Model Utah is a contest being hosted anonymously on MySpace.

1. To participate, you must live in Utah, and you must be friend of Model Utah on MySpace.
2. Models submit high resolution photos to modelutah@yahoo.com. Include your MySpace name, and the name of the photographer.
3. All entries must be submitted before the first of the month to be included in that month's contest.
4. Model Utah will pick 15 models from the contributed entries.
5. Winners will be determined by the number of photo comments (votes) recieved before the 15th of the month.
6. A featured photographer determines the theme of the photo shoot for the month (i.e., artistic, abstract, fashion, glamour, fitness, lingerie, bathing suit, etc...). Model Utah encourages you to schedule a photo shoot with the featured photographer, but it's not a requirement.
7. Photos that do not fit the theme are disqualified.
8. The winner will win a free photo shoot with the featured professional photographer.
9. After the photo shoot, models should collaborate with the photographer to decide which photo to have featured on Model Utah.
10. Each year, monthly winners will automatically be submitted to a panel of unbiased photographer judges for voting. The annual winner will be featured in Rene Magazine.

Labels: fashion, industry, model utah, models, utah

At first glance, you might conclude that the real fashion centers are Paris, Milan, New York, London, Tokyo, and LA. If you don't work in one of those cities, you're doomed to live on the periphery of the fashion world, where nothing exciting happens.

In my experience, though, there are some cool things happening in the periphery. I find that a lot of the fashion business going on outside these major fashion centers is more down to earth, grounded in the styles that people actually wear, and that is exciting to me, because I'm not simply photographing a designer's fashion art. I'm photographing practical fashions that are stylish and functional.

I get to see trends evolving on the streets, where it really counts... where the artistry of the fashion world is seen and admired during every day life, not just impressing people with a stunning example of beauty, but lifting up real people, helping them feel more confident in themselves, and helping them to express their personality: To convey a strong impression. Whether that message is all fun, or all business, fashion serves a real, practical purpose. Art meets real life on the borders of the fashion universe.

Another thing I get to see is the way that local brands take simple ideas and run with them, serving local needs, and niche communities. From the tongue-in-cheek "SL,UT" line that you can find at local boutiques and SLC Airport gift shops, to lines like Junglist Culture, serving Utah's underground electronic dance music community, the periphery is where fashion gets local, and connects communities.

In my experience, innovation can thrive in local communities. Take Utah's own Avidere, Inc., for instance. In addition to their very cool image styler cards (think Stacy and Clinton in a card form that fits in your purse), Avidere is teaming up with spas to provide styling education that spa customers can carry with them long after the spa glow has faded.

I'm hoping I can use this blog to uncover some of Utah's fashion treasures, and help the local industry professionals see what everybody else is doing. We can use it to network, collaborate, and thrive together. Who knows -- perhaps one day people will look to SLC for the latest fashion trends. Judging by some of the talents and innovations I've witnessed, I wouldn't discount the idea.

Update:

Avidere CEO, Roberta Hughes responded:

"I couldn’t agree with you more. Often times I am asked where I am from and people respond with surprise when they learn I live in Utah. Although I grew up in Oregon (childhood) and California (teens), I found my home in Utah. I have always had a passion for helping others express who they are through fashion.

"By the way, Avidere certifies professionals to enter the fashion / image consulting field and will soon launch an independent stylist program whereby individuals can call 1-866-4-Avidere to schedule an appointment with an Avidere stylist located in their city."

Avidere also provides local styling services in Utah. For more information, take a look at www.avidereimage.com.

Labels: avidere, fashion, industry, junglist culture, sl ut, utah

In addition to posting information about some of my photo shoots, I'm going to start using this blog to talk about some of my experiences with Utah's fashion industry. Collaborating with models, makeup artists, and hair stylists has given me a strong appreciation for style and fashion, so I figured I'd use this space to call out some people and companies who are worthy of mention.

Wilhelmina Urban is conveniently located right around the corner from my house, on 300 West just north of Downtown Salt Lake City. They have many beautiful, professional models who are as easy to work with as they are on the eyes. They do a fantastic job on the runway, too! Their staff is professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. Wilhelmina Urban is a licensee of one of the nation's top workhorse agencies, Wilhelmina Models, which is depicted in the VH1 reality television series, The Agency.

W Talent hosts frequent fashion shows at Fashionplace Mall, and their own modeling school campus on Highland Drive in Holladay (SLC Metro area). The W Talent campus serves as a training center for new models looking to learn the ropes and build a portfolio. They charge money for the variety of services that they provide, and there's no guarantee that you'll get work if you sign up. That said, some of Utah's best fashion photographers have done portfolio shoots for their models, including one of my favorites, Dave Tada (currently in LA). They also have one of my favorite models in their lineup, Sveta (pictured above). Models who turn to W Talent come out of their first year with some really stunning portfolio shots, and some actual experience walking runways at W and local malls.

Labels: fashion, industry, utah, w talent, wilhelmina, wilhelmina urban