Kate Moss, of course, started it all with her several year run at Topshop.  A number of younger models are following in her footsteps, embracing collaborative design with established retailers.  The latest is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who just announced that she’s launching a lingerie line at Marks & Spencer in September.

It makes sense that Huntington-Whiteley designed a lingerie capsule collection, as she can model it herself.

It seems natural that the British model, probably best recognized for her work as a Victoria’s Secret “angel,” is working with a British brand to produce a lingerie collection.  Models, when they turn to design, seem to collaborate on what they know, creating ranges that reflect either their modeling work or their street style.  Last month, Agyness Deyn announced that she’s working with Dr. Martens, a shoe brand that goes well with the model’s hip fashion and chopped blond pixie cut.  A while back, Erin Wasson was tapped to collaborate with the edgy streetwear brand RVCA — and Wasson’s own style couldn’t be described as anything but edgy.

Though Wasson’s contract with RVCA wasn’t renewed after its three-year run, most model-retail collections tend to sell well.  Besides the obvious marketing appeal, we think brands and mass retailers are turning to the literal faces of fashion in order to put a fresh spin on collaborations and one-off lines.  With the fashion industry beginning to tire of the concept, attaching a beautiful face to it helps prop it back up.