DIARY OF A MOD MODEL

Susan Brainard and Linda Morand

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From the Diary of L. Morand Paris November 1966

It is my second day in Paris. I can only speak a few words of French. I am nineteen years old, away from home for the first time. Paris Planning, my modeling agency, sends me over to Pierre Cardin for a fitting.

I will be modeling his 1967 Collection on the runway for private clients, exclusive buyers and the invited World Press. Diana Vreeland and all the top editors will be there, including my friends from Mademoiselle, Nonie Moore and Deborah Blackburn. The photos will appear in newspapers and magazines through the news bureaus. Vogue Patterns has booked me for their selections from the Cardin Collection.

I am very happy that he had already decided to use me sight unseen, from the Mademoiselle cover and layouts. "I must have ze Super Chick," he has told Francois Lano, referring to my recent spread in Mademoiselle where I portrayed a Space Creature. I am very excited to get to work for him. He feels I have the androgynous figure he prefers to show off the immaculate, sleek tailoring, he has perfected, and that my futuristic space heroine image has the right image for his new line.

We are in a Space Race according to Time magazine and Life magazine. Astronauts are being featured on covers of news magazines and the whole world is fascinated by the future, keyed up about who will be the first country to get a man on the moon. Cardin has a passionate love of science fiction, astronauts and the cosmos. He is determined to single handedly ignite the future, although Paco Rabanne and Andre Couregges are feeling the same vibes. His creations have the trimmings of science fiction and space travel. The fashion world is astonished at his space age 3-D shift, and his "white breasts" dress. Cardin raises skirts 4" above the knee and plunges necklines back and front to the navel. Read More (click)
 

Linda Morand by Helmut Newton