Happy 21st Birthday, Catherine!!!!

Article from: The Daily Telegraph
By Tracey Spicer
January 07, 2009 12:00am
IT’S simply unAustrayian. The city of Logan, on Brisbane’s outskirts, has banned bogans.

The council has lined up local celebs, like pop star Darren Hayes and Olympian Steven Bradbury, to star in a $300,000 advertising blitz.

But the mayor doesn’t want to include supermodel Catherine McNeil, who once called herself the “Bogan from Logan”.

“We want to change the perception of Logan,” Mayor Pam Parker said.

In the words of Logan resident Spanky on news.com.au, “Perhaps spending money on roads, infrastructure and employment would be better. Alas, I guess, for a half-educated bogan, the proposed campaign makes rooly good cents.”

But the 19-year-old McNeil, dubbed “fashion’s latest crush” by the New York Times, is out and proud as a bogan.

“It’s pretty hard to find Versace in Logan,” McNeil said.

“I didn’t even know how to say it properly. I shopped at Supre and City Beach.”

This refreshingly down-to-earth and ethereally beautiful woman is now among the world’s top 12 models, gracing the catwalks of Milan, Paris and New York. With her Amazonian limbs, silky hair and straight, white teeth, she’s not your average bogan.

According to bogan.com.au, the species can usually be characterised by a “pronounced lack of dress sense (flanelette shirt, soiled jeans and black thongs/ugg boots), a lack of personal hygiene (the most common fragrance is Odour of Toilet), a particular choice in motor vehicle (Holden or Ford), and the ubiquitous mullet hairstyle.

But the bogan has undergone a Mao-style Cultural Revolution.

Ugg boots are suddenly cool, popularised by world-famous bogan Pamela Anderson, and the mullet is tres chic (although the pronunciation is now “mull-AY”).

Locals in Penrith, Logan’s spiritual cousin, have set up a website where those from the “riff” can take a quiz to determine “how ‘Penriff’ are you?”

Some of Australia’s best-known personalities are from Bogan-villes.

Eddy McGuire makes much of his rough and tumble upbringing in Broadmeadows, on the northern outskirts of Melbourne.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley and swimmer Geoff Huegill hail from Redcliffe (otherwise known as ‘Redneck’), Logan’s sister city on the other side of Bris-Vegas.

I, too, have fond memories of growing up there. To this day, Dad still drives a Ford – he wouldn’t be seen dead in a Holden.

Bogan Idol is about to hit our screens, from the creators of Fat Pizza.

Parker needs to get with the script and embrace her inner-bogan when councillors decide on the Catherine McNeil ad.

Her colleague Sean Black remains defiant. “Catherine McNeil isn’t scared to shout about being a bogan from Logan, so why should we be?”

LOGAN’S most famous fashionista has pledged her support for her old hometown, agreeing to be part of the new city image advertising campaign.
International supermodel Catherine McNeil will feature in ads as part of a Logan City Council $120,000 blitz to promote Logan.
McNeil will join other famous Logan identities such as singer Darren Hayes and Olympic gold medallist Steven Bradbury.
The campaign’s official aim is to improve the perception of the city and attract business investment by highlighting its unique characteristics in contrast with neighbouring cities.
The $120,000 budget will be spent on billboards, television, print, radio and cinema advertising.
The campaign will start in February and run for three months and will be launched at a function at the Logan Art Gallery.
The theme of the city image campaign will be “Who Knew’’ structured around little known facts about people and places within the city.
Mayor Pam Parker said the campaign was a great opportunity to showcase the positive efforts being made to strengthen the image of the city.
A council spokeswoman confirmed McNeil would be involved in the campaign, but would not specify what aspect she would be involved in as the details were not finalised.

THERE’S a golden rule behind a new $300,000 campaign to boost Logan’s image – don’t mention the word “bogan”.

The Queensland city’s council has lined up an array of local celebrities, such as pop star Darren Hayes and Olympian Steven Bradbury, to star in its new advertising blitz.

But there’s a big question mark over whether or not to include supermodel Catherine McNeil, who proudly describes herself as “the bogan from Logan”.

Logan has long been the butt of bogan jokes because the two words form a convenient rhyme but Mayor Pam Parker said it was time for the city to shake off its downmarket image.

“We want to change the external perception of Logan,” she said.

 ”Including the word bogan in a campaign like this will only reinforce a negative message in people’s minds.”

During the next 20 years, 200,000 people are expected to move into the region and it is hoped the campaign will attract business investors.

The council believes the city is now coming of age, with award-winning restaurants and popular shopping areas.

The Logan campaign will be launched across the southeast next month and will feature a new city song.

A council spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail that councillors would decide on the Catherine McNeil ad later this month.

Cr Sean Black, who has driven the campaign, said it was a fuss about nothing.

“I don’t care if our image is that we are bogans,” he said.

 ”Catherine McNeil isn’t scared to shout about being a bogan from Logan, so why should we be?”

This month Catherine appears on the cover of Vogue Australia and Madison.

Article from: The Daily Telegraph
Sick model Catherine McNeil misses Milan
September 29, 2008 12:00am

Mystery illness: Top Australian model Catherine McNeil had to withdraw from commitments in Milan and (inset) on the cover of Australian Vogue. Inset picture: Troyt Coburn for Vogue Australia
SHE’S the model of the moment, but Catherine McNeil was a notable absence from Milan Fashion Week after she was struck down by a mystery illness. Have your say!Add your comments or
read what others are saying
The Aussie beauty was forced to pull out of the penultimate fashion event because she was unwell, her agent confirmed yesterday.

 ”It’s nothing too bad but she does get this problem every so often. She might be at Paris (for Fashion Week) – we’re not sure.” While she would not be drawn on the exact nature of the illness, Ward said McNeil’s hectic schedule may have played a part.

“She works every day,” she said.

“There’s big demands on these girls. During the show season they work from seven in the morning until two in the morning.”

Earlier this month McNeil, who grew up in Queensland, opened the Diane von Furstenberg show at New York Fashion Week.

She also appeared on the pages of September’s American Vogue and stars on the cover of the November issue of Australian Vogue.

At the tender age of 19, the New York-based model has already featured in a Versace campaign with Kate Moss and modelled for Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.

Catherine McNeil hailed as next Elle Macpherson

Article from: The Courier Mail
By Amy Harris
September 10, 2008 12:00am

IT’S an honour dubbed “first face” and yesterday Brisbane’s top international modelling export Catherine McNeil was granted the title at New York Fashion Week, opening the Diane von Furstenberg show.

With A-list heavy hitters including Vogue editor Anna Wintour, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria looking on, McNeil was the first model to stride down the runway – a gig reserved for the world’s top catwalk queens.

And the Logan glamour girl stole the show in a trademark von Furstenberg dress, a key piece from the designer’s show considered one of the must-see collections of the week-long fashion extravaganza in Manhattan.

McNeil’s “first face” privilege has only added to her status as one of the industry’s hottest commodities.

She also graces the cover of the September issue of US Vogue, considered by many to be the holy grail of fashion magazines.

“Catherine is really now a supermodel,” said Jodie Bache-McLean, the director of McNeil’s Aussie-based agency Dallys.

“We haven’t seen anyone like her since Elle Macpherson, and in the fashion industry she is among the top 10 most powerful models.”

However the former Logan schoolgirl was just part of the Aussie model invasion of New York this week.

Melbourne’s Abbey Lee Kershaw also walked in the von Furstenberg show.

And Brisbane’s Myf Shepherd strutted out for Marc Jacobs.

FIRST face . . . Logan model Catherine McNeil opened New York Fashion Week

Sorry guys… I have just changed hosting and am working on getting the photos etc back up and running…

Catherine is in April, May and June editions of Australian Vogue

Catherine is on the cover of Australian Vogue this month (April issue). There are also more images inside, towards the back of the magazine.

The shoot for these images took place in January in India.