I don’t think anyone else has impacted my life more this year than Karmen Pedaru and Laetitia Casta. While learning more about the world of fashion and its models, I couldn’t help but fall for Karmen Pedaru and Laetitia Casta. I admire them so much as people and the feelings they bring out in me.

I remember seeing their pictures for the first time years ago and being left in awe. Karmen is like walking Avant-garde, expressionist, performing arts model, and Laetitia is this voluptuous, enlightenment/romanticism-esque, sensual runway goddess. They’re so unique and they have this amazingly warm, kind ambience about themselves.

When I read about their backstories and careers, it really is touching and inspiring with just how ordinary these women are. So much is said about the fashion industry and the models. It’s easy to assume these women come from a life of privilege and never had to work for anything, but that’s hardly the case.

I think Karmen and Laetitia are incredibly creative. Laetitia has excelled at many things like acting, directing, producing and being a phenomenal model. Karmen was a star athlete before she started modeling. Her work on the runway is just sensational. She has such a tremendous poise about her and her editorials are one of a kind.

When I think of Karmen she reminds me of my favorite songs from Doosu with heavy distortion, soft melodies, blending quiet and loud dynamics, while Laetitia reminds me of the music of Garbage with electronic rock rifts, trip hop grooves and an attitude of turning the status quo on its head.

But the coolest thing about them is how their birthdays are only a day apart with Karmen’s being on May 10th and Laetitia’s being on May 11th. You always hear about Leos and Sagittariuses, etc, so it’s really cool how my two favorite models are Tauruses, especially when their birthdays are in May.

Both Karmen and Laetitia have had an incredible year, especially Karmen who’s bounced back so much. I just love rooting for them. You’d probably be hard pressed to find two women who so unique and wonderful. They give me so much hope going into the new year and I pray Karmen and Laetitia have even more wonderful times to come.

LUNA BIJL

With great work ethic and charm, the modeling prodigy Luna Bijl, too, came from humble beginnings in the countryside of Holland. As an unabashed tomboy with a love of sports, especially motocross, Luna delighted in being covered in dirt, playing outside and being one with the boys.

“I was always with boys and busy with completely other things than fashion. I was always covered with dirt and I didn’t care so much about the way I looked.”

It was Luna’s dad that influenced her love for motocross at an early age, a love that was passed down from father to son, now father to daughter:

My dad did motocross all his life and so did his dad, so I guess it’s just in my blood. I was around 12 when I started doing competitions in quadcross. I went to motocross every weekend and that was a big part of my life. I was always covered in dirt and always one of the guys. Now I ride motocross with my dad just for fun when we have free time. I can’t imagine my life without it, I am just addicted to the feeling and the adrenaline.

I can already hear your tune
Calling me across the room
When the world and his wife are on my back again
Not enough pleasure, too much pain

With Luna’s motocross grease and gears childhood, she never saw herself as a pretty face, she never posed in front of a camera, and modeling wasn’t something she was particularly interested in. But as she was finishing high school with no idea what to pursue, friends suggested she try modeling.

When the world is too much with me
Please leave, just go away
I lose my mind completely
Please leave, just go now
In the side street something’s moving
Look around, look around
All around you walls are tumbling down
Stop staring at the ground

It didn’t take long for Luna to be scouted by Premier Model Management and her being praised for being a “photogenic sensation.” “It came really naturally to me, the first time I went on set I just knew it was right. When I started out at 17, I figured I’d give myself a year to see if I could make it work and I haven’t stopped since.”

In 2015, Luna went on an Alexander the Great-esque conquest in the fashion world, going to city to city, walking for Ralph Lauren, Derek Lam, Carolina Herrera, Dolce & Gabbana, Fausto Puglisi, Alberta Ferretti, Isabel Marant and others.

But the siege of Bijl was far from over when she landed her first three editorials for Vogue Netherlands, Vogue Spain, and Vogue Australia. The legend grew as Luna walked for JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, MICHAEL KORS, ALEXANDER WANG, LOUIS VUITTON, AND CHANEL. Not to mention her TWO COVERS for Vogue Paris in the same year!

I can practically see your face
And another revolutionary falls from grace
Hear the thunder in your brain
Not enough sunshine, too much rain

“I can’t describe it, it’s such an honor. I still can’t believe it, the moment I found out I was on the cover I started crying with happiness. It’s a dream come true.” (Talking about her first cover for Vogue Paris)

In 2018, Luna would be bestowed another honor when the late Karl Lagerfeld named Lily-Rose Depp and Luna Bijl as his “Choupettes” as he considered them, Luna in particular to be his favorite fashion muses.

“My current favorite is a Dutch girl, Luna [Bijl],” with whom he closed the show, hand-in-hand. He even has a pet-name for his crew, “there are some people I nickname my ‘Choupettes’… Luna and Vanessa Paradis’ daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, are two of my ‘Choupettes’!”

At just 21, Luna has compiled a formidable modeling resume, accumulated several fashion covers, walked numerous runways for some of the biggest names, is already a top 50 model according to Models.com, landed a fragrance campaign for Tom Ford, and by all accounts, she’s just getting started!

When the light of life has gone
No change for the meter
And then the king of spivs will come
Selling blood by the liter
When nothing’s sacred anymore
When the demon’s knocking on your door
You’ll still be staring down at the floor

Contrary to her glamorous modeling gig and big city, high fashion life style, Luna is one of the most down-to-earth models around. She still loves to motocross with her dad when time permits, loves to wear sneakers, practically lives in her sweatpants, loves to dance, kickbox and is obsessed with music. “I am obsessed with music, I always have music on.”

And when it comes to Luna’s best friends they have nothing but good things to say about her:

“Luna is a very cheerful person. She always does things for her friends first before thinking about herself. She’s very easy to talk to and she really listens. She always has good advice. Well, she has advice. I don’t know if it’s always good, but she always tries.”

-Kim van der Maas (Luna’s childhood best friend)

“Luna is super social. She talks easily, so it was fun from the first minute.”

-Birgit Kos

Words don’t do justice to Luna Bijl’s greatness as a model. I remember seeing her editorials for the first time a few months ago and being left speechless. On the catwalk she has this indescribable commanding look and aura about herself. When you see her, your attention is fixated on her almost involuntarily, like some Haute couture Helen of Troy.

To my knowledge, Luna has never received any formal teaching for acting nor does she have a background in theater. But she effortless plays different characters, emotes, and excels in any role she’s given.

Not too many hours from this hour
So long
The storm comes
Or is it just another shower?
Not too many hours from this hour
So long
Now the storm has come
Or is it just another shower?

“For me, standing in front of the camera is an escape from reality,” says Bijl. “You get to see yourself in a very different way; you can play different characters and change into these different roles.”

What Luna does is pure art. You don’t have to have a vast knowledge of fashion to appreciate what she does. It’s not something you can teach or really acquire, it’s just something you have to have.

I wasn’t alive when the Big Five dominated and changed the fashion world, I was too young to see Laetitia Casta in the 90s, but I’m happy I’m old enough to see Luna Bijl. I have a good feeling about her and I’m sure she will leave her mark on the world.

She’s Netherlands meets Home on the Range, countryside raised but big city living, always one of the guys with motocross never far from her mind, her beauty only being second to her heart, a Superlove to give thanks to, Luna Bijl.