Vogue Netherlands Collectors Issue featuring Doutzen Kroes

Doutzen Kroes turned 30 today! Happy birthday you divine being!! Vogue Netherlands has dedicated their March issue to celebrate her birthday. The Collector's issue consist of three different covers. The editorial images were shot in New York, Los Angeles and Amsterdam and include her husband and their two kids. Friends and family were also photographed by the Vogue-team.

Also take a look back on her 10 years of modelling here! 

The March issue will be available on February 10th. 

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014

The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, also known as The Sexiest Night on television has arrived again and always it was incredible!! I know this is a late post but I live in The Netherlands so the show aired later than it did in the US. This year the show took place in London and it aired last week on dutch national tv. The VSFS is a show with wings angels, models, musical performances an most importantly the Million Dollar Bra, also known as the Fantasy bra all bundled up in one show.

The models and angels have been preparing themselves for months for this spectacle by working out and sticking to a sometimes strict diet and you can definitely see that. All eyes were on Doutzen Kroes' incredible body which stood out even more this year, after all she did gave birth to babygirl, Myllena Mae almost 5 months ago. The Fantasy Bra was also an eye-catcher this year, it was the first time that two Angels were 'honored' by walking down the glittered catwalk with two fantasy bra's. Angels Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio were both clad in the Dream Angels Fantasy Bras adorned with more than 16.000 rubies, blue saphires and diamonds and was created by Pascal Mouawad, the set, besides the bra and slip, also consists of an arm, leg, stomach/ waist and neck pieces with a total worth of 2 million dollars each! Also new this year were the record of models walking, 47 models total, Elsa Hosk walked this year for her first time as official Angel. Ariana Grande, Hozier, Ed Sheeran and once again Taylor Swift performed this year.



My favorite segments were Gilded Angels, Exotic Traveler and Angel Ball, there were wings in galore it was incredible, all the work and detailing that goes into putting everything together is just unbelievable! If you've missed the show, watch it above and continue reading to see every single look!

The models for this years VSFS were;

Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Barbara Fialho, Behati Prinsloo, Blanca Padilla, Bregje Heinen, Candice Swanepoel, Cindy Bruna, Constance Jablonski, Daniela Braga, Devon Wndsor, Doutzen Kroes, Elsa Hosk, Enikö Mihalik, Grace Mahary, Ieva Laguna Imaan Hammam, Irina Sharipova, Isabeli Fontana, Izabel Goulart, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Jasmine Tookes, Joan Smalls, Josephine Skriver, Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss, Kasia Struss, Kate Grigorieva, Kelly Gale, Lais Ribeiro, Lily Aldridge, Lily Donaldson, Lindsay Ellingson, Magdalena Frackowiak, Maria Borges, Martha Hunt, Maud Welzen, Ming Xi, Monika Jagaciak, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Shanina Shaik, Sigrid Aren, Stella Maxwell, Sui He, Taylor Hill, Yumi Lambert

Samiya Cusman

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The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is almost here!

It's almost time for the Sexiest Night on Television, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is almost here! Wings, angels, models, musical performances and most importantely the Million Dollar bra, also known as, The Fantasy Bra are all bunled up in one show.

This year the VSFS took place in London, 47 models including the Victoria's Secret Angels walked the famous glittered catwalk. Ariana Grande, Hozier, Ed Sheeran and once again Taylor Swift performed at the show and this year the Angels Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio both had the honour to be cladded in lingerie adorned in more than 16.000 rubies, blue saphires and diamonds. The lingerie-set created by Pascal Mouawad - besides the bra and slip - ,also consists of an arm, leg stomach/waist and neck pieces with a total worth of 2 million dollars each. This also the first time ever that two angels get to wear a fantasy bra together! Get a look of the bras above.

This year the show airs Tuesday, December 9th on CBS 10/9c. and in The Netherlands it will broadcasted by Net5 on December 15th, at 22:45, have fun watching!

Samiya Cusman

Doutzen Kroes: Ten Years of Modeling

Today is the birthday of a supermodel! Doutzen Kroes turned 29 today! Not only is it her birthday today, but January is also the month that marks Doutzen's 10 year modelling career!! (Doutzen, if you're reading this CONGRATS and Happy Birthday!!! I'm so proud to be a fan yours!!)  That is a jubilee that needs to be celebrated! And we will, by looking back at her career! 

A girl from a small town who has never been in the capital city becomes a Supermodel. It sounds like a dream, right?

Well, for Doutzen Kroes it became reality! 

Doutzen Kroes was just about 17/18 years old when she wanted to get a little job to make some pocket money, - that pocket money became some serious money now- just like everyone does at that age. So she send some holiday pictures to several modelling agencies throughout The Netherlands and like a lot of young girls she got rejected a few times. But that didn't stop her.

Until she got that call, that special call from an agency, Paparazzi Models. Sarah Keller, who found Paparazzi Models called up Doutzen and flew her to New York. 

And so her 10 year modelling-career began...

Before you read any further let's get one thing straight. How does one pronounce the name of the beautiful Doutzen Kroes? Watch the quick video above to learn for yourself, courtesy of Vogue Spain.

The launch of a big career 

Sarah Keller was the only one who actually saw potential in her, ''We immediately saw that she was special!'' she told VogueNL for their December 2012 issue. Others thought she was too beautiful to be an editorial model. That's why at first many people didn't want to work with her because they found her face too commercial.

As an eighteen-year-old girl from a little village called Eastermar in Fryslân, she was send to 'the concrete jungle where dreams are off', aka New York with Mo Karadag (Booker at Paparazzi Models). In 2003 she made her debut as covergirl for the Dutch ElleGirl She then walked the S/S 2004 shows for Tommy Hilfiger, Fendi, House of Diehl and more. After her big break with her Vogue Italia Cover by Steven Meisel in 2005 she walked her first Haute Couture shows at the S/S 2006 shows for Valentino, Christian Dior and Christian Lacroix. 

Steven Meisel 

Her big break was when Steven Meisel or 'The Godfather of Fashion', as she calls him shot her first Vogue cover for Vogue Italia's February 2005 issue. ''I was sitting in Hair and Make-up when all of a sudden Steven walked in, ''Stay there'' he said. "I was laying with my hair back and he took the picture. That picture became the cover.'' ,Doutzen told GraziaNL. ''I barely had any make-up on! The guy just knows exactly what he wants. If he takes your picture, you just know it's right.'', she continued.
Since then Doutzen has been a coveted name in the industry.

After her debut in Haute Couture in 2005,   she debuted in The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2005! In August 2005 she starred in the campaign for Calvin Klein's Eternity Fragrance-line and became their spokes-model alongside male model Karl Lindman. A year later, in 2006 Doutzen Kroes signed a three-year contract with L'Oréal Paris and became a 'Global Ambassador'. And she currently is one of their main ambassadors. About the famous slogan ''Because I'm Worth It'' she said that ''It means that every woman should be proud of who she is and it's a celebration of our strength.''

The World's Next Topmodel

In 2005 Doutzen was selected as Model of the Year on Vogue.com by its readers. Two years later, in 2007 Kroes was featured on the cover of Vogue US' May 2007 issue. Alongside models Sasha Pivovarova, Lily Donaldson, Coco Rocha, Caroline Trentini, Chanel Iman, Raquel Zimmermann, Agyness Deyn and Hilary Rhoda she got crowned as The world's next topmodel.
And they all indeed became topmodels, supermodels actually. Several of these models appeared in the 2008 Pirelli Calendar

Forbes named Kroes fourteenth in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels, in July 2007, earning at an estimated total of $1.5 million in the previous twelve months. Five years later she made it to the Top 5 becoming #5 with an estimated total of $6.8 million from. May 2011 till May 2012. In last year's list three supermodels, Alessandra Ambrosio ('12 #6) , Natalia Vodianova ('12 #3) and Doutzen Kroes ('12 #5) were remarkebly missing from the list, rumor has it, it's because their agency, DNA Models, hasn't report their Models gains.

And I'm pretty sure the three Supers will make the list this year!

Victoria's Secret 

Three years after her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in '05 Doutzen became an official Victoria's Secret Angel in 2008. A dream job for many models (read girls). Edward Razek who has been selecting the models for VS for the past decade said about Doutzen: '' I wish we had snapped her up a long time ago.'' Since then she has walked the '06, '08, '09 - not in 2010 because she was pregnant-, '11, '12 and recently the 2013 show. 

Acting Career?

In November 2011 Nova Zembla, the first Dutch 3D movie by Dutch movie-director Reinout Oerlemans came out and it was the first movie Doutzen Kroes starred in. She has mentioned in several interviews that she doesn't want to be just a pretty girl in the movies she wants have serious roles although, she wouldn't mind being a Bond Girl for once! Since her debut in Nova Zembla Doutzen has been taking some serious acting classes and getting offers but she's waiting for the right offer at the right time.

Sunnery and Phyllon 

Besides being the successful model she is, Doutzen is also a mother and wife. In 2010 she married DJ Sunnery James whom she met at a party in Miami, were he was playing with his partner, Ryan Marciano. At first Sunnery didn't knew who Doutzen was, he told the dutch Playboy he never watched tv so he didn't knew what Victoria's Secret was either, Ryan told him to Google her name and after a year they were officially dating. On the 21st of January in 2011 Doutzen Kroes gave birth to their first child, a son named Phyllon Joy Gorré. Phyllon turned three on Tuesday!

Dance4Life

Besides having such a successful career, Doutzen is also an ambassador for Dance4Life. Dance4Life is an innovative, international initiative designed to inspire, mobilise and unite young people to push back the spread of HIV/AIDS. They aim to have created one million active participating youth by 2014 as a last urgent call to the world leaders to keep their promises around the Millennium Development Goals. As an ambassador, Doutzen flies off to countries where people need to learn about HIV, with dance and music they're spreading knowledge about this horrible disease. 

"Half of the 7,400 people infected daily with HIV are younger than 25. This is about people my age! I believe that young people can change the world. Dance4life gives us the opportunity to really make a difference and to contribute to pushing back HIV and AIDS in our own communities, schools and worldwide!". - Doutzen Kroes

2013 Was a major year for DK and I think the 4 Vogue September Issue covers topped that great year! We're now at the beginning of 2014 and I'm pretty sure this year will also be a great adventure for Doutzen. From a young Dutch schoolgirl, Doutzen Kroes turned into the successful model, mother and wife she is today by being herself and reaching for the stars! Known for her captivating blue eyes, luscious lips, luxuriant blonde hair and a Sleek and fit body she now also is the only model in the world that has 4 exclusive contracts worth millions! But her biggest dream is to be (solo) on a Vogue US cover, a hard job to get because the last model featured on a Vogue US cover was Kate Upton for the June 2013 issue, before that it was Kate Moss getting the honors back in 2011, and to star in a movie, preferably not as the ''girl-next-door'' type or the pretty girl, and in a drama movie. I thought she was great in Nova Zembla, so I hope to see more! She also has a wax figure in the the Madame Tussaud's wax museum in Amsterdam. And like I've mentioned before, in the years of being a model Doutzen Kroes has not only become an household name but also a supermodel. Like her manager, Sarah Keller, has said in a VogueNL interview once, ''No one will have a career like Doutzen has now.''

So there's no doubt about it, Doutzen Kroes is a Supermodel, on her way to becoming an Icon.

Samiya Cusman

Inspiration Mix

I haven't posted in a week and since my test-week is starting this Monday I won't be able to post frequently.
I wanted to show you what inspires me, the photo's are mostly from my laptop and Tumblrpage, that's where I find my inspiration. And that's also why I made a Tumblr in the first place.

Continue reading for a mix of inspiration, I hope it inspires you too!

Samiya Cusman

This is a shot I took of a friend of mine, Ranya. Follow her on Tumblr!

This watch is sooooo beautiful!! I need it!

(I do not claim credit for any images featured in this post unless stated otherwise.)

Top 15 Models of 2013

My list of the best models of 2013!

15. Sasha Luss

Sasha Luss' modeling career went really took off  after she dyed her hair platinum blond (it's gorgeoussss!) since then walked 53 spring 2014 shows! I'm sure 2014 is going to be a great for Sasha!

14. Josephine Skriver

This year she also got to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the first time! Like her bestfriend and now roomie Caroline Brasch Nielsen, Josephine recently walked Chanel's Metiers d'Art 2013 show in Dallas and ended the year with walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the first time!
I'm pretty sure we'll see more of Josephine in 2014, looking forward to it!

13. Caroline Brasch Nielsen
Danish model Caroline Brasch Nielsen was the talk of town back in September because of her runway jobs and ofcourse killer streetstyle! She recently walked Chanel's Metiers d'Art 2013 show in Dallas and ended the year with walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the first time!
I can't wait to see more of CBN in 2014!

12. Kate Upton

She got a Vogue US cover! There hasn't been a model on the cover since September 2011 (Kate Moss)!

That says enough right?!

11. Anja Rubik

Anja Rubik, one of my favorite streetstyle models!

She ranked no. 5 in Models.com's Industry Icons list, designed a capsule collection for Giuseppe Zanotti this year. Has had five Vogue covers this year and is now featured on Vogue Korea's January Cover 2014. Oh and besides that she is also the editor-in-chief of her own magazine, 25.

10. Gisele Bündchen

Again Gisele Bündchen was named number 1 Highest-Paid Model by Forbes this year!  Yesterday it was announced that she is now the ambassador of Pantone. She keeps proving that a modelling carreer doesn't need to end when you're in your late-20s . Btw, the Chanel campaign was amazing! 

9. Kate Moss

Just like Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bündchen, Kate Moss, is proving that a modelling career doesn't need to end after you're in your late-20s. This year she did countless campaigns editorials and campaigns. She was the face of Eleven Paris and was on the cover of Playboy's 60th Anniversary issue! She received Icon status!

8. Candice Swanepoel
Candice Swanepoel really prove this year she's worth having the 'Supermodel Status'. Candice did numerous covers, editorials and campaigns proving she also high-fashion worthy. Oh and she was also given the honor to wear the Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra of 2013, The Royal Bra, worth 10 million dollars! 

7. Jourdan Dunn
When not walking in shows for great fashion houses, she's appearing in 3 music-videos, doing countless editorials and campaigns and ofcourse speaking speaking her min out about the racism in fashion. Supermodel Jourdan Dunn recently also got called ''Fashion's Tupac'' by GQ Magazine, ''People think that I'm against Fashion- or that I'm ghetto or a loudmouth. I'm not. But if speaking my opinion makes me that girl, fine. I'll take that crown.'' AMEN.
The year ended well for her, Beyoncé's surprise album came out recently and Jourdan is in two of videos, Yoncé with fellow models Joan Smalls and Chanel Iman and in XO with fellow model Jessica White and she walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2013!

6. Cara Delevingne 
This face is everywhere! 2013 Was quite the year for Cara, not only has she walked tons of show and was featured on allot of covers, she also gained three tattoos this year! Oh and fun fact; Cara is the Most Reblogged Model of 2013! And with her 1.3 million (!) followers on twitter and her 3.6 million (!!!) followers on Instagram, you could say without a doubt that Cara is a real Social-Media Titan!

5. Liu Wen
One of China's biggest international fashionstars is now one off the first Asian models to be featured on Forbes' Highest-Paid Model List! And also the first to walk on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and first Asian spokeswoman for Estée Lauder! Like Joan she was also dubbed one of ''The New Icons'' by H&M!

4. Karlie Kloss
Even though Dutch supermodel Doutzen Kroes had the most Vogue covers this year, Karlie Kloss is actually the only model with 7 covers, which of none are reprints nor shared covers. Early Karlie has earned the official Victoria's Secret wings, becoming the latest Angel for the lingerie brand. Besides that she also collaborated with the British denim brand, Frame Denim to create a capsule collection exclusively for the long-legged ladies. Karlie herself has 1.2m legs and obviously had a hard time finding pants in her size, hence why she created it exclusively for the long-legged ladies, the range is called, Forever Karlie.

3. Joan Smalls
Puerto Rican supermodel, Joan Smalls has been ranking no. 1 model in Models.com's top 50 models list since September 2012 and I believe she still earns that spot. 2013 has been a great year for Joan, with having done campaigns for  brands from H&M to Estée Lauder and  having walked shows for major houses such as Balmain, Chanel and Givenchy, she earned her spot on number 3. She was also dubbed one of ''The New Icons'' by H&M! Did I forget to mention she was also in Beyoncé's new videoclip; Yoncé with fellow models Jourdan Dunn and Chanel Iman!!

2. Malaika Firth

After Malaika Firth landed a Prada campaign, being the first black model to do so since Naomi Campbell in 1994 (!), she became one of those models to look out for. She walked in every major runway show and she topped the year off by walking in the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the first time!

1. Doutzen Kroes

With having 8 Vogue covers in 2013, which of 4 were September issue covers, Doutzen also had the privilege to work with the top notch of the photographers in the industry, such as Inez&Vinoodh, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel and more. She has done campaigns for Miu Miu, H&M, Emilio Pucci and more! Also, Doutzen was featured in 9 different editions of Vogue and 3 times in the French edition of Elle! And she is now on the cover of the Januari issue of Dutch Elle with 54 pages of Doutzen inside.

So there is no doubt about it, Doutzen Kroes earned the spot.

Who do you think should be number one?

Honorable Mentions:  Saskia de Brauw, Daphne Groeneveld, Irina Shayk, Edie Campbell, Naomi Campbell, Sara Sampaio, Grace Mahary, Chanel Iman, Jasmine Tookes and Anaïs Mali.