July 2019: Model Retrospectives

I probably have no greater fun with my own blog than I do when I look back at particular models with a week's worth of posts, one model per week for a month.  So now, I'm about to do it again, for the simple fact that I have more space than I need to come up with at least twenty new subjects by the time this blog reaches its anniversary date in late September . . . and also because I have plenty of pictures of the models I'm about to revisit!

The four models I have selected represent different types.  The first two come from opposite sides of the same hemisphere, and of different ethnic backgrounds, but both are more famous for their fashion show appearances than for their print work.  The first is Claire Atkinson, from England (you wiseacres who insist that English ethnicity is an oxymoron can shut up and sit down now, thank you very much!), and the second is Anna Bayle of the Philippines.  The third and fourth women are both black American models who have worked mostly in print assignments, but while the third model I will feature for a week is a household name, the fourth is not. The first black model is none other than the legendary Beverly Johnson, and the latter one is a woman by the name of Cynthia King, whom I featured only once before . . . in 2010.

And while Cynthia King may be recognizable, she's most likely known more by sight then by name.  However, I think it's safe to say that she wouldn't have had the career she did had not Beverly Johnson, a trail blazer for black women in modeling, paved the way or her and many others. 

Full disclosure requires me to state that I know Claire Atkinson and Anna Bayle through Facebook, and I also am in contact with Claire Atkinson outside social media despite the act that we live far apart from each other.  I don't know Beverly Johnson - not even through social media - and no one in the modeling profession whom I know seems to have any idea what became of Cynthia King, though I was able to find out a few things about her with a little persistence and a little dumb luck.

So - enough blabbering!  Off we go into a whole month of stunning beauty and elegance! :-)   

A Special Retrospective: Nastasia Urbano

I close June with a post that's a labor of love.

Spain's Nastasia Urbano was homeless in her hometown of Barcelona when 2019 began, but the GoFundMe page started by a friend of hers, which I provided a link to here and which I documented extensively on my other blog, brought in enough money to help her get an apartment outside town and resume her life . . . and her modeling career. 

You've already seen examples of her new work, which I posted in February 2019.  Now here are some examples of her early work to demonstrate what made her such a wonderful model in the first place.

This 1989 photo, which I colorized myself, shows the depth and intensity that Nastasia (she's a friend of mine, remember) brings to the camera.

And this black-and-white photo from 1988 shows that same intensity.

She has always brought those qualities to her more glamorous work, from this low-keyed, elegant photo sporting a basic black ensemble . . .

. . . to this downright sexy pose in a strapless dress and opera gloves! :-O 

Nastasia Urbano is a very special woman and a very dear friend, and I was happy to be part of the effort to help her get back on her feet.

And with that, and the year being half over, I now move to my retrospective feature - four models, a different model each week - for July. 

The Beauty of Retrospect: Linda Tonge

It may be too soon to feature Linda Tonge again, having first featured her just four months previously (February 2019), but these two pictures demand another look at her.  Because these two photos display her in all of her radiant blonde glory.

Below is a picture of Ms. Tonge taken by the great photographer Albert Watson.

   

And while he is a great photographer, it's fair to say that he didn't need to do much more than let the shutter fall on his camera.  Linda Tonge only had to peer into the camera with those soft blue-green eyes of hers, her face lovingly framed by her golden tresses. 

She put her hair to good use in the photo below.

 

The picture is for a Rave hairspray ad.   Well, that makes sense! :-)