milan fashion week fall 2013

Julia Nobis Is Milan Fashion Week’s Top Model

Photo: Imaxtree

To calculate Milan Fashion Week’s top model, we took into account each candidate’s number of opening and closing spots, the amount of runways walked, and how much we wanted to share spaghetti and meatballs, Lady and the Tramp–style, with her. In first place was Julia Nobis, who booked sixteen shows, opened Etro, and closed Francesco Scognamiglio, Emilio Pucci, and Fendi — letting the audience fully take in her multicolor Mohawk. The Aussie’s strongest competition came from Versace’s co-openers and closers, Daria Strokous and Kasia Struss. Strokous (like Nobis, in fact) made our New York ranks, but we haven’t seen nearly enough of Struss this season. Click ahead to see who else made our list of Milano’s best models.

Photo: Imaxtree

Julia Nobis (Elite)

Nobis, who made the Cut’s list of top New York models, re-joined the ranks this week, coming in first place. The Aussie walked in sixteen Milan shows, opened Etro, and closed Francesco Scognamiglio, Emilio Pucci, and Fendi — giving the crowd a nice, long look at her Mohawk.   Show list: Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Emilio Pucci (closed), Etro (opened), Fendi (closed), Francesco Scognamiglio (closed), Gucci, Iceberg, Jil Sander, Marni, Missoni, No. 21, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace.

Photo: Imaxtree

Daria Strokous (Women)

In New York, the 22-year-old Moscow native booked ten shows, including the opening and closing slots at Ralph Lauren — the coveted double whammy among the preppy set. In Milan, she booked ten shows, including the opening and closing slots at Versace — the coveted double whammy among the Miami Pleather daddy set.   Show list: Blumarine, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Etro, Fendi, Gucci (opened) Max Mara, Prada, and Versace (opened and closed).

Photo: Imaxtree

Kasia Struss (Women)

Donatella harkened back to catwalks of yore, sending out a pair of models to begin and end her show. Strokous split the spotlight with 25-year-old Poland native Kasia Struss, first in white and black bodysuits and coats, then in black-and-white and Saran Wrap gowns, respectively.   Show list: Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Etro, Gucci, Jil Sander, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, and Versace (opened and closed).

Photo: Imaxtree

Sasha Luss (Women)

Luss continued to be one to watch this season (as the Cut foretold), adding another sixteen shows to her twenty-strong list. She opened Alberta Ferretti, Emilio Pucci, and No. 21, and closed Iceberg — plus appeared on major Milan runways like Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Versace. Last year, those names were out of her reach.   Show list: Alberta Ferretti (opened), Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, DSquared2, Emilio Pucci (opened), Etro, Franceso ScognamiglioIceberg (closed), Jil Sander, Max Mara, Moschino, No. 21 (opened), Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace.

Photo: Imaxtree

Esther Heesch (Next)

At this point, we’re nothing but ecstatic for Heesch and her grandma, who’s had plenty of occasions to live-stream her turns on the runway. The 16-year-old opened and closed for Roberto Cavalli — wish this happened on a Segway — and was the first one out at Sportmax.   Show list:  Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Iceberg, Jil Sander, Max Mara, Moschino, Ports 1961Roberto Cavalli (opened and closed), Salvatore Ferragamo, and Sportmax (opened).

Photo: Imaxtree

Joan Smalls (IMG)

After skipping New York and London Fashion Weeks (save for Tom Ford’s totally normal show), Smalls walked eight Milan runways, opened Ports 1961, and closed Etro. Surely she was on someone’s plane to Paris, right? We’ll see her at Chanel?   Show list: Bottega Veneta, Emilio Pucci, Etro (closed), Fendi, Gucci, Missoni, Ports 1961 (opened), and Versace.

Photo: Imaxtree

Amanda Murphy (IMG)

Following two years off the grid, the Chicagoan is making a comeback. She returned to modeling with Calvin Klein’s pre-fall 2013 show, and shot a few other look books, then walked Proenza Schouler’s fall runway in New York. Prada picked her to be an exclusive, meaning a campaign could be in her future.   Show list: Prada (opened and closed).

Photo: Imaxtree

Ondria Hardin (Elite)

Well, aside from her blackface scandal, Hardin had a good week. She opened and closed Salvatore Ferragamo and walked in nine other Milan shows. Last year at this time, she had an underage scandal. It’s always something, isn’t it?   Show list: Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, DSquared2, Fendi, Iceberg, Jil Sander, Katie Grand Loves Hogan, Moschino, Prada, and Salvatore Ferragamo (opened and closed).

Photo: Imaxtree

Katya Riabinkina (Women)

Keeping with our predictions, Riabinkina racked up the shows in Milan. She walked eighteen runways (and opened Gianfranco Ferré), but the Russian has a ways to go. Really, however far Miuccia’s is.   Show list: Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Ermanno Scervino, Etro, Francesco Scognamiglio, Gianfranco Ferré (opened), Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Iceberg, Jil Sander, Just Cavalli, Max Mara, Moschino, Ports 1961, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace.

Julia Nobis Is Milan Fashion Week’s Top Model