Customer Reviews

Marcus Schenkenberg: New Rules

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Writing in 'Clothes Show' magazine in 1995, journalist Sylvia Patterson memorably declared: "Marcus Schenkenberg is so good-looking it is, frankly, preposterous. He's a cartoon fantasy man...his chest is a two-seater sofa!" It isn't simply that Marcus is so completely, breathtakingly beautiful - that much should be obvious to anyone who's ever seen his image in print, on film, on the Web, or even in the flesh - it's also because his inevitable success as 'the first male supermodel' prompted a renewed interest in men's clothing and hygiene at a time when the fashion industry seemed oblivious to this gaping hole in the market, and because he paved the way for an entirely new breed of celebrated male models, including Michael Bergin and the awesome Tyson Beckford, amongst others. Hence the title of this archetypal 'coffee table' book, "Marcus Schenkenberg New Rules" (1997), an uncredited collection of essays, interviews and observations from some of fashion's top-rank glitterati - Gianni Versace, Bruce Weber, Richard Avedon, et al - copyrighted by Universe Publishing, Marcus Schenkenberg himself, and Boss Models.

Anyone expecting a pure beefcake portfolio in the manner of Marcus' eye-popping calendar work may be slightly disappointed by the majority of photos in this book, which examines the 'Marcus' phenomenon almost exclusively within the context of his achievements as a fashion model. There's a smattering of wholly gratuitous body shots, of course (including a number of magazine covers, and a full-page, full-color study of his naked torso on p. 8), but even those images which feature partial nudity are as much concerned with selling the clothes as the man who's wearing them. There isn't a lot of biographical detail in the sparse text, either: We learn that he was born Marcus Lodewijk Schenkenberg van Mierop in Sweden - there are brief valentines from his mother and older brother, along with some endearing childhood photographs - but we're only given a vague summary of his early family life, and not even a specific date of birth (4 August 1968). We're also told that he came to America to seek his fortune in 1988 and was discovered by photographer Barry King the following year whilst rollerblading in Venice Beach, California. Immediately signed to an agency, Marcus struggled for a time to secure meaningful employment until 1991, when his appearance in a Calvin Klein advertising supplement (designed and photographed by Bruce Weber) in 'Vanity Fair' made him famous overnight. And no wonder: Amongst other things, the supplement contained the justly-famous shot of Marcus (reproduced here in slightly abbreviated form on p. 49) luxuriating beneath an open shower, totally naked except for a loose pair of jeans which he's holding between his legs, barely concealing his modesty - an image so erotic and powerful, it can take even the most jaded observer completely by surprise. The rest, as they say, is history...

And yet, much as the reader may be overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of Marcus' physical grandeur - augmented by a rigorous daily exercise regime, and cultivated by some of the world's finest photographers and stylists - the book ponders his modeling triumphs whilst revealing virtually nothing about Marcus the MAN. He describes himself as an ordinary guy in an extraordinary position, whose personal life amounts to little more than an endless round of photo-shoots and modeling assignments. And that's it, really. If there's more to Marcus than meets the eye, he isn't telling. Those who complain about our culture's tendency to define others simply by their appearance will find no reassurances here, with a subject who positively encourages us to view him at face value, a blank page on which we're allowed to write our wildest, raunchiest fantasies. In this case, it's more than enough. And while some of us still prefer his beefcake/calendar work, "New Rules" ultimately provides a useful - though somewhat shallow - overview of Marcus' life for newcomers and devotees alike.

Favorite photos: The 'angel' pose (p. 115) taken at the Givenchy Haute Couture Alexander McQueen Show in 1997, with a near-naked Marcus framed by two enormous feathered wings which emphasize and encapsulate the transcendent nature of his physical perfection. And Barry King's 1989 snapshot of Marcus (p. 38) rollerblading on Venice Beach whilst clad in little more than tight shorts and a bandanna, drawing our attention to the strong line of his body, his long legs and heavy chest, a vision of incomparable beauty. Like all the best pin-ups, Marcus Schenkenberg is naked even when fully clothed, inviting all-too-predictable comparisons with the likes of Michelangelo's David, amongst various other exalted works of art. Which isn't too far-fetched when you think about it. I mean, just LOOK at the guy! Who could possibly resist the temptation of such voluptuous splendor?...

Marcus Schenkenberg is incredibly photogenic, blessed with good height, ruggedly handsome looks and a body which closely resembles a Rodin sculpture.This book should soon find its way into every man and woman's bedroom.The photos are stunning and the articles are awsome.

Anyone familiar with the runways of Milan, New York, Paris should be familiar with this true demiGod..... he has been everywhere and with everyone... at least in his photoshoots! Unbelievably handsome with a body ( check out that torso! ) that goes on forever, Marcus is the thing that dreams are made of. Full of photos dating back to his discovery while rollerskating in a teensy pair of pink shorts, this book will satisfy every possible hunger that relates to Marcus. Universe has done it again with this volume of breathtaking splendor! *******Sigh!

This book is loaded with pictures of the most beautiful man in the world. He looks like some sort of Greek god come to life. When is volume 2 coming out?!

What a sight for sore eyes! This book contains lush photographs from some of the world's most acclaimed photographers: Richard Avedon, Karl Lagerfeld, and Bruce Weber to name just a few. 'New Rules' chronicles a large cultural shift: the beginning of an industry of male beauty. It is tremendously exciting to see a glimpse of the beauty and sensuality that men are capable of. Marcus is the perfect man for just this sort of book, with every feature of his face and body proving that there is a God! The pictures of Marcus include the covers of national and international magazines that he has appeared on, work from his famous high profile ad campaigns such as Calvin Klein's, plus pages of Marcus posing with the world's most beautiful female supermodels. This book is eye candy at it's best, plus a great look into the changes of men heading into the next century.

What a wonderful depiction of Marcus's life and his rise to fame. It's amazing how a person's life can turn around in an instance. Marcus definitely found his while rollerskating. His body represents all that it is art...

With Marcus' name in the title of the book, one can not only expect for the book to be by Marcus, but about Marcus. Expect it. It's a bunch of fantastically shot photographs (some by the killer photographer Barry King - discoverer of Marcus) and more... lots of great text... including Marcus' workout. Only problem: Book will not make you look like Marcus. Dang it!

New Rules is one of the best books by/about male models. It's loaded with good pictures of him but also blurbs from people he works with and his own thoughts. Definetly worth getting. When the pictures get old you still have interesting reading.

I bought the book as soon as it caught my eye in the Rizzoli in SoHo. I am amazed by his beauty and the quality of the photos, but the best part of the book was finding out little details about Marcus. The only other piece of information I'm still curious about is whether he speaks Dutch. I was happy to see that the proceeds from New Rules are donated to charity as well.

This book is a must for all fans of Marcus Schenkenberg. He is so indcredibly good looking. I love his look, his body. He is great. And all the pictures inside are great, too. I hope there will be a second one. Hopefully, soon.