White Sands swimwear designer Leah Madden has just enlisted one of America’s biggest reality TV stars, Kendall Jenner - aka `Kenny’ to big sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian - as the star of her latest high summer 2012 collection `Pirouette’.
The brunette beauty has practically grown up on screen via the `Keeping up with the Kardashians’ reality series, and the American viewers have almost adopted her as their little half-sister too with over a million followers on twitter and almost 75,000 fans on Facebook.
Madden shot the 15-year-old in a private Los Angeles studio on Monday with photographer and Aussie ex-pat, Paul Smith with the teen star reportedly `in love’ with the entire range and practically `squealing’ with delight on set when told she could choose `whatever she wanted’ to take home, which included a kaftan and maillot for mum Kris.
And she has every reason to squeal with a range that had everything from sweet-enough-to-eat florals in plunging V-neck one-piece suits with frilly accessories, to super-charged and sexy animal-inspired black and white prints in Madden's signature high waisted bikini sets and high cut leotard shapes.
Madden says she was influenced by opposites such as dark and light, good and bad, sweet and sexy when designing the range.
The Gold Coast bikini designer has become known for her high fashion model choices, including international sensation Tallulah Morton for the Club Tropicana range, and one of New Zealand’s hottest new exports, Georgia Fowler for the SS11/12 collection 'Supper Club'.
With the Kendall shoot officially wrapped up, we spoke to Madden as she and her White Sands team were en-route to Miami where they debuted the new range at the Mercedes-Benz Miami Swim Fashion Week 2012. Afterwards they'll be jetting off to Barbados for a quick break, and then to Las Vegas for more business.
We managed to nab the designer in between chilli dogs at the famous Kardashian-recommended Carney’s Train Car on Sunset Boulevard to get all the behind-the-scenes goss, including Kendall’s excitement at getting her driver’s license soon, how Kim’s fiancé Kris is spelt with a K and so are all of his siblings, and how Kendall evokes the White Sands girl perfectly.
How did you come to using Kendall? and why?
I saw her portfolio in the Wilhelmina agency last year when I was casting for runway models, and fell in love with her.
I didn't know who she was and was asking if I could have her for runway! Her agent said 'don't you know who that is?’ and I was saying, `no, is she a supermodel? She is amazing!' When I started designing this collection I knew she would be perfect.
The Kardashians’ are already big fans of your swimsuits, with Khloe wearing it on her reality show - what did they say about your swimwear? Kendall loved everything! I told her she could choose whatever she wanted and she was practically squealing!
What does it mean to you personally to know they are such big fans of your work? They are all such stylish girls, so it's very flattering.
How does Kendall embody the White Sands ethos and current collection? The current collection is ballet inspired and Kendall is such a sweet little thing with a perfect ballerina body. She was perfect in everything, her manager was asking us how we managed to make everything to fit her so perfectly and I said `No, they are our standard samples, SHE is just perfect!’
What was she like to work with on set? tell us some stories of backstage - were you excited? It was a great day shooting with a great team. NO hiccups, smooth sailing all day! Our photographer, Paul Smith is an Aussie expat and has some of the best artists working with him, so all we really needed to do was just turn up and they all just made it happen.
Kendal was talking about how excited she is to be getting her driver’s license soon and how keen she is to come to Australia one day. She was also talking about Kim’s fiance, the upcoming wedding, and saying that his family is also all "K's". He is Kris with a K and all his siblings are K's too! She thinks it’s pretty funny!
As all aunties do, she was telling us that her baby nephew (Kourtney's son Mason) is gorgeous and 'literally the most handsome one year old in the world'.
She would also love to start doing runway, but she is far too nervous at the moment and is far too scared of making a mistake in front of so many people.
She is very sweet and really just a typical teenage girl.
Who else was part of the team - hair, makeup, styling etc?We had a team of 11! Our lighting guy, Keith is a superstar; he was working with Cody Simpson the day before and has just returned from shooting a new TV series about going `behind the scenes with top photographers'.
You have always said you're a resort kinda girl, loathing sand between your toes, so is LA the perfect place for the White Sands girl and bikini collection?YES! The pool parties here are amazing, we are staying at the Mondrian where they hold the hottest pool parties in the city… Everyday!
What other plans do you have while in LA? Today is a rest day, so we are heading down to Santa Monica for some shopping, then dinner at Mr Chows!
You are about to hit Miami swim show - this is your third time, you must be hitting the US market hard now, where are you stocked? What hopes do you have for the brand over there?This year we have loads of meetings with a very full front row of some very VIP buyers! So fingers crossed. We were pleased to be stocked in Anthropologie this year, which is a prestigious chain in the USA with 400+ stores.
What is the Miami Swim Show like compared to any other of the trade shows you have been at in Australia? The Swim trade show here is HUGE, but just booths. It’s the MBFW Shows and the super glamorous 'Salon Allure' that are the most fun. It’s party central!
Having said that, it’s also HEAPS of work, and most of the time I end up skipping the parties in favour of getting some sleep.
The brunette beauty has practically grown up on screen via the `Keeping up with the Kardashians’ reality series, and the American viewers have almost adopted her as their little half-sister too with over a million followers on twitter and almost 75,000 fans on Facebook.
Madden shot the 15-year-old in a private Los Angeles studio on Monday with photographer and Aussie ex-pat, Paul Smith with the teen star reportedly `in love’ with the entire range and practically `squealing’ with delight on set when told she could choose `whatever she wanted’ to take home, which included a kaftan and maillot for mum Kris.
And she has every reason to squeal with a range that had everything from sweet-enough-to-eat florals in plunging V-neck one-piece suits with frilly accessories, to super-charged and sexy animal-inspired black and white prints in Madden's signature high waisted bikini sets and high cut leotard shapes.
Madden says she was influenced by opposites such as dark and light, good and bad, sweet and sexy when designing the range.
The Gold Coast bikini designer has become known for her high fashion model choices, including international sensation Tallulah Morton for the Club Tropicana range, and one of New Zealand’s hottest new exports, Georgia Fowler for the SS11/12 collection 'Supper Club'.
With the Kendall shoot officially wrapped up, we spoke to Madden as she and her White Sands team were en-route to Miami where they debuted the new range at the Mercedes-Benz Miami Swim Fashion Week 2012. Afterwards they'll be jetting off to Barbados for a quick break, and then to Las Vegas for more business.
We managed to nab the designer in between chilli dogs at the famous Kardashian-recommended Carney’s Train Car on Sunset Boulevard to get all the behind-the-scenes goss, including Kendall’s excitement at getting her driver’s license soon, how Kim’s fiancé Kris is spelt with a K and so are all of his siblings, and how Kendall evokes the White Sands girl perfectly.
How did you come to using Kendall? and why?
I saw her portfolio in the Wilhelmina agency last year when I was casting for runway models, and fell in love with her.
I didn't know who she was and was asking if I could have her for runway! Her agent said 'don't you know who that is?’ and I was saying, `no, is she a supermodel? She is amazing!' When I started designing this collection I knew she would be perfect.
The Kardashians’ are already big fans of your swimsuits, with Khloe wearing it on her reality show - what did they say about your swimwear? Kendall loved everything! I told her she could choose whatever she wanted and she was practically squealing!
What does it mean to you personally to know they are such big fans of your work? They are all such stylish girls, so it's very flattering.
How does Kendall embody the White Sands ethos and current collection? The current collection is ballet inspired and Kendall is such a sweet little thing with a perfect ballerina body. She was perfect in everything, her manager was asking us how we managed to make everything to fit her so perfectly and I said `No, they are our standard samples, SHE is just perfect!’
What was she like to work with on set? tell us some stories of backstage - were you excited? It was a great day shooting with a great team. NO hiccups, smooth sailing all day! Our photographer, Paul Smith is an Aussie expat and has some of the best artists working with him, so all we really needed to do was just turn up and they all just made it happen.
Kendal was talking about how excited she is to be getting her driver’s license soon and how keen she is to come to Australia one day. She was also talking about Kim’s fiance, the upcoming wedding, and saying that his family is also all "K's". He is Kris with a K and all his siblings are K's too! She thinks it’s pretty funny!
As all aunties do, she was telling us that her baby nephew (Kourtney's son Mason) is gorgeous and 'literally the most handsome one year old in the world'.
She would also love to start doing runway, but she is far too nervous at the moment and is far too scared of making a mistake in front of so many people.
She is very sweet and really just a typical teenage girl.
Who else was part of the team - hair, makeup, styling etc?We had a team of 11! Our lighting guy, Keith is a superstar; he was working with Cody Simpson the day before and has just returned from shooting a new TV series about going `behind the scenes with top photographers'.
You have always said you're a resort kinda girl, loathing sand between your toes, so is LA the perfect place for the White Sands girl and bikini collection?YES! The pool parties here are amazing, we are staying at the Mondrian where they hold the hottest pool parties in the city… Everyday!
What other plans do you have while in LA? Today is a rest day, so we are heading down to Santa Monica for some shopping, then dinner at Mr Chows!
You are about to hit Miami swim show - this is your third time, you must be hitting the US market hard now, where are you stocked? What hopes do you have for the brand over there?This year we have loads of meetings with a very full front row of some very VIP buyers! So fingers crossed. We were pleased to be stocked in Anthropologie this year, which is a prestigious chain in the USA with 400+ stores.
What is the Miami Swim Show like compared to any other of the trade shows you have been at in Australia? The Swim trade show here is HUGE, but just booths. It’s the MBFW Shows and the super glamorous 'Salon Allure' that are the most fun. It’s party central!
Having said that, it’s also HEAPS of work, and most of the time I end up skipping the parties in favour of getting some sleep.
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