Milla Jovovich and Paul Anderson Wed…

Actress/Model Milla Jovovich and Paul; Anderson tied the knot at an outdoor ceremony in Beverly Hills over the weekend. Milla designed her own dress and looked beautiful as she walked down the aisle in the couple’s own back garden.

Only 50 people attended the gathering, which saw the couple marry with their 20 month old daughter Ever Gabo by their sides.

Milla is reported to want a large family, telling the press ““I definitely want more kids! I grew up as an only child, so I’ve always wanted to have a big family. I don’t know what the future will hold, but knock on wood, I hope it’ll bring me a big family.”

The Umbrella Shoulder Holder

Umbrellas have always annoyed me a bit, and I’ve only recently started using them.. It annoys me that once you’ve got to your destination you’re left with a soaking wet umbrella that ends up making everything else wet. It annoys me even more that when you’re using one you’re only left with hand to do everything else

However, I’ve just found an ingenious invention that helps the latter problem: The Umbrella Shoulder Holder. You attach your umbrella to one end and wrap it around your shoulder, leaving both hands free to carry your shopping, use your phone or root through your bag trying to find change for the bus. Or, you might just be feeling a bit lazy.

This is probably one of the best inventions I’ve come across recently, so simple yet so practical! I say practical but I’m not sure how the device would cope on windy days. I think this could be a ‘you either love it or hate it’ design, what do you think?

The Umbrella Shoulder Holder is available on Amazon Japan and costs about $26.

Make your pet a model with Models Direct!

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the modelling industry is only open to female who are under 25 with legs up to their ears, but the reality is that models of all ages, shapes, sizes, ethnicity and personality are constantly required for commercial modelling campaigns for big names such as Asda, BHS and Playstation.

But in fact, it’s not even just people who are needed. There’s a lucrative and lively market for animal models, pets in particular, for a range of products – from dog food tins to scratching posts to services offered by pet behaviour agencies.

Here at Models Direct, the UK’s leading modelling agency, we have a variety of animals on our books – from household favourites like cats and dogs to much more multi-coloured reptiles!

If you think your feline friend could be the next Felix or Whiskas tabby, or if you can see your lovely pup on the packaging of an earth-shattering new toilet roll brand, it’s worth submitting an application to see what we think.

If your pet’s anything like my naughty kitty though, the last thing needed is the ego-boost that would inevitably come from a ‘cat’-walk career!

Dannii Minogue’s Man Lands Modelling Contract

The Sun newspaper reported yesterday that Kris Smith, the 31-year-old rugby player boyfriend of Dannii Minogue, has signed contracts with a major Australian fashion chain.

Kris has modelled only once before but will now be the face of fashion superstore Myer, as well as modelling in their Spring/Summer Collection catwalk shows in Sydney later this week.

Dannii is reportedly thrilled for Kris, and will be flying back to watch him in the catwalk shows. Awww!

Models Direct Loves Snoods

Autumn is approaching quickly and I must admit I’m quite looking forward to donning the woolly jumpers!

Could this be the must have autumn/winter item?

The snood has changed forms over the years; originally it was what we now know as hairnets. The modern snood is the cosy looking combination between a scarf and a hood. As a tube of material it can be worn around the neck as just a scarf, or pulled up over your head to act as a hood or hat as well.

The style has been floating around the catwalks for a while and has recently been seen in Burberry (above) and Missoni collections. Apparently they’re pretty hard to find in the high street shops yet but I’m hoping they’ll be available soon.

In the meanwhile you could always do a Little Edie Beale and wear an upside down jumper over your head.

Another thing, I’m not a huge fan of the name and so I’m (unsuccessfully) trying to think of other word combinations that could be used…


And if you don’t want one for yourself you could always get one for your dog!
This one is $36.00 from COZYHORSE on Etsy.

Some Advice From Models Direct - How To Get The Perfect Portrait

If you’re thinking of applying to be a model be aware that you don’t have to spend loads of money on having a photoshoot, genuine agencies won’t demand that you have professional photographs. When people apply to be a model with us, we ask for a few test-shots including headshots and full length photos which can be taken at home.

So, how can you get the best photos?

Make sure the location is well-lit, if it’s sunny make the most of it and have some taken outside.

Avoid cluttered backgrounds that could draw attention away from you, the photos will look more professional with a simple background. Also, stick to plain coloured clothes and avoid wearing a hat. Remember we want to see pictures of you.

Make sure you have fun! Get some photos of you smiling as well as more posed shots and let your character shine through. We want to see you looking relaxed and happy.

Practice different facial expressions in a mirror by making different sounds such as ‘mmm’, ‘mee’ and ‘haa’. Ok, you might feel a bit silly (especially if someone catches you doing it!) but it will help.

One final point, if you are looking for work as a model with an agency, and are able to, make sure you update your photos regularly so clients can see up-to-date photos, you might be exactly what they’re looking for!

You can find some more tips for achieving the perfect photos here.

Kate Moss to appear on X Factor

Kate Moss has apparently been offered £50,000 to appear as a judge for one episode of the X Factor.

Despite her friendship with new business associate Simon Cowell, the model will be helping Louis Walsh select the groups that will go through to the final. She met him through a charity event earlier in the year and will be jetting off with him to Italy to make the selection.

Ok, so Kate Moss is apparently a huge fan of the show, and has obviously built up friendships with the other judges but does this mean she’s qualified to help choose the finalists? I suppose she did date a rockstar…

One response to an article about this in the Sun newspaper made me laugh, and it pretty much summed up my thoughts: “my neighbour has spent her life around doctors in her hospital cleaning job, but she would say she could perform operations.”

Nicole Richie’s Design Career Just Keeps Going!

Nicole Richie’s design career is showing no signs of slowing down despite being heavily pregnant, as she sets out to design a line of clothes and shoes for a spring 2010 launch!

The Models Direct girls are curious as to what the new collection will consist of but no hint has been revealed so far.

For now we will have to be satisfied with her ‘A Pea In The Pod’ maternity line and a second line of ‘House Of Harlow’ custom jewellery due in November, what a busy lady!

Lily Allen’s Change in Attitude

Given Lily Allen’s drastic weight loss and recent contracts with Chanel (BLOG), it’s hard to imagine that this London diva was concerned primarily with fears of superficial celebrity life in January.

‘The Fear’, the lead single from her latest album ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’, directly refers to ideas about the expectations of celebrities, and particularly women, in society today.

“Now everything’s cool as long as I’m getting thinner,” she muses in the song. Dropping from a size 12 to a size 8 in a matter of months to prepare for her Breakfast At Tiffany’s-esque Chanel photoshoots is certainly an indication that she’s adhering to this standard now.

I think it’s a real shame – we need more ‘real’ women out there. At just 5’ 3”, Lily Allen wasn’t exactly out of proportion at size 12…

Katie Holmes’ New Clothing Range

Katie Holmes is following in the footsteps of friend Victoria Beckham and is getting ready to launch her hotly anticipated new women’s and children’s clothing lines.

I’ve been a big fan of Katie since her Dawson’s Creek days (although it did go down a bit when she married Tom) and I’m intrigued to see what the collections are like. She often gets a lot of criticism for her outfits; with lots of people stating that her daughter Suri is better dressed than her. This probably explains why people are so interested in her children’s line!

Katie designed the collection with the help of her stylist Jeanne Yang, and it has apparently been inspired by Suri’s quirky style and Jeanne’s two children. The Holmes & Yang collection will only be available in the designer boutique Maxfield in Los Angeles to start off with.

I’m expecting this to cause conflict with Victoria Beckham, and I’m wondering who (if either) is more likely to make it the ruthless fashion industry?


Katie Holmes modelling for Miu Miu

Trend Alert - Brogues!

It seems the ‘borrowed from the boys’ trend is present right down to your shoes this season with the new A-list alternative to ballet pumps and loafers, it’s brogues!

The look is being worn by celebs such as Madonna, Peaches Geldof, Heidi Klum and teen fashionista Emma Watson, to name a few. You can pair brogues with anything from a pretty dress to a pair of rolled hem jeans and here’s where to get yours, courtesy of Elle UK.

Lady Gaga gets Naked for ‘Out’ Mag

Lady Gaga will appear naked on the cover of ‘Out’ Magazine in September, following a ‘50’s B horror movie’ themed shoot with photographer Ellen Von Unwerth. The images are her most revealing yet and in an exclusive cover story she talks about her rise to fame and what it is like to live her life today.

If you are a Lady Gaga fan, it may also interest you to know that she has also been added to the list of performers for MTV's 2009 Video Music Awards, having been nominated for a total of nine awards, including Video of the Year & Best New Artist. The awards air live, from NYC on September 13th at 9pm.

Katie Melua's New Modelling Campaign

Another musician is crossing over into the world of modelling, Katie Melua.

She has been announced as the new face of Eric Bompard’s upcoming collection, which launches on August 24th. I hadn’t actually heard of him, but apparently he’s France’s finest cashmere designer. The photos have been taken in a recording studio setting, with Katie posing around guitars and a piano wearing the cashmere separates.

High quality cashmere and beautiful guitars, I’m a bit jealous!

Angelina Jolie sculpture

An artist named Daniel Edwards has unveiled a life-sized sculpture of Angelina Jolie. The sculpture shows the Hollywood starlet breastfeeding twins and has been created to display at the upcoming World Breastfeeding Week.
Edwards has said he intends for the sculpture to encourage more women to breastfeed publicly. The artwork is said to have been inspired by a photograph of Angelina Jolie taken by husband Brad Pitt and featured on the cover of W Magazine. The photograph showed her breastfeeding one of her twins.
This is definitely one of the oddest sculptures I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a good few sculptures all over the world), and I certainly don’t think it would encourage me to breastfeed…
What do you think? Arty or just plain creepy – and where should the artistic line be drawn?

Funky Junk

Whilst browsing through the Guardian ‘life&style’ section last week, I came across this article and I wondered how our fashionistas out there felt about the featured company, 'Junky Styling'?

Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager launched the label in 1997 and they have since shown their sustainable, ethical and recycled fashion collections at London and Paris fashion week.

Their style is very quirky and they have recently released a book which includes instructions on how to reconstruct your wardrobe …and also how to make this rather unusual women’s wide necked top, out of a pair of trousers!

Now I must say that personally the thought of wearing the old crotch of a pair of trousers on my chest is slightly off putting in terms of this particular design.

However, I am all for sustainable, ethical fashion. Would you give recycling your clothes a go with the help of a book like this?

If you’re into unique and slightly off the wall clothing design then you can buy the ‘Junky Styling’ book here

Fashion-focused new drama on BBC1

The BBC has revealed details of ‘Material Girl’, a much-anticipated new TV series that will start showing later in the year. The series will star ‘Sugar Rush’ actress Leonora Crichlow and ‘Ballykissangel’ actress Dervla Kirwan.

Set on London’s Brick Lane and based on Imogen Edwards-Jones’s novel ‘Fashion Bablyon’, the romantic comedy series tells the story of a talented young fashion designer who comes to rival a more established designer and decides she’ll do anything to make her new rival fail!

With involvement from the producers and directors of hits such as ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’, ‘Primeval’ and ‘Mistresses’, the show is expected to be received well by BBC fans.

The Managing Director of Carnival Film & Television, the company which is producing the show, says that viewers can expect “all the glamour and colour of the fashion world alongside warm, witty and colourful characters, and, above all, the dreams and passions of a tight-knit group of friends.”

Beauty queen leaves modelling to become estate agent

Ayusha Karki, who won Miss Teen Nepal in 2007, has recently announced that she will not be pursuing a career in fashion and modelling as many have speculated, but instead will be working as an estate agent!

This might sound like a strange and somewhat outrageous decision to us Westerners, but experts say that property prices in Nepal are booming, as the rural community move further in towards cities.

18-year-old Ayusha says that it was an easy decision to make, based on the fact that she has already found buyers for more than 50 houses since starting her new job, despite the fact they won’t be available for more than three years!
I wonder if any other models will follow suit?! I can’t quite see Kate Moss working at Haart though, if I’m honest…

The Flashy New Anti-Paparazzi Device

Professional photographers can coordinate their cameras so that one flash will trigger another flash and so on. This technology has been used by telecommunications student Adam Harvey to create the perfect anti-paparazzi device, a flashing camera!
He has developed a clutch bag that the A-listers will be clamouring after. The bag features a built in flash and trigger, similar to those used by photographers, so that when a photo is taken of them their own bag flashes back. As you can see below the person holding the bag is almost completely obscured.

Blogger Perez Hilton seems pretty disappointed by the design, saying “We're not happy about this. If we didn't know that our favorite celebrities wouldn't be caught dead carrying anything that wasn't a luxury brand, we would be worried.”

Andy hopes that the bag will be on sale by Spring 2010 and apparently Lindsay Lohan has already put an order in for three.

Do you think this is going to be a success with the rich and famous?

Take Two: Daisy Lowe and Mark Ronson

We can’t seem to stop blogging about Daisy Lowe and Mark Ronson here at Models Direct right now. The former couple have both been up to some interesting things lately, with Daisy’s debut film premiering and Mark designing a new trainer for Gucci,but rumour has it the two may be reuniting…

The Daily Mail has reported that the two were spotted at a gig together in London last month. This is following yet more speculation that Daisy is going through a rough patch with current boyfriend, musician Will Cameron of the British band Blondelle.

Simon Fuller buys majority share of Storm Fashion Model Agency

It’s been announced this week that media mogul Simon Fuller has acquired a controlling stake in the Storm Fashion Model Agency. He bought a 51% share of the high-end modelling agency for an undisclosed sum, which represents models such as Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford.

The 49-year-old entrepreneur presently owns 19 Entertainment, the company responsible for popular television programmes such as Pop Idol and American Idol. Fuller now appears to be switching gears as he moves from entertainment into beauty and fashion.
Fuller has commented: “With 19 moving more into the world of fashion and style, the opportunity to join forces with Storm was irresistible.”
Given his background as an enviable empire-builder, it’ll certainly be interesting to see where Storm goes from here.

Where’s your leather coming from?

Have you ever thought about where the leather you wear comes from?

It could be coming from the Amazon rainforests, or at least where the rainforest used to be. Deforestation of this area is done to provide land for cows that supply both the fashion and meat industries. Not only is it spoiling a beautiful habitat for other animals, it is estimated that it produces 17% of the world’s carbon emissions.

Now environmental charity Greenpeace has been campaigning to shoe manufacturers such as Adidas, Clarks and Timberland to ensure that leather sourced from this area is not being used. Nike has confirmed that they will be finding new suppliers.

Greenpeace is delighted with the positive response from the fashion companies, but there is still work to be done. James Turner from Greenpeace says “What this does now is really put pressure on the UK food companies. The shoe companies have realised there is a problem and taken action, now it's up to the supermarkets to follow that lead.”

I think this is great, but what will happen to the cattle farms and farmers that are already there? Do you think that fashion companies should be paying closer attention to where they are sourcing their materials from, and the effect this is having on the environment?

The Water Babies are Back

Does anyone remember the Evian advert featuring the synchronised swimming water-babies? Well, now the babies are back and this time they’re roller-skating!

The advert for the Evian’s Live Young campaign is a huge success on YouTube and has so far had over 9 million views. As you can see, the video features the ‘roller-babies’ skating around a city park, listening to hip-hop music and doing a skating/dance routine.

The advert has so far been screened in France, Belgium and Canada but I’m not sure when we’ll be seeing it in the UK. We’ll just have to keep watching it on youtube! It had us all laughing in the Models Direct office this morning, but it's very odd to watch too...

What do you think? ...Roller-babies: cute or creepy?

Models Direct Hearts - Clemency

Models Direct loves Autumn's hottest new brand - Clemency London
There is an impressive fashion ‘look book’ of their latest collection on the website and we love what we see. Pieces have been designed to bridge the gap between smart and casual and they provide a really classy look.
Designed by North London-based Alison Clemency-Buddenhagen and available exclusively at Harvey Nichols this is a collection with a price tag that matches the quality but if you are prepared to spend a little extra it is certainly worth a look.

Chanel Inspired Latest Pyjama Trend

Since posters advertising the new biopic ‘Coco Before Chanel’ were released, men’s pyjamas have become the latest trend, according to various sources, including The Telegraph’s fashion news section.

Coco Chanel’s favourite bedtime attire was men’s silk pyjamas and Audrey Tautou is seen in some on the ‘Coco Before Chanel’ posters. Angelina Jolie has also recently revealed them as her preference, further fuelling the trend.

Here are some handy pyjama rules for girls from the Models Direct office:

• Please leave the long cotton frilly/floral nightdresses for Granny!
• Likewise; slogan/character t-shirts/pyjama sets are for the kids.
• Think classic, sexy and stylish, not ‘cute’.
• Satin or silk are always best.

So where can you get some ‘boyfriend pyjamas’ that will look great on you for a reasonable price? We found these:



Satin Pyjamas £18 from Marks & Spencer





Both £25 from La Senza

High street fashion week

The country’s first ‘high street fashion’ week launches on Oxford street, London 7th September! This event will come just prior to London fashion week which runs September 18-22. Shops including John lewis, Debenhams, Uniqlo and Topman are already signed up and many are predicted to follow their lead. Autumn/Winter collection sneak previews are anticipated from participating brands along with lots of promotions on offer to shoppers.

Beyond Biba: A Portrait of Barbara Hulanicki

The fashion store Biba played a big role in bringing iconic 1960s and 1970s fashion to the British highstreet, but many people don’t really know what happened between the shop closing in 1975 and the relaunch of the fashion line in 2006.

‘Beyond Biba: A Portrait of Barbara Hulanicki’ is a documentary following the life of the company’s founder Barbara Hulanicki. It is just one of a number of recent films that provide a glimpse of behind-the-scenes action of the fashion industry, others including ‘Coco before Chanel’ and ‘The September Issue’ about Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

‘Beyond Biba’ was premiered at The Victoria and Albert Museum as part of a season of films about fashion. The film, as The Independent put it: “is not all beautiful people and wild parties, but relates harrowing incidents from the Polish-born designer's past.” It’s sure to be an interesting watch!

Trend Alert! - Peplum Dresses

I love the new trend for peplum dresses! The vintage style has been updated into a fresh new look, which is perfect for creating a curvy and sophisticated silhouette.

A brief history: the peplum design apparently originated in ancient Greece. The style is most commonly associated with the 1940s and 1980s. In the twenties, the dresses and jackets were used to accentuate a tiny waist and hourglass figure. In the revival of the style in the eighties, it was, well, a bit more dramatic.

The peplum dress has made another comeback and is now the must have cocktail dress of the season.

I love the example taken from the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2009 collection from Marc Jacobs. I think it may be just a little over my budget though! A number of celebrities have been spotted wearing the style, including Rihanna and The City’s star, Whitney Port.

What’s great about this style is that there is so much variety, with straps or strapless, long or short and with the ruffles as elaborate or as simple as you like. ASOS has a great selection at the moment, prices ranging from £12.50 to £160, with dresses suitable for both formal and more casual occasions.

Ladies, will you be wearing this style to your next dinner party?

Working in the fashion industry is “not about thinking that it’s the cool thing; it’s about really believing in it”

For lots of people, working in the fashion industry would be a dream job, whether it’s as a designer, a model or a photographer. Reality TV shows such as Stylista, Project Runway and the Next Top Model series’ have inspired more people to try and get into this line of work.

However, according to Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue magazine, these programmes are making work in the fashion industry too easy. They are encouraging people to do it because it’s the ‘in’ thing, rather than as she says: “believing in it.”

Her advice: “Don't go too fast. Because of reality television, everyone imagines they can just be a fashion designer, photographer, or model. That's not the way things go. Learn your craft.”

This opinion is fair enough, but maybe just a little bit hypocritical. Vogue has announced that it is making its own series of short videos, Model.Live, to be shown on Vogue.TV online starting on August 19th. Apparently it’s not reality TV, “just amateurs live”. The show will follow three models through their work at the major fashion weeks and address any issues that arise including eating disorders or depression. It’s costing them a huge $3 million dollars to make (the shows are only 8 minutes long which means about $31,000 a minute) so lets hope it’s worth it!

Are programmes like this worth it, inspiring a new generation for the fashion industry? Or are they just a waste of money?

Sad loss of a fashion icon.

Reports have appeared in The New York Times that Naomi Sims, has died age 61 from cancer. Naomi Sims was the first black woman to appear on the cover of Ladies Home Journal in 1968 and she went on to appear in Cosmopolitan, Life and The Times Style Magazine.

In a 1974 New York Times article, designer Halston said, “Naomi was the first. She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers.”

It has been said that Ms. Sims paved the way for models such as Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, and Chanel Iman, with a determination that she attributed to her inspiration to do well following a challenging childhood.

In her lifetime she did not only model and push the boundaries as an ambassador for black people, she also ran her own business and wrote books such as “All About Health and Beauty for the Black Woman,” “How to Be a Top Model” and “All About Success for the Black Woman.” She also wrote an advice column for teenage girls in Right On! magazine.

Naomi Sims, fashion pioneer and an ambassador for diversity and inclusion, will be missed.

Fur Fashion Alternative

Copenhagen Artificial Fur www.cartfur.com opened their first shop in Copenhagen, Denmark earlier this year, following much research and preparation. The company specialises in luxury artificial fur jackets and accessories and the collection is produced locally in Denmark. Materials are sourced within the EU (European Union) thereby cutting transport time and ensuring proper working conditions during production.

Designer Carsten Juhl, who previously designed luxury wedding dresses for a 5th Avenue bridal atelier in New York City, together with company founder Gitte Lakshoej, has created a concept that they hope encapsulates both ethics, quality and high fashion.

With more people taking a stance against animal cruelty, this could be the right time for the launch of this animal fur alternative.

A flattering item in the collection is the shoulder wrap which adds volume to the shoulders, making the waist look slimmer.

Would you buy one of these ‘fur fashion’ alternatives?

Fearne Cotton Launches Her Very Own Fashion Line

Fearne Cotton launches her Very own fashion line

TV beauty Fearne Cotton has recently designed, launched and modelled her very own fashion line for department store Very.

Fearne is one in a long line of trendy fashionistas to try their hand at designing for Very. The store has previously seen guest designs from Peaches Geldof, Jasmine Guinness and Holly Willoughby, though Fearne’s range is noticeably more affordable than previous ranges.

The 15-item clothing line is available now through the Very website and includes everything from skinny jeans to smart wear to mini dresses.

Here at Models Direct HQ, we’re absolutely loving this faux leather fur coat

Which is your favourite? Will you be buying any of Fearne’s clothes?

The naked truth behind Gisele’s recent photo shoot

London Fog, known for its reliable outdoor clothing, hasn’t exactly got the most exciting public image.

This is all set to change now that they’ve employed supermodel Gisele Bundchen as the face of their autumn advertising campaign, hoping to modernise the image of the brand. She poses seductively in the photos, wearing nothing but the trademark London Fog trench coats.

It has recently been confirmed that Gisele is pregnant, the latest edition to the mum-to-be club of the modelling industry which includes Jourdan Dunn, Adriana Lima, Heidi Klum and Karolina Kurkova. As the photo shoot took place a few weeks ago, photo editors retouched the photos of Gisele to respect her privacy, hiding the baby bump.

Big congratulations from everyone at Models Direct to Gisele and the other expectant models!

All the Queen’s Dresses

To celebrate sixty years since the formation of the modern Commonwealth, a collection of outfits worn by the Queen on overseas visits is being displayed at Buckingham Palace.

The gowns are not only beautiful, they had a lot of thought put into how they related to the country the Queen was visiting. For example, on a visit to Pakistan she wore the country’s national colours, in Australia her dress featured the national flower, and when visiting Canada for the Montreal Olympics the dress featured stylised Olympic rings.

The exhibition also features gifts that have been given to her on her worldwide tours, including a necklace made out of a whale’s teeth! On a tour of the exhibition, the Queen questioned whether they should be on display because of new endangered species laws, but apparently there’s nothing to worry about.

I think this would be an interesting exhibition to go to, the dresses look stunning and I’m intrigued by what gifts have been deemed suitable for the Queen. What would you give her?



Evening Gown – 1976
Worn for the Montreal Olympics