Moving from her usual residence in New York to London - "My boyfriend [Robert Konjic] is in London, so I'm spending the summer here, I've been here for a couple of months now," she tells Grazia - Julia Restoin-Roitfeld isn't in the capital purely for leisure. Style.com reports that the design management graduate is the face of the forthcoming Lancome collection for Spring, Ultra Lavande, and was recently shot by Mario Testino for the campaign.
Alongside modelling for the beauty brand, Restoin-Roitfeld has taken on the role of creative consultant for Mark Fast's lower-priced line, Faster, and was on set to offer her advice for the line's Fall lookbook on Tuesday. "It started after I saw two friends wearing [Mark's] dresses [one of which was model Anouck Lepere]. I was asking 'Who designed those dresses! I want one!'" she explains of how she came about the position. "I especially wanted to wear one for the Cannes film festival, and that was my first dress by Mark."
"So that's how we met. Amanda [Mark's Art Director] heard that I was working doing creative consulting. So they asked, and I was very happy to work with him and bring my ideas to the brand. Mainly it's about being able to bring an outside point of view because they [Mark's team] all work together already. [I] mostly [work] on branding, and the image of the brand."
Mark Fast has gained himself legions of fans since he was hailed 'size hero,' following his use of fuller-figured models for his SS10 collection last September. And now, in a bid to make his designs more accessible to all, Mr Fast, has added to his 'Mark Fast' range with a new 'Faster' line. The new all-black range will feature his ubiquitous cobweb knitted dresses, tights, bandage style skirts, bodysuits and crop tops - with prices starting at £70 (for tights). And if that wasn't enough, as the name of the line suggests, the pieces will be produced faster, thanks to Fast swapping his London atelier for what Grazia Daily calls a state-of-the-art knitwear atelier in Italy.
Fronting the Faster campaign are two constrasting models - the gamine supermodel Anouck Lepere alongside the buxom and bootylicious Hayley Morley who is fast-becoming somewhat of a muse to Fast, ever since she opened his show last season, dressed in a grey figure-hugging knitted mini dress with multiple cut-outs.
Both beauties sport various pieces from the line, which proves that Fast's creations are genuinely designed to suit any shape or size and unlike some other designers, are fashioned to enhance character. We are seriousy loving the bodysuits, as did Lepere and Morley, so head hereto peruse the collection, which is currently stocked exclusively at Browns Focus.
Mark Fast is set on hitting the fashion radar heavy and hard. He caused a stir at London Fashion Week with his SS10 collection by using three plus-size models, and set with keeping his line accessible to a wider audience, he has decided to launch a lower-priced line. Fittingly named 'Faster', the collection will deliver as the title promises - it will be produced in an Italian factory for a quicker production time and, much to our delight, will range from $25 to $400 per piece.
New York stores Curve and Seven are already signed on for the collection, and with the Central St Martins graduate producing his first collaboration for high-street giant Topshop this season, it seems we'll all be able to get our hands on a piece of his signature cobweb knits, no matter the budget. How we love Mark Fast for making a statement.
