When I posted this image of Crystal Renn at the 9th annual spring dinner dance yesterday on our Facebook page, not many of you were impressed with her new look. Talking to Fashionista at the event the model said that rather than being for a job, the new look was just because she wanted to experiment with something different. 'I was having a Gemini moment,' she said. 'It means that you can get bored and you want a bit of a change. So I would say besides having projects in the works, that I wanted something new myself so I decided to keep it.'
But as the picture shows, it's not only her hair that got the colour treatment. 'I’m in a place where I want to play with my look and because my eyebrows are such a prominent feature I thought it would be interesting to mix it with the white in my hair. I have very thick brows and to have thick white brows, it was very appealing to me. I wanted to do blond in a different way. I technically have white in my hair,' she explained. 'As a brunette, I felt very comfortable. It was the color I’d been my whole life. What I like is the challenge of full time being a different person in a way–and integrating my personality in what started out as a character. There’s this fusing going on right now that is very interesting. Because the first day that it happens you look in the mirror you don’t know who you are. But a few days on, I’m starting to feel like myself, blond or not. And that’s how I should feel.'
In her recent editorials Crystal Renn has demonstrated the art of a good ol' fashion transformation and it looks like she has been transforming in her personal time too. Yesterday Ford Models released this image of the model relaxing on holiday in the Caribbean sporting a new hair 'do.
Gone are the long dark locks that she's so well known for and in comes a short blonde look. So far agency haven't confirmed what the change is for but something tells me that it's linked to a big job. Last week Jessica Stam was spotted with dark hair and confirmed that it was for a shoot with Katie Grand so maybe they have both worked on the same project.
There's no doubt about it - Crystal Renn has gone where no other plus size model has gone. Over the course of her career she's walked for brands like Chanel and has appeared in just about every magazine that counts and while her fluctuating weight will constantly be a moot point, her achievements definitely deserve recognition.
Last week we showed you her convincing depiction of a mentally unhinged patient alonside Karolina Kurkova in the latest issue of Interview magazine and this week, these images of Renn from the latest issue of Numero China hit the net. As you would expect, she nailed it. While she does look on the small side compared to her early days, the continued demand for her editorially proves that we've gone beyond plus size models being used to create controversy and for that alone, she's done a lot.
Interview magazine's latest editorial has got everyone talking. Crystal Renn appears alongside Karolina Kurkova in 'Strict Institution' lensed by Steven Klein. The story shows Renn as a mentally distrurbed patient and Kukova as sadistic character who ties her Renn up and abuses her and stragely, the pair are really convincing. Steven Meisel's Rehab shoot starring models like Agyness Deyn and Sasha Pivovarova in Vogue Italia back in 2007 sprung to mind.
Magazine anniversary issues are always good - take Lara Stone's topless appearance on French Vogue's 90th anniversary issue for example. This year, it's W Korea's turn.
To celebrate turning seven this year the magazine has cast seven models to appear on a series of special covers all wearing a lot of Louis Vuitton and the pastel tones that were huge on the runway for S/S12. The covers were shot by Jang Hyun Hong and stars Hyoni Kang, Maryna Linchuck, Crystal Renn, Anais Mali, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Julia Nobis and Valeriia Keleva. Anais Mali's cover is particularly significant as it marks the first time a black model has ever covered the magazine.
While Kate Upton managed to bag the cover of Sports Illustrated's big swimsuit issue, the real star of the issue is Crystal Renn who was appears in a 30 page spread. Shot by Walter Ioss Jr. in Australia, the spread marks Renn's first spread in the magazine and seems to show her with her curves back and looks beautiful for it.
Crystal Renn looked beautiful in this gold sequin Zac Posen gown at the opening of 'Anna Bolena' at The 2011 Metropolitan Opera Session last night but she looked different. Gone is her curvy shape and instead, Renn revealed a notably thinner psyche.
Over the course of her career, Renn has been a spokesperson for a healthy body image in modelling and has been happy to fly the flag for plus size models so he new look is unlikely to go down well.
Franca Sozzani is always ahead of the race. Back in 2008 she created the legendary 'All Black Issue' and has since continued to champion black models and for the latest issue of the magazine, the Vogue Italia editor booked three plus size models.
Sozzani has been criticised in the past with many arguing that the creation of the 'Curvy' Vogue website was merely a gimmick, but perhaps the latest cover shows a long term commitment of the magazine to championing a healthy body image in the industry.
This week The Cut spoke to the editor about how the shoot came about, why Crystal Renn was not included and whether she thinks the cover will have a serious impact.
Do I like the fact that people have huge arguments over my size and whether it’s OK? No matter what size I am, it’s OK because I’m fine. Health is the most important thing. So I think that sometimes when there’s this kind of bashing - this ‘Is she a plus-size model?’ - I mean, I didn’t make that the technical term...If anything, people get angry at me for using a term like plus-size, but I didn’t invent the system. Actually, I’m thankful that there is a place where size 8s all the way up to 20s can go and still model and can experience how wonderful this job is without the pressure.
