Runway Modeling

Simon Ungless: “Skin Color And Gender Should Not Be A Trend”

FMD sat down with Simon Ungless, a British ex-pat and MA graduate with Distinction from the prestigious Central St. Martins School in London. Amongst many career accomplishments, he collaborated with the late Alexander McQueen on the designer’s first ten collections and has led the department of fashion at the Academy of Art University for the last two decades. Ungless also runs two notable companies; When Simon met Ralph and Blackened.

FMD: The AAU Graduate show has become one of the most highly anticipated shows in the emerging fashion industry. We would love to know your take on how it has evolved over the years.

Simon: The show is really a venue to present the designers work in the most professional way possible. Coming to California, and to the Academy, I brought my experience of working with the shows in Europe, and I feel that the designers deserve to have the same professional platform. When people come to the show, I want to transport them to New York, London or Paris. I know some people had a problem with that because the very first show I did for the University somebody said, “It was very nice, but where were the little black dresses?” I’ve always loved shows and I like producing; so I want to have fun with that.

FMD: You’ve had numerous prestigious guests, and scouts from different fashion houses and design companies attend the shows over the years. Do you think it provides opportunities for the models in the show?

Simon: I think our show is good for the models, especially the newer kids because they get excited that Alexander McQueen is in the audience, or Sarah Burton, or Azzedine Alaïa, or whoever it’s been over the years. I remember a few years ago an agent called me after the show and thanked me because they got so many requests to see one of their models, so it really acted as a giant casting or go-see. But, I think that’s different now; the industry has changed. 

FMD: In what other ways do you think the show benefits the models?

Simon: Because we run the whole system of the shows exactly as you would in any fashion week, it’s a good experience for the new kids to feel what it’s going to be like when they are out there on the circuit. I think the models really enjoy doing our show. Just because it’s fashion, people assume that you have to be rude; I’m just not into it, we have fun. I treat the models as people, not just things to put clothes on. I think that it somewhat empowers the models doing our show to have some kind of self-worth, and I think this is a good training ground for them. 

FMD: Talking about New Faces, you have a very good eye for spotting new talent. What is it that attracts your attention?

Simon: When Mackenzie Drazan was brand new, she did tons of stuff with us for the show and the magazine. There was no need to direct her. It felt like, yes she was a brand new face, but she didn’t act like one – she could move. There’s also a girl right now, called Tiffany, who was scouted a week before our show last year, and it was like somebody who’d been on the circuit for three seasons walked into the go-see.  I love seeing the local kids go off and make their way up.

FMD: What do you look for during your casting process? Do you have a particular format?

Simon: No, I think it’s just that there are certain people who can light up the room when they walk in. I know that I also book on personality. I don’t want to be around people that are not pleasant – and you can pick up on that really quickly. I mean obviously for show; walk and body are important, because of the clothes and the fit, but also, people who are coming to the show want to see people that can make the clothes look good in some way. Just the general vibe, the personality.

FMD: Personality is huge for a model’s career; being on set and working with clients.

Simon: Yeah, I mean I don’t want anyone that I’ve never met before to walk in and be like we’re best friends, but just to have something, and to know that they’re a really good person. When you do a show, you’re not just with somebody for half an hour, you’re with them all day and I want to make sure that there is a good energy backstage. 

FMD: What’s your view on the rates for models doing shows?

Simon: When I go to New York and see what the rates are for the new kids there, sometimes I think “can’t we give them a bit more?” But, that’s what it is, that’s the rate for this model at this particular moment in their career – and I respect that. It’s the boy rates in New York, they get next to nothing. I mean our rates are the same; boys, girls everything is the same. But, when I see a brand new girl getting $900 for a show, and a boy who’s been doing it for a while is getting like $500, I think that’s really harsh. They are working just as hard. It doesn’t really make sense to me.

FMD: Talk about The Walk!

Simon: Well, I don’t like anything too diva. I think out here they call it sassy. I’m not into that. I just want something really clean. I very often have to tell models to stop and walk as if they are just walking down the street. 

FMD: You also cast kids for the show. Is working with child models very different?

Simon: It’s working with the parents. At the casting they were all there with their cell phones, egging their children on to play up. I watch how the parents act because they are going to be backstage, and I’m like; the kid is going to lose out on a job if the parent is acting overbearing. Parents can make or break their child’s modeling career. There was a couple of mom’s whose kids did not get requested for fitting purely because of how they behaved. The kids were great. The kids were fun. I just didn’t want the parents backstage for eight hours… 

Simon Ungless with his team during fittings - photo by Danielle Rueda, courtesy of Academy Of Art University

FMD: What is your direction or inspiration when casting for the shows in New York and San Francisco?

Simon: My direction for casting is, “Would these kids hang out? Do these kids look like they go to an art school in San Francisco?” Our students are coming in from all over the world; we’re really international and diverse. I’ve always wanted that in the casting, I’ve never been into traditional beauty. I use a casting director in New York. It’s important to find somebody that you can see eye to eye with, and have the same viewpoint. It’s easy in New York, because you have however many thousands of models trying to get into shows for fashion week.

FMD: How do you think casting effects the Industry, and vice versa?

Simon: If somebody puts a particular vibe on the runway, the next season, every agency has three of that model. It’s like right now if you don’t have a transgender model in your casting, you’re not being completely inclusive. I don’t ever want anyone to tell me that I have to book a certain type of model, because it is a trend, and it’s really disrespectful to call somebody’s skin color or gender a trend. We’ve had transgender models in our shows, but sometimes I haven’t found out until two days after, and it doesn’t matter. Now people in the Industry make it a big thing because they think it’s a trend. Transitioning your sex is not a trend. Skin color and gender should not be a trend. I try to be sensitive about all this. I want our students and the general public to see themselves on the runway. That’s why our shows will always be super diverse. 

FMD: What changes, if any, did you make to the production for this year’s graduate show?

Simon: We know that there needs to be a change in fashion and we’ve tried to bring change to the students with what they do, and you will see that in their collections. Also, the portfolio review is now the day before, and it really is an industry review, not a cocktail reception half an hour before the show. The education model that we’ve worked off has been handed down to us over the past eighty years, and everyone does the same thing but complains about it. I thought this year we’ve got to start breaking this mold, this expectation of what fashion education is. 

FMD: What do you see for shows in the future?

Simon: Something I wanted to do this year was to reduce the carbon footprint for the show, in any way shape or form. Again, another trend – everyone’s talking about sustainability, but I want to go deeper than that. Even transporting the collection from here to another venue is so unnecessary. If you think about the upcoming designer resort shows that will happen in some crazy location. Imagine how much money and carbon footprint those shows created flying two hundred journalists from wherever they are in the world! I think everyone needs to think slightly differently.
I want to do more in the way of moving image and photography. We’ve been doing that with the New York group. It’s had a really nice effect on them because they have different marketing collateral to use. A few years ago we did a stop-motion animation with one of the design students, which kind of brought the house down!
Last season I did a couple of things focused on movement and shapes with a model in New York. The video is ten seconds long, and I put it on Instagram and people were like: “OMG who shot that? That’s genius.” Well, it was just a film on my phone. I want to keep moving it forward and doing new things that people and the industry can relate to. It also has to be quick and easy because people are now just next, next, next. 

FMD:  So it’s social media and society’s need for instant gratification that is affecting the future of the industry?

Simon: That’s why nothing sells in the stores anymore. You see everyone’s Instagram of the collections, then next week you see them again, and you’ll say I don’t want to buy that, it feels really old, I want to see something new already. I’m trying to make things more containable. I really noticed during New York fashion week about five years ago, the lack of attention people have for the show. You see that people are not looking at the show. They are documenting everything from their phone. So you don’t even need to be there, as you just saw it through your screen. I get annoyed when I’m backstage; the shows about to start, I look up at my monitor, and all I see is everyone’s got their cameras up. I don’t see them paying attention. They are not present enough to look at all the work those kids have done to make the show. Just show them some respect, and enjoy it.

Streetwear Rules Spring Summer 2019 In NYC

By Robyn Williamson

@robynwilliamson

Streetwear took over the New York Spring Summer 2019 runways this show season. Contributor and model, Robyn Williamson highlights her favorite collections.

Just In XX (Fashion Week Online) C+plus SERIES (Vrai Magazine) Semir x C.J. Yao (Now Fashion) Taoray Wang (Vrai Magazine)

Taoray Wang
This was such a beautifully put together show and probably my favorite that I saw! I loved the pops of pink, and I thought the clothes were very wearable and timeless pieces. The collection was named “Bloom” a symbol of the flowers that grow underwater, in the depths of the coldest tundra and through the narrowest cracks of the sidewalk. Strong and delicate, she always finds her way.

 

Just In XX
Taiwanese streetwear designer, Justin Yu-Ying Chou believes that “beauty should not be constrained to one standard.” I saw a lot of streetwear this season, and Just In xx was no exception! The runway was very diverse, and I loved the stripes he had in his collection. 

Finales (Footage by Robyn Williamson)

 


Semir x C.J. Yao
More streetwear and comfy clothes! I really liked the hair in this show, and the models looked like they had a blast. I thought the silver and red really stood out, and the rain jackets were fun. 

 

C Plus Series
From designer C.T. Liu who hails from Taiwan, C plus Series explores the concept of simplicity without over-complicating. This was streetwear but seemed elevated. Not as sporty as the rest I saw. A lot of outfits this season were paired with sneakers on the runway. I am kind of glad as I run around New York a lot, and I prefer to wear running shoes myself! Textures, blazers, neutrals and shimmery shredded dresses. For the women who work in the urban jungle. 

 

EDITORIAL: The New Faces Of L.A.

What Is Informal Modeling?

Katia and Aly (Stars Management) at Neiman Marcus San Francisco for Monique Lhuiller (Photo: Courtesy of @katiacoate)

After launching a new collection, the designer or a representative circulates the department stores and boutiques that sell their brand. They present the new designs to their customers as well as educate the stores’ employees about the collection. It typically takes two or three days of presentations and events per store, which can include product knowledgement meetings, informals, a personal appearance of the designer, trunk shows, or a runway show.

Informal and trunk show bookings require models to have a lot of personality, and the confidence to speak with customers about the clothing he or she is wearing. Models usually stand on podiums or walk around the store with poise and elegance, while interacting with the shoppers or attendees.

Other informal bookings may be for local boutiques or charity fundraisers that showcase a designer’s collection but does not necessarily work with the designer or brand directly.

Although informals are not always as highly paid as catalog and advertising work, they are a great way to meet new clients and make money in between print bookings. If a department store latches onto you, as one of their favorite models, they could potentially book you up to five times per week, depending on the company and location. 

When you get an informal or trunk show booking, be prepared to arrive with your hair and makeup done (female models) or groomed (male models). Because these types of bookings have little production, other than the store manager giving you outfits to walk around in, they rarely have hair and makeup artists. You will also need to bring a selection of undergarments and shoes (which should be permanently in your model bag).  On occasion you might be provided shoes, but in general, you won’t. Your agent will let you know if there are any specific directions for hair, makeup, and items to bring. Should you regularly book informals for a particular department store, expect to follow their guidelines for each booking, unless they let you know otherwise.

But most importantly, arrive at least ten minutes earlier than the call time. It can be time-consuming finding the department or location of the event, or the manager or representative. Live events make clients anxious because it is difficult to work around late models or other challenges that can occur. Be kind, and you never know, the designer might love you and want to book you for another event, like fashion week!

Beauties Of The Cannes Film Festival 2018

By Katerina Stamatopoulou, MA Fashion Journalism Academy of Art University

@katrinst

Cinema and fashion stars turned the red carpet into a catwalk at the Cannes Film Festival.

Naomi Campbell leads fellow supermodels and celebrities onto the Fashion For Relief runway (Photo: ELLE.com)

Cannes, France. –  The Cannes Film Festival, one of the greatest celebrations of the Seventh Art, never fails to highlight the close relationship between cinema and fashion, and this year was exceptional. Once again, the stars won the flash of photographers on the red carpet with their ensembles fit for royalty.


Undoubtedly, Cate Blanchett claimed the primacy of the best dressed. This year’s President wore a stunning custom-made creation by the Greek designer, Mary Katrantzou. The look was completed with Chopard rings and Aquazzura Eclipse gold pumps.


Even some models preferred not to succumb to the temptation of a statement ‘body-con’ dress and chose an elegant creation instead. Bella Hadid was the perfect example in her pink strapless custom-made Dior gown. The only exception was Kendall Jenner who isn’t afraid to take fashion risks, and most of the time she gets many credits for her choices. The 22-year-old model appeared on the red carpet wearing a green dress with gold details which highlighted her toned body. The “leave nothing to the imagination” dress was from Alexandre Vauthier’s fall 2016 collection, the black satin pumps by Christian Louboutin, and the jewelry by Chopard.

 

Cate Blanchett wearing Mary Katrantzou at Cannes Film Festival 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)

Kendall Jenner wearing Alexandre Vauthier at Cannes Film Festival 2018 (Photo: E! Online)

Bella Hadid wearing a custom Dior gown at Cannes Film Festival 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)

A few years ago, the Festival’s protocol was intensely discussed because it required female stars to wear high heels on the red carpet. But, for 2018, Marion Cotillard broke the rules with an unlikely appearance, wearing Nicholas Kirkwood flat boots. She chose to coordinate them with her midi dress, and managed to create a stunning rock outfit. Chanel sunglasses and bracelets completed her look.


However, another movie star partially broke etiquette guidelines. Kristen Stewart arrived on the red carpet for the film BlacKkKlansman, wearing a metallic mini dress and high-heeled Louboutins. Just before she reached the stairs, she decided to release her feet from the high-heels and walk barefoot.

 

Marion Cotillard at Cannes Film Festival 2018 (Photo: )

Kristen Stewart at Cannes Film Festival 2018 (Photo: E! Online)

Every year, Fashion For Relief, the annual charity gala hosted by Naomi Campbell, is high on the list of events for stars who attend Cannes. The famous supermodel invites powerful business moguls, athletes, Hollywood stars and all the models that are at the forefront, for an evening of fashion, and to raise money for environmental and humanitarian organizations around the world. On the catwalk, the hostess of the gala walked with other famous names of the fashion industry and show business. Earlier that day, Naomi announced her “retirement” since, as she said, she is 47 years old and the years she has had on the catwalks are too many.

Academy Of Art Spring 2018 Fashion Show

Photo: Kristin Gerbert/ KG Photography

The Academy of Art Fashion School graduates of 2018 recently had their runway show. An event that not only celebrates the incredible achievements of the students, but it also acknowledges a selection of fashion industry professionals. This year, the University’s President, Elisa Stephens, granted honorary doctorates to; Alexander Fury, a fashion journalist, author, and critic. New York-based fashion designer, Andre Walker, and Lutz Huelle, a fashion designer from Paris.

THE DESIGNERS

The students’ collections were equally varied as they were riveting. A sign that creativity will remain abundant for household and future labels to come.

We wanted to delve into the stories behind their designs and were thrilled to interview the designers of five collections that featured in the show.  

  • Zixuan (Stella) Quan (BFA Fashion Design) Lulu Hui-Ju Tsai (BFA Knitwear Design)

Photos: Kristin Gerbert/ KG Photography

HAIR & MAKEUP

We also went backstage to ask Victor Cembellin, Senior Artist for MAC Cosmetics, and Jon Reyman, hair stylist and founder of Spoke & Weal, about the inspiration for the hair and makeup. The punk-hair mixed with the 90’s matte and glossy makeup created a look made for an amazing night out!

THE MODELS

Of course, we could not leave backstage without talking to some of the models. All were happy to describe the looks they were going to be donning down the runway. We also found out some of their routines for prepping for fashion shows.

FULL VIDEO

Watch the video below to get the full interviews and overview of the Academy Of Art Spring 2018 show.

Special thanks to: Simon Ungless (Executive Director of the School of Fashion), Elena Eberhard (Public Relations & Special Events Manager for the School of Fashion), Victor Cembellin (Senior Artist at MAC Cosmetics), Jon Reyman (Hair Stylist and Founder of Spoke & Weal), Stefanie Jessica (BFA Fashion Design), Luis Guillen G. (BFA Fashion Design), Uchechi Anigbogu (BFA Fashion Design), Jie (Robert) Ren (BFA Textile Design), McKaela Christenson (BFA Knitwear Design), Felix Ryan (BFA Fashion Design), Academy of Art University, Kristin Gerbert (KG Photography), Models: August Gonet, Rachel Heath, Marie, and Olivia Moore.

Why Dance Helps Modeling

Jou Bellini by Philip Riches for Attitude

Clients expect models to be able to move well in front of the camera. They hire models because they not only want to create their conceptualized images to a T, but they also want to capture them in the least amount of time, potentially reducing costs of production. Clients do not want further delays, motivating and directing their models into poses. This is why it is helpful for models to have a dance background.

Models should move with fluidity, poise, and coordination. Whether it is an edgy editorial or a smiley e-commerce shoot, it’s important to adjust your poses and expressions with ease. Even the way you hold your hands or position your feet can make or break a shot. Get used to pointing your toes, and connecting your ankles while keeping your feet out or straight ahead. Turning your feet inwards will give you a pigeon toe look. Unless you are asked to create awkward angles, it can project the wrong body language. Hands should look graceful, by keeping the fingers relaxed and close together. If they are too wide apart or stiff, it can make the pose look clumsy. However, some shoots may require the hands to create sharp lines, particularly for editorials.

Valeska @valeska_miller by Oliver Endahl @balletzaida Music by Joshua Piper @heavypiano

Although we suggest adding dance to your extra-curricular activities to help with your posing, there are bookings that require models to physically dance during the shoot. Karlie Kloss and Liu Wen were photographed for Vogue while showing their dance skills, and Joan Smalls was paired up with professional dancer and choreographer, Lil Buck for the Wall Street Journal.  Additionally, more and more athletic wear brands cater to dancers; such as Nike and Reebok. These clients often request models who are, at the very least, amateur or semi-professional dancers for their campaigns.

But, it’s not only your print jobs that will benefit from dance. Runway too! Walking in high heels, making turns on the catwalk, and having the correct posture is all about movement and balance – which are the basics of dance. For instance, to do a full or half-turn without stumbling; you need to find a focal point in the direction of the audience. Staring at this point throughout the turn will force your head to whip around. This is called ‘spotting’, a technique used by dancers to maintain balance.

Applying dance to your modeling will broaden your job opportunities, keep you in shape, and help with your posture, poses, and stamina.

Karlie Kloss by Arthur Elgort for Vogue Australia

Liu Wen by Daniel Jackson for Vogue China

Joan Smalls and Lil Buck for the Wall Street Journal by Daniel Jackson

Model Talk: Sarah Gullixson Talks New York and Getting Scouted at a Vogue Event

Model Talk with Sarah Gullixson.

Sarah Gullixson, who was scouted while attending a Vogue fashion show in Northern California, gets cozy in the model apartment for some model talk. The red-headed beauty tells us about her first trip to New York, and what keeps her motivated – and from the sound of things, you may find her running a big glossy fashion magazine one day!

Mother Agent: Stars Management
New York: Marilyn
Paris: MP
Milan: Why Not
Germany: M4
*Since this interview, Sarah has also been signed with The.MGMT in Sydney!

Interview with STORM’S Noelle Doukas And Christopher Yianoullou

 

Noelle and Christopher have over twenty-five years experience between them, spent working at the forefront of the modeling industry. Both agents exude bright dynamic personalities with an obvious passion for the talent they represent.

We chat about STORM, which has been one of the most influential model agencies since Sarah Doukas, Noelle’s mother, opened its doors in 1987, and move onto the innovations within the market and the changes of their model requirements.

FMD: What are the key attributes that STORM looks for when scouting for models?
Chris: We look for standards like height and beautiful skin and great bone structure, but our industry has started to celebrate the more unique aspects of the girl – who she is and what she’s about; her style, her personality. There is much more to it, and you can’t just scout by looking at someone, you really need to talk to that person and get a feel for who they are. Clients like ASOS and Urban Outfitters want to do more profile pieces, and they want real people, so it makes it more fun for us because [models] don’t have to be strictly 5’10” minimum anymore. It’s more flexible, and more fun; so yeah it’s about character more than anything really. 


FMD: Whenever you bring international models into London; what is your process, and does STORM have specific facilities to accommodate them?
Noelle: It all depends on how long you are bringing girls in for, and also what you are bringing them in for. There are some girls we bring in for periods of time, say two to three months; in which case you set them up in a house. We do have model apartments, but we also have a wide range of people who are like second moms who look after them, because it is quite daunting if they have never been into the territory before. Obviously, if it’s a girl who has never been to the UK, we take a bit of time explaining how to get around, because the girls have go-sees or castings every day. They probably have four to five castings a day. So, they kind of hit the ground running really. Sometimes, we try to set them up with other girls so they get a feel for what they are doing. We do have an assistant on board that goes through everything with them, and gives them a UK phone and tries to introduce them to transport etc. London’s enormous isn’t it, so expecting these girls to go to appointment to appointment is really quite daunting.


FMD: Are the castings based in London or all over the UK?
Noelle: They are completely sporadic. With castings, you can’t dictate what time it is, what area it is, so a girl could be coming from E1 and then having to go to SE11 (London postcodes with a distance of five miles) and she’s got a small amount of time to do it. If you get a bigger international girl, say she’s here for three days, it’s easier to put them in a car. They are doing a ton of appointments a day, back to back. I mean, since Uber’s come around it’s changed things quite a bit. It’s not that expensive to Uber from one place to another.
FMD: Uber’s made a model’s life a lot easier.
Noelle: It makes it probably a lot easier. I do feel for them though. I have done go-sees and castings with one girl once, and I thought, “I do feel sorry for them.”
Chris: It’s not as glamorous as you think.


FMD: Describe the London Market and Clientele.
Noelle: Well, I think first of all we’ve got the best editorial, I would say in the world, because we have the high-end publications like Vogue, Harpers, and Elle, and we also have the really kind of cool magazines like Dazed, and Wonderland. Now, there are a lot of online publications, there’s a pop-up magazine every day.
Chris: It’s a super creative city, with all the great designers and fashion schools. The students’ work is incredible here.
Noelle: It’s a good market to develop a girl because, as I’ve said, when we’ve got such a wide range of editorials; it’s good to develop their books. But, I think another great thing about London is that we have the advertising, the catalogues, and the E-com, and so a girl is pretty much guaranteed to make a nice amount of money. I mean the British pound is pretty shocking at the moment, but prior to that, it was great! No, it’s a great city! Our Fashion week is better than it ever has been before. I think a lot more girls are coming to London to do the shows, it’s a lot more relevant. So, I would say London’s definitely kind of an all-rounder. You know the only other thing is there is not as much competition, because most girls base themselves in New York, at which point you’re competing with x amount of girls, as opposed to a less amount of cool, international new faces.

Strolling into DAY 2 like ☄️ #LinYap #stormlfwaw18

A post shared by STORM (@stormmodels) on

FMD: How easy is it for new models to acclimate to the London Market?
Chris: I think for the younger girls it’s actually quite nice. We’re an English speaking country; the Tube (Underground) is pretty self-explanatory, and the English culture is very polite, and we like to help!
Noelle: They do get chaperoned though, if they are too young. We’d never let a girl under eighteen go out on her own, ever.
Chris: Yeah, and that also helps when they get settled in, there’s an English person there to teach them the ropes, the underground etc., how it works. We’ve never had any problems.


FMD: You mentioned that STORM has model apartments; are there strict rules enforced for the people staying in them?
Noelle: I wish we did, it’s a nightmare! It’s funny, model apartments are generally there for brand new girls, but sometimes girls end up living there for a couple of years. Some girls are actually messier maybe than boys, from what the cleaners tell us. (laugh)
Chris: Yeah, it’s bad! (laugh)
Noelle: It’s not good! It’s not good! I can’t understand it because I think if you can do this to someone else’s house, would you actually do this in your own house? I don’t think they would. Occasionally, we have to get pest control, painters and decorators coming in, or there are doors being broken off hinges or whatever it is. They’re young kids aren’t they; they’re not at home with their parents. I do get girls specifically saying, “I don’t want to stay in a model apartment”. We have a group of really lovely people who rent out rooms, and you know, I think they like it, the international girls who’ve not been here before, they feel kind of nurtured. It’s actually nice to be in a family environment.


FMD: What would you say are the most important qualities models should have?
Noelle: A voice and a personality for sure. I’ve seen the most beautiful girls in the world that have no personality, and I’m not meaning that in a derogative way, I just mean that, I think it’s like dating actually; you can think ‘oh, you’re fairly attractive’, but it’s the connection you have that actually develops how they come across, how you relate to that person – and actually personalities can make or break someone. You meet someone who’s really arrogant and full of themselves, and all that beauty just completely diminishes, whereas someone with a great personality can win you over in a different way, and you see a totally different side of them.
For me, if I were a casting director, it would be that. And it’s interesting to see how [it affects modeling], say you bring in a girl you don’t know particularly well, and she gets 30 options in a month and not one of them confirms, you start to think ‘there’s something not quite right there’, or you can get a girl that you weren’t entirely sure about but she has an amazing personality and her chart is full of red confirmations.
Chris: It’s true though!


FMD: Is there a common mistake that stands out as something models repeat over and over again?
Noelle: I would probably say approaching things with too much negativity.
Chris: Yeah, I was about to say that – or over thinking.
Noelle: When they start to analyze too much, girls can get very down on themselves, and I think that can come across to people. You can get yourself into a hole and it’s difficult to climb back out of it.
But I think it’s like that for everyone, for everything in life. I always write my Gratitudes down every day, things that I’m grateful for. If you try and make yourself feel more positive, then positivity comes back to you. But, I think when you go into anything with a negative view; it’s not going to turn itself around. You’ve got to be strong, and I think you’ve got to have a strong backbone. But saying this, I personally wouldn’t want to be judged on my looks every day of my life. It takes a certain quality of person.
Chris: Yeah, everyone thinks it’s an easy job, but…
Noelle: It’s one of the hardest. The worst thing a girl could ever do is to have a negative view on the industry, or herself, or whatever it is, you know, unless they’re enjoying it, loving it, I try to discourage them doing it at all. Because I think they’re so young, surely in that age group you’re supposed to be having the time of your life, not scrutinizing every part of yourself.

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