Actresses in fashion magazines.

To be honest, I don't like it. I mean, I know that the actresses images sell a lot of magazines and everything, but I still feel like they are “invading” a territory that is not theirs. Sounds stupid, eh? But if you stop to think about it: Vogue's last three covers were shot with actresses (Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Drew Barrymore), each of them having a major spread in the magazine. What about the models? An actress can do a good job playing model but, at least for me, someone that actually works with fashion can do it immensely better.

Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford. Those were the good days.

Take SJP's issue. She had an amazing spread with Chris Noth called “Rebel Romance”, shot by Annie Leibovitz. Gorgeous clothes, exquisite New York sceneries... As one would expect from Vogue, it's an impeccable fashion spread.

I feel sorry for Chris Nolan. Those bags look heavy.

However, a few pages later, there's another spread. “Falling Off the Map”, shot by Patrick Demarchelier in Patagonia, featuring Caroline Trentini. It's just... breathtaking. The picture where she stands in the front of the boat, with the huge iceberg behind her is almost poetic. And the last picture, with Trentini in the middle of the horses wearing the purple Banana Republic dress just blew me away. It's fashion, it's selling the clothes, but there's something else. It's not the photographer, since Leibovitz is just as good as Demarchelier. It's not the set, 'cause even though Patagonia and New York are quite opposite places, both were shown in a way that takes the best of each one, and adds it beautifully with the rest of the shot. So, what is it? I like to think it's the model.

Or maybe I just love Caroline Trentini. That could be it too.

Text originally written in 24/06/08

NTM

Laugh at me all you want, but I actually like America's Next Top Model. While not being exactly about fashion most of the time (although Tyra seems to want to change that, as the hiring of André Leon-Talley shows), the drama, crying and completely unreal photshoots make up for good television.

I mean, seriously? Oranges to promote make-up? Who had that idea?

However, not all NTM shows are that bad. Australia's Next Top Model is considered the most fashion-oriented copy of the original, featuring actually modelesque contestants (without that whole "every woman can be beautiful" bullshit. Just kidding.) and photoshoots and challenges that always have a real client behind, AusNTM shows a lot of the fashion world to the common spectator. Kirstie Clements, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia, used to be a regular on the show. Elle McPherson advised the contestants last season, when they went to London for one episode. Alex Perry (a very influential Australian designer) is a fixture on the show's judging table since the very first season. On the last season, one of the photoshoots featured only Chanel clothing, jewellery and accessories. Comparing that to the cheesy shoots America's Next Top Model makes (I think the last one's theme was dance styles. Enough said.), and the silly rewards like a spread in Seventeen magazine (not that Seventeen is not a respectable magazine, but it's not exactly the kind of work you expect a top model to be doing), the Aussie version seems to be way more spot on when it comes to fashion side of the show.

Now that's fashion. Watch and learn, Tyra.

Want more proof? The winner of the third season of AusNTM, Alice Burdeu, went on to become the most succesful winner of all 34 versions of the show, getting signed with Elite Model Management on Europe, walking for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Lanvin, Lacoste and Christian Lacroix and landing campaigns for D&G, Napoleon Perdis and Sonia Rykiel. She's also got two Vogue covers under her belt and has appeared in a number of spreads for the magazine. Pretty good for a reality show winner, huh?

And just in case you've been living in a bubble for the past 118 years, Vogue Magazine is a pretty frickin' big deal.

But just because the other NTM versions are not as well-produced as the Australian one, it doesn't mean they can't end up finding good models every now and then. America's Next Top Model has given us Mollie Sue Gondi, Heather Kuzmich and Toccara Jones, the first plus-size model ever to appear on the pages of Vogue Italia. Brazil's Next Top Model also produced some pretty talented contestants, like Mariana Richardt, Lívia Senador, Malana de Freitas and Bruna Brito. Though none of the ones cited above has gained international recognition (with maybe the exception of Jones), they have been doing really well in their national markets.

Remember when I said Vogue was a big deal? Multiply that for 1000 and you get Vogue Italia. Not too bad for a black plus-sized model.

All in all, the Next Top Model franchise is comprised of both fashionable and informative shows, and the good ol' reality tv unnecessary drama. Even if it isn't the best thing on tv right now, I'm not ashamed to say I've spent some good hours watching it and rooting for my favourite contestants (I totally think Raina should win this cycle of ANTM). Don't judge. We're all humans right?

It's not a guilty pleasure unless there's guilt involved.