I’ve been meaning to write about this girl since literally January 08. I came across a DVD which featured some of her work and it sat on my “pile of stuff to attend to” which kept getting bigger than smaller. So i turned the pile upside down.
Elle Muliarchyk has taken a sneaky approach to modeling, and as a result, built up quite a name for herself. She goes into NY boutiques and tries on a nice looking (and often expensive) outfit in the change-room. Naturally, the lighting in these places is pretty swanky, so all that’s needed is a striking pose and you have yourself a pretty impressive scene. You don’t even need a great camera, although i’m sure a timer and a handy ledge or hook will be the more important things to consider.
It’s a brilliantly simple idea, and there’s no limit to how far one can take it - Elle’s taken props, like dried leaves, and layered them on the floor. She’s had a few run-ins with various store attendants, but nothing other than a slap on the wrists probably eventuates.
Conceptually, it’s ripe with thoughts - the transient nature of the change-room is questioned. A room where beauty is prepared, is captured instead. It’s also a personal space - often small and intimate, and yet the rooms themselves are plastered all around the internet.
I love the irony, however, of a beautiful girl wearing a beautiful dress, probably worth well over US$10,000. She doesn’t own the dress, and 5 minutes later will be outside in jeans and a jumper. Just like a real model - only she does it all herself. Awesome.
Lots of pictures (including the ones below) on Stern. RTL has a video, too, depending how good your German is.
