Magazine article

Body Worship by dawn robinson

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urrounded by the San Diego surf scene during high school, Susan Holmes made swimsuits for fun. A cheerleader on the honor roll at the University of San Diego High School, she was voted by her class as “the person most desired as deserted island companion�. However, her ambition was temporarily put on hold when her modeling career called. Discovered at 16, while dining in a restaurant in Manhattan and sitting at a table next to Jodie Foster. Fashion photographer Marco Glaviano approached Susan and asked if she were a model. After

TWISTED_FASHION meeting various top agents, she was accepted by two modeling agencies, Ford and Elite. At 17, Susan was on her first cover of a magazine and also appearing in ads on billboards.

Susan’s path in the fashion industry climbed as an international supermodel, strutting the catwalk for topnotch, in-demand designer brands including Valentino, Versace, Prada, Lacroix, Chanel, Nicole Miller, Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan.

She branched into the commercial print side of advertising, landing huge campaigns for Adrienne Vittadini, Yves St. Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Escada, Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfeld, Claude Montana, Rochas, Guess?, Diesel, Pepe Jeans, Gottex Swimwear, Victoria’s Secret, and billboards, ads and commercials for Peugot (which actually won an award and was filmed by Madonna videographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino), Triumph and H & M. She graced the covers of both domestic and international editions of VOGUE, W, Glamour, Marie-Claire and Playboy, and appeared in beauty ads for Rene Guinot and Revlon.

By the mid 90s, Susan was one of the 20 highest paid fashion models. According to an interview by CNN’s Elsa Klensch, Susan earned the title “the Body” from iconic fashion photographer Steven Meisel, celebrating her modeling success particularly in lingerie and swimwear.

New opportunities began presenting themselves: Susan starred in the British film Inferno! together with fellow models Tyra Banks, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Helena Christensen.

Appearing in a variety of television programming, she’s been on MTV, TvLand, CW, WB, CNN, Fox News Live, E! Entertainment, The Travel Channel, CNBC, VH1, and the Bloomberg Network. Many of you may recognize her more recently from the E! Channel show “Married to Rock” where she was featured alongside wives of other rockstars, showing the multiple facets of their lives and own businesses. She was also a creative director, celebrity guest judge and mentor/designer to aspiring models on America’s Next

Top Model alongside Tyra Banks. Susan has also appeared on MTV videos, as herself in the video for Velvet Revolver’s song Fall To Pieces, on TvLand’s “She’s Got The Look” with her tempting apparel designs and as a regular correspondent on Fox News with Shepard Smith, reporting about American Idol.

Susan attributes her husband, leg-

endary rocker Duff McKagan, founding member of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, as a fundamental member of her seductive and sexy creations. Pregnant with her first child in 1997, she was reminded of her original idea of becoming a swimsuit designer, and Duff supported her goal to make it a reality. Living in Southern California with their two young daughters, Grace

TWISTED_FASHION and Mae, Susan is now writing a book on successful “Hollywood Marriages” and what makes a strong marriage partnership.

Her main goal is creating swimwear that “exudes charm with rock n’ roll inspiration” with quality and attention to detail. Expect lots of studs, buckles and rings, leather and lace, angels and demons, denim and diamonds, skulls and bones.

Susan is proud that her product line is made in America with no slave labor, and that Susan Holmes Swimwear LLC contributes back over 15%, after net proceeds to charities, “Project Angel Food”, “Surfrider Foundation” and the Red Cross for natural disaster victims.

Worn worldwide by celebrities Kate Hudson, Venus Williams, Elle

Macpherson, Stella McCartney, Heidi Klum, Keira Chaplin and Anna Kournikova, her line appeals to the sultry fashionista in all of us. “The designer with the most suits” in Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit edition - her bikini made entirely of guitar pics populated both the calendar and DVD cover.

Holmes was honored as Swim-

TWISTED_FASHION wear Designer of the Year at the 15th Annual Michael Awards for the Fashion Industry, which is like the “Oscars of Fashion”: a black-tie gala event that honors the stars of the fashion world, highlighting fashion icons, top designers, hot new fashion trends, leaders and supermodels in the world of entertainment and media.

Susan made some time to chat, and as a result I learned more about my friend…

When was the exact moment you realized you wanted to be a fashion designer?

I suppose I have always been drawn to fashion-- probably starting in high school, where I was the President of my sewing club, designing and constructing my own bikinis for my endless days at the beach in La Jolla, and also learning the ropes of becoming a designer by being the model for many prestigious swimwear lines and also couture (such as Gottex, Victoria’s Secret, YSL and Dolce & Gabbana to name a few).

What was it like transitioning from being a model to a designer? Did you feel it formally trained you for the role? Was the industry supportive?

I would compare it to a metamorphis of sorts-- as a model, you are learning the ropes completely hands on, and behind the scenes--you truly learn the dynamics of style, fit, fabrics, and attention to detail. Being a high fashion model, is in and of itself an education into the world of glamour and prestige. Keith Richards never took a guitar lesson, and I think sometimes in the creative world, technique is great sure, but harnessing the design or feeling that a person wants to feel while wearing a garment is equally if not more important. I believe the industry was supportive on my launch of my line, it like any other career after a while, is similar to a big family, and there is a certain sense of camaraderie that is established (just like models Karen Elson with her singing, Tyra Banks with her TV empire, and Carla Bruni now the First Lady of France) I think the industry loves nothing more

than feeling semi responsible, for shaping young models into smart professional businesswoman.

Who is one of your favorite models to work with?

I am blessed, there are so many amazing, interesting and of course beautiful models I have been honored to work with-- personally I feel of course, extremely lucky and proud to have modeled with Lauren Hutton, Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Carla Bruni, Tyra Banks to name a few. Modeling is so different now, the magazine covers are all about actress celebrities- so basically it is like a dying breed (being a well known fashion model).

Who are some of your favorite designers?

Some designers I have immense respect for are Azzedine Alaia (as he was one of the first to believe in me, and well a genius in the design world as well), Dolce & Gabbana (I was fortunate enough to do two of their campaigns, and they truly are one of the greats), Chrome Hearts for their original and exquisite taste in all things

velvet ribbon for the ties on the side).

I mainly work with swimwear friendly fabrics though - a four way stretch Nylon/Lycra.

Describe your thought process or inspiration behind some of your designs: For instance, some of the swimsuits in our shoot: the racy rocker swimsuit with the denim and studs, the glam inspired silver metallic bikini and the erotic burlesque two piece with fringe top.

I have been coined the “rock n’ roll bikini designer” so I guess my love for suits with an edge always seem to strike my fancy. I have used studs and crystal and punk rock nailheads for years now-- and I love to incorporate some trend too in my designs (metallic, lace, neon, stripes, etc).

Describe your typical customer: Hip and fashion forward females and males buying for their significant other.

What’s the biggest challenge of your job?

I don’t know, I suppose it’s like music, having to write another song that people dig, or the pressure of making your

Expect lots of studs, buckles and rings, leather and lace, angels and demons, denim and diamonds, skulls and bones. music and fashion.

What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?

The first thing I sewed was a dress, and the first thing I designed was my wedding dress (a simple fitted corset dress of ivory silk, that laced down the front and had a gorgeous and elegant train on the back), then being a beach chick, I did more practical pieces, such as swim.

What are your favorite fabrics to work with and why?

I have worked with all kinds of materials over the years (a swimsuit entirely constructed of Velvet Revolver guitar pics aka “the pickini” and also another of Swarovski triangular shaped crystals adorned with rose colored

customers still excited about you and what is new in your latest collection.

What trends do you see being big for next year?

For swimwear, we’re seeing lots of suits in black, and cream colors, also neon, colored animal prints, and believe it or not red is going to be huge again. I think bandeau style tops are strong for their style and leaving no tanning lines practicality. I think one pieces (including monokini’s) are also coming back in a big way, too.

Susan Holmes Swimwear is sold at Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and an exclusive line for Victoria’s Secret. Susan Holmes Swimwear is also sold at her online store, www.susanholmes.net. www.twistedsouth.com

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