I have had a sporadic but inspired relationship to modeling.
It was in the family, I guess. Mom modeled as a teen in Paris, so did Aunt Joanna. Neither one felt they were very good at it, although they enjoyed being in the scene. Mom and Aunt Joanna seemed always in the right place at the right time in culture. Mom had talented friends.
It was a picture of me in the L.A. Weekly, that one of these talented friends took, which led to my first acting job in Rivers Edge.
I have always liked having my picture taken when it’s with a talented photographer. It can feel very creative, fun, even nourishing.
Decades later, in the 1990’s super model era, my brother Donovan and I were living in New York. Donovan, the ultimate connector always knew where to go. Dinners at Florent or at Davé (the Chinese restaurant on the Right Bank of Paris) with Anna Sui and Marc Jacobs were regular events that seemed very natural.
Soon Donovan was married to Kirsty Hume and our posse grew now including Kirsty’s wonderful supermodel friends Amber Valetta and Shalom Harlow. We went from show to show, back stage to back stage, and party to party. Donovan modeled but I just watched.
Until the X-girl show that Kim Gordon and Daisy von Furth held downtown for their Skater-girl/streetwear brand, produced by Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze.
I remember that day. Outdoors, walking on a long ledge which was the runway. Soho’s characteristic cast iron buildings as the backdrop.
Certain moments you realize are “moments” only after the fact, but this X-girl show, we could feel was a moment while it was happening,
Francis Coppola came, Kyle MacLachlan and his then girl friend Linda Evangelista were part of the standing audience.
The models and the audience all felt a bit giddy. It had a hyped, homemade energy.
My brother Donovan MC’ed the fashion show with a bull horn, whilst perched on a giant stone window ledge.
Chloe Sevigny closed the show in a white, mod X-girl dress with white bridal flowers.
My next modeling gig came ten years later…
Amber Valetta Hosted a Fall Fashion Show for Fundraiser to Benefit Friendly House & CLARE Foundation
A residential program for women recovering from substance and alcohol abuse.
Like with the X-girl show I felt happy to be involved, not exactly nervous to walk, but not totally feeling I was a model. More a personality and actress walking in a fashion show.
Jenny Shumizu and I after the show.
Then, a few weeks ago, Batsheva called me. Would I want to be in her show? Yes, I would like to. Very much so.
The experience was unforgettable. Molly Ringwald was the opener of the show. She ate. No crumbs, as they say. She embodied a character in her black dress with an old fashioned muff. I thought Jackie O in mourning.
I have never done a film with Molly but we dated the same man and have eyed one another all these years with admiration and interest. I loved her acting, of course but as the years rolled by also the books she wrote.
When you’re young, you just admire your fellow actors, the work they do and then as you get older there’s also this other thing - a camaraderie for having been in the business for so long and knowing you both share similar personal and professional experiences.
For Batsheva, I decided to try to embody the role of the model more completely, not smiling and nodding to my friends on the side lines like I did in the other two shows, but “giving face” as they say.
It was a 40 and older group of models. I was extremely happy to have my make up and hair done by fashion week stylists and be with all these fab women.
I am a fan of Batsheva personally and of her work. I was honored to be involved.
I want to leave you with a video I made that really takes you behind the scenes of my NY Fashion Week experience, getting fitted for the show, hair and make up, hanging out with friends and more. I had fun editing this…