Breaking Taboo to Send Models down Catwalk Naked

Breaking Taboo to Send Models down Catwalk Naked

As a wigmaker, it was certainly one way to draw attention to his model’s headwear. Designer Charlie Le Mindu broke the last taboo in the fashion world yesterday by sending models down the catwalk stark naked.

The 24-year-old whose creations are worn by Lady Gaga - caused a stir at London Fashion Week with a show featuring models clad in hot pink high-heeled boots, hats, bags, wigs...and little else.

In a scene reminiscent of the Emperor’s New Clothes, many of the assembled fashionistas did not know where to look.

French-born Le Mindu, his real name, launched his label just a year ago but has managed to grab plenty of headlines, and not just for his outlandish headgear which has included wigs in the shape of the Eiffel Tower.

At last year’s Fashion Week, he unveiled a full face headdress made of real mice and rat carcasses, outraging animal rights activists.

Asked if he was worried about the public’s reaction, he said: ‘It’s better to make them (the rodents) beautiful than give them to the snakes.’

His latest creations are not the most practical with some, including a bizarre leopard-print teddy bear headdress, covering the model’s entire face.

Born in deepest rural France, he studied hairdressing at Vidal Sassoon and Toni & Guy before turning to wigs and opening a studio in trendy Shoreditch in East London where he is now based.

It is only his second London Fashion Week, although his show was not part of the main event but staged at a fringe venue.

On the show’s website he described his interests as: ‘Stripers [sic] Los Angeles, pink cadillacs and Cher.’

Sandra Bullock wins first Oscar as best actress

Sandra Bullock paid her dues in Hollywood for more than 20 years, beloved by the moviegoing public if not always the critics. She was rewarded Sunday, winning the best-actress Oscar for playing a tough white Southern woman who adopted a black child in "The Blind Side."

Bullock had repeatedly said she didn't think she was going to win for the part she initially turned down, although the 45-year-old actress was a heavy favorite.

"Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down?" she said after accepting the golden statue from Sean Penn.

"I have so many people to thank for my good fortune in this lifetime and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I know."

In the closest race of the acting categories, Bullock was up against Meryl Steep in "Julie & Julia," former winner Helen Mirren in "The Last Station," and breakout stars Gabourey Sidibe of "Precious" and Carey Mulligan of "An Education" for their first-time leading roles.

In "The Blind Side," Bullock donned a frosted blond wig and a Tennessee twang to play Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real-life adoptive mother of Baltimore Ravens football player Michael Oher.

Bullock had already won the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe awards, and tied Streep at the Broadcast Film Critics awards. Streep also won at the Globes.

At 60, Streep is the most nominated actor, male or female, of all time with 16 nods, but she's gone home empty-handed since her last best-actress win for "Sophie's Choice" in 1983. Her other victory was as supporting actress for "Kramer vs. Kramer" in 1980.

"I look at the company I keep in this category and you can't pick," Bullock said backstage. "There's not one that rises above the others. I feel like I share it equally in five parts because we ladies need to stick together."

Bullock's Oscar triumph came a night after she won worst actress at the Razzies on Saturday for "All About Steve," a romantic comedy flop that quickly vanished at theaters in between her 2009 hits, "The Proposal" and "The Blind Side."

Bullock became the first person to win an Oscar and a Razzie on the same weekend. She was the rare A-list star who attended the show that pokes fun at the Oscars by giving out prizes for Hollywood clunkers.

"I had the best time at the Razzie," she said backstage. "It's the great equalizer. No one lets me get too full of myself."

Asked where she would put the Oscar and the Razzie, Bullock replied, "They'll sit side-by-side on a shelf somewhere, the Razzie maybe on a different shelf, lower."

Bullock's breakout role came in the 1994 film "Speed." She went on to score box office successes in "While You Were Sleeping" and "Miss Congeniality." But she also appeared in a string of duds before a supporting role in the 2004 movie "Crash" earned Bullock some of the best reviews of her career.

She attributed her victory to hanging in through good roles and bad.

"I didn't aspire to this," she said backstage, cradling her Oscar. "I was in awe of it, I admired it and I got to watch it like everyone else did. I didn't think the opportunity would ever present itself for me to rise to that occasion. This came out of left field, every pun intended."

Christmas Calendar Hit, Yoga-Loving Cats

Stretching into impossible poses these photogenic felines could be the most relaxed cats of all time. The aptly named Yoga Cats feature in a 2010 calendar that is sure to claw its way into the affections of animal lovers everywhere.

Created by professional photographer Dan Borris and his wife Alejandra, the calendar combines real photographs with a whisker of Photoshop magic.

'Cats are amazing, wonderful creatures,' said Mr Borris.

'The process of making these photos is a mixture of meticulous planning, figuring out which cat should go with which pose.

'Then being happy when all that great planning and preparation goes flying out the window.'

Using real cats borrowed from friends and family, Mrs Borris, a former yoga teacher-turned-animal practitioner, uses her skills to coax the cats into the yoga positions.

'Alejandra works with the animals in getting them into the positions we need as I set up the lights and take the photographs,' said Mr Borris.

'The cats get as close as they can with the yoga moves but some of those positions in the calendar are anatomically impossible.

'There is no forcing the animal to do anything. We will get the cat in a general position but each cat that I photograph is well looked after.

'We discovered that the best way to work with the cats was through inventing games and playing.

'The most difficult part was the discovery that cats just do not like flash.'

Once he has the shot he wants, Mr Borris then spends hours in front of his computer to get the desired results.

'Yes the images are photo-shopped,' he said. 'Some of these poses would be physically impossible for them to achieve although I have to say, that after shooting cats I have a whole new respect for their agility.'

The entire collection of photos can be seen at: www.YogaCatz.com./KOMPAS.com