I went to the book launch for friend and fellow fashion school graduate, Caitlin Cronenberg.  Poser is a collection of nude photographs, full front view, from the knees up.  A few years ago, after we graduated from fashion school, Caitlin told me about the project she was working on and asked me to pose.  I didn’t think very hard about it – I said yes.  I guess I figured that if I was ever going to do it, I might as well do it while I’m young. I also used the opportunity to get Caitlin to photograph a school project which seemed to call for a nude body.

The night of the launch, I hadn’t revisited the photo and still wasn’t sure if I was ready to. After a few years since I had done it, it had fallen out of mind, and then suddenly stories about Caitlin’s book were in the blogs and all the newspapers, and it was a little bit nervous-making.  I dawdled on the RSVP. When I did show up, in a weirdly pensive mood, and bought my book and opened it up, I felt a sense of revelation. The picture of me and my body was not as strange to look at as I thought.

Caitlin says that the project makes more sense as a collection and it is true. She named the book “Poser“, but in fact, she didn’t pose us at all.  She clicked the shutter before the pose, which results in these candid, unintentional, revealing moments.  In me, I see a sense of trepidation, maybe a little bit of pride, as I try and “fix” my hair. I was not alone, there were many in the crowd who were captured by Caitlin, fellow fashion school students, people of all walks of life, many with higher profiles than me.

At the party I briefly reconnected with a few fellow fashion school graduates. It was neat to find them still in the heat of pursuing what they want. Fashion school was tough, but living a life as a creative individual is incredibly competitive, demanding awesome amounts of determination and sacrifice.  Not only are some of my fellow graduates still living the dream, we’re also supportive of each other’s projects and ambitions. Which made me leave the party with a very real sense of gratitude.

Inspired by Douglas Coupland’s Penguin cover missives to the year 1935, and commenter Alexandra’s encouragement to make my own. I think it would have been a bestseller 75 years ago, eh?

By the way, I am usually classified as a Miranda (according to the internet quizzes, anyways), though I would much rather be a Carrie if I get to choose.  I would rather think I have Carrie’s impulsive creativity tempered by Miranda’s dour pragmatism. I often wonder, do we get to choose? What is it about categorizing women by these four archetypes that fascinates us so much?

Just a heads up, if you are planning on getting the Paper Dolls book for a gift, this is the last day to order if you’d like 50% off shipping for delivery by December 24th. But no worries if you missed that deadline, premium shipping for Christmas is available up to December 14th.

Paper Dolls

Toronto SS10 Colle…

By Danielle Meder

Book Preview

Thanks so much to everyone who has bought a book!  Remember you can also buy a PDF directly from me for $17.95 if you’d like to do your own printing.  Email me for details.  Plus, you can win a book or a PDF if you’re handy with photoshop – details here.

Lucky me, I have friends who keep up with the indie comic scene and let me know what I might be into.  Even though I have never heard of Dolltopia, I will be attending the book launch this Friday just for fun – for sure I’m down with customizing dolls – and cupcakes are OK too.  If you go, maybe I’ll see you there.

My first ever book publishing project finally came in the mail this week.  It is Fashion Illustration School by Acadamy of Art University professor Carol Nunnelly.

My contribution is nothing grand or glamourous – I did the examples of technical illustrations and a few examples of step-by-step fabric rendering.