Thursday 21 April 2011

Model Behaviour



"Lets get this damn straight. We are model agents". Winking through her blonde fringe and shaking her trademark silver bangles, this is Carole White, the model matriarch. A little more bookers banter than catwalk cat fights; endearing 'Aunty Carole'  and model muses of  Premier Model Management  reveal a snapshot of show week season in the Channel 4 documentary, The Model Agency.


Premier was founded in 1981 by then model-turned-booker Carole and her brother Chris Owen. Money clearly talks as it not merely trading between girls in the cut throat industry of fashion. The editorial and commercial agency is one of  London's best , with the siblings having orchestrated the Super Model phenomena of the early 1990s.

Head of Special Bookings Paul Hunt reveals, "Carole has dealt with recessions, major models leaving, major bookers leaving and she is that constant. Her and the Agency are one and the same thing."

White reveals her 'motherly monster' instinct throughout the 7 part series, which puts her broken friendship with Naomi Campbell in the camera focus. Carole comments," You spend your life nurturing these girls into models. Your product is not a bottle on the shelf, it talks back."

Which is the case with 16 year old India Farrell. Spotted at Manchester's Arndale Centre at the tender age of 12, Premier spent 4 years nurturing the child to the catwalk, until Farrell got cold feet or more apt, stage fright. Reflecting at the time, "I felt like I was in a thick fog and felt pressured. I felt like I wasn't good enough." After a little runaround, Farrell decides modelling is her chosen career path. She is definitely one to watch alongside Leomie Anderson and guy candy, Sebastian Sauve.

In amongst the childish camaraderie, wise cracks, temper tantrums and [ Senior Commercial Booker]
John's crocodile tears - watch the launch of Britain's home grown talent flourish in true fashion. Well worth a sneak peek...




1 comment:

  1. I loved this show!! Was so good to see an insight into the 'real' world of modelling instead of the twisted view the media gives us. Lovely review aswell xxx

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