POUR L'AMOUR DE LA MODE
Week 1
Fashion icon
JADE PONO
Prerequisites: LUXE Paris clothes
Deadline to submit pictures: Thursday June 20, midnight
Selection 6 semi-finalists by jury: Saturday June 22
Publication 6 semi-finalists: Wednesday June 26
Education
2015-2017
AN EXTRAORDINARY STYLIST WHO THOUGHT OUT OF THE BOX
Soft as the Japanese silk from which she was born, Jade Pono, the latest LOOK of the YEAR winner, was always exquisitely elegant. We speak of her in the past tense because Jade left us in March 2023 to fight cancer and never returned...
SHE DID NOT CONFORM, ITS VERY JAPANESE
Elected in the summer of 2022, she will however have had time to mark the history of LUXE Paris with her grace and her heart of gold. Style-wise, Jade was made to represent LUXE Paris. She loved exploring all the looks.
''Jade is an extraordinary stylist who thinks out of the box'' summed up very well her sister, the famous top model Morgan Incognito, the day after Jade's election as LUXE Paris ambassador.
''She doesn't conform, it's very Japanese!''
SHE LOVED RUPAUL
When Jade was asked her favorite colors, she said:
"Purple, blue, green, pink, black... actually any color!"
A RL person who particularly inspired her:
"RuPaul"
Her idea of luxury:
"Relaxing by the sea", confided this charming Japanese lady who was living in Hawaii.
DIVERSITY of BEAUTY
Finally, even if she proudly displayed her origins, Jade was fiercely for the diversity of beauty.
With LUXE Paris and The Powerful Collective, she produced the extraordinary show We Are The World with 25 models from different origins, presenting looks inspired by their native land.
Jade was all that and more. Let your imagination travel and show us how you would have dressed Jade.
If you are a male candidate, create a look that Jade would have like for her companion.
Week 2
Fashion icon
PONCHITUTI BOUCHER
Prerequisites: LUXE Paris clothes
Deadline to submit pictures: Thursday June 27 midnight
Selection 6 semi-finalists by jury: Saturday June 29
Publication 6 semi-finalists: Wednesday July 03
«IN ORDER TO LOOK FABULOUS YOU HAVE TO BE FABULOUS INSIDE"
- Ponchituti
Fashion and Ponchituti Boucher are a long love story. Top model for the biggest SL brands, she has also organized numerous and imposing fashion events such as Miss Mundo Virtual and Miss Virtual World as well as hundreds fashion shows.
Coowner of One On One Agency & Academy, producer of LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR and SL Top Powerful Body competitions, owner of ProPose professional fashion poses, Ponchie shares her passion with all those who wish to learn the art of fashion.
Elegance constantly guides Ponchie when she gets dressed. She loves fashion’s different trends but never lose sight of the rules of elegance.
"Rules are sometimes made to be broken but it must be done within the bounds of good taste",declares the woman who formed so many runway stars that she was nicknamed ‘’The Mother of All Models’’ .
HER MUST-HAVE HIGH HEELS
In everyday life, Ponchie is casual chic.
"I was once classical but I had enough of it. Now, a jeans, a nice blouse, my signature eyeliner and my must-have high heels and I feel good about myself.
That said, on a runway, the top model is not afraid to have fun.
"One day, Frolic, who was like my brother, told me that people described me as "the most elegant model on the grid... It flattered me of course, but it also scared me!
I don't want to be just elegant!
I have my share of crazy too!
On a runway, I have no boundaries.
Only vulgarity stops me!'’
QUEEN of POSING
The art of posing, which Ponchie masters like no other, catapulted her to the ranks of the superstars. In 2015, MISS SL magazine crowned her ‘’Queen of modeling & posing’’, nothing less!
Best fashion era?
"The somptuous Victorian!"
Favorite colors?
"Emerald green, color of hope, and the supreme elegance of black."
Inspiring celebrity?
"The Venezuelan designer Carolina Herrera with whom I share my roots."
Favorite look on a man?
"Elegant and clean!
Like he just got out of the shower!
Sneakers are ok if perfectly clean!
I love skinny jeans with a beautiful quality t-shirt!"
Week 3
Fashion icon
ZURI RAYNA
Prerequisites: LUXE Paris clothes & ZURI jewelry
Deadline to submit pictures: Thursday July 4 midnight
Selection 6 semi-finalists by jury: Saturday July 6
Publication 6 semi-finalists: Wednesday July 10
«WHO DOESN’T LOOK STUNNING DRESSED TO THE NINES?»
- zuri
She looks like a modern-day princess with her long hair, voluptuous jewelry and natural grace. And she makes us look like royalty with her opulent and refined creations. You will already recognize the legendary Zuri Rayna, jeweler in Second Life since 2007!
When we know her better, we are not disappointed. She is definitely a princess, in look and in heart. A loyal collaborator of LUXE Paris for many years, it was important to us to pay tribute to Zuri so that we better know the artist, the entrepreneur and the woman behind the famous brand, an otherwise very very discreet woman.
THE RED CARPET
If you wear Zuri, you won't be surprised to learn that she draws much of her inspiration from the red carpet of big glamorous events like the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
«A lot of my jewelry vibe goes well with the timeless elegance of a formal, romantic gown, like the gorgeous red draped gown that Cara Delevigne wore at last year's Academy Awards, or the lively hot pink gown worn by the adorable Margot Robbie at the Golden Globes,» describes Zuri.
Favorite colors, fabrics, stones?
«Favorite colors aren't a surprise: jewel tones!
I'm partial to everything elegant and luxurious, silks, satins, fine embroideries, and even though I love all kinds of jewelry and stones, I strongly favour the multifaceted sparkle of rich gems and mesmerizing opals.»
Most charming fashion era?
«Each era had its own particular charm. From the excess of Baroque to the classic beauty of 60's Channel and more current designs, there's always space for beautiful jewelry.»
Week 4
Fashion icon
COCO CHANEL
Prerequisites: LUXE Paris clothes
Deadline to submit pictures: Thursday July 11 midnight
Selection 6 semi-finalists by jury: Saturday July 13
Publication 6 semi-finalists: Wednesday July 17
«FASHION FADES, ONLY STYLE REMAINS THE SAME»
- Coco
One of the things that makes Coco Chanel’s style so special, is that her clothes are still modern today. Chanel revolutionised fashion for women. If it wasn’t for her looser designs and relaxed style – achieved through the use of jersey that up until then had been used only for men’s underwear – women might still be wearing restricting and uncomfortable corseted clothing.
Her original creations had been adapted and modernised by Karl Lagerfeld. The extemely talented German designer put himself in Coco's shoes and imagined what she would wear today. So yes, the skirts went shorter and he pump up her signature details but the Chanel spirit, her very personal vision of elegance, are still there, immutable.
CHARACTERISTICS of HER STYLE:
Simplicity, elegance and comfort
Black and white: colors she often stuck to
Nautical themes which often featured stripes
Large and plentiful fake pearl necklaces & chains
The little black dress invented in 1926
Unisex before her time
Chanel had the ability to transform men’s wear into elegant and comfortable feminine clothes.
Later, Lagerfeld and Virginia Viard, her successors rue de Cambon, took the idea further and transformed the iconic Chanel tweed jacket, worn by famous women as Princess Diana, into a comfortable, soft, cheerful jacket for men.
What you probably dont know
Chanel learned to sew with the nuns who ran the orphanage where she grew up.
At age 18, Chanel was singing at the Moulin-rouge cabaret in Paris.
Chanel claimed to be born in 1893 instead of 1883.
Before clothes, hats were her forte.
In 1939 she became a war-time nurse.
She worked until her death in 1971, aged 88.
Week 5
Fashion icon
FROLIC MILLS
Prerequisites: LUXE Paris clothes
Deadline to submit pictures: Thursday July 18 midnight
Selection 6 semi-finalists by jury: Saturday July 20
Publication 6 semi-finalists: Wednesday July 24
FLAMBOYANT FOR THE SAKE
OF THE SHOW
IN FACT HE LIKED BLACK & WHITE
Founder of the BOSL empire, Miss Virtual World contest, SL20 magazine, host of the Frolic Mills Show on Metaverse TV, author of FABULOUS!: A Must Read Book for All Fashion Models, architect of the virtual fashion shows as we know them today, ideator constantly pushing the limits of the world that fascinated him, the world of fashion, HIS world!
Second Life’s biggest fashion icon, our dear departed friend Frolic Mills, quite simply invented the virtual fashion industry.
If it hadn't been for Frolic establishing strong and prolific roots, SL fashion industry wouldnt be the same. To tell us about the fashion mind of the man behind the legend, we invited Avalon Chrome, designer at LUXE Paris, who had the chance to dress Frolic on several occasions.
A CUSTOMER RATHER CHALLENGING
"It was a great honour and pleasure to design for Frolic", says Avalon.
"But it could be rather challenging at times as it took some trial and error to discern his style.
At first, I was told by many who knew him that he loved the flamboyancy and vibrant colours reminiscent of Liberace. So I based some initial designs on that theory, creating such outfits as "Warhol's Frolic" and "Pond".
But then after speaking to him, he revealed that he preferred ... black and white!
So my designs evolved to such outfits as "Sakura", ‘’Open Mind’’, "Fashion World" and the "Frolic's Roots" tux, all more sober.’’
HE COULD BE OUTRAGEOUS
‘’However every once in a while, he'd throw me a curve ball and have me design something outrageous like a head-to-toe fuchsia Schiaparelli-inspired outfit for a show!
As challenging as it all was, Frolic inspired me to take risks in my designs and to become a better designer.
Thank you Frolic, the SL fashion world will never forget you.’’
If you are a feminine participant, imagine an outfit for a lady who would accompany Frolic to an event.