Indochine's Top Shelf

Laura Dore - Too Artsy or a Pleasant Divergence From The Usual Urban Dreck?

On the board where I found these images, there was a delightful little comment accompanying them:

One of my faves. BUT...She tries to be too artsy with that old school burlesque type shit...She needs to put her ass in a thong and bend over...that's all the "art" we need from her.


While I somewhat understand where the poster is coming from, I think there's enough of the bend-over-in-a-thong stuff out there that if one model comes along and tries to infuse the industry with a little creativity, that can't be a bad thing.

Anyway, these shots of Laura Dore really struck my fancy, so I'm passing them along. Those huge white chocolate thighs in the back of this motocar would have caused mayhem to ensue.

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Additional pic added thankts to the woman herself, Laura Doré, Or should I say Mistress Laura Winking
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Frank D - Dynasty Series - Mermaids

I'll just retype the comment I left on Dynasty Series (minus the typos Winking

"And here Frank D shows that he understands the main premise behind quality eye candy – making people feel good. You come home from a long day at work and look at these beautiful photos, with the warm sun setting in the background and the aqua/turquoise theme in both the styling and make up, and you can’t help but be transported – if only for a few seconds – to a better place. BTW, Karina Lopez is AMAZING."

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Alysha Young Reveals How She Added "Just Dance" to Her Repertoire

Click image to be taken to video blog by Alysha Young revealing how she got involved with Ubisoft and traveled the country to promote the "Just Dance" video game for the Wii and Xbox 360, in addition to being featured in a nationwide commercial... Photography: Indosplace.com
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Bria Myles: Good Things on the Horizon

Bria is slated to be on the cover (solo) of a pretty big magazine coming up soon... Here are two BTS shots.

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Leila Lopes - Miss Universe 2011 - Is The Controversy Surrounding Her Win Just Sour Grapes

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Since Leila Lopes, a 25 year old woman from Angola, was named Miss Universe on September 14, 2011, she has received some negative comments from fellow contestant, Laury Thilleman (Miss France). "We were all surprised by her win." I'm sure Ms. Thilleman can speak for each of her fellow contestants on this issue. *sigh* Ms. Thilleman also made a cryptic comment about Lopes personality: "I don’t know, something is missing in her temperament" What the heck? Who is Thilleman, Dr. Phil now?

Keep in mind, Lopes is only the second Black woman to win the crown since the pageant started in 1952. Allegations have also surface that false documents may have been used to help newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes enter qualifying pageant, Miss Angola UK, but this also sounds like it might be nothing more than sour grapes...

Be interested to hear your thoughts Indochine Bloggers....

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"Miss Cheeky" - Canadian Curves

Click the collage image for her comeback video. Reach the somewhat elusive Ms. Cheeky on Twitter here social---twitter_16x16

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Nostalgia Knockout - Amy Hunter

I'm intrigued by the notion of timeless beauty. It's always fascinating when I find an old photo that I've taken and the model looks just as good to me today as she did when I originally took the pic. I suppose there are some basics of attractiveness - robust health, good skin, hair and teeth - that just stand the test of time. Actress Amy Hunter embodies all of those elements in this casual Polaroid taken in 1996. Probably best known as the hottie at the end of "Two Can Play at That Game," Amy would be as captivating today to men as she was when she took this test photo for a shoot. That's impressive.

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Post updated 8/4 with additional pic:

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Billion Dollar Booty - How Kim Kardashian Sold the World on her Assets

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Note: Please give a warm welcome to freelance copywriter, Falene Nurse, who authored this article specifically for Indosplace. She has worked as a writer in the advertising industry for about 7 years and is originally from the UK. Falene is also a model/actress with the Q Agency.

"I don't mind you taking pictures, it's the angle," the legging-clad reality star complains to the TMZ cameraman behind her. "What you are trying to shoot is so disrespectful!” Really? This from the same girl who's behind was graphically introduced to the masses via a sex-tape? Who only a few weeks ago chose to televise her derrière being x-rayed to prove its legitimacy and can be seen greased up (from that very angle) crawling on all fours in a recently released - I mean "leaked" - music video. So, pray tell, how can a Paparazzi trying to focus on the very thing her entire career has been based upon, suddenly be considered disrespectful? Therein lies the odd dichotomy that is Kim Kardashian. A young woman who has turned her backside into a million dollar industry, but doesn't want you to publicly focus on that fact.

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Kim's by no means the first celeb to capture our attention with a gravity defying posterior. There was J-lo, Serena (the biggest and by far the best!), Rihanna, Niki Minaj and of course, the bootylicious Beyonce. These ladies also have other discernible qualities (musical talents and athletic prowess) that go far beyond their extraordinary gifted assets. However, we are living in the reality decade, where it's not uncommon to become famous from a sex tape, a scandal or for simply being you. I guess my question is: how did Kim become the first curvaceous icon accepted by the mainstream media and still the only one that's managed to literally turn her booty into a brand? If it's just about the aesthetics, what of the Melyssa Ford's of the world? Why not them? Well, the answer, albeit simple, might not be quite what you think. The immediate reaction might be to wonder if racial bias comes into play, or maybe fear of what other "Video Vixens" and "Urban Glamor Models" represent - a black man's sexual preference. But if you look closer, that can't possibly be the case. Firstly, Kim's shape is considered by both black men (and women) as an ideal. She also married two African Americans (um yeah, both times), and let's not forget her partner in crime from the first sex tape (Ray J). Furthermore, randomly ask the Betty White-alike at your local Starbucks who CoCo Austin is and she would think you were offering her a nice, hot beverage. Ask about Kim K and she probably watched the nuptials on E!

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Make no mistake, Buffie, CoCo and Melyssa Ford aren't hurting financially by any means, but they haven't turned Kim's kind of profits either. Buffie's "bootynomics" has a following for those in pursuit of the perfect proportions and Mrs. Ice T continues to entertain on reality TV. Melyssa had some cross-over appeal in the early 2000s, with lad mags and hit shows like "Entourage.” Considered universally "sexy," she sadly could only target a limited audience, predominantly the male demographic, who historically don't buy women's perfume, lip-gloss, clothes or sneakers. Given this, should brands have taken the risk then and offered her the opportunity to advertise with them? They did not.

Similarly (and more recently) Amber Rose, a physical type unseen in most fashion editorials (even though she looks absolutely stunning in spreads for Tandem, Vibe and Elle), has been unable to replicate Kim K’s success. Amber sports designers like Armani and Karl Lagerfeld at fashion week. Yet for all the fashion world's admiration, no label has made her "the face" of their latest purse or fragrance campaign. And unfortunately, lying on Kanye's lap for his exclusive line of Louis Vuitton sneakers doesn't count.

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It's estimated through her endorsements, appearances and TV show, Kim K has an estimated net worth of $35 million. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Season 5 of E!s Keeping Up With the Kardashians averaged 3.5 million viewers a week." Kim's “Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event” reaching rating's gold at an estimated 5 million viewers, with advertisers clambering for air time as if it were the Superbowl. Did the entire world conveniently forget how she shot to stardom (sex tape), or is Kris Jenner such a marketing maven that nobody cares? Well, not exactly. TMZ reported that kimksuperstar.com's traffic skyrocketed that weekend, but thanks to Kris and the rest of the clan America no longer seems to care about Kim’s scandalous past. Although the main focus of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," it's no longer just about Kim. Kris Jenner cleverly took her daughter's 15 minutes and turned the Kardashian name into a brand, quickly introducing us all to a supportive, united front that had Kim's back no matter what. A self-deprecating and endearing Hollywood family, that stuck up for their own. Whereas previous video vixens were associated "only" with sex (Karrine Steffans anyone?), when you think of Kim K you can't help but immediately to think about the Kardashian family.

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Back in 2007, when socialites and wealthy children were either performing idiotic tasks on "The Simple Life" or boring us to tears on "The Hills,” The Kardashians offered something different - they were incredibly wholesome and likable. They represented the quirkiness and lack of filter of “The Osbournes” without all the swearing and rehab. They were… charming. Instead of boasting about the sex tape or having a nonchalant attitude like Paris, we watched Kim and her family try to move on or prevent its use. We all watched Kim break down in tears at the mere mention of that infamous tape and how she cried that she "wished everyone would just forget about it and leave it in the past." And how better to achieve that than by airing that very subject matter on episodic reality TV? It sounds contradictory and ridiculous, but it worked! I for one immediately took her side and found myself actually giving a damn.

Kim Kardashian may have dangerous curves, but you can argue that she's also absolutely adorable too, in a way that many others of a similar type haven't quite perfected. Kim has somehow managed to be both incredibly sexy and safe. In advertising that's like discovering The Holy Grail. For all her sexploits, marriages, and nakedness, she seems non threatening and sweet. Genuine or not, when was the last time a celebrity Video Vixen was described as "sweet"? If you are going to sell the world on your body and looks alone, I suggest you look to the original curvy icons of yesteryear to see how to do it right. After all, Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford weren’t "just" sex symbols – they were America's sweethearts too. Never underestimate the value of being likable.

Looking back, can you imagine how popular Melyssa Ford may have become if she had a quirky and slightly interfering family? If we learned that she actually had a degree in psychology and was an avid animal rights supporter? If she had a quick-witted sister that openly mocked her hyper-sexual poses and expressions on the sidelines of a photo shoot? It would have made her more of an everywoman. She could have been bigger than Tyra - and I don't just mean in her measurements.

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