Fresh Faced: Liza Serpova

You know what I adore most about LMA Models in Russia? Aside from having an excellent and continually unique taste in the girls they represented, LMA knows how best to showcase their fresh faces for scouts and model enthusiasts like myself. There's no obscene airbrushing that renders the girls unrecognizable (read: IMG Paris), just simple and strong digitals to let you appreciate their beauty in the most natural of ways.

Sure, Liza Serpova might be a little sweeter than I typically go for in a model, but her digitals were the perfect sales pitch. You see, instead of trying to sell me on the idea of Liza as a model, LMA has highlighted all the things that make Liza unique: her luminescent eyes, powerful mouth and jawline, and that Rapunzel-like hair.



(all images courtesy of LMA models)

I am well aware that there is a slight Marina Panova similarity in the eyes. However, with that long mess of hair Liza reads visually like a modern day fairytale gone awry, making her quite unique in my eyes. While Liza is only 5'9" she certainly has a set of measurements made for modeling, 30-22-33.



What can I say, sometimes after focusing so intensely on hard edges and serial killer stares, you need something a bit sweeter, like Liza.

In Bloom: Allyson Ertel

Behold the lovely and effortless Allyson Ertel; one of the newest additions to Elite's development board in New York. A month ago, I thought that Charlotte O'Donnell was one of the only truly promising new faces for Elite, but Allyson has certainly changed my mind. There's a very particular grace and serenity in Allyon's face that seems to be piercing through each photo.



(all images courtesy of Elite Model Management)

That level of effortless, and almost Edwardian, beauty is just uncanny nowadays. Not to mention that Allyon's profile is just as intoxicating as her face is from the front. With those timeless features and her gorgeous bow-shaped lips, I for one will be watching to see Allyson's development in the months before the S/S 09 shows in September. Because in addition to have a stellar face, this kid also has a body that does not quit.



Allyson stands tall at 5'11" and boasts an impeccable set of 32-23-35 measurements (though her hips look smaller than a 35" to me). I know this is a brief profile, but sometimes the pictures can more appropriately speak for themselves without my textual support. Enjoy!

In Bloom: Virginia Guidetti

After a half-assed profile on Arielle Pytka's recent success, I figured it was about time to actually profile a new face. And while their website may still be down, but Next's Modelwire account is still alive and kicking. Thank god for that because otherwise it may have taken me months to stubble across Virginia Guidetti; a girl far too special to overlook.


(all images courtesy of Next Model Management)

From her glassy green eyes, to those incredible Danielle Zinaich like brows, Virginia is definitely one of my favorite new faces of late. Sure she looks a bit like Brittany Jursic at Elite, but there's something about Virginia's presence, even in these digitals, that I find far more captivating. Perhaps its a subtle confidence, or a youthful ambition, but there is definitely a lot lingering behind her eyes. Regardless of what that certain something is, Virginia has certainly won me over in a big way.



Virginia is 5'10.5" tall and has a serious set of 31-23-34 measurement. A year ago, I never thought I would be seeing this kind of fresh talent just waiting to be developed from Next. However, as we all know, the industry is quite cyclical. Now lets sit idly by and hope that Next can manage this girl to the fullest of her potential.

In Bloom (Finally!): Arielle Pytka

Where have I been? Well, not to be cliche but I really suppose that's the 'one secret I'll never tell.' Then again, I'm not doling out secrets or insider gossip here, save to say I've moved on up in the world which explains for the lengthy delay between posts. Oh, and it also explains why my first post back is a going to be so half-assed.

Remember Arielle Ptyka? Ford Models in Europe highlighted her on the MDC Feed almost a year ago, with a set of stunning digitals that showcased this girl's incredible appeal and aspirational sense of personal style. I would be lying if I said I didn't instantly start tying things to my wrists after I saw her shots in June of last year.



(images courtesy of Ford Models)

With that incredibly squared face, and her beautifully downtrodden eyes, it was literally love at first site where Arielle is concerned. After months of waiting for something to happen, and blindly speculating two seasons in a row that she was being held for a Calvin Klein exclusive (and it would have made sense, no?), Arielle has finally made her runway debut. It may have only been a resort show, but it was still for Dior and our little (actually she's about 6'0" tall) Arielle nearly closed the show.


(image courtesy of Coutorture)

With her recent runway debut, and an alarmingly beautiful nude jewelery spread in the latest Muse Magazine, this California surfer girl (by way of Poland mind you) is finally starting to generate the buzz that she so rightly deserves. More over, self-proclaimed 'head modelizer' herself Romney Leader was nice enough to also profile Arielle on the Style File blog. They may steal all of our model IDs for their slideshows, but publicity is publicity and Arielle certainly deserves it.

In Bloom: Mirte Maas

Did I ever explain the differentiation between "Fresh Faced" and "In Bloom?" I don't believe that I actually did. Well, basically those that are "Fresh Faced" have not been signed international, those that are "In Bloom" have. Get it? It's really just some trite way to continue the 'fresh' motif, and a wonderful homage to one of my favorite Nirvana songs of all time.

Now back in January or February of this year, before O2W was made public via MDC, I was talking with my friend Julio about Mirte Maas. There wasn't much to share about this 17 year old Dutch girl (from MTA models) at the time, but when I realized that she'd been signed with Supreme in NYC, I figured it was time to profile her. That being said, meet Mirte:


(all images courtesy of MTA for O2W)

Mirte has that rare kind of clean, strong and unusual beauty that always resonates with me (and hopefully the casting directors for CK and Jil Sander). Not to mention that she has some of the most sensational eyes I have seen in a long time. Topped off of course with those Mariya Markina-esque brows. Sure there is a slight Malin Ones comparison to be made, but Mirte succeeds in not appearing dead behind the eyes.



Honestly, how incredible is this girl? Plus with her 5'10" frame and 31.5-24-35 measurement, Mirte could be a wonderful addition to the Supreme board in time for the S/S 09 show season. I love it when the communicative aspect of fashion, which equally entices and informs, leads to such beautiful personal discoveries. Thanks to the entire team at O2W for providing me with more information on this truly sensational face.

Edited To Add: After all the craziness since profiling Mirte, it remains to be seen if she's actually signed with Supreme. That piece of information was taken off of her O2W profile an hour after this post was made. Either way, I stand behind Mirte's potential and hope that someone will sign this girl soon enough in NYC.

Fresh Faced: Kaila Wilson

Another Canadian? I would feign shock, but we all know that they're everywhere nowadays. Much like the current fashion week going on in Australia (much more on that, and the faces from down-under, later), L'Oréal Fashion Week in Canada provided a glimpse of the future talent sitting pretty at some of the best mother agencies in Canada. One of my favorite faces from the shows was the completely unique Kai (and her amazing hair) from Sutherland Models.


(images courtesy of Southerland's Modelwire)

Sure, Kai has the insanely luxurious mane of hair to add to her appeal (and I'll be honest that it was what instantly attracted me to Kai), but she also has much more. What strikes me immediately is her lovely green eyes, that are so wide-set Kai almost appears feline in nature. Sure, her face runs the risk of being a little on the commercial side, but I also think she knows how deliver intensity where it counts. Take a look as Kai goes from editorial strong to Victoria's Secret Pink! in just two digitals.



That is the kind of inherent versatility that cannot easily be taught. I would however love to see a few more digitals with Kai's hair off her face so we could get a better sense of her profile. But from what I have seen, Kai has a fairly angular jawline that looks amazing on the runway. Sure, Kai is not my typical purely directional girl (where as Irene Amquandon would have been but I can't steal the thunder from MNP), but I think this 5'9" beauty has a ton of raw potential. Oh, and if anyone has a last name for Kai, I would greatly appreciate it.

ETA: Thanks to the user who provided a full name for this lovely model, Kaila Wilson. It's very much appreciated!

Fresh Faced: Katerina Silhanova

I noticed that its been awhile since I profiled a blonde, and I have to say things were looking a little dark around here. So allow me to brighten things up for a moment and introduce the incomparable Katerina Silhanova from Bohemia Models. This 15 year old stunner from Czechoslovakia is every bit as beautiful as she is intense, which is a truly rare combination.


(all images courtesy of Bohemia Models)

What makes Katerina so remarkable to me is how effortlessly her facial features vacillate between intense and serene. Her eyes are a bright shade of seaform green, and yet under her heavy brows they almost appear sullen. Her lips have that soft bee-stung quality, but yet the architecture of that bow-shape is quiet modern and dramatic. And I have always celebrated a contradiction in aesthetics where models are concerned.



If her face wasn't enough, Katerina's 6'0" frame is just as strong with a set of incredible 32-24-35 measurements. Not that there has ever been a shortage of bookable Czech models, but at the moment Katerina really stands out for me. Not to mention that her golden locks should help to brighten up the blog for a bit.

Updated: Danielle Meyer

Remember the illusive Danielle Meyer that I profiled from Women Milan? Well thanks to some help from my dear comrade, Saracita, I finally realized why I couldn't find her anywhere; her real name is spelled Daniele Meier (or Daniele Meyer in at Modelwerk). Well thanks to this information I now know that Danielle's mother agency is Mega Models in Sao Paulo. Go figure, she's Brazilian.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this discovery is the write up that Danielle had in the January 2008 issue of L'Officiel Brazil. Now granted, I'm not one to always fall for the grandeur of the Marsh casting story (especially after recent events), but I still cannot help but be impressed with Danielle getting that much notice already.


(image scanned by Vini @ tFS)

Well now the bells and whistles that came with Danielle's portfolio at Women Milan make sense, especially considering the tremendous amount of success they had at last season's Prada show. Hopefully this marks the beginning of great things for Danielle's career.

Fresh Faced: Anita Nolsjo

Just a note before I get into this profile. I appreciate the comments that everyone has left, but I personally have a stance against public weight related discussion. It could be the tFS rules eating away at me, or it could be my personal opinion to not condemn the bodies of other people (especially those I don't personally know). Models are meant to be skinny, so how about we just leave it at that. Now, back to the real purpose of this blog, shining a spotlight on fresh faced beauty.

There's something about the newest batch of Scandinavian girls that I'm finding absolutely fascinating right now. Sweden has had no shortage of beautiful models in the past, but as industry tastes have thankfully changed, the faces coming out of this country have certainly become more dynamic as well; and MIKAS has had some great success in that department (read: Sara Blomqvist). My favorite girl on their roster has to be Anita Nolsjo, and her remarkable tomboyish charm.


(all images courtesy of MIKAS)

The more and more I look at Anita, the more I'm impressed by the contrast between her sharp blue eyes, and the smooth, almost ovular, shape of her face. It's that contrast that lends a very acute androgyny to Anita's overall appeal, and yet she remains inherent beautiful from every angle.



In addition to her killer face, Anita is equally impressive at 5'11" and 33-25-35, and it seems as if I'm not the only one who's noticed. As I was Googling Anita for more information, I discovered the Maud and Penelope had also featured her recently. Well ladies, I'm on board where Anita is concerned. Oh, and if anyone wants to use the comment feature to suggest new faces to be profiled, feel free. I'm always interested in hearing and seeing what other people find beautiful.

Fresh Faced: Johanna

Here's an interesting question for whomever reads this: have you ever found yourself having a "model moment"? Perhaps I should explain that a little better. Have you ever had a moment in everyday life where you unleash some piece of model related information in an unrelated environment? You know, a moment where people see what a fashion freak you truly are? Well, Junior year of college in some bullshit level Journalism class, I had such a moment. The professor was lecturing about Estonia, and claimed that due to the state of their media institutions Estonia had no celebrities. Without thinking twice, I raised my hand and corrected him, stating that Carmen Kass is quiet a well known figure in that country and internationally. I don't believe that anyone else in the room knew who she was, and I looked like an idiot.

How does this relate to anything? Well, its the story that naturally comes to me every time I think of Estonia now, and since our latest girl is Estonian, I figured it was an appropriate introduction. Meet Johanna from E.M.A. Model Management:


(all images courtesy of E.M.A.)

Nearly everything about Johanna's looks is strong; from her chiseled jaw, to those intense brown eyes. And yet, Johanna still manages to have a very acute femininity to her appearance, that seems to work harmonious with her other features. Johanna's is the type of beauty, not unlike Magdalena Frackowiak, that seamlessly traverses between hard and soft in every photograph.



Not to mention that Johanna has an amazing body. She's standing tall at 5'11", with 33-25-35 measurements. Granted, there can only be one Carmen Kass, but looking through the current Estonian girls (namely Kelli Lumi and Karmen Pedaru), I can't help but think just how wrong my professor was years ago. There is certainly an opportunity for star power in that country, and Johanna just so happens to be a testament to that potential.

Fresh Faced: Brittany Bennett

Here's a perplexing question for you: does Brittany Bennett really constitute as a 'fresh face' upon her relaunch? If memory serves me right (and who am I kidding, its been so long I had to use Google to know for sure), Brittany was once represented by Chic and Next. Then again that was more like three years ago. As far as I can tell, Brittany's career never really took off the first time around, and that's enough for me to constitute her reintroduction into the modeling industry as fresh. After all, it seems to have worked for Aline Weber last season.

Fast forward a couple of years to find Brittany now sitting pretty at Priscilla's in Australia and on the development board at Women Management in Paris. Given her ingenious digitals from Women, I'm more than happy to have waited all this time to hear again from Brittany.


(all images courtesy of Women Management)

How I adore a new face who comes stocked with digitals and polaroids, before you're inundated with test shots. Otherwise, I might have missed Brittany (or perhaps baby Shalom Harlow is an appropriate nickname for her) and her incredible jawline. What stands out to me about Brittany is that contrast between the strong, glass cutting angles of her jaw, and those sleepy, doe-like eyes. Not to mention that Brittany has an equally strong 5'10.5" frame and 33-24-34 measurements.



So it remains to be seen whether or not Brittany's second time around will be the charm, but given brilliance of her relaunch, I would imagine that September could be a very lucrative time for her. Here's to Brittany becoming the next great Australian success story in the modeling industry.

Updated: Anna Heaton

Unfortunately, it has been awhile since there has been much news for one of my favorite Brits, Anna Heaton at First Model Management. And while her book is still stagnant with only polaroids and digitals, this latest batch is just too good not to post. I love how the soft quality perfectly compliments Anna's serene aesthetic. Supposedly, the story goes that First is taking their time to develop Anna given that she lives quite a distance from the city. While I hate to wait, I can't help but encourage them to take their time if it means a bigger and better future for Anna!



(all images courtesy of First Model Management)

A special thank you must be doled out for Penelope and MNP for taking the time to send these digitals my way. Maud and Penny never ceases to amaze me with their incredible taste and commitment to discovering some of the best new faces around, including the sensational Anna Heaton!

Fresh Faced: Auguste C.

The preamble to today's post is a lesson in ethnic heritage. Here's a fun fact for everyone: I'm actually half Lithuanian. Now unfortunately, my genes took a turn towards the Italian roots where height is concerned, but let me just say that Lithuanians are a tall people. Just look at my mother who stands at about 5'11". Why mention this, you ask? Because I always feel a sense of pride when I find a new Lithuanian girl that I like, even if I cannot speak a fucking word of the language. That being said, meet Auguste C. from Baltic Models in Lithuania:


(all images courtesy of Baltic Models)

Now I generally hate to make comparisons to already established models when introducing a new girls, but I cannot help but see an odd hybrid between Anna Kuchkina and my other favorite Lithuanian, Eva Arlauskaite, in her face. Comparisons aside, I really am smitten with Auguste's look. Perhaps its the quiet storm brewing behind her deep brown eyes? Or maybe that quaint sliver of a mouth? Either way, I feel like there is something very special about this girl.



Auguste is standing tall at a whopping 6'0" (though I'm sure we'll see that drop to 5'11" once she's signed), and very strong set of 32-25-35 measurements. Granted it's been a few years since the 'Lithuania Mania' that seemed to occur back in the first half of this decade, but with the recent success of Egle and Edita, one cannot help but think that agencies are scouting for their own Lithuanian star. Well as far as I can see, Auguste C. is currently one of the better new faces from this area. Needless to say I look forward seeing how Auguste's career develops!