The Next Maria Sharapova

In 2003 as a 16 year old, Maria Sharapova spent her first full season on the WTA Tour and did very well for herself, collecting wins over several highly ranked players as well as her first singles titles. However it wasn't until 2004 when she won Wimbledon and finished in the top 5 in the year end rankings that she really burst on the scene, attracting as much attention for her looks as for her game.

Many hailed her as the next Anna Kournikova, due to being a hot young Russian tennis player, although most noted that Maria won singles tournaments while Anna never did.

Now Maria's had a rough road recently with injury problems, falling out of the top 10 and not having won any tournaments this year.


But now at the US Open, we might be seeing the emergence of a successor to Maria in Caroline Wozniacki.Wozniacki is a 19 year old player born in Denmark and living in Monaco and she's been making a splash on the WTA for about a year or so, winning her first tour wins last year. It's clear that 2009 has been her true breakout season though as she's entered the top 10, won three singles and one doubles titles (both of which doubled her career totals) and, as of yesterday, reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal beating Svetlana Kuznetsova at the U.S. Open.

She's facing fellow teenager Melanie Oudin, a 17 year old from Murietta, GA, in her next match and it should be an entertaining battle between the two young players.

Wozniacki definitely has the talent to make it far on the tour, which she's already shown. In my opinion she's also got the looks and personality to make a cultural splash as well.

She already loves New York from the time she's spent there and has been talking about getting an apartment there.

Wozniacki's also spent time at Yale during the Pilot Pen and said she'd love to take classes there because she's fascinated by the American college experience.


Who knows what will happen. It's very possible she suffers a career ending injury or has some kind of implosion and we never hear from her again. But that's pretty doubtful, and having seen her play, it really would be a shame to lose one of the up and comers who, along with Oudin, Victoria Azerenka, and other young players currently lurking outside the top 10, will be sure to lead the new guard when players like the Williamses and Kim Clijsters decide to call it a career.

CUPCAKES AND COCKTAILS

THE ELITE LONDON CHRISTMAS PARTY

Thanks to all our models and clients for joining us in Soho to celebrate 

the end of our first amazing year!

Elite girls Julia Johansen and Beth Leader

 

Sigail Currie with head booker France Chiacchio

Booker Nicola Easton and Tatyana D with friends

Production Assistant Sophie tries the fabulous cupcakes

Thank you artisan cupcake company for the cupcakes! ( http://www.theartisancupcakecompany.com/index.html )

Thanks also to one of our favourite young fashion photographers Rokas Darulis for turning press snapper for the night!

HOT OFF THE EDITORIAL PRESS

Reigning queen of the catwalk, Constance Jablonski stars in this retro editorial for Januarys issue of W Magazine. Despite a trio of male models to contend with, Constance dominates every shot of this denim story styled by Alex White and shot by Knoepfel & Indlekofer. Its 80s all the way with BIG hair and double denim, yet our girl pulls it off in true supermodel style!

IT'S ALL ABOUT 'YOU'

The EML UK gang was joined on our recent trip to China for the Elite Model Look World Final by the lovely Amy Williams of Sunday's finest, You Magazine. We were thrilled to see the results of Amy's hard work in this weekend's issue, featuring tons of fab behind the scenes pictures from the our adventures in Sanya. Thanks Amy!

Read the full article on Daily Mail's website HERE

ANOTHER EML SUCCESS!

It was only a matter of time before Elite Model Look finalist Kelly Moreira started making headlines in the modelling industry. Another Elite Model Look success story, Kelly has walked straight onto the catwalk, walking for the likes of YSL, Dries Van Noten and Lanvin. Not bad for a first Season! Kelly is currently front page news on Model.com...guess we're not the only ones keeping an eye on this rising star!

THANK YOU BOOHOO.COM!

Final line up of girls (and shoes!)

Elite would like to thank the fabulous BooHoo.com for all the gorgeous shoes we used during the T4 Stars of 2009 model competition. Not only did they look amazing but they were also surprisingly easy to walk in given the stiletto heel (yes we did try them all on....). We personally think that they outshone the celebs designer pairs onstage and if you’re not already logging on to www.boohoo.com we suggest you do so now!

Two contestants trying on the gorgeous gladiator heels

Celeb guest Jameela Jamil presents our winner Lottie (wearing BooHoo shoes) with her prizes

Surface Beauty

Moschinos darling Elisa Sednaoui takes a break from campaigns to star in this sultry editorial for Novembers issue of Surface magazine shot by Dan Martensen. Stunning close-ups, vintage inspired clothing and playful poses give these shots an intimate feel and memorable quality....we’re hooked!

STAR SPOTTING AT T4

We had an amazing time at T4's Stars of 2009 yesterday where Elite took over the Rimmel Catwalk Stage to launch the very first UK casting for Elite Model Look 2010. Our team of scouts braved the rain to check out the queue at Earl's Court and then race their 10 best finds to our backstage area for the fastest of catwalk classes before the girls were thrown into the spotlight to strut their stuff....

After all 10 girls had walked for the judges our winner was the gorgeous 16 year old Lottie O'Donoughue from Bromley, who impressed us so much that we're putting her straight into our EML final next summer. With 7 whole months to prepare we can't wait to see what she can do...

The stunning Rochelle Wiseman of girl group the Saturdays made time before her apperance on the main stage to add a sprinkling of celebrity sparkle to the judging panel... here she is with our EML UK 09 winner Nyasha Matonhodze, who's looking every inch the supermodel herself!

With our presenters - Hollyoaks' Matt & Darren, plus Paloma Faith, Ke$ha, Example and Rochelle's bandmate Frankie joining us backstage, it was one crowded green room.... EML 09 world finalist Emily Smith made sure she got the shots though - here she is meeting Edith Bowman, who was also presenting on our stage

THE NEW BRIT PACK

EML UK 2009 - SUCCESS STORIES

We can hardly believe we're already starting castings for EML UK 2010! With our scouts hitting west London's T4 Stars event over the weekend, it's a good time to look back at the little gems we unearthed during the 2009 contest. As well as our world finalists Nyasha, Beth and Emily, we're now representing four other great girls who wowed us at the UK Final back in August... say hello to Elite's new Brit Pack!

HANNAH HARDY, 19 - SCOUTED IN TOPSHOP

RACHEL MARSTON, 16 - SCOUTED AT THE TRAFFORD CENTRE

SAMARA, 17 - SCOUTED AT EML CASTING IN LONDON

HELEN, 16 - SCOUTED AT A BUS STOP IN ESSEX

PLASTIQUE FANTASTIQUE!

Georgie Wass for Plastique shot by Simon Emmett

What a month it’s been for amazing editorials! One of our favourites, Georgie Wass shows us how it’s done in the current issue of Plastique magazine. Smouldering makeup, huge hair and an array of fierce poses help transform our fresh faced girl from Australia into one hell of a Rock Star. We cant wait for Georgie to come back to London and with new material like this, who knows what direction her career is going to take!

BARBORA'S NEW LOOK

Hot off the Burberry catwalk, Barbora Dvorakova continues to do us proud in this striking shoot for Amica Magazine shot by Mark Pillai.

It’s hard to believe this is the same girl we saw in Teen Vogue only last month and if this is a taste of what’s to come we cant wait to see more!

T4 STARS OF 2009

Excitement is building around the Elite agency as we get ready to join forces with T4’s Stars of 2009 at London’s Earls Court this Sunday. Our expert scouts will be stationed throughout the venue, on the lookout for the faces of the future. Our ten favourite finds of the day will get the amazing opportunity to strut their stuff down the Rimmel Catwalk. The winner of the final ‘walk off’ gets a ticket straight to the UK semi-final of the world famous Elite Model Look Competition 2010 where Cindy Crawford and Gisele Bundchen took their first steps into the modelling world.

All this on top of performances by the likes of JLS, Alexandra Burke, Tinchy Stryder and The Saturdays?! If you haven’t got tickets what were you thinking!?
As well as the usual Elite London team, we shall be joined by our stars of EML 2009;  Emily Smith, Beth Leader and Nyasha Matonhodze who will be sharing their tips and experiences with the next generation of Elite Model Look hopefuls.

Elite Model Look world finalist Emily Smith

Hopefully see you there... we will be the fabulous ones in elite t-shirts!

GORGEOUS GABRIELA

Gabriela Iliescu for net-a-porter.com shot by Sarah Griggs

Client favourite Gabriela Iliescu shows us how to update our Winter wardrobe in this fashion forward shoot for net-a-porter.com.

Sadly it will take a little more than a gorgeous jacket to get us looking as hot as Gabriela, but with some fantastic styling tips from net-a-porter we can certainly try!

KATE SOMERS IN US ELLE

Shot by Horst Diekgerdes for US Elle Dec 09

Another month, another fabulous editorial for our star redhead Kate Somers who is gracing the pages of US Elle this month. In a brilliant twist on a winter fashion story, Kate makes walking in heels, IN SAND look easy. Never has knitwear on the beach looked so good!

MICHAELA FOR ARMANI EXCHANGE

Michaela Hlavackova is back with a bang this season, with the Armani Exchange campaign first out of the blocks. We've been loving Tom Munro's work with Constance over the last few months (Moschino, Vogue Nippon) and aslo with Elisa Sednaoui on Love Moschino, and his sleek and sexy story is the perfect vehicle for Ms H. Great behind the scenes footage too...

TOP SECRET

The Victoria's Secret Show is always a major event, and with this season's new Angels on show, plus eye-popping acrobats, a choir, another staggering Heidi Klum post-baby appearance and the usual elaborate set (polka-dotted dog balloon, anyone?) the extravaganza was as unmissable as ever. We were thrilled to see Dorothea Barth Jorgensen making her debut at the show alongside VS regular Sessilee Lopez...

Dorothea, looking adorable 

Sessilee strikes a pose

WELCOME TO LONDON GIRLS!

An absolute feast of girls pitched up in town this week! New with the main board is the gorgeous Zuzana Lettrichova, already snapped up by Net-a-Porter since arriving in London and optioned up all the way to Christmas...

New with Elite London, 16 year old Ornella Periera is making her first trip to the UK, and also on new faces and batting for the Brit pack is lovely Lizzy Burden, both shooting up a storm since they arrived in town last week!

Lizzy B

New face Ornella

Lovely to have you, ladies!

ANASTASIJA IN VOGUE!

Not content with her recent Fashion Week success, Latvian beauty Anastasija Kondratjeva cements her status as one of fashions most recent stars by not one, but two Vogue editorials.

In the picture: Anastasija Kondatjeva, Ylonka and Helena Schroder.

Anastasija is on ‘Red Alert’ in the British Vogue’s December Issue bringing a touch of glamour to the grey English coastline. Shot by Emma Summerton and styled by the fabulous Charlotte Stockdale.

We almost didn’t recognise our girl in this fierce Russian Vogue cover story shot by Matt Irwin. With show stopping make up and some slightly unusual props this has become an instant hit around the Elite London office.

As for Miss Kondratjeva's future projects...watch this space!

ELISA'S ELLE EXTRA

The gorgeous Elisa Sednaoui stars on this month's Elle Extra cover from Italy, with a profile on the budding actress featured inside. With her beautiful new pics from Surface magazine (Dan Martensen) also out now and her latest film Bus Palladium (directed by Christopher Thompson) premiering in the spring, she's ready for a busy few months...