Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Model Profile: Gemma Ward

Gemma Ward was born in Perth Australia on November 3rd 1987. Believe it or not she accidentally stumbled upon modeling: while accompanying her friends to a modeling competition she was scouted by Vivian's Modeling Agency. "I had come straight from my auntie and uncle's farm, and I was wearing this big gray barn jacket with mud all over it. When the scout came up to me, I said, 'No, thank you.' They forged my mum's signature [for mandatory parental consent], and pushed me in front of the cameras." Gemma recalled of her bizarre start to her modeling career in an interview with Teen Vogue. Since that fateful day, Gemma has appeared on over numerous runways and magazine covers, including 30 Vogue covers world-wide. At only the age of 16, Gemma became the youngest model to be on the cover of American Vogue, and the first ever model to be on Teen Vogue's Cover! Her explosive success has been accredited to her "unique look." British photographer Nick Knight stated, "Gemma is one of the very, very few models who look as though they come from another dimension." Fashion designer Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler told Teen Vogue in February 2006 that, "She looked like no one else at the time. She was this alien, and fashion is always looking for newness." Photographer Michael Thompson says, "She's an exotic blonde, the rarest of creatures." Her look inspired a new generation of baby doll-like models: wide set eyes, luminous glow, porcelain skin, and an ethereal gaze. Gemma is one of my favorite models because she is so versatile: she can go from casual chic light skinny jeans and converses to the pages of Vogue advertising Balenciaga to the runways of Paris walking for Marc Jacobs. She is a true supermodel: a transformable canvas.

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