Image courtesy of ANI News
Who says you must be over 5`9 and under the age of 21 to get signed by a major model management company? Well, if you are Amanda Gorman, none of those things apply.
If you don’t know Amanda Gorman, you should!! Gorman gave the inspiring inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb” at the recent Presidential Inauguration. (“The Hill We Climb” has made Gorman a best-selling author with 3.1 million followers on Instagram.)
With the immediate popularity that has ensued from her poem, Gorman will be known for more than her poetic abilities. Gorman recently signed with IMG Models, home to supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge, and Carolyn Murphy.
Who do you imagine Amanda becoming a brand ambassador for or gracing their runway show? That said, the Prada headband she wore at the Presidential Inauguration sold out almost immediately!!
Image courtesy of TAG Heuer
Naomi Osaka gets more fashionable
Grand slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka has some new gigs!! The 22-year old tennis star has signed on as brand ambassador for TAG Heuer and Louis Vuitton.
As reported on fashionweekdaily.com, Osaka detailed her familiarity with TAG Heurer and why she is excited to be working with the brand. “We have a lot in common—high precision, high performance of course—but I really relate to being innovative and forward thinking. I’m also passionate about style and fashion, so I want my watch to match my outfit and just look really good in general. I love just looking at a watch and being inspired by it for my whole outfit. In that sense I like statement pieces but also more versatile and neutral ones, so I’m quite easy to please. At the moment, I’m using the Connected Watch a lot during my workouts, I Iove the app and the interchangeable colored straps I can match to my outfits. And if I need something less sporty, I’ll wear an Aquaracer, very elegant but still assertive.”
Naomi Osaka was on the cover of the January issue of Vogue US. “Words can’t describe how honored I was [being on the cover of Vogue US]. It was really a dream. Growing up looking at my idols on the cover and now being able to be in their position is crazy to me. I am super grateful.”
Image courtesy of fashionista.com
Virtual fashion weeks “interlude”
You must be in hibernation if you are not aware of the fact that most global fashion weeks have adopted a virtual format. The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated this format adaptation. That said, French Fashion and Haute Couture Federation Executive President Pascal Morand contend that this new reality is only “an interlude.”
On fashionnetwork.com, Pascal Morand detailed his opinion of the current state of French fashion weeks. “We’ve fully plunged into the 21st century. In yesterday’s world, digital was a complement to physical, now it’s the opposite. Across all market segments, the share of e-tail sales has grown from 13% to 25%,” explains Morand.
When it comes to the future of runway shows, Morand concludes, “when normal life will resume, we will need to reconsider how to stage catwalk shows, how to create physical events with a digital complement. If everyone drops out of the system, everyone loses out. In the current situation, it’s good that there are safeguards, elements of credibility. The official calendar has always been a democratizing factor. Everyone on it enjoys equal standing, both major labels and those that have recently joined, despite the huge difference in revenue and reputation.”
Morand feels that audiences are crucial to the success of digital or live fashion weeks. “And audiences are a way of channeling influence, of communicating, they breathe life into events. They also have an impact on the digital dimension because show guests disseminate information.”
Image courtesy of yahoofinance.com
Fashionable soldiers
Female soldiers in the US are getting more fashionable. On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that female soldiers can now grow their hair longer and in different styles, wear earrings and paint their nails.
There has been a push for some time for female soldiers to wear different hair styles. This new ruling allows African American female soldiers to wear their hair in braids or twists. Though this new ruling expands length and different hair styles, female soldiers’ hair still must fit under their helmets. Additionally, female soldiers that want to shave their heads are now permitted to do so.
This new ruling allows female soldiers to color their nails and wear lipstick and earrings, but not in extreme colors—blue, black, “fire-engine red,” violet and fluorescent. Earring must be in a stud form but cannot be worn during combat.
The changes are the result of a review launched last year under previous defense secretary Mark Esper. This review was a part of an examination of racial discrimination and mistreatment of minorities in the military.
—William S. Gooch
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