One Model's Story

[model_mom]

Today i am in another country but I am thinking about the USA....The date is Septemeber 11th and it is the one year anniversary of 9/11. I am proud to be an American even if I am half way around the world. I would rather be back home with my horse and my friends but my mom seems to think that this is such a great opportunity and I don't have the heart to tell her different. I know we have spent a lot of money since we arrived here but my mom says not to worry about it?? I have a casting today for Madame Figaro and another test with a photographer. I think one of the reasons they wanted me to come to Paris is because my book is so weak,but at this rate it should be full in no time.
We walked so much today that my feet have blisters. I wore my heels to all the castings,which was dumb,I finally figured out that most of the models wear comfortable shoes and change at the casting. It's all the little things that you don't know about that drive you crazy. It's all common sense but we are learning little by little.

[model_mom]

Michelle, our landlady is a model with Ford too. She is older and is away a lot working in Germany. She has a cat named Luca that I adore.He can play fetch like a dog and likes to sleep on my bed. I went into the agency today and sat in line to use the only computer that the models can use. There are models from all over the world signed with my agency and most of them have been really nice. My mom talked to one of the agents today to see if I had booked any jobs but so far I haven't. I have been away from home a week today and it seems like a year,not to my mom ,she loves it,I bet she would stay here if she could! My mom says I want so much (horses,a ranch and a new pick up truck) and have been given the opportunity to achieve it but I'm beginning to think that all the hype from my agents back home was wishful thinking. She wants me to stay positive and not give up so soon so I'm putting on a good face outside for her. We went on 6 castings today. My mom wanders around close by while I go on my castings,but you can bet she's not far away. We talked to my agent back home today,she ask how things were going. She told my mom we needed to stick it out here till I turned 16 and then things would get better. That's almost a month away!

[leblue15]

this is really interesting to read, thanks for sharing model_mom

[model_mom]

The traffic here is crazy. You are taking your life in your own hands if you step into a crosswalk. Cars do not stop for the walk signs It seems they always have the right of way. There are motorcycles zooming in and around traffic and up on sidewalks. My mom says a lot of them must be courieres or messenger people. We stay lost most of the time. I miss castings because we can't figure out which metro to take,it's crazy. We walk everywhere because it's easier to find streets and adresses. We went on 6 castings today. A lady from Marie France wants to use me for an article but has to call the agency to see if I am available. They are talking about sending me to Milan, a casting director wants to see me but my mom says we are staying here for now. If it was up to me I would go home. This all seems like such a waste of time. I think my mom is starting to realize that my agency at home made a big mistake by sending me here before I turned 16. The Paris shows are in a few weeks so I am going to get the doctor certificate I need to work if I'm going to be able to book any shows. Great,just what I want to do,see a doctor I don't even know!

We saw the Eiffel Tower today.My mom said when it was first built the people of France hated it. Today it is considered one of the most famous landmarks in the world. It is beautiful,even if it is all rusted. We spend a lot of time sitting on the steps of l"Opera, people watching. It is right accross the street from the agency. We play a game trying to get people to smile. Is it just me,or a lot of French people unhappy about something. The only people we usually get to smile are the children.

[ElectricAlyce]

Interesting read indeed, can't wait for more
And I agree with rangerrick14 - this would make a really interesting book!!

[The_Ida]

I think all this getting lost in Paris is kinda funny I was lost the first week too, but I do think that the metro is very easy to use as soon as you get how it works. And the traffic really is crazy, I've seen people do the wackiest things in their cars while they should be driving

[baddabling]

This is so interesting to read, model_mom
thank you so much for sharing your's and Ali's story

it reminds me a bit of the book, Model Summer by Paulina Porizkova

[Susanna-Cole]

Originally Posted by model_mom

No this is Ali's story taken from her journal when she first started modeling...the mom in the story is me.

(Keep in mind that this is Ali Turner) We have so many models named Ali that are in the news now that I don't want anyone to be confused.

Thank you for clarifying. Because for some reason I had it stuck in my head that you were Ali Michael's mom! I don't know who Ali Turner is actually... I'll have to go look up her thread now.

[model_mom]

One of the reason that I ask my Ali if I could post her journal is because of all that is going on with Ali Michael....not so much the weight issue but the fact that you are just a $ sign to most agencies. Just like a lot of people we always assumed that if you signed with an agency they were suppose to be there for you. I can't speak for all agencies but I can assure you that when we went to Paris,we were on our own. Until the time Ali was very close to being 16 and got an option for French Vogue, any interest in her welfare was handled by me. This may sound like a pity party but I wish when ali was asked to go to Paris that someone had said that the chances of a 15 year old working during show season is very rare....this all changed later,I know of several 15 year olds that walked shows the season after we left. I'm not sure how it happened whether birth certificate were altered or they were just told to lie about their age.


I have more from Ali's journal later....

[model_mom]

I live for phonecards,they're not cheap but they are my only connection to my friends and family back home. I miss everyone so much. I have made a few friends at the agency and I am starting to go on castings with them. At first my mom freaked out but one of the girls talked her into it by saying she would watch out for me. I was so embarrassed.

We have to use them to stay in touch with the agency too. We check in at noon and at the end of the day when I pick up my castings for the next day. Mom and I sit down at night and try to map out our travel plan. Just like Tatiania said it would,my mom almost had her wallet stolen today. We were looking at a Metro map and another family walked up too. My mom pulled her map out to look at it and a little boy darted under it and reached into her purse. All at once a lady ran up yelling "Attention !! Madame Attention!!. The family took off and the lady looked at us like we were stupid and walked off. My mom tried to thank her but she was long gone. I can't even imagine what would have happened if they had taken the wallet.

We were lost again today...who would imagine that there are two streets with the same name,well almost, the one were suppose to be on was Rue Victor Hugo instead we were on Blvd. Victor Hugo? We called the agency but it was too late for the casting. I have another test tomorrow. My mom does the 24 question thing every time I have a shoot. We discussed what I would do if I ran into a situation I was not comfortable with but so far so good!

[model_mom]

I went for the dreaded Doctor's appointment today to get a health certificate. I was so relieved to see that she was a woman. She was very nice and the exam wasn't so bad. She took me into her office afterwards to have a lttle talk about how I was handling all the stress of modeling but I knew better than to let on how I was really feeling. Happy and healthy that's me...

We rode the RER To St. Denis today to see a photographer. His assistant met us at the station. I was so glad and I could see how relieved my mom was to see him. Parts of Paris are not the best place to be on your own and this must be one of them by the look of things. We walked to the studio which wasn't a studio after all. The photographer lived in one large room with his wife and family. The loft upstairs was where the test would take place. My mom visited with the family while I tried on clothes that were thrown around on the floor. A mattress leaning against the wall was my backdrop. I just went with it and it was over in no time and the assistant walked us back to the station.


* Sidenote The name of the photographer was Sebran and the pictures he took that day were some of the best in Ali's book when she went to NY. They were amazing.

[model_mom]

We watch a little old lady on the same corner every day. She chases people and begs for cigarettes and money for wine or beer. She sits in front of this cafe and when she's had to much to drink she kicks people in their backside and pulls ladies hair. We notice that she is partial to blondes. She lets lose with what I think is a string of profanites and I am scared to death of her but my mom seems to sympathize with her. She gives her some change on our way to the metro every morning. Maybe it's a bribe so that she will leave us alone. Ha ha. The owner of the cafe keeps chasing her off but she keeps coming back. He must sympathize with her too because late one night we saw him put a jacket around her as she was sleeping on the ground outside.

[model_mom]

Castings today for OUI magazine and a Bali Baret advertising campaign,back to Madame Figaro and the final one was for Nikon advertising (?) I think several of them liked me but who knows,with no feedback from the agency,it's hard to tell. My mom walks all over the city she went to Jardin des Tueleries today but it was chilly and cold so she didn't stay long. We are not far from the the beautiful white church on the hill (Sacre Coure?). My mom is always trying to get me to go with her but I would rather stay here at the apartment, so she went by herself. She came back and told me she had found a restaurant called the "Buffalo Grill",sounds like my kind of place! They had American food. On the video screens hanging around they were showing rodeo shows with real cowboys. Yee Haw! My mom was so glad to see my eating that we even had a banana split for dessert. I have been living on cereal,scrambled eggs and spaghetti because those are the foods that remind me of home. I know I am driving her crazy with my moping around but this routine is starting to get a little old.

[model_mom]

There is a nightclub across the street from where we live and a group of young people hang out there. I watch them at night and wonder how long it will be before I will have a chance to hang out with my friends again.
I have two more tests tomorrow,the photgraphers names are Pierre Satin and Wayne Plant, I also have a casting for a runway show for Louis Rouchard. My friend Karlin was in the agency today and she was so upset. She was crying and my mom sat down to talk with her. She finally told us about a photoshoot she had with a photographer today that didn't go so well. I guess my mom was right about certain "situations".

We have a washing machine in the apartment that we use to wash our clothes. We have to hang them on drying racks because there isn't a dryer. It's driving my mom crazy, because she insists on ironing everything after it's dry. I tried to help her but after a few items were scorched she took over again.

[Mr-Dale]

Yeah times certainly changed for 15 year olds in a few years time...there's no shame in putting 12/14/15/16 yearolds on the runway and in mags nowadays. Everybody knows their ages and it's simply ok. This is 2002 right? Sorta post-heroin chic where there was a mixture of heroin chic and mature sexy models to sorta grab back to the supermodel era that preceeded the heroin chic era that people had gotten tired of around 2001-ish...It's just a few years too early for a 15 year old to get her break. 3 years later and the awkward, intellectual beauty of innocence (one of those three looks is fine as well) took over.

But it's really interesting to learn how agencies leave their girls up tp their own. And perhaps a lesson to always take your father to strange cities because they know the way j/k When I was in Paris I really enjoyed the metro system. I had no trouble at all navigating through the city tbh....but then again, I was a happy tourist and was not stressed out about booking jobs, arriving on time, looking good, making money, paying the bills etc.

Thank mm!