Contests organized by major agencies (the famous Elite contest), spotted on a beach (Laetitia Casta), an agent handing her card in the lobby of JFK airport (Kate Moss), or between two nuggets at Mc Do (Gisele Bündchen), being spotted seems to be a matter of chance?
In fact, the biggest modeling agencies have their own “scouts”, people who are responsible for scouting out the new faces that will grace the covers of glossy magazines.
In model mythology, the beginning is always the subject of similar tales, where chance prevails. If they didn’t win the Elite contest, models often talk about “people” who approached them and gave them their cards. This moment in the story often gives way to an innocent candor: “I’d never thought about it”, “I didn’t know what it was all about”, “I thought it was a joke”…
This randomness remains somewhat irritating, annoying: everyone has their own theory about why and how. The “tips” and “tricks” that make it possible to force fate and become a model… In the age of social networking – from Twitter to Facebook – agencies have a whole new pool of talent at their disposal for contacting their future front covers. To catch the eye of the agencies, there’s a whole protocol to follow: keep it natural, but make it natural…very natural. You have to turn your social networks into showcases, where, as if by chance, beautiful photos – taken unprepared – expose your liana-like figure and baby-skin.
Don’t be fooled, there are other criteria to consider. The eternal measurements. Indispensable. Even if Kate Moss doesn’t reach the required height, who can claim her title? What’s more, scouts are looking for faces that fit in with the season’s trends. At the moment, a return to unconventional beauty for women, and a certain androgynism for men, seem to be in vogue.
“Girls just wanna have fun!” Final Sonia Rykiel 2008
So if you think you’ve got what it takes…go for it. It’s not always that easy. Being spotted doesn’t mean a long-term career. Many have failed to take advantage of opportunities. Admittedly, it can be a tough road. In reality, the stories are not so rosy… More than looks, it’s a mind of steel that’s required to last in modeling.
Forcing destiny remains complicated. In the meantime, here are 5 inspiring stories of discovery:
The crazy beauty of Lara Stone.
Now an ambassador for L’Oréal, and always present at the Calvin Klein casting, Lara Stone has become a supermodel in recent years. Since Carine Roitfeld and Ricardo Tisci spotted her and took her under their wings, the career of the beautiful blonde with the legendary smile has taken off. A special issue of Vogue was devoted to her in February 2009. In this issue, she confides in us, talks about her beginnings, and recalls the harshness of castings…
At the age of 12, while on vacation with her family, she is spotted by the wife of an Elite agent. 12 is young, and Lara doesn’t assimilate, but it doesn’t matter, she’s young and on vacation. On the other hand, her mother keeps the number. Back in Holland, she contacts the Elite agency in Amsterdam and sends photos of Lara. She attracted a lot of attention, and was invited to take part in the Elite competition, which she lost in 1999… Despite this defeat, the story was far from over for Lara. She believed in it, and once she had graduated, she set off to try her luck in Paris. Jumping over metro barriers, living in a flat with 10 girls and flasks of vodka: not exactly the Parisian dream. Lara did some shoots as best she could, making do with the money her parents sent her, and finally ended up signing a contract with the IMG agency in 2006. A “gothic Brigitte Bardot”, as Ricardo Tisci has described her, her silhouette is not always appreciated by designers, and her face, which defies classic beauties, is sometimes considered too much of a risk-taker. Miuccia Prada has the audacity. A career-launcher, the designer never ceases to unearth out-of-the-ordinary, unconventional girls who quickly become great muses. She gave Lara her first fashion show. Since then, Lara has become a muse, and a worthy one at that.
Aymeline Valade and her Skateboard.
On her way to school, Aymeline passed a modeling agency every day. Armed with her skateboard, she rode through Nice carefree, without a care in the world. Eventually, an agent offered her a modeling career. At the time, Aymeline was 15 years old. Focused on her studies, nurtured by an upbringing with humanist values, and with a father employed by the Ministry of Defense, the young girl preferred to pursue her path in journalism. She’s not afraid of modeling, but prefers to cover her tracks and have a diploma in her pocket that will open up opportunities. After completing her studies in journalism and communications, she moved to Paris to try her luck. 23: sometimes considered the age limit… Aymeline proves the contrary. Without really believing it, she took part in a Balenciaga casting: love at first sight. Nicolas Ghesquière takes her on as an exclusive. What followed was a string of fashion shows. Her long silhouette and angular features were seductive. A new generation of models: girls with personality, that something in their eyes that says “Yes, I have a brain, and I use it! “. In 2014 , she made her film debut alongside Gaspard Ulliel, Louis Garrel and Léa Seydoux. She plays Betty Catroux, Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, in Bonello’s film. Playing a muse: obvious? Not really. A recognized model, Aymeline doesn’t want to be seen as just another model trying her luck on the silver screen. Her decision is the fruit of long reflection. Wishing to deliver a convincing performance, she bleaches her hair platinum, and becomes Betty. Humble and fair, her performance erased her identity as a model. Aymeline, the actress is born.
Alexander Wang’s love at first sight 2.0 for Anna Ewers.
It was on a blog that the German model got noticed, and not by just anyone. It was in Alexander Wang’s eyes that the young girl stirred up trouble. The designer immediately contacts Annita Bitton, with whom he works on castings, and asks her to find her. The girl becomes the object of a veritable treasure hunt. Caught off guard, she travels to Paris to meet the designer. The magic happens. But nothing is certain. Her Bardot-like physique is reminiscent of Lara Stone or Claudia Shiffer. The girl had to stand out from the crowd, at a time when models tend to have a boyish, wiry look. Alexander Wang, a name that carries weight, but is it enough? The young model went on to do a string of castings, and worked on all of Wang’s campaigns, whether for Balenciaga, H&M or his own brand. Recognition also comes from magazines. It seems that Vogue Paris continues to have a penchant for blondes with B.B. looks. As early as 2013, Emmanuelle Alt called on the young German and even granted her a cover. Anna’s career is fully launched.
Even if the details of how Anna was found by Wang’s teams remain very vague, this story is attractive because it contrasts with the usual stories. On closer examination, we discover that this story didn’t come about as easily or as lightly as it pretends. Anna had a background in fashion. She started modeling at the age of 16 in Colombia, where she was an exchange student! She admits that Colombia was a suitable setting, and so wasn’t thinking of a European career “Well, it’s Colombia, of course they didn’t like me – I’m blonde, I’ve got breasts. But in Germany there are so many blondes, and beautiful girls with breasts…” Still, the story is appealing: Alexander Wang’s hunt is worthy of an adventure novel! A new, starry-eyed fairy tale 2.0.
Crytal Renn’s rollercoaster career.
The American was still a cheerleader when an agent suggested a career in fashion. Slightly over the usual measurements, she was advised to lose a few hips, in order to secure fame. Crystal was 14 years old, and saw in this proposal a great opportunity: an opening to another world, the chance to travel. It was a difficult start: lots of girls and few places. Crystal put herself on a drastic diet and fell into anorexia…reaching 38 kg for 1M75. Her ordeal lasted 3 years. Although she recovered from her illness, the world of fashion did not close its doors to her. Her agency offered her the opportunity to work with “plus-size” models. Success came, and her story inspired. Vogue Paris featured her in several editorials, she walked the runway for Jean-Paul Gaultier in 2006 and published a book retracing her struggle: “Hungry”. Crystal seems to have found stability. However, the tabloids went wild in 2013, when photographs of the young woman, having lost all her curves, were published. A relapse? According to official statements, the new figure is the result of a new lifestyle adopted by the young woman, combining healthy eating and yoga. For many, this weight loss contradicts the fight against anorexia and the celebration of her figure that Crystal’s story was all about. But Crystal denies it. She’s neither plus-size nor skeletal. She still has curves and a streamlined body, but nothing sickly. As proof, she poses for “Sport Illustrated” magazine, which promotes healthy, athletic bodies.
This story of “yo-yo” weight shows that, whatever her body, the model has always managed to find alternative career paths. Of course, this story reveals the dangers, and the havens, into which some models, still young, plunge when they enter the fashion system.
Play on weight conventions, publicity stunt: it doesn’t matter, Crystal Renn is the talk of the town and the fodder for debate…
Vera Von Lenhndorff invents Veruschka.
Vera Von Lenhndorff is 75 years old today, and has a story worthy of a film, a story that commands respect and admiration. The story of a great lady.
I’m not going to start with her discovery, but with the story of her personal life, her childhood – about which she has always remained discreet and never played. Vera Von Lenhndorff was born in 1939. A date that everyone knows, a date that signals the start of the war, the beginning of the camps… Her family is noble and owns a castle that will be taken over by the Nazis during the war. His father joined the resistance and was part of the Valkyrie plot to kill Hitler on July 20, 1944. Arrested, he was sentenced to death, and Veruschka and her family went on the run. Some of her family were deported. At the end of the war, everything has to be rebuilt…
This traumatic childhood did not prevent the young woman from forging a golden destiny. An inspiring force. She became a model at the age of 20, having just completed her studies. Her career came about thanks to a meeting with a photographer, followed by an interview with Eileen Ford (founder of the Ford modeling agency), who advised her to go to New York. Verushka was tall, very tall, and at the time, women were not so tall… The success she’d hoped for didn’t materialize, but Verushka had more than one trick up her sleeve. Back in Munich, she created a suave character for herself: “Verushka”. She attracts attention, and becomes a regular on the pages of Vogue. Her collaborations with artists added to her fame. (Dali, for example). She plays in Antonioni’s Blow-up, and is the first model to pose with her body simply covered in paint. This was the beginning of Body-Painting, a veritable artistic benchmark in contemporary art. Veruschka was not content to be a mere model: she made an artistic commitment and turned her career into a work of art. To the point of leaving the fashion world in 1975, following a disagreement with the new editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, who wanted to change her image and make her more “girl next door”.
All these stories prove one thing, something that everyone likes to forget. Modeling requires skill. It’s a real profession, requiring intelligence and an acute understanding of the fashion world if you want to last and make your mark. Many models are forgotten. These stories show that some women manage to make a name for themselves: despite the obstacles. Being spotted on a street corner is just the beginning, the “Once upon a time” of a whole epic.
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