Ashlee Walker walks for Dior at exclusive soiree in Teipei

Well how pretty is this: Vision Management Group's own model darling Ashlee Walker - the local "it" girl for the past couple of years in town - has walked for Christian Dior. Specifically, in Taipei on Saturday night for a "very private" dinner after the opening of a new Dior boutique.

Walker, furthest on right

The Dior blog reads, "At the end of the evening, the chinese singer Sandy Lam went on stage for a private concert and an exclusive fashion show presented the Autumn-Winter 2012-2013 ready-to-wear collection. For those who had already attended the Paris show earlier this month, the illusion was all the more powerful: it felt like they were still back in Paris, sitting in the refined setting for which the house is known. Last Saturday, especially for the inauguration of its boutique, D.I.O.R was enlightened the façade of the building : it was a striking image, and the first time the city has granted such an honor to anyone."

Video: MNfashion presents The Shows f. Emma Berg

Check out this video featuring Tuesday night's showing of Emma Berg's Fall/Winter 2012 collection presented as part of MNfashion's The Shows during Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week. Click here to read my review of the show.



Hair & makeup styling: HAUS Salon
Fashion styling: Jane Belfry
Models provided by Vision Management Group and Ignite Models Inc.

Mike Elmquist for Patrik Ervell at NYFW

Minnesota-born models are storming the catwalks at New York Fashion Week. Here's Rockford, Minnesota native and Vision-represented model Mike Elmquist for Patrik Ervell F/W 2012, via Milk Studios.

Photo: Teresa Flowers

Here he is on the runway, via WWD.com:

Photo by Jimi Celeste

Image of the day: Megan McNierney in Christian Louboutin

Internationally celebrated model Megan McNierney, who was discovered by Minneapolis-based agency Vision Management Group, is featured in the Modelwerks Berlin Show Package for Spring 2012 wearing Christian Louboutin Snakeskin thigh high boots.

Minneapolis talent contribute to Aveda's Charcoal Suite Collection

Minneapolis-based beauty brand Aveda has released its latest editorial collection, the Charcoal Suite for Red Chocolate hair color training organization in Minneapolis, and a slew of local talent contributed to the shoot - including Red Chocolate co-founders and directors David Adams and Peter Gray, and the amazingly transformative Vision model Rachel Weiher.







From the press release:

“At a recent hair show, I created a segment that was based on imagining a world without color,” says David Adams, co-founder and president of Red Chocolate hair color education, “so I began with coloring a group of models in blacks and grays, and then in the second part of the presentation I did multicolored hair. But when I stepped back and really looked, I realized that the blacks and grays were just as beautiful as the colors. And that’s where the idea for Charcoal Suite came from.” Add in the brilliant collaboration of talent, including photographer Robert Lobetta, and the Charcoal Suite collection was born, showcasing the stunning results of an inspired fusion between London and New York, beauty and fashion, technique and art.

Photographer: Robert Lobetta
Hair: David Adams and Peter Gray
Makeup: Rudy Miles
Makeup Assistant: Julie Swenson
Model: Rachel Weiher/Vision Management Group

Editorial: My cover spread for Minnesota Bride

I had the opportunity to style two of three covers and a spread within the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of local print glossy Minnesota Bride. Under the direction of the magazine's former editor Mary O'Regan (who recently relocated to Seattle), I styled looks that married bridal with a grunge/rocker feel - an unlikely combination, but I think it was a successful attempt. As an added bonus, I got to work with one of my favorite Twin Cities models, Vision Management Group's Ashlee Walker, who recently got signed by New York agency DNA.









Photos: Lena Lakoma
Hair/makeup: Fatima Olive

Vision's Nic LaFrance for Cosmo U.K.

Vision-represented model Nic LaFrance is one of the agency's biggest success stories since he jetted off to New York a couple of years ago. Here is the Minnesota native in the latest issue of Cosmo U.K.:

Editorial: "Twilight" by Emily Utne for Ghost Dancer

National jewelry line Ghost Dancer just debuted the lookbook for its Fall/Winter 2012 collection, "Twilight," which was shot, styled and laid out. Anyone know is familiar with Utne's personal style shouldn't be surprised - the styling is purely her own, a mix of Stevie Nicks and '70s-meets-'90s gothic witchiness. It features Minnesota model Ashley Rae Weisz, a former America's Next Top Model contestant who is represented by Vision, and makeup by Amber Brenke. View and purchase the collection at ghostdancercollection.com.

Lookbook: Freedom From Doubt F/W 2011 neckwear

Earlier this week, I featured local neckwear designer Jared Zachary's one-of-a-kind collection of bowties for e-retailer One-Offs Yippee! By doing so, I came across the lookbook for the line's Fall/Winter 2011 namesake collection, starring the James Dean-channeling Vision model Joe Laue. See the complete collection below, available online at freedomfromdoubt.com or in store at Heimie's Haberdashery, Elsworth, Atmosfere and martinpatrick3.

[Ready-tied bowties, top to bottom, left to right: Charcoal Micro-diamond Wool; Dark Green Wool; Golden Brown Wool; Chocolate Plaid Wool; Wool-blend Speckled Grey Herringbone, all $58 each]

[Self-tie bowties, left to right: Chocolate Textured Wool; Green Micro-houndstooth Wool; Jet Black Cashmere; Navy Speckled Wool; Sand Textured Wool, all $58 each]

[Four-in-hand neckties, left to right: Deep Burgundy Wool; Grey Herringbone Wool; Jet Black Cashmere, Navy Herringbone Wool; Navy with Green Diamonds Wool, all $68 each]

[Pocket squares, top to bottom, left to right: Ivory Floral Silk; Decco Print Silk; Blue Floral Silk; Black Floral Silk; Chocolate Floral Silk, all $28 each]

[All photos by Bryce Bordenkecher]

Vision model Ashlee Walker signed to DNA New York

Last week, Minneapolis-based modeling agency Vision Management Group announced exciting news - one of its most in-demand models, Ashlee Walker, had been signed to a New York agency. An email to Vision owner Teqen Zéa Aida confirmed the signing agency is DNA - which represents the likes of Linda Evangelista, Amber Valetta, Raquel Zimmermann, Natalia Vodianova, Doutzen Kroes, Tony Ward, Kristen McMenamy, Stella Tennant, and current #1 male model in the world Baptiste Giabiconi. Ashlee had previously been signed to Next agency in New York a year ago, and DNA is a significant step up.

Congrats, Ashlee!

Elle Williams of Vision models covers Mpls.St.Paul Weddings

As Vision owner Teqen Zea Aida puts the latest cover of Mpls.St.Paul Weddings, "Elle shines on this cover... it is called flawless and quite traditional Minnesota beauty. Elle is in a long line of breathtaking petite beauties at Vision...and this cover does her well." Couldn't have said it better myself.


BONUS: Two photos of Elle and fellow Vision model Mary Cann in the ballet-inspired spread inside the issue:

Editorial: Mary Cann in Mary Katrantzou for Nomenus Quarterly

Minnesota model Mary Cann gets her Frida Khalo on in the latest issue of Nomenus Quarterly, wearing designer Mary Katrantzou's Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The vibrant and eye-catching florals worn by the Vision-represented model were gorgeously captured by native Minnesotan photographer Erik Madigan Heck, as styled by Heidi Bivens.

 

Elijah Chhum's model profile for Vision's Mary Cann

Here's a little bit of pretty for the mid-day of the mid-week: local filmmaker Elijah Chhum's model profile of Vision-represented, St. Paul native model Mary Cann, who's walked the New York Fashion Week runways for Erin Fetherston and the Blonds.
Mary Cann Model Profile 3 from Elijah Chhum on Vimeo.

Emma Berg Spring/Summer 2012 lookbook: "The Midnight Garden"

On the heels of HAUS Salon debuting their Fall/Winter 2011 hair collection come additional images - in full color, all the better to showcase the intense hues of Emma Berg's Spring/Summer 2012 collection, "The Midnight Garden," featured in the shoot. The Midnight Garden Capsule Collection was created specifically for "Dress Rehearsal," an event to benefit the Boys & Girls Club in the Twin Cities, and is said to be inspired by the energetic members of the North Boys & Girls Club. "The entire collection is as varied as the singing flowers in Alice in Wonderland with a vast array of silhouettes, textures and colors," Berg says on her website.

Photographer: rau+barber
Hair & make-up: HAUS Salon
Models: Ashlee, Elle, Olivia & Mary from Vision Management Group & Jill from HAUS.