Latest news with #America'sNextTopModel
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
What to wear this summer and the best L.A. vintage finds, according to stylist Bin X. Nguyen
Bin X. Nguyen came of age in the mid-2000s at the height of celebrity paparazzi culture, watching MTV, poring over Teen Vogue, and following icons like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie from his bedroom in the suburbs of San Jose. 'Escaping the mundane life of suburbia was really what influenced my childhood,' Nguyen says. 'When I was 8 or 9, watching 'America's Next Top Model' with the icon that is Tyra Banks and watching 'Project Runway,' I was really inspired by fashion. You saw how glamorous and unglamorous fashion is, and somehow this world was so enticing to me.' 'The Devil Wears Prada' came out when Nguyen was a teen, which he describes as the 'catalyst' for his time as a fashion and culture writer at his college newspaper, and later, Santa Barbara Magazine. While he was there, he met stylists on the cover shoots. Between witnessing their creativity in real time and consuming media like 'The Rachel Zoe Project,' Nguyen decided to move to Los Angeles and begin his career as a professional wardrobe stylist. These days, Nguyen is known for styling everyone's favorite musicians, from Katseye to Role Model to Phoebe Bridgers, with plenty of actors in between — think Lana Condor, Jonathan Davis, Laysla De Oliveira and Alexandra Shipp. He stresses the importance of cultivating a sense of identity through style: 'I just want to create beautiful work that inspires people. At the end of the day, I want to make lasting images that people will reference.' He often pulls from his Vietnamese heritage, drawing from the layering of an áo dài while working. 'Referencing old Vietnamese photos of the '70s and '60s is really important to bring my culture to the forefront of fashion,' Nguyen says. 'Having little touches that speak to you, whether it be your jewelry or your hat or your scarves, all these things are important to you as a special, dynamic being.' Nguyen jokes that his personal style doesn't always give L.A. 'It's L.A., we live in athleisure. Don't get me wrong, when I do returns, I'm in athleisure. But when I go out, it's important to serve a look,' Nguyen says. 'You want to serve, as the girls say, c—. That's a part of L.A. that's very niche. L.A. people will go out in like jeans and a T-shirt, whereas I'm in vintage designer clothes and a 4-inch heel, you know?' My most memorable shoot was with an NBA player named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. We shot in a hotel room super quick. I love a pop girl and an athlete — I think my dream clients are both. I just want to show off body and skin, and I want them to look ultra-cool. One shoot I'm most proud of is with Katseye for the cover of Teen Vogue. It's so special to work with a group of diverse girls, and they're so unique and talented. The aesthetic was the early 2000s, beachy, young, fresh, like Abercrombie. That's something that I grew up seeing all the time, like the models on the Abercrombie bags and going to Hollister and seeing their design. So they wanted to build that into this 2025 version of it, but diverse and cool. I think we definitely accomplished that. It was also a full circle moment for me because when I was 15 and 16, Teen Vogue was the magazine that I subscribed to. I would collect the copies every month and there's still a stack of them in my closet, so it's very exciting to have that moment now. A moment where I felt like I made it was getting to go to Pharrell's first runway show for Louis Vuitton. There was a choir that came out and sang this amazing song and Rihanna and ASAP Rocky were sitting across from me. Tears just started falling from my eyes, and I was like, this is part of the dream that I had of being a part of this life. Just to be welcomed into this space feels so crazy to me. Some of my dream people to work with are photographers like Steven Meisel and Inez & Vinoodh. I would love to make beautiful images with Nick Knight. In terms of celebrities, Zoë Kravitz, Bella Hadid, Nicole Kidman — but at the same time, I want to work with new talent like Tyla and Chappell Roan. They all have a sense of identity. I think it's so important to have your own style and your own personal creative ideas of what you want to look like. Those girls have really honed in and cultivated their identity. And when you look at something, especially if you look at a dress or a piece of art, and you associate that art or that garment with that girl. I want to create that with my own client one day. Three words to describe my own day-to-day style are sensuality, preppy and edgy. I love American sportswear. Ralph Lauren's a huge influence of mine, but there's always an edge to it. There's like a little secret that's elevated, and you are only going to know when they want to tell you. There's a mystery. An ideal day in L.A. is taking an hour to do a yoga class or go walk in the park. I hike once a week for two hours. I love my job, but it's also very important to take care of your mental health and be in nature and find gratitude. There's one called the Vermont Canyon Tennis Courts hike and you go all the way to Dante's Peak. As an Aries, my personal style is ever-changing because my personality is so spontaneous. You just want to do things all the time. You never stop. If you meet an Aries, they're like, 'Let's go here, let's do this, let's go there.' I think that plays into a lot of my work and my clothes. I'm always thinking, what can be different in terms of this image? My emotional support clothing item is a 4-inch boot. I'm not the tallest person — and when I wear my boots I'm still not the tallest person — but it brings in a feeling of confidence where I can stomp somewhere. Sometimes that's all you need, and it changes your posture, and you just feel like you can take anything down. If I was a cocktail, I would be a St. Germain Spritz. It's called a Hugo Spritz, but the core of it is St. Germain, Prosecco and club soda, and on a summer day with mint and lemon … It's so yummy. I wish I had some in my fridge. It is the most refreshing drink. And I'm anti-Aperol. It's all about Hugo, like you have to experience the Hugo Spritz. Your life will change. This summer, everyone will be wearing longer-length shorts. More people are wearing board shorts now, it's not above the knee anymore. And baby tees and Havaianas flip-flops. If last summer was brat summer, this summer is where I'm going to be really stupid for the last time. It's from personal experience. This is the last summer of my 20s. I just feel like I can get away with certain things in my 20s before I turn 30, so this summer is going to be crazy and stupid for me. When I turn 30 in April, it's going to be smart spring, like business savvy, strategically everything. But this summer is going to give, let's puke. Let's drink a s— ton of alcohol and puke, because I have one summer left to do that. The best vintage finds are at the Long Beach Antique Market. On the third Sunday of the month, there's this lady named Veronica. You will find the most incredible vintage. The look that I wore to the Vuitton show was from her vintage stall. And I love the Goodwill on San Fernando in Atwater Village where you buy by the pound. You literally have to come in with gloves and your headphones because it's such an intense experience, but it's so cheap and I have found gems from that Goodwill. It's so unserious for people to be like, 'Fashion is everything, fashion is my life.' Fashion is a major cause of global warming, and it can create a lot of damage in the world. It's not brain surgery, but you'll meet people that make it feel like brain surgery and that's when it's not fun anymore. I just want to have fun and create beautiful images. Something I wish people knew about the fashion and styling industry is that 75% is hard work and schlepping, you're carrying things all day, every day. It's a lot of logistics. But 25% is glamorous. There are moments where you're like, 'Wow, these spaces that I'm in are actually insane, and I'm so grateful to be here.' But the 75% is not fun or pretty. A lot of people don't know that when they get in, and they run from it really quickly. I do it because I love it and I'm inspired by it. It's something I've wanted to do my entire life, and I can attest to it with the amount of Teen Vogues in my closet in my childhood bedroom.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Law Roach Just Shared Before-And-After Photos Of An Alligator And His Birkin, And It's Completely "Outta Pocket"
Hollywood stylist Law Roach shared a cold-blooded before-and-after photo, and the internet had much to say about it. Law is known for his work with celebrities like the legendary Céline Dion and, most notably, the enchanting Zendaya. He has also served as a judge on several shows, including Cycle 23 of America's Next Top Model, HBO Max's Legendary, Project Runway, and RuPaul's Drag Race. It's fair to say that Law is a great judge of what's hot and what's not, so when he posted a tongue-in-cheek before-and-after photo on Instagram on June 12, he must've known what type of reactions it would spark on Beyoncé's internet. In the before photo, Law is holding an alligator. Related: 18 Celebrities Who Called Out Other Celebs On Social Media For Bad, Problematic, Or Just Plain Mean Behavior In the after photo, he's holding what appears to be his signature black Hermés crocodile Birkin bag. The photos were paired with the caption, "Before and After..... EXOTIC 🐊👜." People in the comments had mixed reactions to Law's playful post. Singer/songwriter and YouTube creator Terrell Grice playfully asked, "What is wroonnngggg with you!!! Lmaooo." Kerri Colby from RuPaul's Drag Race was shocked. Related: Here Are 10 Celebs Who've Publicly Admitted The Reasons Why They Regret Ending Their Marriages Grammy award-winning singer and musician Steve Lacy was just as surprised. Of course, Julia Fox, who has worked with Law, chimed in. Law's wild before-and-after basically took Natasha Rothwell out. And the best response came from Doechii, aka the Swamp Princess, whose debut album Alligator Bites Never Heal dominated the 2025 awards season. Other celebrities tried to warn Law that perhaps his photo wouldn't go over so well with PETA, and they were right because the organization did respond. PETA wrote, "You think this is funny and edgy, but all these shots show is a complete lack of awareness and disregard for the fellow animals on our shared planet. You need a new Image Architect." And PETA wasn't the only one that was not a fan of Law's before-and-after photos. We'll let you know if Law responds to PETA, and if the saga continues. And that's that! Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Then check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025. Also in Celebrity: If You Get 20/30 On This Difficult '90s Music Quiz, Then You Honestly Know Your Stuff!!! Also in Celebrity: Chrissy Teigen Posted The Results Of Her Hairline Lowering Surgery, And Ouch Also in Celebrity: 17 Actors Who Said "No" To Nudity And Sex Scenes Out Of Respect For Their Partners, Families, Religion, And More
Buzz Feed
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Law Roach's Before/After Photos Of His Birkin Bag
Hollywood stylist Law Roach shared a cold-blooded before-and-after photo, and the internet had much to say about it. Law is known for his work with celebrities like the legendary Céline Dion and, most notably, the enchanting Zendaya. He has also served as a judge on several shows, including Cycle 23 of America's Next Top Model, HBO Max's Legendary, Project Runway, and RuPaul's Drag Race. It's fair to say that Law is a great judge of what's hot and what's not, so when he posted a tongue-in-cheek before-and-after photo on Instagram on June 12, he must've known what type of reactions it would spark on Beyoncé's internet. In the before photo, Law is holding an alligator. In the after photo, he's holding what appears to be his signature black Hermés crocodile Birkin bag. The photos were paired with the caption, "Before and After..... EXOTIC 🐊👜." People in the comments had mixed reactions to Law's playful post. Singer/songwriter and YouTube creator Terrell Grice playfully asked, "What is wroonnngggg with you!!! Lmaooo." Kerri Colby from RuPaul's Drag Race was shocked. Grammy award-winning singer and musician Steve Lacy was just as surprised. Of course, Julia Fox, who has worked with Law, chimed in. Law's wild before-and-after basically took Natasha Rothwell out. And the best response came from Doechii, aka the Swamp Princess, whose debut album Alligator Bites Never Heal dominated the 2025 awards season. Other celebrities tried to warn Law that perhaps his photo wouldn't go over so well with PETA, and they were right because the organization did respond. PETA wrote, "You think this is funny and edgy, but all these shots show is a complete lack of awareness and disregard for the fellow animals on our shared planet. You need a new Image Architect." And PETA wasn't the only one that was not a fan of Law's before-and-after photos. We'll let you know if Law responds to PETA, and if the saga continues. And that's that! Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Then check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Are You Hot? Cruel reality show where models brutally judge people's looks resurfaces and horrifies viewers
People have been left appalled after rediscovering a 2003 reality show where contestants had their physical appearance cruelly scrutinized by a panel of merciless judges. Are You Hot?: The Search for America's Sexiest People saw a string of hopefuls line up to have their looks torn apart in the hopes of winning a $50,000 cash prize. Contestants varied from traditionally attractive personal trainers and aspiring models all the way through to your average Joe. The genetically-blessed judges included hunky Renegade actor Lorenzo Lamas, Kiwi supermodel Rachel Hunter, and fashion designer Randolph Duke. The trio would judge the scantily-clad contestants on three different categories: face, body, and sex appeal. Lamas even used a laser pointer, dubbed the 'flaw finder,' to highlight imperfections. One woman was told that her hips were 'too wide,' while another was told to 'eat a cheeseburger' because she was too slim. While judging one male contestant on stage, Hunter remarked, 'I'm gonna give you a five because you're way too muscular.' She added, 'Like I said, it's too ape, gorilla looking. It's just too much.' Fans on social media were horrified after recently rediscovering the series. 'I'd love to see how Rachel would have critiqued her ex Rod Stewart if they brought him on stage,' commented one. 'Never heard of this but OMG this is horrific. And people critiqued America's Next Top Model for being harsh, while this is literal body shaming,' wrote another. A third wrote, 'Sign up for a show called Are You Hot? and ya gotta live with the answer!' Are You Hot? was canceled after one season due to low ratings and viewer backlash. While it was axed, it didn't stop Fox from airing an equally controversial series just a year later with The Swan. The series took 'average' women who felt insecure about their looks and gave them extreme makeovers - which included plastic surgery. However, the series came with an unbelievable twist. The women didn't know they were actually competing with each other until the very end, when two of them were judged head-to-head to decide a winner. One would then go on to the final beauty pageant and be crowned 'The Swan.' The Swan premiered to high ratings and averaged around nine million viewers during its first season, but was canceled by its second season. It's best remembered for starring Dr. Terry Dubrow as one of the show's plastic surgeons. Dubrow went on to star in E!'s Botched and The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
My sister took her life after online abuse at 21 – I will never be the same
If my sister Aimee and I were a Venn diagram, the internet was our intersecting centre. We grew up in Southampton and spent every summer in north Turkey, in the small coastal village Edincik, where our mum is from. While we shared the same interests – music, fashion and food – our tastes were different, and online was where they flourished. I always loved second-hand clothes, having practically been raised in charity shops. I grew up cutting out and sticking pages out of Elle magazine to my bedroom walls, and was obsessed with America's Next Top Model, meaning I could name designer brands more confidently than recalling my eight times tables. I was drawn to the early YouTube pioneers – Zoella, Glozell and Jenna Marbles – and I looked up to them for being fully themselves online, at an age where I felt unseen and misunderstood, like so many teenagers do. Aimee, on the other hand, was far more unique – she'd found out she was neurodivergent in her teens. She was way ahead in terms of her taste in music: as a 14-year-old, she was fixated by Pharrell Williams's bands N.E.R.D and The Neptunes, and her curious mind led her to discover the likes of Sade, Kelis, Stevie Wonder, Ice Cube, Tyler, The Creator and Kaytranada. As a teen, Aimee taught herself Japanese, and immersed herself in the food and culture of the country, becoming obsessed with sushi and artists such as Takashi Murakami, which led to her travelling to Japan solo when she was just 18. Sharing my love for thrifting, Aimee sourced rare, collectable Pharrell merchandise, saving up all of her money from part-time jobs to bid in international eBay wars against veteran collectors. She always won. Aimee was brave and bold, and unapologetic in her passions, despite not sharing them with others at school, which marked her as different at an age where being cool meant following the crowd. This was what drew her to social media. Having faced bullying at school, like many neurodivergent teens, Aimee was attracted to online communities that shared her interests. She discovered Grindin', a forum for Pharrell fans. We were glad that she had found a community where she finally felt accepted, and had a space where she could fully express herself and connect with others. Being Gen Z, part of the guinea-pig generation that grew up as children without smartphones but who then got them as teens, both my sister Aimee and I were avid users of social media from its early inception. We would spend hours as teens scrolling on Tumblr, photographing each other in our best outfits on holiday for Instagram, messaging friends on Snapchat. It wasn't the centre of our world, but it occupied a huge part of our adolescence: our online profiles were an extension of ourselves. But in the pandemic, this social media community soon became a double-edged sword. Aimee was at the tricky in-between stage of having finished college and not knowing her next step, and she retreated further online during lockdown. Being cut off from the things that she loved doing – going to art exhibitions, attending gigs and festivals, and eating out with her boyfriend – drastically impacted Aimee's mental health. Spending more and more time in her room, she became withdrawn and removed from us. She split from her boyfriend, stopped going out and was no longer interested in the treasured Pharrell-related belongings she had invested so many years collecting. When I'd try to connect with her, or spark a conversation, she seemed distant. This went on for a year. When she was at her most unwell, she was drawn into the dark side of the internet. In October 2022, the unimaginable happened. My parents were met with a knock on the door from two police officers informing us that Aimee had died. She had been found in a hotel room more than 60 miles from our home town, with a stranger from the United States. We later found out from police that Aimee had been on a partners thread, where members of this forum seek out others to end their lives with. The man who she was found with had been with Aimee for 11 days in the hotel room, and had told authorities he was 'working' during that time. All I can remember from the weeks that followed is a blur of words that seemed wrong being used in the same sentence as Aimee's name; words you only ever hear in crime drama series: investigation, incriminating evidence, assisted suicide, inquest, coroner, family liaison officer. It was clear to me that there was so much more beneath the surface to uncover, how none of the piecemeal bits of information the police told us about the circumstances surrounding Aimee's sudden death added up. We still have countless unanswered questions, questions detectives have failed to answer, and which the pending inquest may not even explore. As a family, we have learnt more about the circumstances of Aimee's death from journalists than we have from the police. Sadly, we only learnt what was happening in her online world after it was too late. Aimee was just 21 when we lost her. We found out after she died, that Aimee had been on a forum which actively encourages people to take their lives, instructing them and even providing the means for them to do so. This forum has taken at least 50 UK lives, including my sister. From looking at the forum myself, I can see just how easy it is to end up in a rabbit hole of despair, where vulnerable users are told their loved ones don't care about them. Essentially, Aimee was radicalised by a toxic network into taking a decision that she could never return from. These are known as 'Com networks', and the National Crime Agency has even set up a taskforce dedicated to investigating men who target vulnerable women and girls and pressure them into acts of self-harm. Being informed by police that Aimee died in a hotel room with a stranger who she met on this forum, and who flew from the US to witness her death, still haunts me. Knowing that Aimee's vulnerability was preyed on, and that others like her could fall victim to the same circumstances, is why, as a journalist and campaigner, I now channel my efforts into advocating for online safety and tech accountability. Since losing Aimee, I've spoken in the European parliament, met with the UK Tech Secretary with fellow bereaved families, protested outside Meta HQ, signed letters to the Prime Minister, all to advocate for better safeguards online. Speaking up about sibling grief and sudden loss is immensely hard and takes a toll, and sometimes I guiltily wish that this wasn't how I was spending my 20s. None of this will bring my sister back, but even if speaking up saves one life, then it is worth it. Until I lost my sister, I never knew the scale of risk that exists online, and the number of bereaved families who are fighting to tackle them. Being part of that fight, I now know that people who are vulnerable offline – children, women, people with mental health issues, neurodivergent people – are more vulnerable online, too. We urgently need a greater public awareness of the scale of harm already taking place, if we are to build a safer digital world for young people. Most children today will experience some type of online harm. What's vital is that they know they can communicate openly and honestly with you about their experiences. Make sure your children know that it is not their fault if something bad happens to them online, and encourage them to come to you or a teacher if something has upset or scared them on social media. The Online Safety Act is at a pivotal point in its enforcement right now. You can email your MP to demand that platforms of all sizes are subject to the fullest force of the Act. While I don't think a smartphone ban is the solution to online harm, it will ensure that children have to best chance to experience their childhood fully in the offline world. This is vital if they are to grow into confident, resilient and empowered young people. There is great strength in numbers – the more parents who support a delay in social media use, the better. R;pple is a secure and confidential free web extension tool that intercepts online searches for self-harm and suicide, diverting users away from content that puts them at risk. Created by Alice Hendy MBE, who lost her brother Josh to suicide, R;pple is a life-saving tool that proves technology can be designed with user wellbeing at the core. Logging Off: The Human Cost of Our Digital World by Adele Zeynep Walton is (Trapeze, £20) is available now. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
