Julia Stegner (date unknown)

She's a control freak and someone who always has to think first "what would be if...". Thats why it's not astonishing, that todays Topmodel Julia Stegner had to finish her school first after her discovery through the agency "Louisa" at the munich oktoberfest . A matured decison for a 15-year old. Only 4 years later Julia tried her luck in Paris during the summer holidays: just after a few weeks she adorned the cover of the french ELLE and had been photographed by Steven Meisel for the Italian Vogue. The bavarian girl turned into the star of the runways and had been booked for campaigns such as YSL and Boss. Now the 21-year old is living in New York and is one of the desired faces of the scene.

You've just been on the fashion shows in New York, Milan and Paris again. Do u still enjoy the turbulences?

I find it wonderful at the moment. I can travel, meet the most different people and earn well. The job nerves certainly in stressful phases, for example when I just can sleep a few hours - as probably any other job does.

How many shows do you do a day?

Luckily i can also say no from time to time now. at the beginning of my career I did 6 jobs a day 4 weeks long. Afterwards you felt as limp as a rag. Walking over the runway isnt that stressful at all. But the preparations are hard: the fittings that mostly are taking place at night, and the styling. The constant hair washing, drying, back-combing, make-up and removing it is straining alot. Sometimes the skin is really sored and burning enormous.

That doesnt sound very glamourous...

The most models are working very hard and dont enjoy such extravagant lifestyle as Cindy, Linda or Naomi did. That was a complete different era, where the girls run over the red carpet with their boyfriends and became celebrities. Any time in the mid-ninties, the actresses reconquered their status as Glamouricons. Since then they wear High Fashion, busy the stylist and make the red carpet into a runway. Now the Designers enlist Hollywood-Celebrities for their campaigns more often. There's less work for models.

Did models and actresses changed their image?

If its about naturalness and relaxeness surely. In the past you got to see much more shots from careless dressed Hollywood-Celebs and extremely well-dressed Supermodels. Now we sit on the floor with Jeans and a T-shirt before the shows and play at cards or talking. But I also know all the other stories from earlier with lots of drama and drugs. I could never take drugs, because i would be afraid of not looking good anymore and that I cant work reliably.

What do you think of Kate Moss?

Without wanting to play down her consume, I have to say that I think that the press is overdoing it a lot without knowing the background. I met her once with her daughter on St. Barth and I think she is a very nice women and a lovely mum. Probably she lives more exaggerated as most think. Could she otherwise look so fresh with 30 and be there for a child?

How do you personally handle the public interest in you?

Carefully, also when theres not much to tell about me. As I began I told about my boyfriend at that time - a politician from Munich. Meanwhile were splitted. My new boyfriend is an assistent of a Photographer and is living in New York - and thats all I wanna say.

Who do you meet when youre going out?

For example my best friend Luca Gadjus, also a very successful german model in New York. When I am in Munich I am looking forward to my old junto. We're playing basketball and eating pizza like in older days. The most imagine that I am meeting famous persons all the time. Once I've got ot know P.Diddy in a club and he asked "Hey, how ya doing?". And I answered "Good thanks! And you?" That was our meeting. I am not a big networker or party girl. Sometimes I wish I wouldnt be that well-behaved. But what am I supposed to do? I cant get out of my skin, right?

Why should you so? Youre life's gonna be perfect!

Destiny is good to me, but I always have to call everything into question - since ever. I am to sceptical and always afraid something could go wrong. Besides it drives me around the bend that it comes to modelling-orders from one second to the other and so you can't plan anything, Chaotic persons can handle that better than a controlfreak such as I am.

Do you feel to be at the mercy of beauty?

In some degree yes, because i am dependent on others opinions, if they like me the way I am. If someone says "Julia is a classical beauty" I dont take it unconditionally as a compliment. You have to seem surprisefull and exciting. Indeed I am convertable with styling but certainly could never dye my hair because i am allergic to the products. Thats why I am happy to have a sloping mouth atleast - my trade mark.

Are you proud of your success?

I am very grateful. Its easier for me to be proud of someone else, for example of my father. He succeeded to become an inquired manager with a junior high school finish. Or of my sister, the youngest production manager of the history of the UFA.

Hilary Rhoda (2006)

Hilary comments on 10 of the fall 06 shows she was in:


1."The Lacoste show was really fun, but my boots were about two
sizes too small for me. It was pretty painful."

2."The leather jacket that I wore for Proenza Schouler was my favorite piece in the whole collection. It was so sleek and cool. I loved wearing it."

3."The Ralph Lauren show was on the last day of New York Fashion Week and I was so tired that I overslept! Can you tell that I just woke up?"

4."It's almost easier to keep in touch with family and friends because of the downtime before the actual show begins. While I'm getting my hair done I can send a quick text or email."

5."The only time I got really nervous was opening Balenciaga. The whole time I was praying that I wouldn't fall in those platforms."

6."I love getting my hair done (like here at the Rochas show) because the stylists are so good at making you look fabulous. But the downside is trying to recapture the look yourself—it never works out."

7."It's pretty chaotic backstage, but that's what I love about modeling. Here at Giambattista Valli, someone's trying to squeeze my foot in a shoe while another person is putting lotion on my arm."

8."At Chanel they had a sign telling us to perk up, have fun, and smile for the cameras. Most of the time designers want you to look serious, but I prefer smiling."

9."For this look at Chloé, they wanted me to walk "young and fresh". It was easy with the cute little jumpsuit and really cool platforms."

10."Right before we stepped onto the runway at Louis Vuitton they shoved these huge hats down on our eyes. It was a good thing that it covered half of my face because I got really sick the day of the show."

Micheal Levaton, President of Metropolitan Model Agency

Mr Levaton how did you become a general manager of a model agency?
ML:There is no such thing as an early drive or motivation. After spending 15 years as a customer of model agencies, through a coture houseI was in charge of, this new career turned out to be a natural continuation of my old job, in an environment that has always been very familiar to me.

Why Metropolitan?
ML: When we first started in 1986, model agencies were not at all what they have become today. In the 80's, business was neat and friendly, but not particularly suited to the market's demands. Girls ended up modelling for the social status attached to it, rather than out of finicial need.
The concept of Metropolitan was to stick much more closely to what customers wanted, notably by innovating and imposing girls that did not necessarily meet the beauty standards of the time.

Were the early days tough?
ML: We first started in very small premises, with only four girls! Of course, at that time we had very little financial means, but lots of amibition.

And what about today?
ML:Today Metropolitan is a well renowed agency on a worldwide basis. We work around the globe through affilitates and representatives, and we actively manage the career of approximately 350 models.

What types of girls are you looking for?
ML: The ones we don't have yet! I look around for a more unusual type of beauty, one that has not been widely broadcast by the media.

'Why fashionistas wear sunglasses indoors' (Sept, 2006)

Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, famously keeps her sunglasses on while striding through the lobby of Bryant Park's tent complex and then while taking in the shows. It goes well with her aura, and no one is going to call her out on it: Who does she think she is? One supposes she thinks she's the editor of Vogue.

But what about Fashion Week's lesser presences? How skilled are they at justifying the dark lenses that hide their eyes from view?

Name? Dani Stahl
What brings you here? Accessories director at Nylon magazine.
What kind of sunglasses are those? Marc Jacobs
Why are you wearing them inside? " 'Cause I'm tired."

Name? Nicole Albano
What brings you here? "Fabulousness."
What kind of sunglasses are those? In a hush: "They're from Chinatown."
Why are you wearing them inside? "It completes the look."

Name? Emmaline Ranzman
What brings you here? Works for StarStyle.com; "We link consumers to products on TV."
What kind of sunglasses are those? Bottega Veneta
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because the lights are really bright, so really it helps me get a better sense of the clothes."

Name? "You can say Mike."
What bring you here? "I work for a freelance company that helps out with the event."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "I normally wear Maui Jim … This is brandless."
Why are you wearing them inside? "I'm an optimist."

Name? Lauren Wyse
What brings you here? "I do international licensing."
What kind of sunglasses are those? J. Lo
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because I have a prescription."

Name? Starr Micheli
What brings you here? "I'm an advertising and marketing spokesmodel."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "You can't see what they are?" Indeed, on the stems, it reads, "FERRE."
Why are you wearing them inside? " 'Cause I don't want nobody to see me. Why, you got a problem?"

Name? Tamara Ericson
What brings you here? "We do, like, production—fashion shows, music, dance, the whole nine."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "Not anything special."
Why are you wearing them inside? "I have no idea. I don't even need to, actually." Removes glasses. "I'm not tryin' to be too cool."

Name? Atoosa Rubenstein
What brings you here? Editor in chief of Seventeen.
What kind of sunglasses are those? Chanel
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because I'm about to go outside. I'm being an urban warrior."