About Face

I have been really into the current series of HBO documentaries this season (with the exception of the Chris Crocker dud). The latest one, About Face: Supermodels Then and Now, interviews former (super)models and raises questions about beauty, age and the fashion industry in general. I found it fascinating.

So many beautiful, strong women in this film (I want Jerry Hall to be my BFF)...but the fiercest of all, the longest working supermodel in history, Ms. Carmen Dell'Orefice. Stunning.

The Footbagger

Read My Lips

Uh huh...

Model Vinnie Woolston for Replay Spring/Summer 2012 photographed by Thierry Le Goues.

Circus Maximus

Spring 2012 'Body Issue' of Acne Paper features 'Circus Maximus'- photographed by Julia Hetta

615 Jefferson Avenue by David Armstrong

Working in the West Village allows you to live out real-life cliché NYC moments, the kind of moments that allow you to fall in love with this magical city all over again. Not only is it one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Manhattan, it also exudes, in my opinion, the most personality. It looks, smells, sounds and feels like the NYC of my dreams.  I’m a lucky guy.

On that note, while strolling down Bleecker on my lunch break I happened to pass Bookmarc, Marc Jacob's trendy, yet surprisingly thoughtful bookstore.  Through the window an image of a young, boyish model with pink hair and tired eyes caught my attention and drew me into the store. It was the cover of fashion photographer David Armstrong’s new book, 615 Jefferson Ave. After thumbing through a few pages I quickly learned that all of the images, boyish models types, were taken in his turn of the century row house in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. I later learned after a little more research that this legendary residence is at once both Mr. Armstrong’s home as well as an odd house of curiosities. The reputation of this house becomes evident in beautiful, sunlit images of youth that fill the fascinating pages of this coffee table find – boys in clown collars and feathers, in claw-foot bathtubs or laid out on wrinkled sheets.

The whole idea of purchasing a photography book brought back an immediate feeling of nostalgia. I used to worship photography books when I was a kid.  I devoured the amazing groupings of images – models and fashion, sex and style, that could only be found in a bound hard collection. It made me realize that with the everything-at-your-fingertip virtual world that I am now a member of, one where images come and go so quickly and can be accessed at the speed of light, that the idea of buying a book of images seemed so old fashion…until I actually bought it, and then it immediately felt modern and new and relevant.

I think this purchase just might kick start a photography book renaissance for me. I can now appreciate what it means to actually take the time to study and absorb a collection of images. Maybe its old fashion, maybe its nostalgic, but for me its new, modern and now.

Phierce Photography

André Ziehe By Kostas Avgoulis

Linda Evangelista

My love affair with Linda Evangelista started in my early teens. To my young gay eyes she was the superest of supermodels! Not only was she beautiful but she was beautiful in a totally unique and modern way. While other kids were sporting pictures of NKOTB on their trapper keepers I proudly displayed Ms. Evangelista, with her cropped cut hair and her legendary nose! Linda was part of that pack of incredibly lucky girls who rode the “supermodel” wave in the 90’s. But in retrospect looking back on that time I realize that those lovely ladies deserved every penny and every bit of attention they garnered. They WERE fashion. They brought the industry to the mainstream (at least for my generation), making it an integral and necessary part of pop culture; mixing it with music and art until it all became one. The word supermodel was invented for them! So, kudos, ladies…and especially to Linda, my childhood goddess, the fiercest one of them all!

"I won't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day" - Linda Evangelista

A Day with Linda Evangelista

Report from MTV's Stylissimo (1991)

Fashion Androgyny



Andrej Pejic, fashion's new "it" boy...or girl...or boy. What an amazing look this guy has and he is definitely breaking down boundaries. You go girl...I mean, boy!

You Better Work...

A few years back I worked with a beautiful middle-aged African American woman. It was a mindless cubical job, one that neither of us enjoyed very much, but for some reason we connected. I could tell at the time that she was thoroughly over her life and hated our 9 to 5 existence. She was rude, sarcastic and sometimes just plain mean to customers. But to me she was charming, worldly and super cool. I always wondered what path led this true beauty to where she was at the time. I could see the frustration in her eyes, the feeling that she was above such mindless work; but not in a pretentious way, in a truthful and honest way. I remember one day someone telling me in passing that she used to model. But since the word “model” can take on so many forms, especially these days, I really didn’t pay much thought to the idea. It wasn’t until years later when I was thumbing through photography books at a local bookshop that her secret was revealed to me. I came across a very handsomely bound photography book on Halston’s life and work. The book contained amazingly glamorous photos from an era I only wish I had been a part of. As I flipped through the super chic images of Halston from the 70’s and 80’s, a look and style that I have always loved and in my opinion can never be duplicated, who did I find staring up at me with a huge full-of-life smile but none other than my mysterious office beauty, Alva Chinn. There she was effortlessly strutting arm in arm with Halston in a bright red jersey jumpsuit. This woman I saw everyday, who up until now had just been another lost soul living her life of quiet desperation was splashed across the pages as one of the chosen ones, part of the “it” crowd, a beauty to admire and envy and fantasize about. I kept turning the pages to find glamorous photo after glamorous photo of this super chic goddess living life to the fullest and, from the looks of it, loving every minute of it. Candid shots of her and Halston partying and living a life of excess reserved only for fashion royalty. I couldn’t believe it was her, how happy, young and bursting with energy she looked. I of course started researching this Miss Alva Chinn the minute I left the store only to find out that not only was she the lead “Halstonette” but an integral part of the fashion world at the time who helped pave the way for all African American models in the industry.

Alva Chinn was part of a defining moment in fashion history which took place on November 28, 1973 on the stage of the Opera House at the Sun King's Imperial Chateau in Versailles. Five American fashion designers were invited to show their work along with five French couturiers and for the first time ever the American designers included African American woman in their presentation, something never before seen on a Paris runway. According to NY Daily News photographer-Bill Cunningham, "The bejeweled Paris audience was stunned by the showmanship of the black models from America. The aristocrats were even thrilled.”… not to mention she was the first black woman to purchase a red Ferrari (not sure where that story came from or if it’s true, but its too fab not to include!)…AND Oscar De La Renta is her son’s godfather! So, needless to say the fact that I knew none of this, that she managed to keep her past a secret from me made me love her even more. I don’t know why she did, maybe she was embarrassed about how her life ended up, maybe for her those decedent memories weren’t fond ones, or maybe she was just a truly humble person who wanted to keep her past private. In any case, I never looked at her the same way again.

All of this has come to the forefront recently because of a new documentary about Halston called Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston (http://www.halstonmovie.com/). In the few preview clips available on the website there was my partner in crime, the ever glamorous super model Alva Chinn. I was instantly reminded of the story above and my brief obsession with this fascinating woman and her secret past. I’ve seen her a few times over the years on the street in passing. I never mentioned to her that I unlocked her secret, I didn’t need to. It had now become my secret.

Mr. Ward

I’m making this post for no other reason besides the fact that I just started this blog and I want to try to include things that I have always liked, loved or had a life long obsession with. Hence this post about my one and only true crush from the moment my puberic juices started flowing…Mr. Tony Ward. Better known in the 90’s as one of Madonna’s fleeting boy toys as well as an accomplished model and not so accomplished actor (although check out Bruce LaBruce’s Hustler White, an amazingly twisted, funny and super sexy film). Mr. Ward has always held a special place in my heart. There is something about him, some magnetic sexual energy that makes me immediately revert back to my 15yr old wide-eyed self. I did run into Mr. Ward once in the Beverly Center; I had just graduated High School and was still living in California. I remember following him around like a 12yr old girl just trying to catch a glimpse...what was wrong with me? Anyway, whenever I come across a photo of him my heart still skips a beat. Oh, whatever happened to crushes??

Mr. Ward in a montage from the Bruce LaBruce film, Hustler White: