mass index — a measure of body fat — of 19 or above. That means that a 5′9″ woman would have to weigh at least 129 pounds.
Barkan is convinced from his own experience working in the industry that young models are under intense pressure to lose weight. “In Israel we lost several sizes in 10 years!” he said, “when I was shooting fashion 10 years ago models were size 38, now it’s 32 or 34.”
Two years ago ABC News visited Adi at his studio in Haifa where he was working on a sporting catalogue. The three teenage models on the set were clearly in good health. He had just judged a national modeling competition and was shocked at the number of teenage girls who were under weight.He is also campaigning internationally to change attitudes in the fashion world. “They say a lot but they did nothing yet, so let’s do it! Because from talking nothing will move,” he told ABC News.
Over two years ago Elmalich was admitted to hospital. Adi rushed to her bedside, along with a film crew that caught the harrowing pictures of Hila collapsing into his arms, unable to support her own weight. “When she fell down, I felt the bones going into my legs, like a knife. When she fell down, I felt like I took hold of something from the grave,” he added.
This experience and Hila’s sudden death last week have shocked her old friend. But he is determined to carry on with his campaign. Adi Barkan hopes this tragedy will provide the necessary momentum to finally change attitudes in the fashion industry. The issue of skinny models flared up across the globe last year with several high-profile incidents.
In August, 22-year-old Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos died during Fashion Week in Montevideo after reportedly surviving on lettuce and diet drinks.
A few months later, it happened again. Twenty-one-year-old Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston, who was 5′8″, was reported to have weighed just 88 pounds at the time — that’s a BMI of 13.5.
Spanish officials took action, requiring models to have a minimum BMI of 18 to participate in Madrid’s Fashion Week. Italy then ordered fashion officials to secure proof that the models they hire do not suffer from eating disorders.
In New York, the Council of Fashion Designers of America issued voluntary guidelines to raise awareness — urging designers to promote the message that beauty is health — but setting no minimum BMI requirement.
Officials in other key fashion capitals, London and Paris, did not act on the issue.
Designers say that clothes just look better on thin models and that the curves of more shapely models distract from the clothing they are showing off. They say rules and punishments would only stifle creativity.
Anorexia and bulimia, in particular, are complex diseases with physical, emotional and social roots. But a study by the British Medical Association confirmed the link between the images of “abnormally thin” models on TV and in magazines and the rise in anorexia and bulimia.
According to the Academy for Eating Disorders, 10 percent or more of late adolescent and adult women report symptoms of eating disorders at any one time. The AED says those who have such a powerful influence on the perception of beauty must take more responsibility.
December 1st, 2007
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