Miss and Mister Virtual World 2012

Yes, you all thought I had vanished ;) no! I'm always here, watching.

SL Models have been improving, that's why I don't feel the need to write as much as I used to; until these two events came up, again. Still, for some reason beyond my comprehension, SL Models aim at these two beauty pageants.

I'm making Mr Frolic Mills happy, because I'm talking about his things again. I'm glad I make him feel so important.

Now, to the point. I just watched one of MrVirtual World challenges, which was to style according to some samples that were provided to the candidates. These samples are public, they were provided in the NC sent out in the Group's invitation to the event. That's why I'm publishing them.

I didn't take photos of the candidates, but I'm showing you the samples that were supposed to inspire them.








Personally, I think this was an excellent challenge. To style this isn't easy and only some people can do it right. As you can see, there's a lot of black.

That was what most candidates did: they styled themselves in black. However, it was tough to see, because only a few, maybe one or two candidates really grasped this casual/high fashion style.

To wear black doesn't mean they really understood the challenge. Almost all of them wore black boots, just like the samples.

One of the candidates decided to style fantasy and wore a white dress, not walking on the runway but floating. I don't think that this was the idea of this styling challenge. He completely missed it. He stood out, yes, but for ther wrong reasons.

Obviously, everybody is intitled to their opinion, but, come on!!! The male candidates for Mr Virtual World need to step it up!!

Probably one or two really grasped the styling concept of this challenge. The rest of the candidates, didn't stand out for styling this impeccably. Actually, the two best candidates in this challenge were quite discrete and styled as real models, not fantasy. Exactly applying these samples they were given to their own style.

It was a disappoitment for me; it was quite a challenge indeed! Not many people have the skill to style that.

_______________________

Now, to Miss Virtual World Candidates. It's time for selections and live auditions and they will go on, still.

This weekend was one of the live castings; the second, I believe.
As a Fashion Critique, observing SL Models for quite some time and also observing these beauty pageants, the live casting for the female candidates was probably the worst I have ever watched in SL!

It's obvious that I know that some of those candidates are already modeling in SL. Let me tell you, it was hard to watch; I remember clearly one of the candidates in particular; she went to a live audition for MVW wearing a full leather black bodysuit with long boots!!! Then, she posed! I almost lost my temper there! This candidate to Miss Virtual World (these female avatars are supposed to be the most beautiful and elegant and so on and so on) used an old pose, the poses that were used like three years ago, that are very quick and have the two fingers pointed - you know what I mean, right?. She posed like that! I almost lost it!

Oh she stood out alright!! As the worst avatar I've seen in my SL, on a runway!!! Here is where I thought to myself 'probably, if the female candidates keep being like this, SL professional models will understand that this is not a contest for them, but for those who look for fame; not professionalism, but fame. '

I hope I really hope that SL Models understand that a modeling career in SL comes from hard work and not really fame - this kind of fame, that's what I mean.

There is something going on in SL - regarding shapes, skins, styling skills - cause the quality in these two beauty pageants is decreasing rapidly.

IMA - Brazil Fashion Week

Brazil Fashion Week is now over.
I've been to only one of the several shows organized by IMA. What I found in the group of models in this particular show was actually, nothing 'extraordinaire', nothing outstanding.
I'm going to address a subject that is now quite common, among SL male models: sorry to say but they all look the same. Meaning: dark skins, dark hair, light eyes - blue or green.

Let me show you the male Models that were in this show.








I'm not saying that these avatars aren't attractive. I do think they they look quite common, though. If I don't tell you their names, would you know who these male models are?

I ended up turning my camera to the audience and found male avatars - regular people - that were actually more distinctive than the male models on the runway. Meaning, in my opinion, these avatars may well have 'model potential', cause they really stood out in the crowd.




On the female IMA Models I found some basic problems that really need to be highlighted, over and over again: bad shaping and the need to pay atention to details. Now, more than ever, with the new SL viewer, there is the possibility of wearing more than one layer. I guess SL Models must be sure they have the right layers when they walk on the runway.

Here is a good example of this.

Rena Mascot

Rena Mascot is a short model. Maybe that's what she chose to look like, however, her avatar (mostly skin and shape) is completely out of date. She hasn't renewed herself. In the next photo, we can see the different hairbase color.


Shaping. Another problem I shouldn't even mention by now. If SL Model Academies work well, shaping is something to address with model very seriously - assuming that these Models have done professionbal training in SL. I'm going to show you what I consider shaping problems in some female IMA models.
Each one of the following female Models has shaping issues; it's tougher on a female model, I guess, because of the female body curves. Each of the following IMA models has a different shaping issue. Take a look, I'm not going to tell you what the issues are, but you'll see them if your eyes have been trained to spot them.

Tyra Eiren

Miria Moonbeam

Yasmina Lemon

I don't know if you can see the 'shaping problems' these models have. I surely can. Let me show you another shot of Miria; it may be clearer.



And finally, as I have been saying for a long long time now, why copy and try to look like other models? This is clear in the next photo I'm going to show you.

The 'asian' type of look on Miria. Doesn't she look like another sort'a, kind'a 'famous' SL model?

This show I watched was below average. Maybe the outfits didn't help. But anyway, a model's job is to highlight the outfits, styling it properly. Sometimes, the whole styling and concept is the designer's choice. I don't know what happened here.

I've been to several other show. These last weeks have been quite busy for the fashion scene in SL; lots of events, fashion shows. Maybe soon, I'll post more photos from other fashion shows I've watched.
Thing is, I also have a first life I need to take care of, like everybody else. But hey, I'm here, watching, always ;)

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.

New Miss Virtual World 2011

Now that the new Miss Virtual World has been selected, remember:

That doesn't make her the best model in SL.

I don't really care who won, but unless she works hard, as all models do, this little title is no guarantee that this lady is a very good SL model.

Having said that, I wish her the best of lucks and lots of hard work.

Opium Agency - Labirinth Show

Opium Agency put up a Fashion Show that had a kind of a 'story' behind it.

It was called Labyrinth and we actually had to go through a maze to get to the runway. Inspired by the movie with the same name - 'Labyrinth', with David Bowie - this show was a huge disappointment. I watched that movie several times, some years ago. I know the storyline, I know the characters and the show had nothing to do with the movie, except for that maze we had to go through, when we got to the TP point.

Not that the models performed that poorly, but more because of the show production.

The set was composed of three runways. The models all had to walk simply to the front, with two stops: one outside the backstage curtains and another one at the front of the runway.
The walks were double or triple. So far, so good. Simple walks.

The only problem, in my opinion, was that the show was boring. There were several periods of time when there was nobody on the runway.

Yes, I'm aware that with lag, models need time to change outfits, they may crash, etc. In that case, why not keeping models on the runway longer? The walks were simple, they only needed to pose more.

If production was good, if communication among all participants was good, until the next models were ready, the models on the runway should stay there. I guess this is a way to have the runway always more 'alive'.
Another thing to consider: there were double and triple walks. If the models on the runway stayed longer, that'd fit two purposes: allow them to rezz completely, so that we - the audience - could have a good look at all outfits and allow the models backstage to rezz too.

Let's see some of Opium Models, in random order. In this show, I saw some new models for the first time, on the runway. I'll comment on some things that I consider worth taking a good look at.

Federica Galtier

Frederick Lencaster

It's good to see some new male models on the fashion scene.

Gamp Lane

Gamp used lots of poses floating or rotating in the air.

Fuzz Lenie

Taking a closer look at the following pose Fuzz Lenie used, it's clearly a pose when the model holds something in her hands, like a cane or an umbrella. Something that touches the ground. Not a good choice of pose, because her hands are empty (it could be my viewer, but I saw nothing there) and besides being empty, her hands are closed.

Veronica Krasner

Veracity Afterthought
Veracity is a new model; at least I had never seen her before. Besides the very common face shape, she did quite good on the runway - which makes me think she is an alt of a former model. This is perfectly okay. I'm not criticizing negatively. Just mentioning it, because people notice these things.

Melancholia Roux

Melancholia posed poorly in the next pose. Terrible pose for such an amazing gown.

Locked Semaphore

River Stromfield
River blew me away, in this show. He is another model that I had never heard of or seen before. The thing is that his face is unique, his choice of skin, hair, eyes. If he sticks to his own style, he will be unique, among so many similar male models.

As I mentioned before, this show was somewhat boring, lots of moments with an empty runway . Opium Agency, I believe, could have done better.
There were also poses when models were floating, or doing different poses than usual. This would have been great, if this hadn't been done before by another model Agency in SL.

The thing about fashion is that it's all about innovation. Not following others, but leading the way.
I hope Opium innovates more.