Spice Fashion Uncover

How to Become Fashion Model?

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:15:00 +0000

The problem with writing an article on "How to become a fashion model" is that you can't really become a model. Either you were born that way or you weren't. And if you were, somebody has probably already discovered you, in which case you don't need to read this. But if you happen to be one of those rare creatures that is 5'9" to 6' tall; not larger than a size 6; have perfect skin; between 14-20 years of age still; and un-discovered, we can give you some pointers on how to get started.

Finding Agencies

Most models are recruited by modeling scouts who roam around the country in a tireless search for fresh faces. Models are often discovered in shopping malls, schoolyards, clubs or other obvious places where young people hang out. If you fit the requirements, it's very likely that you will be noticed. You can also send pictures of yourself to an agency. At the end of the article you'll find the addresses of the top agencies in New York and Paris. You're better off sending a few simple photographs than trying to create an expensive portfolio. The simpler the photographs are, the better it is. An agency wants to see a natural face, not someone that's playing dress up and trying to strike supermodel poses. Another way to get signed is to go to agencies's open castings. Call the agencies's reception desks to find out when those are. Although some models have been discovered through model conventions, most schools and competitions is generally a waste of money. You shouldn't have to pay anybody to get access to an agency.

Career ?

Unless you already live in New York, Paris, or Milan, you will most likely have to move there after you've signed with an agency. They will find you an apartment and help you get settled with your new life. But the beginning of a modeling career is a very difficult time: "You need to have a strong character," says Helène Caroline Bodet who is a booker at Elite in Paris. "In the beginning many girls feels insecure and weak. They're far away from home and maybe they don't get any jobs at first." The agency will try to support you through difficult times: "We let them know that it's OK to cry in front of us and try to give them security and trust, but we can't take the place of a family," says Bodet. An agency can also not be there to protect you 24 hours a day. We all know the stories of young models that have been drugged and violated by people they met in clubs, or ripped off by scam artists who promised them the moon. "The fame and glamour of this business attracts a lot of sharks," says Bodet, "we always tell the models not to believe what anybody tells them and not to listen to anyone who promises them anything." Ambitious models stand a much better chance to be successful. Although it is of course exciting to be on your own in a big city and glamorous to hang in the VIP room at all the hippest night spots, you have to be disciplined and keep going to castings and show up to meetings on time. "The girls that never make it are the ones that don't take modeling as a real job," says Bodet.

Presenting yourself

Presenting yourself for clients is an important part of the job. "Many girls make the mistake of trying to look elegant and sophisticated, but they don't have the fashion knowledge to pull that off," says Bodet. "The client wants to see the natural beauty of the model. We try to teach them not to wear make up - except maybe a little blush - and just have clean hair and nice nails." She also recommends dressing simply - jeans and a t-shirt will do - and wear nice shoes with medium high heels. It is of course also extremely important to have a pleasant and professional attitude. However, don't to try too hard to be charming. Clients are generally more impressed by someone who has a take-it-or-leave-it attitude than someone who seems desperate to get the job.

Working with Camera

A large part of being photogenic is to love to be in front of a camera. To be a successful model you have to be a bit of an exhibitionist and enjoy having your picture taken. It is also important to remember that you need to be very relaxed about nudity. "The best models are the ones that really like the job and want to take part in the process," says photographer Dean Thunderwall who works for magazines like Arena, Mixte Mode, and Italian Glamour. "Some models really work with you on the picture, they come to the shoot prepared, they look up references beforehand and have suggestions and ideas. It's more fun to work with someone who doesn't look at the polaroids to check if she looks good, but does it to see the whole picture and try to make the story work." Like with anything else, it's important to find your own niche and know what you're good at. "Many models have found a certain "character" that works for them. Some are really good at looking pissed off, some are really good at being sexy, like Frankie Raider, and some just look really cool, like Kirsten Owen," says Thunderwall. The girls who know how to perform well in front of the camera are also the ones that are most likely to make a successful crossover into acting. Milla Jovovich is a good example of a model who has managed to bring her talent for expressing herself on photographs onto the big screen. She once confided to us that she always tries to "be as real as I possibly can." Perhaps that is the secret.

How to become Fashion Designer ?

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:02:00 +0000

You know you're destined to be a fashion designer if you: a) spent most of your childhood making clothes for your Barbie dolls instead of playing with your friends; b) read fashion magazines instead of your school books; c) ran a boutique out of your basement at age 10. In other words: if you want to be the next Yves Saint Laurent, it helps to be completely and utterly obsessed with fashion.

However, there are many aspects of the profession. Working as a fashion designer can just as well mean supervising a design team at a sportswear company as producing a label under your own name. Although the former career may not seem as glamorous as the latter, it certainly will make your life less stressful. To create your own label takes a lot of time, dedication and hard work. Not to mention living just above the poverty line for several years.

Choosing Stratergies

There are as many different ways to embark upon a fashion career as there are styles of design. Ralph Lauren's Polo empire was founded on a small tie collection that he sold to Bloomingdales. Helmut Lang decided to open his own clothing store when he couldn't find a t-shirt that he liked. Michael Kors built up a network of customers by selling clothes in a trendy NYC boutique. However, most people find that the best foundation for a design career is to get a fine arts degree in fashion at a prestigious school. Besides teaching you the craft, a good school will also add credibility to your resumé. "We live in a brandname society, and having the name of a good school behind you really does help," says Carol Mongo, Director of the Fashion Department at Parsons School of Design in Paris.

Apply to College

There are a lot of colleges that have fashion programs, but only a handful has the kind of reputation that can really push your career.It's hard to enter these schools as competition is high, and they tend to be very selective. You apply by sending a portfolio of drawings of your designs. "We can't teach you how to be creative – you have to bring your creativity to us and let us lead you on your way," says Carol Mongo. She recommends students to get some sewing experience before they apply. Drawing is also an important skill for a designer – it is the way you communicate your ideas. In order to build an impressive portfolio it's a good idea to have some experience in sketching; taking art classes will help you understand form and proportion. But you don't have to be an expert drawer to get accepted to a school. "The most important quality that we look for in our students is that they are truly passionate and exuberant about fashion," says Mongo. "If you have wonderful ideas but can't draw, there are always ways to get around it. You could for example put your designs on a mannequin and take pictures of it."

What school will u do for?

Most fashion programs are three to four years long. During that time you will take fine arts classes and study drawing, color composition and form. You will also learn pattern making, draping and cutting techniques. One of the most important advantages of design schools is that they work really closely with the industry. Parsons, for example, have "designer critic projects" where successful designers like Donna Karan and Michael Kors work directly with the graduating students. Ambitious students also have the chance to win prestigious awards and grants, which bring them a lot of attention as well as financial support. One very important event is the fashion show at the end of the last semester, when graduating students show their collections. A lot of important people from the fashion industry attend these shows to scout new talent. It's also an opportunity to be really outrageous and get noticed by the media. Hussein Chalayan, for example, became instantly infamous when he showed rotting clothes that he had buried in his backyard for his graduation show at Saint Martins.

Alternative ?

"Let's be realistic," says Carol Mongo at Parsons, "School's not for everyone. If you're just looking to get a job in the fashion industry – not a career as a designer – you probably don't need to go school." If you want to work as a seamstress or a patternmaker, the best thing is probably to apply for an internship at a fashion house and work your way up. However, there are many examples of famous designers who started out as interns with no formal training. For example, Dior's brightest new star, men's wear designer Hedi Slimane, had a degree in journalism when he started working with men's wear designer José Levy. Balenciaga's Nicolas Ghesquière is another example of a brilliantly successful designer who learned the jobs hands-on, as an assistant at Jean-Paul Gaultier. Usually, you apply for an internship by sending a portfolio to a fashion house you're interested in. But it's a good idea to call them up beforehand to see exactly what they need. It's also important to note that competition is fierce, and unless you have personal connections, it's very difficult to get an internship without an education.

There are also designers, like Luella Bartley, who started their own business after working as stylists for several years, thus building an industry network as well as a good marketing sense.

Business mind

Unfortunately, it's not enough for a designer to be creative; you also have to have some business sense. As fashion gets more and more corporate driven, it's important to be aware of the business climate and understanding the mechanics behind it. By religiously reading trade papers like "Women's Wear Daily" you will get a lot of valuable information. If you want to run your own company, you need to be extremely organized and learn at least the basics of economics. A lot of fashion schools are currently increasing business classes in their curriculum. "Our students have to be smart enough to know how to negotiate a contract, or to pick a business partner," says Carol Mongo. It's perhaps telling that many of the designers that are really successful today, like Calvin Klein or Tom Ford, are involved in every aspect of the business – from licensing strategies to ad campaigns to actually designing the clothes.

Fashion History

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Fashion design is generally considered to have started in the 19th century with Charles Frederick Worthwho was the first designer to have his label sewn into the garments that he created. Before the formerdraper set up his maison couture (fashion house) in Paris, clothing design and creation was handled by largely anonymous seamstresses, and high fashion descended from that worn at royal courts. Worth's success was such that he was able to dictate to his customers what they should wear, instead of following their lead as earlier dressmakers had done. The term couturier was in fact first created in order to describe him. While all articles of clothing from any time period are studied by academics as costume design, only clothing created after 1858 could be considered as fashion design.

It was during this period that many design houses began to hire artists to sketch or paint designs for garments. The images were shown to clients, which was much cheaper than producing an actual sample garment in the workroom. If the client liked their design, they ordered it and the resulting garment made money for the house. Thus, the tradition of designers sketching out garment designs instead of presenting completed garments on models to customers began as an economy.

Cat Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:19:00 +0000

Catwalk floor is a narrow, usually elevated platform used by models to demonstrate clothing and accessories during a fashion show. The term probably derived from catwalks that connect adjacent buildings. The term may also be derived from a more literal meaning, as models on the catwalk often use a walk which is like that of a cat, placing one foot directly in front of the other to produce an alluring swagger in which the hips take on a more exaggerated movement. In fashion jargon, "what's on the catwalk" or similar phrasing can refer to whatever is new and popular in fashion.

A catwalk is also known as a runway, especially when it is not elevated. This form has been used in such instances as the title of the television series Project Runway.

Catwalk conditions

Many haute couture fashion brands such as Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, and Louis Vuitton have been accused of exposing models to dangerous and harmful conditions on the catwalk, noting that some catwalks stretch up to 45 meters long and make it impossible for models to stay upright with a combination of extremely high heels and a slippery catwalk.[citation needed] Some catwalks are made from fake grass, plastic and PBC materials.

Documentary

Catwalk, a documentary covering life on the fashion runways, was filmed in 1993 by director Robert Leacock and premiered in 1996. The film followed models Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Yasmin Le Bon, Kate Moss, and Carla Bruni as they jetted around London, Milan, Paris, and New York during Spring Fashion Week, including behind-the-scenes footage. The film was shot in black and white and color, and featured many top designers at work, like a young John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, and Gianni Versace four years before his death.

Indian Fashion Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:12:00 +0000

India

Manish Arora

Manish Malhotra

Muzaffar Ali

Reena Dhaka

Ritu Kumar

Rohit Bal

Rohit Khosla

Ritu Beri

Satya Paul

Tarun Tahiliani

Wendell Rodricks

Chitkala doshi

Parvathi Omanakuttan

How To Look Taller For Men And Women

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:01:00 +0000

LOOK TALLER SECRETS

Good posture provides many physical and psychological benefits. It is an important component for back health and height increase. Good posture helps maximise your height not just because of the obvious reason that you aresitting and standing tall rather than slouching and slumping, but for other structural and physiological reasons as

well.

The pelvis acts as a lever and directly influences our posture and stature. When the pelvis is carried too far forward, the condition is termed a Milted Pelvis. This condition directly robs you of extra height and is generally the result of a person with lack of stomach muscles and who usually has a large stomach.

Over time, gravity will take a toll on the body and cause spinal disc degeneration, muscle loss, and force the body to slump or slouch. By maintaining proper postural alignment you can significantly reduce the negative effects of aging as well as promote growth.

By consciously trying to stand straight and walk tall at all times, you can start to improve your posture and strengthen the relevant muscles to relieve unnecessary stress and compression on your discs. As a result, your height is maximised.

One very basic way to improve your posture is by leaning against a wall. Keep your head, shoulder blades,buttocks and heels in contact with the wall. At the same time, use your muscles to pull back your neck, waist and knees to minimise the space between your body and the wall. There should be only slight gaps.

HOW TO LOOK TALLER

Standing

1. Rest one foot on a low stool or box. Having one leg higher that the other straightens the small of the back and relieves a swayback tendency.

2. If you are carrying a heavy load, shift the weight from one side to the other to reduce stress and strain on one side of the body and also to inhibit any tendency of scoliosis.

3. Avoid wearing shoes with heel lifts. In the long run, these shoes reduce your height as heels tend to tilt your pelvis forward and creates an exaggerated curvature of the lower back that reduces height. It also puts pressure on your discs and strains your lower back.

Rest one foot on a prop Sitting

1. Sit in a chair that provides firm and high back support.

2. Sit in a chair that allows your knees to be slightly higher than your hips, while your feet stays flat on the

floor. You may place a stool or box under your feet to achieve the correct position.

3. Avoid sitting in soft chairs or sofas. If you do not have a choice, support your lower back with a small pillow.

4. Even with proper sitting posture, it is important to get up, stretch, and move around approximately 25 minutes or so.

Lying Down

1. Sleep on a firm mattress.

2. The best position to sleep is flat on your back with a small pillow supporting your neck or one or two pillows under your knees. This balanced position lengthens and relaxes the back muscles.

3. The second best position to sleep is on your side with hips and knees bent. A pillow should be placed between the knees to prevent twisting of the back and promote better alignment of the spine.

4. Do not sleep flat on your back with your legs straight as it promotes back spasms and increases sway back posture.

5. Do not sleep on your stomach. This arches the back and stresses the lower back. If you want to sleep on your stomach, place a pillow under your waist and bend one knee toward the pillow to prevent your lower back from arching. Do not use a pillow for your head.

HOW TO LOOK TALLER

Good posture when sleeping on your side Bending and lifting

1. When lifting an object, keep your back straight as you bend your knees and lower yourself to pick up the object.

2. Avoid bending from the waist with straight legs.

3. Place your feet wide apart, one foot slightly ahead of the other, for balance and support.

4. Do not twist your back when lifting.

5. Do not attempt to lift something too heavy. Get assistance from someone else.

6. Keep the object as close to your body as possible. The further an object is from the body, the more strain there is on the back discs, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

Proper lifting and bending technique

Yoga exercises like the cobra, locust, bow and downward and upward facing boat engage the muscles srequired to improve your balance, lengthen the body and strengthen the back.

Appearance

By cleverly organising the visual elements of clothes and their design, you can manipulate the way your body is perceived and make yourself appear taller. To beat up your height disadvantages when you are on a job interview or a romantic date, follow these tips:

Hair style

Have the hair style that makes you appear taller. In order to appear taller, a hair style should be thin at the sides and higher up top, which can make you appear as much as an inch taller. Do not have any wide hair style.

Also, a bald head can makes a person appear shorter.

HOW TO LOOK TALLER

Clothes

· Avoid clothes with horizontal lines. Belts are horizontal so make sure you conceal it in your clothes.Avoid clothes with a tartan or checked pattern. Avoid cuffs that makes your legs appear shorter.

· Wear clothes with vertical lines or striping. Vertical lines or stripping make a person appear thinner,and thinness in turn gives impression of more height.

· Avoid wearing sharply contrasting clothes and pants together, these will easily expose the real length of your legs and make you look shorter.

· Wear clothes with shoulder pads. Shoulder pads make your shoulders appear broader and your whole body slender.

· Wear shoes that will make you appear taller. If you are a female, this should be easy since you can find a lot of female shoes with 2 or 3 inches’ heels. For males, wear shoes with thick soles to add the illusion of height.

· Avoid clothes that are made from heavy and bulky fabric. They add width and hence shorten the image visually.

· Wear cuffless pants to make the legs look longer.

· Wear a coat or jacket that is of the perfect length. They should end where the buttocks meet the legs.

Colour

· Match your pants' colour with your shoes colour to make the legs look longer.

· Lengthen your upper torso by wearing a belt that matches your top.

· Dark colours such as black, navy blue, and charcoal grey projects power and competency. Lighter colours make you appear more approachable. If you want a commanding and confident image, try wearing dark colours.

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:39:00 +0000

5 Tips for a Great Fashion Fit For Women
by: Donna Monday
Ladies, have you ever been in a department store dressing room and talked yourself into buying an outfit that looked great – on someone else?

Face it. If it doesn’t fit right in the dressing room, it won’t fit well or look good when you wear it out in public. Here are five quick and easy tips to remember when buying clothes that look good and fit well on your body type.

Tip #1 – Stick to a Color Theme

Wear the same color from head to toe. This will create the illusion of a long lean line. Neutral colors work best for this effect: black, brown, camel or cream. (Note: add a splash of color with a jacket or wrap)

Tip #2 – Wear Your Correct Size

Dress in the size you are – not the size you want to be. In spite of what you might believe, wearing clothes that are too tight or too big will make you look LARGER.

Tip #3 – Be Aware of Flattering Fabrics

You want to wear fabrics that skim your curves instead of cling to them. Fabrics should drape your body and make you look good, not lumpy.

Tip #4 – Best Pants to Wear

The most flattering pants to wear for all body types have a flat front, fall just below the navel (not hip huggers), and flare slightly at the bottom.

Tip #5 – Best Skirt to Wear

The most flattering skirts to wear for all body types gets a perfect grade of “A”. The A-line skirt looks good on everybody and is great for hiding figure flaws.

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:39:00 +0000

5 Great New Fashion Trends for Women
by: Donna Monday
Here’s a quick look at some of the new trends in women’s fashion. The overall trend is chick and ladylike. Liven up your wardrobe by adding a few of these pieces.

Brooches

Your great grandmother probably wore these in her day. Now brooches have made a stunning come back. The most popular brooches you’ll see are large and flowery, with that vintage look. They look great with any kind of jacket.

Camisoles

Wearing a pretty camisole under a suit jacket is very chic and adds the perfect touch of feminine glamour to your work wardrobe. You can also pair a camisole with a pair of jeans with heels for a sexy casual look.

Cropped and Fitted Jackets

Jackets and blazers are more popular than ever and go with a variety of outfits. The new fitted style shows off your curves. Fringe is also another accent popping up on boucle blazers. Lots of new color options will give you more ways to mix and match.

noreply@blogger.com (Gonbravo) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:38:00 +0000

5 Quick Tips for Great Holiday Hair and Makeup

For Women by: Donna Monday
This holiday season you might say that old fashioned glitter and glamour is back. The online beauty tips web site http://www.1-minute-beauty-diva.com has snooped out what’s hot this season: a modernized version of the old Hollywood glamour look.

Holiday Hair and Makeup Trend #1: Healthy Bronzed Skin
It may be cold and snowy out but you’ll look like you just flew in from sunny California. Achieve the look with a tinted moisturizer or bronzing powder.

Holiday Hair and Makeup Trend #2: Sparkling Eyes
Forget twinkle toes. Make your eyes the center of attention with a little sparkle. Achieve the look with glitter eye shadow and eye liner, optional: apply jeweled false eyelashes.

Holiday Hair and Makeup Trend #3: Glossy Lips
Plain lips become beautiful lips that look moist and dreamy with the right shade and lots of shine. Achieve the look with shiny lipstick in shades of pink or plum, or use a non-color gloss over a subtle shade of lipstick.

Holiday Hair and Makeup Trend #4: Upswept Hair and Loose Waves
A casual upswept do adds a bit of sophistication to your holiday look. Achieve the look by sectioning hair into two parts--below and above the ear. Twist and pin the bottom section into a tight bun. Sweep the top half back and tease out individual strands of hair. Loose waves bring back the 1930s era with style. Achieve the look with a large barrel curling iron.

Holiday Hair and Makeup Trend #5: Glitter Nails
All that glitters is golden for nails this season. Glitter adds the perfect finishing touch to beautifully manicured hands. Achieve the look with tinted or clear glitter nail polish. Or, add jeweled rhinestones to polished nails.