The concept of ‘the fashion show’ has changed dramatically in 2020, with catwalks finding themselves out of a job, replaced with everything from films to virtual parties to, in the case of Loewe, wallpaper (yes, really). But it hasn’t gone away altogether, rather it’s waiting in the wings, ready to spring into life when it can in 2021. For now, instead of the fashion show, we’ve got a game show.
Less po-faced, much more tongue-in-cheek, this is the light relief we’ve all been seeking as the nights have been drawing in. So give it up for….Adut Akech’s Supermodel Fashion Statement.
Brought to you by Mercedes-Benz, Akech has rounded up some seriously starry contestants and guest stars (including fashion industry luminary Michael Halpern, and actor Bel Powley) to put on a show with where the autocues are off, the jingles are dangerously catchy and the prizes are mega (a G-Class).
It’s co-hosted by Mawaan Rizwan, who jumps straight to the point with his panel of contestants, warming up the crowd by slightly personal questions such as, ‘Tell us about your childhood.’ When asked about why she came on the show, Powley, who’s already told the audience that she’s a really famous actor, says, ‘I just really want the car to be honest.’
Akech kicks things off by asking a question that is a bit of a head-scratcher: ‘Everyone knows that Paris is the capital city of fashion. But what is the colour of my favourite sweater?’ No spoilers alert, but they then announce a very special guest star, Halpern,who was one of 20 honourees at last week’s Fashion Awards 2020, to ask a very important question for the section of the game called The Moodboard: ‘What one item would you wear to make a fast getaway?’ Halpern was recognised for celebrating frontline workers with his film/collection for London Fashion Week. Speaking about the award, he told Grazia: 'Winning this year is particularly special for me and my team because it shows that when you stick to what you do in a truly authentic way it resonates so soundly. In such a challenging time it was sort of natural for me to think about showing in this new way whilst highlighting stories of the people who were keeping us safe during the worst parts of the pandemic in London; they have done so much for us that this was the least we could do to say thank you.'
There’s more to come over the next few days so keep checking @mercedesbenzfashion for more game show mega lolz.
SEE: The World's Most Famous Supermodels' First Polaroids
1 of 20Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
The Insta #throwback Rosie shared of her first ever modelling Polaroids taken back in 2003 in London, when she was 16 years old and in the process of signing to Profile Model Management.
2 of 20Karlie Kloss
Proof Karlie has always been this cute. Here she is aged 15 in 2007, two years after she was spotted walking at a mall charity fashion show.
3 of 20Cara Delevingne
A very blonde Cara's first model card at Storm, aged 15 - five years after her first shoot for Vogue Italia aged just 10.
4 of 20Kendall Jenner
A baby-faced Kendall, 6 years ago when she was just 18, at an early casting.
5 of 20Lara Stone
A fresh-faced Lara Stone, aged 20 – five years after she signed to Elite and an unbelievable eight years after she was first scouted aged 12 in Paris, while on holiday with her family.
6 of 20Jourdan Dunn
British Super, Jourdan, was famously scouted in Primark aged 16 and went on to walk international catwalks within a year. Here she is in 2006, having recently signed to Storm.
7 of 20Kaia Gerber
Kaia was destined to be model material, being the daughter of original supermodel, Cindy Crawford, and began early, with a Young Versace gig at just 10 years old. Here she is in her late teens at a casting.
8 of 20Gisele Bundchen
Brazilian goddess, Gisele, aged 16, after being signed by Elite. She moved to NYC aged 17 in 1997 and rapidly became the world's highest paid supermodel, after being paid $25 million to join Victoria's Secret in 2000.
9 of 20Natalia Vodianova
Russian Natalia, aged 20 in 2002, three years after she moved to Paris and signed to Viva Models. Natalia aka 'Supernova' (for her meteoric rise) is now a mother of 5 and still modelling.
10 of 20Miranda Kerr
The first ever Australian Victoria's Secret 'Angel' won her first modelling competition aged 13, was flown to Sydney aged 14 and signed on the spot.
11 of 20Irina Shayk
Russian Irina, seen here in 2005, started her modelling career at a relatively late 20, when she was scouted locally and persuaded to move to Paris. Her break came two years later when she relocated from Paris to Barcelona.
12 of 20Hailey Baldwin Bieber
Hailey signed with Ford Models in 2014 and made her debut a year later, modelling for French Connection when she was 19.
13 of 20Coco Rocha Model Test shots polaroids digitals
Coco (born Mikhaila) back in 2004 aged 16, a year after she was scouted during an Irish dancing competition in Vancouver.
14 of 20Taylor Hill
Colorado-born Taylor was instantly signed and placed in the New Faces Division of Ford, after being scouted at aged 14 in 2011.
15 of 20Doutzen Kroe
18 year old Doutzen needed some extra cash so sent some photos of herself to Amsterdam-based agency, Paparazzi and was unsurprisingly signed on the spot.
16 of 20Stella Maxwell
Bilingual (she speaks fluent French and English) Stella was signed to agency, Ali McD, in 2008, aged 18, after being scouted whilst out shopping in New Zealand. She signed to US agency The Lions soon after – as seen here.
17 of 20Adriana Lima
Brazillian-born Adriana entered her first modelling competition aged 13 in 1994. After coming second in the Ford Supermodel of the World Contest aged 15, she was immediately signed and never looked back.
18 of 20Liu Wen
Back in 2005, a 17 year old Liu Wen entered a modelling competition in her native China. She didn't win, but enjoyed the experience so much she carried on modelling. Here she is three years later, aged 20 at an early casting call.
19 of 20Natasha Poly
Natasha began modelling aged 15, in her local Russian town. By age 19 she had made her runway debut for Emanuel Ungaro, and walked her first VS show a year later.
20 of 20Candice Swanepoel
South African Candice was scouted aged 15 in a local flea market. Here she is aged 17 in an early agency Polaroid, shortly after she had moved to Europe to pursue her career.