SL Art and Couture Show

This event had a very well built set. It brought to memory the movie 'Metropolis'.

In the following photo, you can see two round lights; these were the teleporters, when models went backstage, after walking on the runway.


At first, the stage was absolutely empty and then all SL Art and Couture team walked in and placed themselves.

On the left: Tatanka Kaligawa (apparently the set builder and , as we all know, Mea Culpa designer)

On the right, Wicca Merlin - model, blogger and part of the team that organized this event.

The models were good, posing. One of this team members is Arisia Ashmoot, who, we all also know, is a posemaker; so, it's natural that the poses were great and very well executed.

Other than that, in terms of fashion, the show was regular; it was supposed to showcase hair, shoes, skins and jewelry. So, there was always a 'lingerie type' of outfit that the models wore all the time; the difference was actually the accessories that were showcased. So far, so good.

Eventually, in spite of the amazing set, the show became rather boring, in my opinion.

The models did well. I'll show you some of the photos I took of the models, in no particular order. Some of the models weren't rezzed for me, so I won't include them here.

Rhonda Pennell

dancer Dallagio

Miaa Rebane

Leandra Breen

Kay Fairey

rissa Friller

Actually, rissa was a good surprise, for me. Walking with some of the more experienced models in SL, she did a very good job. She stood out.

Overall, it was a good visual experience; the set was very well built; however, this fashion show lacked 'couture'; it could have been outstanding if it showcased some high fashion outfits. That was a choice of the organizing team and this is only my opinion.

Another thing to consider is the music. SL Fashion is becoming more and more demanding, in terms of quality. A fashion show is made of several elements; music plays a very important role. Just think of a RL fashion show - yes, we have to consider real life, when we talk about quality! The music of the show wasn't part of the overall experience; it was just dance music, regular. As time goes by, SL model agencies or event organizers must think more about quality. This is the key word that every model, model agency, event organizer should think of, first.

Good SL Model Training

I 've been to several SL Fashion Shows, some of them were SL Academy graduations. Next post is about one of them.
I felt the need to address to this one in particular, because of the low standards of quality, in my opinion.

SL Model Academies can be 'good' or 'bad'; by this, I mean have quality in the training or no quality at all.

Quality SL Model training would be, in my opinion:

* Prepare a SL Model to what's coming up for him/her (in every way possible, from the difficulties of finding a good and steady job; to the money that needs to be spent by a model trainee and a SL Model; to shaping and editting attachments - runway poise - the most important for me - and a huge number of topics could go on here. )

* When it comes to poses, and runway poise, it worries me a lot. While some SL Models have clearly improved, others seem to be stuck in what I call 'the latest trends' : animated looped poses that are new; obviously, in SL this happens all the time. New designers, new styles, new poses. And this is great!

* If new poses are available in SL, the Model should practice them. Not only use them because they are new. Use them with quality on the runway. There are some animated looped poses that have been launched a couple of months ago in SL that are being used on the runways not in the best way. They can be used, of course. But well combined with other poses, to make all movements smooth.

* Right now, SL Models must be thinking - what do you mean 'smooth'? sometimes, in a huge lag fog, how can we make the moves smooth?
I know it's not easy. But, just a hint? During a SL Fashion Show, don't use model huds or aos. Never, ever. If your Model Trainer tells you to use model huds or aos during a fashion show, you have two choices: try using a model hud once in a show and next show try not to use it and see for yourself what works best.
Again, you may now be asking yourself - if I don't use a model hud or some kind of ao on the runway, what do I use?
Why not trying to use your poses manually? Nothing like trying it, right?

You'll see what I mean in my next post - I watched a SL Academy graduation show and these issues can be clearly seen.

Coming up - next!

SL Models 'must dos'

Time runs fast, in SL.
Faster than in RL. It's hard to keep up with the latest trends.

Who runs the 'show'?
I mean, what must a SL Model do to be updated? Better even, how can a SL Model be a Model to follow and not a follower?

First, keep working with yourselves. It takes a lot of time to actually be different from other SL beautiful avatars. Most shapes are modifiable, this is a good start.
It's really about common sense. What can a SL Model do to be different? To be herself or himself? Skins are very common among SL Models, even male Models. Shaping it makes the difference.

Forget about the 'famous' SL Models or those who like to wear 'top model' tags. They will eventually fade away, if they don't keep updating themselves as well.

Focus on yourself. What can you do to make yourself different from the rest?

Actually, I've been wanting to write about this: there is a sensible difference in SL between High Fashion Models and regular Models.
I can feel this when I watch the catwalks. There is a kind of 'european' look that is very rare in SL. I clearly saw this when I watched Avenue's Modern Gypsy Fashion Show.

All the SL Models were very styled, very tall, thin and 'european like', so to speak.
It was probably the only Fashion Shows I watched in SL that looked like a RL Fashion.
High Fashion, high style, detailed. It looked like a real collection. I have photos of the Show, but I've been paying attention to several Flickr accounts and the snapshots there are more accurate than mine.

As I mentioned several times, the Designers' creativity helps. A lot! Plus a group of impeccable SL Models, all styled the same. It was a sight for sore eyes!

What does this have to do with the 'must dos' for SL Models? In this case, what I saw was a very 'smooth' Fashion Show, which means that there was a lot of work backstage, I'm sure! A very professional team working together: SL Models, Designer, the Model Agency, the text announcer, the music on the runway. Everything was connected.
Everybody on the audience was focused on the Designer's outfits, It was a real collection!

Another 'must do': find the best Model Agencies in SL. It doesn't matter if a SL Model is represented by 10 Agencies, if none is outstanding!

This may take time, training. Another 'must do': patience. It goes along with professionalism: if a SL Model tries to get into as many Model Agencies as possible, what happens when you find yourselves not working , dealing with unprofessional teams?

Eventually, some SL Models are out of work!
How can this be, if you are represented by several SL Model Agencies? Still no work?
Think real! Think quality!

Some SL Models prefer to 'climb up' the fast way of contests. Watch out, because right now, there are so many contests that nobody really cares who won. Not to mention the voting contests!

Again, think real! think quality!
Improve yourselves all the time.
A 'good' look is your own look. Work with that. Rule the trends!

From what I've been, soon every SL Model will be wearing a certain brand of jewelry, because some 'famous' SL Models are wearing it. Make a difference. Don't do it! The same with hair. Mimmi Boa ruled the trends! She did! Every SL Model started to wear the same hair brand - don't do it!

This is the most important 'must do': find your own shape, work on it constantly! Don't follow anyone. Rule the trends! Be impeccable in your own style.

What can you do - as a SL Model - with a freebie shape? Do you know how to make your own shape? Do it!
This is the best thing about SL, you can recreate yourself! Do it!

The 'old' Models and the 'new' ones

I started paying attention to SL Models and the Fashion Industry, quite a while ago.
I do remember the time when Miss Virtual World (2008) was Isabel Brocco and I also remember the big boost when Mimmi Boa was elected MVW 2009.
Mui Mujerki was also considered the Best Female Avatar back then. These three SL Models are still walking the runways.
Besides the beauty pageants, I do remember well when just the name Mimmi Boa would attract people to Fashion Shows.

In SL, these three Models, could be considered 'old', being however consistently good as runway Models.

After MVW 2009, we all watched many SL Models trying to 'look like' Mimmi Boa. Actually, she was one of the avatars we would (at least I did) identify at a distance, not even looking at her name.

However, no one has even tried to 'look like' Mui Mujerki. It's close to impossible! Nor Isabel Brocco, fo that matter.

They are part - and always will be - of the 'rising beauty' empire in SL.

Every time I watch a Fashion Show where I can see Mui Mujerki or Isabel Brocco, these two SL Models are absolutely discrete. No fireworks when they walk on the runway with their usual elegance and poise. I don't hear the audience screaming their names, as they do with Mimmi, even nowadays.

These ladies are part of what I call 'the old school' in SL, regarding Modeling. They obviously learned how to be a SL Model by themselves, because at that time, there weren't SL Model Academies to learn from.

These days, we have the 'new school' of SL Models. The new MVW - Miaa Rebane is going through the same process as Isabel Brocco, in terms of popularity. She may walk on the runway, but I don't hear the audience screaming her name, with the same proportion as people did with Mimmi. People do scream her name, but I saw Miaa walk and she wasn't that good, actually.

Talking about Fashion Industry in SL. I'm really glad to see that Beauty Pageants are now less important to SL Models. Maybe a couple of Models that need attention do apply to Beauty Pageants of any kind.

I still say that the best SL Models are the ones that are discrete, they work the runway with a certain poise that is clearly distictive. It does take time for an avatar in SL to be good at this. It takes time to prepare and work on their shapes, skins, to create their own identity. It's hard in SL, a place that allows us all to recreate ourselves - again, I have mentioned this a lot and keep repeating this: a beautiful avatar doesn't mean a good SL Model; female or male. It does help though, when we have beauty and good poise at the same time.

Every day in SL , a couple of dozens of Models are popping up. New names [ in some cases, the pbk is the same, which means new name, alternative account]; new SL Model Agencies; new SL Model Academies that offer training at low cost.

Looking back, the SL Fashion Industry is now more focused (I'm glad to notice this) in chosing the best SL Model for a certain designer's brand. Not necessarily always the same Model or the most popular. With the increased number of SL Models, quality is now more important than ever.

Not necessarily poularity, but quality - and these two may not go hand in hand. It's becoming easier and easier for some SL Models to be good. I'm afraid I have to say that the best SL Models I've seen out there are names that go back to 2008. They have the experience, the knowledge, the poise and a certain maturity that stands out. For that, there is no need to be popular, but to be good on the runway.

I'll show you next a very good Fashion Show I watched, took my usual rough photos. I'll remove the names of the SL Models again. You may be the judges yourselves.
Again, in this Fashion Show what was really important were the designers, not the SL Models. That's how I watched it. You may see if on the next post.
As usual, I'm around ;0)

BeStar Models - Lhuminal Fashion Show

Taking a look at BeStar Models.

This Fashion Show was quite good. The focus was on the outfits and skins, rather than the SL Models, which unfortunately we see often in SL.

If I remove the names of the SL Models, you'll see what I mean. Each set of photos belongs to the same SL Model.

Set 1
In this set, the SL Model could have been a little more 'out of the box' , in relation to the poses. This Fashion Show was all about urban, underground, grunge style; the theme itself allowed bolder poses; bolder and still stylish.

Set 2
Again, we can see rather 'simple' runway poses. I remind that also the skins were showcased here.

Set 3

Set 4

Set 5

Set 6

This was the SL Model that stood out, by being the 'less comfortable' on the runway. The next two photos show the exact same pose, just changing the side. She appeared to have much more lag than the others.

No need to mention this horrible armpit pose, next. But I mention it anyway.

Set 7

Set 8

In general, the most positive aspect of this Fashion Show was the focus on the designers, as it should always be.
I'm guessing that by showcasing skins, the SL Model changing his/her usual look, it gets the audience to focus on the outfit itself.

What remains, then? The general Show. All our attention goes to the Show itself, the feeling we got from it, was it active and dynamic? How was the routine? Was it appealing? Will we run to the stores to get those outfits, or at least to take a look?

As a client, I was curious to see some of those skins, although I didn't go shopping after the Show. SL Fashion Industry really needs to get the focus right. The SL designers are the most important, not the SL Models.

Once the Show gets the public attention to the creativity (or lack of it) of the designer, the goal was achieved! Let's not forget that a model is a mannequin - a body that holds thousands of possibilities, creatively speaking. That's why being a pretty doll , as a Model (SL or RL) really doesn't matter. [it matters if the SL Model emphazises beauty pageants].

What really matters - and this is extremely difficult in SL - is to be able to tell immediately who that avatar is, without seeing his/her name above the head. This is extremely rare, in SL. That's why I took the names out, in the beginning.

In general, this show was good; it could have been outstanding if all creativity was used, regarding poses and even the SL Models walk or routine. It just needed a little more dynamics and really go out of the usual 'comfort zone'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The SL Models were:
Set1 - Dahlia Joubert
Set 2 - Lilly25 Connolly
Set 3- Mimmi Boa
Set 4- Payton Heron
Set 5- Phillip Dollinger
Set 6- Tayra Dagostino
Set 7- Tesan Lane
Set 8- Veronica Krasner

KABUKI Models Fashion Show

Back to SL, after some weeks off, I took a look at KABUKI Models. The Show's Designer had very elegant and stylish outfits to "sell", as you will see, not many models were absolutely flawless. Again, let's take a look at their modeling techniques and this time, the way these SL Models styled themselves.

I remind that working in very laggy environments, SL Models must have some basic techniques to overcome it. One of them is their net connections. I understand that not all of us do have a good net connection, but in such a case, people shouldn't be modeling at all, unfortunately.

In this Show, I saw some mistakes that are pretty basic and do not have to do with lag at all.
Let's take a look at KABUKI Models. The photos you are about to see do not follow the walk order on the Show.

This is Arisia Ashmoot

Nicely styled, Arisia made here a very basic mistake: the pose. With the long skirt she's wearing, why choose a pose with crossed legs. It distorts the outfit completely.

Another mistake, here. The shoes - in this case sandals - Arisia chose to wear with this long dress. Not well chosen.

Fashion , both in RL and SL, is all about details. Take a closer look at her sandals.

This is ChloeRose Constantine.

Having been on SL runways for quite some time now, ChoeRose needs to be more physically styled as an avatar. I don't like her face.
She made some mistakes. One of them is so basic that I can't believe that any SL Model still does it: she used the "sexy walk" on the runway! You all know what I mean! Just take a look. She used it through the whole Show!! Not good for a Professional SL Model.

The same "sexy walk"again!

Finally, a huge basic mistake. ChloeRose walked the runway in one of her sets wearing a different tag. This is NOT supposed to happen with a professional SL Model.

This is Devlin Muircastle.

I dare to say that Devlin was the worst SL Model, because of the ammout of basic mistakes she made. First, yes, lag was affecting her, or she doesn't know what to do between poses. Here she is, just like a newbie ON THE RUNWAY!

And again! Something happened to her shape or was it my viewer? Maybe.

It could be lag affecting her, because - look closely at her shoes! There is the ankle part missing.

This was Devlin's pose for the Show Finale!!! Does it look good? NO! She is standing on the tip of hertoes. This is NOT a runway pose, AT ALL!

It's clearer here.

Moving on to Katherine Comet

Katherine's choice of poses can be questioned. This pose is very good for this kind of Show and outfit.

But then, what pose is this for such an elegant show and outstanding outfit? Take a look!

Katherine used this pose more than once. Terrible for this kind of Show!

This is Keira Tyles

Keira was the best SL Model in this Show. She did excellent: style, poses. Her face looks amazing!

How elegant can a simple pose be! Keira did very good!

This is LolaLove Lecker

LolaLove was below average, mainly because of a "tiny" detail: her shoes. Absolutely newbie shoes for a runway SL Model. Not good.

She managed to look like a newbie too. Lag? Maybe, yes.

This is Marienna Cortes

Marienna walked with this amazing ensemble. Bad choice of shoes, though. This sandals weren't a good choice.

Take a closer look.

Finally, let's take a look at Ida Boomhauer

In the beginning of the Show, Ida seemed to have lag issues; she got better though. Here is a very good pose for this outfit. Very well styled, too.

The following pose, is not so good for the outfit. The arched back hides the dress collar details. Could be better, with another pose.

Here is Ida at the beginning of the Show, not being able to pose.

And again.

It was an average Fashion Show, in general. Could have been much better.

Now, as I promised, let's take a look at these SL Models' profiles.
A SL Model's Profile is everything for a good Agency. They will check the model's profile, picks carefully. It was with amazement that I checked that a few of this SL Models have their SL Model training . None of them has the training as picks, and some even mention that "Resume is ready by request", which is a very arrogant thing to write in a Model's profile.
In RL, if a Model wants to work, she has to deliever her Portfolio Book herself! How is that so different in SL? A SL Model has her own Resume and it's "available" by request?
Outrageous!!! I, myself, wouldn't hire that Model.
Take a look at some of these ladies profiles. You may check them online, I chose the most important things I would like to check if I was to hire a SL Model.

This is Arisia's profile.

Her picks, in this case. In her Model Resume, she mentions her training.

ChloeRose's profile

Not a SL Professional Model profile, just by looking at the front page. You can see the groups, but there is no reference to any Model training, not even on her picks.

This is Devlin's profile.
She informs that is going to be away from SL and that is something good to know for a Model Agency. However, no training mentioned as well.

Ida's Profile

No Model training mentioned. I would disconsider her if I had a Model Agency.

Katherine's profile
This is what I call a "diva type" of profile. There are so many in SL!Crowded with awards and contests won and a small reference to her Model training. No matter how many contests a Model has won, that is NOT a reason to hire her. Training is, winning contests is NOT. Katherine is one of the SL Models that tells every potential client or Model Agency that her "resume is available by request". SL Fashion World has a new Diva!

Just take a look at all the awards Katherine has won. What about the work that she did in the Kabuki Fashion Show? Shouldn't she really stand out? And I mean REALLY? Katherine didn't stand out in this show, so what are the contests for? Popularity? It's a way to see the Fashion World, not mine though.

Keira's profile

Keira mentions her training in her Model Resume pick. This is not enough though. Every Academy the model trains at should have a pick in their profile, to be easier for a potential client to hire them.

LolaLove's profile

Same thing. No reference whatsoever to her Model training in SL.

Marienna's profile
Again, no reference to SL Model training. Moreover, her picks are rather personnal, more than professional.

A SL Model's profile is the best tool to be casted. However, a SL Model who has won lots of contests may be attractive to some Agencies, depending on what kind of Model the Agency is looking for. I, personally, would not hire Models out of popularity or contests won. As you can imagine, it would narrow down the number of SL Models who I would hire ;)

Be well. Walk well. Make SL Fashion World proud of you!