Brand: Calvin Klein
Year: 1999
Model: Justin Chambers
Photographer: Steven Meisel
Before he was Dr. Alex Karev on the ABC drama series Grey's Anatomy, Justin Chambers was a working male model.
Justin Chambers was born in Springfield, Ohio in 1970 and started his modelling career after he was discovered by a scout on the Paris Metro. Soon after he was working throughout Europe and posing for major label's including Calvin Klein, Diesel and Emporio Armani. This black and white ad for Calvin Klein Contradiction fragrance, was one of many he shot for the brand between 1998 and 2000.
Ready for yet another unfashionable Photoshop fail? Ann Taylor Loft is under fire after models with disembodied thumbs were found floating around the brand's website.
In a disturbing product shot for the brand's Linen Twill Shorts (above left), the model's thumb appears to jet directly out of her discoloured arm, above the wrist. In another product shot, this time for Loft's Marisa Cargo Pants in White Cotton Poplin (above right), the model's thumb sticks out of her pocket appearing much stubbier-than-normal. Both images can currently be found on the Ann Taylor Loft website.
This isn’t the first time Ann Taylor has been criticized for excessive (or sloppy) use of photo retouching, but what do you think of the brand's freaky thumb Photoshop disaster?
Benetton has agreed to make a donation to a Catholic charity to put an end to the legal battle with the Vatican over an advertisement that showed Pope Benedict XVI kissing Egypt's Ahmed el Tayyeb. The size of the donation was unspecified.
In November 2011 Benetton released its controversial "Unhate" ad campaign, which featured Photoshopped images of world leaders kissing. Benetton claimed that they were attempting to promote "a culture of tolerance and combat hatred around the world", but within hours of the ads debuting in Paris protests began around the globe. The Vatican immediately issued a stern condemnation and announced legal action against the Italian fashion brand.
Benetton quickly withdrew the controversial image of Pope Benedict from the ad campaign, but the Vatican claimed the image was "damaging not only to the dignity of the pope and the Catholic Church but also to the feelings of believers".
Now, almost 6 months later, spokesman Father Federico Lombardi announced that the Vatican had won a moral victory and defended the Pope Benedict’s image through legal means.
The Vatican also announced that Benetton had pledged not to use the Pope's image in future initiatives without permission.
The English-only Shopping Channel attracts more than 1 million viewers a week across Canada. To satisfy eager shoppers, the cable television home shopping channel has stepped up its game in recent years in an effort to profile more Canadian fashion designers.
Here's a look at 8 Canadian designers that you can find on The Shopping Channel.
Fashion watchers can always find feminine selections from Canadian design darling David Dixon's on The Shopping Channel. The celebrated Canadian designer launched his affordable TSC line in 2008 and offers elegant frocks and an extensive mix of separates every season.
[Above l-r: Tyra Banks on the cover of the 1997 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition / Tyra Banks at NYC's 'Time 100' Party in April 2012]
Tyra Banks has lashed out at the modelling industry and is taking a stand against the pressures of the industry.
In a piece for The Daily Beast titled, "Tyra Banks’s Open Letter to Models: ‘Vogue’ to Ban Images of Anorexia", the 38-year-old former supermodel applauds Vogue's new Health Initiative. Earlier this month, all 19 international editors of the fashion magazine pledged to stop featuring models who are "under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder." Tyra also admits that if she were to pursue the business today, she may not have made it.
Tyra writes:
"To models around the world, I want to celebrate Vogue’s recent groundbreaking announcement. The editors of Vogue’s 19 international editions have pledged to ban models from their pages who “appear to have an eating disorder,” to create healthy backstage working conditions, as well as several other revolutionary initiatives. This calls for a toast over some barbecue and burgers!
When I started modeling, I used to see models who seemed unhealthy backstage at fashion shows. They appeared to be abusing their bodies to maintain a certain weight. These girls were booked over and over again for countless fashion shows and photo shoots. I’m sure many of you today have witnessed this, or even live it. Now, real progress is finally on the horizon. Vogue is stepping up, doing the right thing, and protecting that girl. Perhaps that girl is you!
People get upset with you if you’re a very thin model. What many don’t know is that a certain sample size has been set by the industry, and you’re doing everything in your power to keep working. At times, I feel there’s an unspoken rule that says, 'there’s no such thing as being too thin, as long as you don’t pass out.'
In my early 20s I was a size four. But then I started to get curvy. My agency gave my mom a list of designers that didn’t want to book me in their fashion shows anymore. In order to continue working, I would’ve had to fight Mother Nature and get used to depriving myself of nutrition. As my mom wiped the tears from my face, she said, 'Tyra, you know what we’re going to do about this? We’re going to go eat pizza.' We sat in a tiny pizzeria in Milan and strategized about how to turn my curves into a curveball. In a way, it was my decision not to starve myself that turned me into a supermodel, and later on, a businesswoman.
On America’s Next Top Model, I mentor girls on television. When that TV goes off, I actually mentor other girls in the modeling industry—girls that have not been on Top Model, but who appear in Vogue worldwide. On late night calls, I console them as they confide in me about their bodies maturing, and not being able to fit into sample sizes anymore. Now I know you all will still call me for advice, but I don’t think there will be as much of: 'I’m hungry, Tyra, and I’m tired. But I still want to do runway and high-fashion work. I want to stay on top.” With Vogue’s new mandates, things, I hope, will now change for the better.'"
Recently the Toronto Fashion Incubator held the finale of it's annual New Labels Fashion Design competition at the Royal Ontario Museum, part of the Toronto Fashion Incubator's 25th anniversary gala. Up-and-coming designer Sid Neigum was awarded the honour along with a $25,000 cash prize.
In addition to the monetary prize, (donated by philanthropist and honorary gala chair Suzanne Rogers) the 23-year-old Edmonton native will receive a design studio at the TFI and a spread in an upcoming issue of Flare Magazine.
The TFI's nationwide competition pits emerging designers against one another for a six-month long design competition. After months of consultation at the award-winning non-profit organization, Sid Neigum presented a cohesive collection of 12 edgy separates at the Royal Ontario Museum gala. Unconventionally altered pieces in silk, linen and lamb leather dominated the runway in a palette of white, beige, grey and black.
"We were blown away by this year's design talent and couldn't be more proud of the four finalists. Sid Neigum showed phenomenal design prowess and we look forward to watching him flourish and succeed in the Canadian fashion industry with continuing help from TFI." - Susan Langdon, Executive Director of Toronto Fashion Incubator
The Bay has announced that it will open two new Topshop and Topman locations in Vancouver and Toronto this fall.
The 33,000-square-foot Topshop/Topman store-within-a-store in Vancouver, which will be located at 674 Granville Street, will be the largest location for the retailer outside of the U.K., while a smaller, 19,000-square-foot location is set to open at The Bay's historic Queen Street store in Toronto.
"After a wildly successful launch at our Yorkdale Mall location in Toronto, we can't wait to open Topshop Topman in Vancouver and downtown Toronto. The Topshop Topman expansion is another step in our continued commitment to making The Bay a world-class department store that delivers the ultimate in fashion and accessories." - Bonnie Brooks, President, The Bay
The Bay also announced that Topshop and Topman capsule shops would open this fall in Montreal at The Bay's Ste. Catherine Street location. The capsules will offer shoppers a curated selection of fashions to prime Montrealers for the full store-within-a-store scheduled to open in 2013.
The two new Topshop and Topman locations will open in October.
H&M has issued an apology after a swimwear ad campaign featuring a deeply tanned model wearing brightly coloured swimwear sparked outrage among cancer groups.
H&M's current "Beach Sensation" ad campaign features Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana wearing tropical prints and skin-baring styles accentuated by her deep tan. It’s not clear how the 28-year-old model achieved the dark tan, but the images have been slammed for promoting unhealthy tanning habits. One of the biggest criticisms came just days ago when the Swedish Cancer Society wrote an opinion piece in Sweden's Dagens Nyheter newspaper and blasted the sexy summer ads:
"The clothing giant is creating, not least among young people, a beauty ideal that is deadly. Every year, more people die in Sweden of (skin cancer) than in traffic accidents, and the main cause is too much sunning. Regardless of how the H&M model got her tan, through sunning or a computer program, the effect is the same: H&M tells us we should be very tan on the beach. It is sad to write this, but H&M will through its latest advertising campaign not only sell more bathing suits but also contribute to more people dying from skin cancer."
H&M quickly responded to critics of their “Beach Sensation" ad campaign via the AFP:
"We are sorry if we have upset anyone with our latest swimwear campaign. It was not our intention to show off a specific ideal or to encourage dangerous behavior, but was instead to show off our latest summer collection. We have taken note of the views and will continue to discuss this internally ahead of future campaigns."
What do you think of the criticism H&M's swimwear ad campaign has received and how the brand responded?
Androgynous male model Andrej Pejic stunned audiences at Barcelona's 22nd annual Bridal Week, by walking the runway wearing bridal creations by Spanish designer Rosa Clara.
Andrej opened up the bridal runway show wearing a white gown with a flowing skirt and a pair of platform heels. The 20-year-old Australian model then strutted the runway wearing a floor-length textured dress with a matching cap-sleeve jacket and posed for photographers following the show wearing another delicate bridal confection.
Of course this isn't the first time the male model has walked the runway wearing bridal creations. Andrej Pejic wore a Jean Paul Gaultier wedding dress for the designer's couture show in Paris in January 2011.
Just in time for summer, Victoria's Secret is revealing the 2012 "What Is Sexy" list. Victoria's Secret Angels-In-Residence Candice Swanepoel, Erin Heatherton, Lindsay Ellingson and Toni Garrn all make an appearance in a cute VS video to announce the lingerie label's 7th annual roundup of the sexiest celebrities.
From the sexiest legs to the sexiest tweeter here's a look at who made the 2012 Victoria's Secret "What Is Sexy" list.
Sexiest Actress: Charlize Theron
Sexiest Legs: Stacy Keibler
Sexiest Bikini Body: Annalynne McCord
Sexiest Summer Style: Blake Lively
Sexiest Summer Hair: Ashley Benson
Sexiest Smile: Jessica Chastain
Sexiest Eyes: Jennifer Lawrence
Sexiest Lips: Amanda Seyfried
Sexiest Curves: Amber Heard
Sexiest Sense of Humour: Emma Stone
Sexiest TV Cast: Pretty Little Liars
Sexiest Mom: Beyonce Knowles
Sexiest Songstress: Britney Spears
Sexiest International Import: Diane Kruger
Sexiest Summer Glow: Olivia Wilde
Sexiest Cyber Star: Elin Kling
Sexiest Tweeter: Kristen Bell
Sexiest Up and Coming Knockout: Elizabeth Olsen
