SuperELITE Encounters

by Tiara Calvert

Recently the SuperELITE Fashion Academy held two spectacular shows featuring the students of SL’s two Top Supermodels. The current reigning Miss Virtual World, Mimmi Boa and the beautiful and elegant former title holder, Isabel Brocco. The photos found on this blog show you the grandeur of the shows, but here now in a series of articles we get an insight into some of the preparations that helped mold some of the models for their time under the spotlights and before the crowds.

How do we define talent? In SL I’m constantly awed by the talents of those around me, from the amazing people who sit behind computers all over the world and make manifest into this medium extraordinary forms of self expression. Recently one such woman, who does just that, arrived to speak to some of SL’s established and upcoming Supermodels as a guest of the SuperELITE Fashion Academy and Mimmi Boa to speak to her ELITE level class.

Elettra Gausman really needs no introduction to anyone who has been around the fashion world in SL for even a short time, but in case you’ve been living under a rock she is the owner and creative genius behind *OC* Orage Creations. Her designs and impact on the Fashion world of SL have been no less then astounding. But it’s not just clothing she fashions us with and in, eyes and skins are also areas where her creativity and talent have found yet another outlet. And when you consider she began to design and create her line only in June of this past year it’s impossible not to be amazed by the talent she displays and excited to see what the future holds.

Not only does Elettra create some of the most notable, fashionable and gorgeous designs to grace the runways and magazine spreads of the Fashion world but she does it when not fulfilling her duties as a real life Doctor. Add to this the fact that she has founded and runs the BeStar Fashion Club, The calendar of which was recently one of the modeling industries most coveted to be in competitions. She runs BeStyle Magazine and if that wasn’t enough is part owner with Annemarie Perenti, of the Best of Italian Sims!

Elettra sat down with the class and her good friend Mimmi Boa to shed light on the fashion industry, share her thoughts on the keys to success in it and some of the experiences she has had. What does one of the grids most prolific, talented and accomplished designers look for in a model?

“They have to check and edit attachments.”

“They have to check and choose right poses to bring out clothes a wrong pose can make bad a wonderful dress.”

I don’t think there was a single model in the room not zooming in on prim eyelashes in that moment.

“You have to choose right shoes and hair, to bring out clothes.”

Details, specifics, attention to styling and to the fit of the clothes adjusted to maximize the creations you are given the honor or displaying, these are the things that will get you noticed by Elettra. And it’s this commitment to effort and details she herself displays. Eletrra hand draws all her dresses on paper first. Allowing her talented vision to take free form in art, long before they ever reach the stores for our eager hands. After, she chooses the textures and real life fabrics she will use before moving the process into Photoshop where her creative genius and artistic talent merge, bringing forth some of the most stunning, original works found in SL. And though for the moment her designs have been for us women she hinted at the possibility of branching out into the world of designs for men as well, and noted her leather pants are uni-sex.

And as for originality, Elettra was careful to stress the importance of that to those fortunate enough to be in attendance during this ELITE level class.

“Originality is very important” She said, stressing that a Model who can find a way to craft an original look and shape will always be ahead of the pack. A sentiment shared by and repeated too those in attendance by Elettra’s good friend and current Miss Virtual World, Mimmi Boa. “The first important thing is "to be unique".

Eletrra continued on that vein expressing that a model should have one “live in” skin that they felt at home with. But, was careful to stress that a model who hopes to be successful needs to have a varied and deep collection of skins for use in whatever situation, style or opportunity she might find her or himself in.

“I'm proud of BeStyle and BeStar, and I try to help models.”

And Eletrra has much to be proud of, when she isn’t helping forge Fashion in SL, she is living her words. She gives a good deal of time to the models in her groups as well as to her friends and customers. Just after the release of her Jolie dress in stores I was fortunate enough to visit and pick it up. I immediately fell in love with it as I have all her designs. In the store ad was hair, perfect for showing the design in the spirit of the namesake the outfit was based on. Unable to find it I sent Eletrra an IM. We had never met or spoken and no doubt I was just another of the countless IM’s she was likely going through that day from a host of models, show producers, customers and others all vying for her time. But in nearly no time at all she was responding to me, telling me exactly where I might find the hair and sharing how much she loved the styles and work of the creator. A true story that shows the caring, helpful nature of a beautiful spirited woman, whose presence, insights and advice in the ELITE level class run by Mimmi Boa was a pure pleasure, and inspiration to all!