Fashion: Meet the DIY models

Models, super or otherwise, ought to be quaking in their thigh-high Fendi boots: it seems they have some formidable "civilian" rivals set to steal their place.

Actresses have long moonlighted in ad campaigns, bringing personality as well as beauty to the party – Eva Mendes, for instance, is currently whipping up a storm with her steamy Calvin Klein shoot.

But now there is a new breed of challenger snapping at models' stilettos, as the latest issue of high-fashion bible POP magazine proves. For the stars of the mag's slick, Blade Runner-style fashion spread, shot against the Hong Kong skyline, are none other than members of its editorial team. Ordinarily responsible for organising every last detail of the magazine's photoshoots, the POP team have now gone one catwalk step further.

Posing alongside the senior fashion editor Tim Clifton-Green and fashion director Victoria Young are the fashion phenomenon known as the Popettes (über-stylist and editor-in-chief Katie Grand came up with the official title), aka Kimi, Phoebe and Anders. The Popettes' plum job description includes everything from DJing to posing for paparazzi outside swanky fashion parties.

With the Popettes' striking efforts clear for all to see, and a new demand for faces with interesting, real-life fashion credentials behind them – as shown by Uniqlo's use of London talent such as stylist Katy England – it looks as though Kate, Naomi et al could soon be facing extinction.

'POP', the 80s Excess issue, is out tomorrow