The Inimitable Rinko Kikuchi

The April issue of of iD features my very favorite actress in the world, the one and only Rinko Kikuchi. I think Rinko is beyond genius. I love her sullen pout, her fast shifting haircuts, her alliance with Chanel. I think she is the kind of global/cross-cultural super-star that mainstream media sleeps on. Expect to see many a post on Rinko at TI because this crush is serious! Rinko is on the cover of the "Gender" issue of iD. Very 90's that ...to do a "Gender" issue but it's interesting that the ten year cycle of errant androgyny is here again. Love the i-Date feature on iD's Myspace page that has a questionnaire with options ranging from Male/Female, Straight/Gay, Bi/Boy, Girl/ Man, Woman/Trannie, She-he/He-She, Mother/Other. TI is not mad at the polymorphous nature of that and plans to feed into it ferociously. I also am in deep love with idmagazine.com's flash video feature that allows you to speed-read through their entire issue. Check it out right now. It's just like being at the newstand!

By 1.30 pm, Fri Feb 8th, the Fall/Winter 2008 Rad Hourani was done. Rad, Hung Vanno (make-up and emotional motivation) Nicholas Grasa (stylist ) and their team had worked relentlessly hard on crafting a very dedicated vision. As its casting director I'm too close to deliver any kind of critical verdict on it, but I do know I apreciate Rad's indulgence in allowing a daring follow through on an exclusive engagement for Sunniva and a newcomer I considered to be a beautiful bookend, Camille to walk the show. I also loved the loyalty Rad as a newcomer inspired in prompting agents to give him two other girls, Rena and Kathleen also for his show in NY only. Behind the scenes there was lots of drama and screaming and... uhmm moments of "coming together" on my part. In that regard I'd like to extend my total gratitude to first and foremost, Paul Rowland and the team at Supreme and to Karina @ IMG, Michael Schwartz @ Women, Heinz Holba, George and Christopher @NY Models, Neal Hamil and Roman @Elite, Tammy @Next, Duane@ Trump, Sonny@One, Cheri@Marilyn and David @ Major. A big shout out goes to MDC's Betty Sze who was invaluable the entire week. I also am grateful to TI's latest contributing photographer, Pablo Ravazzani for snapping these backstage pics. They allowed me to see the clothes with a clean and clear new eye. I think they are incredibly appropriate as the photographic style of Pablo's pictures is totally in sync with the graphic precision that drives Rad's work .

Rad Hourani FW 08: PH: Pablo Ravazzani:Julia: Women

Natasa Vojnovic: Women: PH: Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin:V 48

It's almost December which means all the big SS08 camps are pretty much wrapped, all the blue chip fashion covers are spoken for and all that is left to do over the next two weeks is Art Basel Miami Beach, Christmas shopping and holiday partying until you start to loathe champagne. But that doesn't mean that there are not still ch-ch-changes abrew. Like today' s text scoop. "Natasa-Vojnovic-Now-At-Women". Ah Natasa. The last time we saw her we got into a hoop jumping competition with Miss V. TI's jaws dropped at her uhmmm...flexibility. Legendary that one....Also this weekend in London ID magazine will be shooting its "New Supermodels" issue. So this is the new modelwatcher's assignment. Draft up a list of the girls who you think will be declared "New Supermodels" by ID and drop your vote as to who you think will be nailing that coveted cover. Everytime a dedicated modelwatcher gets a girl right, TI will answer your post with a "Confirmed" response....And had a sit down today at New York Models with the brilliant Sunniva, who dipped into NY for an exclusive swirl of requests this week. She's got a Master's degree in Molecular Biology, a beautiful little baby girl and is still one of the coolest faces in modeling right this sec. TI LOVED that late 90's generation of Audrey/Erin/Karen/Sunniva/Guinivere and felt a bit like a model groupie talking with this definitive cool girl.Stay tuned for an exclusive peek tmrw morn at MDC/OTM.