My Full Profile

model composite, profile, earrings,red curly hair, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, fashion model

This is the back cover of one of my old Model Composites. These composites are your business cards, and without one of these you simply can’t function as a model. They are your calling card, and must be left with the client after each casting. They not only give out all your vital statistics but should, by way of an array of photos, show your versatility as a model. Today Models can show their full portfolio of shots by means of an iPad , but what stays with the client is still the Model Composite. It is a  vital currency in the Modelling world. A good one can gain you entry to castings by being sent by the Agency directly to the client, which sometimes gets you direct bookings i.e. you don’t even have to go to a casting because the client has chosen you, simply based on your photos. Conversely a bad one can just as easily leave you out in the cold!

My measurements were all achieved by eating entirely normally (for a rugby player), swigging Champagne and any other alcohol at whim, making eating ‘Tarte au Citron’ an Olympic sport, scoffing all kinds of sweets, pastries and a ton of bread. My point is that I was not abstaining from anything, so those measurements indicate my healthy resting weight at that time.

Get the Blues

Chanel-Marc Jacobs close up - 1 (1)

What I get up to when no one’s looking. I get all experimental and  when I was recently in Paris, I took all three daughters to worship at the shrine found at 31 Rue Cambon. The Chanel flagship store. Whilst babies #1,2 and 3 were dillying around breathing in the sights and smells  (money and perfume), of this inner of innermost fashion sanctums, I was in the cosmetics corner feeling mighty fine. I had found an Chanel’s Cils Scintillant Jazzy Blue Sparkling Top Coat Mascara.                             Credit cards to manual…

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Up To My Elbows in Gloves

Burberry Raincoat, raincoat, black leather high heeled boots, red curly hair, vintage mirror, house interior,long leather gloves.

I am now grown up enough to wear elbow length gloves, and because I do love investment buying, my first port of call in the glove department is black leather. Timeless and could take an ordinary outfit over the edge and into huge sophistication and possible style icon territory. I have hovered between two words here to describe my raincoat, and those two words are ‘vintage’ and ‘old’. I’m going with old as I’m hoping that neither my coat or I qualify for vintage just yet. Anyhoo, fact remains that it’s not this season’s offering from Burberry. You can see that the sleeves are 3/4 length, which to me means that this coat needs accessorising in order to achieve real greatness. Enter my very spiffy ‘Kelly’ gloves
from Southcombe, a small very bijoux company based based in Somerset since 1847. I do love a heritage family business .

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Utterly Fluttery

Prada glasses, mascara

Here is the mascara that I have chosen to wear over Chanel’s Beaute Des Cils Nourishing base, previously mentioned. Although during my modelling career I have had my eyelashes slathered with designer mascara’s I’ve come to the conclusion that this is an area we are right to be circumspect about. Honestly I truly believe that with mascara you can circumnavigate the luxury label and go high street saving you money for far more exciting merch. 

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Wetsuit Myself

wetsuit, bra, striped top, red curly hair

My wetsuit’s swan song for the season went pretty well, I mean it is still a case of the ultimate Chinese Burn at every epidermal point of contact, but as with birthing babies, there is an endgame.

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Cornwall, Wetsuits, Rewind

wetsuit, mirror, curly red hair, iPhone5

I don’t know if any of you remember the harmony involved between me and my wetsuit…? For those of you that missed it the first time, I’m attempting to put it on again this weekend in Cornwall. Why would I? Deference to a friend’s last hurrah to her 40’s. She’ll be happy that she invited me… Monday should bring you all the debrief.

Marching On

Christian Lacroix, fashion show, press show, paris, pre a porter, cameras, paparazzi

I always miss ‘Throwback Thursday’ and invent my own day for inflicting ancient photos of myself onto you. Here I am mincing down the catwalk for Christian Lacroix. Had a thought. Wouldn’t that dress/tunic look pretty with a pair of skinny jeans and some high ankle boots and worn as a coat/jacket?