GRATITUDE

It's no secret that i'm a big fan of Jenny Shimizu. A little obvious why? You'd have to be blind or a first-time visitor here to not get the attraction. I'm not all teeny bopper fangirl-like with sentiments like oh I'd totally go lesbo for her. I'm more grateful for her and I guess maybe on some really deeply subconscious level she's influenced a little bit of who I've become? Growing up in suburbia and being one of the handful of asian people in my school, let alone county, I didn't really have anyone to admire that looked even remotely like me. I've always been a tomboy, what with my dad raising me to mow the lawn and be under the hood of the car with him and when I wasn't being a fledgling handyman I was shadowing my older brother's every move, being a skate rat. When you're asian, with a buzzed head, skating, and into cars (not rice rockets) growing up in a sea of Kelly Kapowskis, who do you look up to? Nicky Taylor? pfffft. That's why in the early 90s, having someone like Jenny Shimizu in modeling of all worlds, was pretty revolutionary. I didn't have to be leggy and blonde, or even try to be the closest asian version of that. I didn't really care to be pretty. It was ok to look like a boy and be into the stuff I was into, aaand even still be considered a beauty in your own quirky way.
"I have thirteen tattoos. Many are car-related. I have a spark plug [on my left forearm]. I got it on a trade. A guy broke down in Los Angeles on his way to a tattoo convention. I fixed his radiator, he gave me the tattoo." -Jenny Shimizu via StyleLikeU
"The greatest hobby, which makes me cry and scream inside helmets, is motorcycle riding...You are face-to-face with the moment you are in. To be alone and to be in a helmet and see the pavement two-inches from your feet going by so fast, it's such a thrill." -Jenny Shimizu via StyleLikeU
images via stylelikeu

Even for Pirelli, the most-high profile of the "sexy" calendars, not to mention one of the most highest-paying and coveted annual modeling gigs, she doesn't have to be blend in or fit into the conventionally vamped-up, goddess look. She can just be her rad self like this...
Pirelli Calendar 1997

Thanks Jenny.

32 comments :

Pomeline said...

love x 5

melina bee said...

I am a huge fan of Jenny for many years as well. I love the first picture of her, as I also love fake mustaches. She is one of those people whose outer beauty is just an extension of their inner personality and charm.

Natalie (NJ in L.A.) said...

Jenny Shimizu is the shit. Not only is she still a gorgeous model, but she's an intelligent woman with a good attitude - she's got a twitter that's fun to read.

I love to tell my Jenny story of when I saw her in a Little Toyko restaurant with a broken leg. She told me via twitter that it was because of a motorcycle accident. Couldn't that sound anymore hotter?

I love her too and my attraction is legit. She's simply gorgeous.

InnyVinny said...

Yes, yes and a million more yesses. Shimizu is one of the only models I looked up to because she was so anti-norm.

I adore her.

J. said...

I've always thought she was beautiful! I love the Pirelli shot!

gennie said...

i saw her a few times walking around in the city and each time i did a double take... remember when she was with angelina?? ugh too hot to trot.

Katy said...

Thanks so much for this post! I'd heard of her, but didn't really know who she was. I dig her.

Anonymous said...

great post... such soft androgyny... beauty!

xo

justyna

KETCHUP_COVERED_FACES said...

I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND YOUR BLOG!

The first picture of Jenny is one of my favorites from Catherine Opie American Photographer's book it's titled "Chicken". I'm sure you know this but the book is AMAZING. You should check out the book if you haven't already it's amazing work mostly lesbian and suburb references from this post I think you'd like! (mainly kidding...)

HAPPY FRIDAY X MEGAN
http://www.ketchupcoveredfaces.blogspot.com

Liz said...

i've always thought she was so beautiful! her and eve salvail really inspired me growing up.
great post!

bravegrrl said...

thanks for posting this.

jenny is fucking awesome.

you are fucking awesome.

Esther said...

she has lovely eyes. & what an inspiration she is, she seems to have had great life experiences. imagine getting a tattoo as a trade

Maria said...

It's great to read ho much she has "affected" you!

Suzanne said...

I got the boots on ebay!

Anonymous said...

This post was great. It's so above the levels of obsession that some bloggers post because they think a certain model is "so pretty" or something shallow and surface level like that.
And by the way, I saw you in Old Town Pasadena today in the staircase while you were waiting for the elevator! Do you remember a tall Asian girl with a huge Crate and Barrel box with a smaller Asian girl? I was the tall one..anyways, I really regret not saying hello to you. Hope to bump into you some time again soon!

STOP IT RIGHT NOW said...

I totally remember you! I was like why is that girl lurkin? haha jk. You should've said hello! or maybe not, i would've been awkward and weird and you would've been disappointed :] but hello hi!

drollgirl said...

i am embarrassed to admit that i am not familiar with this woman. but she is RAD and i can totally see how she has made a huge impact on so many.

Hal E. Liebling said...

I've loved her ever since I saw her in Foxfire. She's so incredible.

HALCOHOLIC.com

THE DIVINITUS said...

to me she always was pretty. the higher definition, sculptural type to adore.

Ami said...

Aw fuck. I just found your blog and I'm (blog)lovin' it a lot. Makes my heart pound! Fuck. I need to be doing fashion right away instead of this Law School thing... Anyway, very much agree about Jenny. There's always been something powerfully magnetic about her.

Rand T said...

omgggg so lovely!!:)
xx

Praew said...

I find her and Alexander Wang oddly similar in looks and aesthetic. I think they're both awesome and wildly attractive; loving the androgyny.

yoshi said...

i saw her 2 days in a row by my office! we made eye contact.
we had a moment.
bahhahhahahha!

Marie a la Mode said...

I remember her from the movie "Firefox" and have been following her career ever since.

I featured you on my blog, hope you like it : )

www.mariealamode.blogspot.com

ANDWHATELSEISTHERE said...

Yayyyyy, NICE NICE NICE !!!!!

Vintage Pattern Vault said...

I Remember seeing her out when i was bowling with her crew at was absolutely mesmerized by her.

PSK said...

Yukes and I saw her in Los Feliz last year. She was getting off her Ducati. We both stopped to just see who this rad person was.. she took off her helmet and took our breathe away.

. said...

you are rad. eccentric. an energizing bunny ready to wear anything.

and you're asian. i am asian. asians stick together, no? ;)

xxxx

pink horrorshow said...

I'm pretty sure Jenny lives in my building..I froze the first time I saw her!

Pennerad said...

pink horrorshow:
do you live near gramercy? i swear i used to see her walking through murray hill weekday mornings on my way to work!
i adore jenny. i think she's so hardcore. something to aspire to. pure, raw emotion.

Julia said...

Jenny ftw. Being able to work with her daily keeps my sanity going.

WPZ - Sandy said...

Ahhh I totally loved seeing her too back in the day. Although I leaned more towards thinking Karen Elson was my favourite -- I think when I young, I practically didn't realize I was asian, hanging out with a totally multicultural group and just not really thinking about it most of the time... and meanwhile, I just wanted to admire any kind of unusual beauty, whether asian or not -- thus the redhead odd-face love. I also liked the model with the head tattoo -- how nice to figure out her name here mentioned above (eve salvail) so I can look her up!