Hit the Road “Jac”

Paris Fashion week is finally over and now is the time to determine the “Forrest Gump” Model of the season. I see a look coming out of the model agencies. A face with highly sculpted hard angles with hollow cheek bones and jaws protruding that are accentuated by make up and pulled back straight hair. Magdalena Frackowiak is a perfect example of “The Face”.

However this trend can lead to a very unhealthy and extremely skinny look. When I see how thin Fei Fei Sun has become (I mentioned her as part of the Rising Generation of Asian Models piece I wrote), where her face is looking gaunt and has lost its attractive roundness. Looking at her recent Polaroids should raise a red flag.

Some publishing groups are already taking action and are banning extremely thin models from their editorial pages. This new directive also affects established top models. It is in my opinion a step in the right direction, however I am not sure that the brands and designers will follow suit as a small head mounted on a pin like silhouette proportion tend to match the sketches that designers render for their creations.

The New Forrest Gump

Monika Jagaciak a.k.a. “Jac” at IMG is the girl of the season. I would be curious to know how many miles she covered if we add all the fashion weeks of the season she was featured in. This Baby Top Model with Avril Lavigne features is not listed as part of the Main Board of IMG, but still considered a “New Face” as a result of her age. I guess the fact that she was banned from previous Paris Fashion Weeks due to her age, has made her even more appealing and thus in greater demand this season. (London Fashion Week has banned under-16-year-old from its catwalks and, in France, a licence is required before an under-16-year-old can model).

Monika Jagaciak "Jac"

Born in 1994, she was signed by IMG at the age of 13 and turned 16 in January. Last year, Vogue Australia editor Kirstie Clements decided to pull the plug on using “Jac” when they discovered her age and suggested that Australia follow Europe’s lead and impose a minimum age requirement of 16 years old for models.

Monika Jagaciak has previously appeared in ads for Calvin Klein and Hermès.

This happened in the past with ex Super Model: Brooke Shields who also represented the Calvin Klein brand at the age of 15.

Walk, Monika! Walk!

Some of the shows she was featured in Paris for the Fall-Winter 2011 Collections

Some editorials with “Jac”

Jac during Fall-Winter 2009-2010 Fashion Weeks
The Marathon Runners of the season

Abbey Lee Kershaw @ Next
Alla Kostromicheva @ Women
Anja Rubik @ Next
Anna de Rijk @ Viva
Anna Selezneva @ Silent
Constance Jablonski @ Elite
Fei Fei Sun @ Elite
Freja Beha Erichsen @ IMG
Frida Gustavsson @ IMG
Heidi Mount @ IMG
Iris Strubegger @ Women
Jacquelyn Jablonski @ Elite
Karlie Kloss @ Next
Karmen Pedaru @ Next
Kasia Struss @ Women
Lara Stone @ IMG
Liu Wen @ Marilyn
Magdalena Frackowiak @ Elite
Maryna Linchuk @ Viva
Mirte Mass @ Women
Natasha Poly @ Women
Olga Sherer @ Nathalie
Patricia Van der Vliet @ Elite
Sasha Pivovarova @ IMG
Sigrid Agren @ Elite
Siri Tollerod @ Marilyn
Tao Okamoto @ Women
Vlada Roslyakova @ Women

All runway photos by Marcio Madeira @ Firstview and Monica Feudi @ Gorunway.com

About Frederique Renaut
Born in Paris, France, Fashion & Beauty Director for benjaminkanarekblog.com Frédérique Renaut wears 2 hats: 1/ Consultant in Communication for the Luxury Industry specialized in International Communication, Media & Advertising, 2/ Creative Direction, Video Direction for Fashion and Beauty shoots for publications like VOGUE & Harper's BAZAAR. She has also worked as an International Executive Manager for major cosmetics brands (Jean-Paul Gaultier, Issey Miyake and Narciso Rodriguez fragrances) and Couture Houses (Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Féraud & Givenchy by Alexander McQueen).