Models who have been rejected then accepted by agencies
 

Lindsey Wixson rejected by all of the agencies in New York apart from Marilyn who saw something in her. According to Wikipedia.

Gisele Bunchden rejected 42 times when first starting out at the age of 17?

And any one know any more and the stories of it, how they got accepted again?

Moving this thread to "Etc.s of the Modeling World" from Careers, Education & Business because CEB is about our members and their careers .... not about established models and their careers.

The moderators of Etc.s will review it to determine if I moved it to the appropriate forum.

:shock: 42 times? By one or 42 different agencies? How valid are these information?

Lauren Hutton has talked about being rejected by every agency in NYC because of the gap in her teeth before Eileen Ford signed her.

Claudia Mason was rejected by Ford before Elite signed her.

I'm not sure how many agencies. But here is the quote: “I feel privileged to be the sponsor of this project,” Gisele said, adding that she was rejected by 42 agents at the start of her career when she was 17. “I was finally taken [in] on the 43rd try.”

Sources: Just Jared and Talent Management (websites). Google it and many websites have information.

Wasn't she supposedly discovered while she was working at McDonald's in Brazil? I thought she got signed after that as a result.

I thought she won Elite Model Look or something at age 14? But no honestly if you Google 'Gisele Bunchden rejected' you will see the links, apparently Mario Testino has said no one wanted her according to Radar Online.

I think that's one of those exaggerated fairy tale discovery stories. I've met a lot of brazilian models in their 30s who said Gisele was actively trying to become a model in Brazil. She went to "modeling schools" apparently.

That would fit in with the agency rejections, but I know Mario Testino is responsible for her exposure and career, he did shoot her numerous times. Wikipedia also says that he was behind her thriving success as a model. I'm assuming he gave her the best portfolio images.

Why reject her though to begin with? She's tall, slim and has unreal cheekbones. She obviously didn't get signed on some snap shots but rather portfolio images, I know some models have done local modelling building experience, showing they can do the jobs.

I don't think her "look" was "in" at the time--it was still that "heroin chic" time when she started.

From what I've heard, she modeled in Brazil prior to NYC but wasn't as successful in Brazil as other girls. Going overseas helped her a lot.

Another model to add to this list is Joan Smalls. She didn't win a local modeling competition and was rejected locally and was rejected during her first trip to NYC. Signed with Elite after college but still wasn't a star until she switched to IMG.

Also, another one is Daria Werbowy. She was signed in NYC with Elite at the beginning of her career and was rejected in London and Athens, Greece. She stopped modeling for a while and then came back with IMG and became a huge superstar!

Wow, Daria was rejected too in all of those countries, she's like loaded now with all the adverts and campaigns she has gotten over the years.

Speaking of Gisele's look not being right at that moment, do you think some one would argue and say she is more commercial or glamorous rather than high fashion?

I don't like labeling models "commercial" or "high fashion" per se as the trends in those markets are ever changing. High fashion requires range of expression and commercial requires a friendly, cutesy demeanor. That's about it.

But people have described Gisele, Daria, Joan and Lindsey Wixson, yes Wixson that editorial star, as too commercial. They prove that there is no look or trait or height that determines whether someone is "high fashion" or "commercial."

When you say this, what exactly do you mean?

I tend to get confused about the right looks at moments.
For example: right now I don't know what the right look is, what the agencies are looking for? How long are they looking for this look? How do you know when looks will change?

I mean that people tend to associate particular facial features or body types with one or the other. They say things like "she's not high fashion. she's commercial because of this this and this feature" or "she can't do high fashion because of this this and this feature" when those aren't the things that dictate it. You will see it a lot if you look at thread on new faces. A client likes what they like and sometimes it goes beyond physical features.

As far as "right looks of the moment" it's basically the predominant "look" of the top girls of a market--trends. I would say right now the predominant look is somewhat of a Kati Nescher/Rooney Mara/dark hair type of look in fashion. You never know when that "trend" will phase out until there's a new "hot face" with a look entirely different.

There was an article later stating that it was translated wrong. She was rejected at 42 castings not by 42 agents :)