NYC Culture/Style: THE ART OF MODELING: Wilhelmina Models

On June 13th, the Fashion committee of The National Arts Club had a most enjoyable presentation. Melissa Wilhelmina Cooper, daughter of the legendary Dutch model Wilhelmina Cooper, who founded Wilhelmina Models, brought three of the agency's "Supermodels," Coco Rocha, Armando Cabral, and Robyn Lawley, to discuss the art of modeling and tell some personal stories from their modeling careers.

Melissa Wilhelmina Cooper was the interviewer of the program

Canadian born Coco Rocha is a supermodel who has appeared on the runways and in campaigns for every iconic fashion house of note. Her television credits include Oxygen’s “The Face” and as a fashion correspondent for CNN.

A strong defender of models' rights, Coco is a dedicated activist looking to improve working conditions for models. She was instrumental in getting the modeling profession to be part of the Equity union as 'The Model Alliance'. She's also a fierce watchdog keeping an eye for sexual harassment of models in the workplace, most of them being young and very vulnerable.

On October 11, 2011 Coco Rocha appeared on Anderson Cooper's daytime television show Anderson, where she said models are scouted too young and put under pressure to stay thin and behave unnaturally, while they are "still minors." Rocha is one of the few models who has spoken out against the prevalence of eating disorders in the modelling industry. In an open letter to The New York Times on her blog, she wrote, "How can any person justify an aesthetic that reduces a woman or child to an emaciated skeleton? Is it art? Surely fashion's aesthetic should enhance and beautify the human form, not destroy it." In an email to the Associated Press, she wrote: "I'll never forget the piece of advice I got from people in the industry when they saw my new body ... They said, 'You need to lose more weight. The look this year is anorexia. We don't want you to be anorexic but that's what we want you to look like.'

Coco wearing one of her jewelry designs that retail
through Baublebar to help the Senhoa Foundation

On November 1, 2011 Coco launched Coco Rocha for Senhoa, a jewelry collection produced together with The Senhoa Foundation, an organization helping Cambodian survivors of human trafficking. The capsule collection contained 7 unique pieces designed by Rocha and hand crafted by the survivors of human trafficking. All proceeds went directly to the Senhoa program. To help raise awareness for the cause, Rocha brought in additional models Chanel Iman, Caroline Trentini, and Behati Prinsloo to promote her cause.

Robyn Lawley from Australia is best known as one of three cover models of Vogue Italia's June 2011 issue, the second plus-size model to cover Elle France, the first plus-size model to be shot for AustralianVogue and GQ Australia and the first Australian plus size model to be on the cover of Australia Cosmopolitan. She is also notable for being the first plus-size model to appear in a campaign for Ralph Lauren. She was the first model for Mango's line Violeta by Mango. Lawley's first beauty campaign was Barneys New York Holiday 2013. Robyn's swimwear line, in sizes 8 (US) to 18 (US), launched in August 2013. Robyn was voted the winner of the Australian Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless Female, Rising Star Award 2011. Robyn was also selected for Sydney Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential People of the year award for 2011. In June 2013, Robyn was awarded Model of the Year during the Full Figured Fashion Week. Lawley has written two articles on body image for The Daily Beast.Robyn always loved cooking, so she plans to have her life revolve around the culinary arts after she's done with her modeling career. She's already signed a book deal to write a cookbook, scheduled to be released in 2015.

As luck would have it, that night was Robyn's Birthday as well.
Members of the audience were delighted to taste a piece of the cake

Also a footwear designer, Armando Cabral from Portugal, is most known for his work with J.Crew and H&M, as well as editorials in Esquire and GQ.

Fashion Committee Member Angela Lui with Chair David Zyla

Members of the N.A.C. Fashion Committee Nancy Ozelli and Ellie Cohen

Since its founding in 1967, Wilhelmina Models has earned its prestigious standing as an industry leader by providing full-spectrum model management for women, men, full-figured, fitness, and children as well as entertainers and musicians. The agency has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, and affiliate offices in North America and throughout the world.