Wednesday January 26, 2005
[size=+2]Getting Naomi to grace your catwalk[/size]If you are ambitious and planning a fashion extravaganza, you might be wondering what it would cost to have, say, Naomi Campbell grace your catwalk. KEE HUA CHEE speaks to a modelling agent in London.
TO PAY RM570,000 for one model seems ridiculous until you realise that is the cost of just three haute couture gowns or one very elaborate wedding trousseau. A Hermes full crocodile Birkin or Kelly bag costs 100,000 euros (RM530,000) while a single ruby of incredible colour and fire from Cartier weighing 25 carat is still available at 10mil euros (RM53mil).
If you think paying RM570,000 just for Naomi Campbell to wear a minimum of three and a maximum of five of your dresses is extravagant enough, worse is to come. Her manager, Chris Owen, expects to be paid as well. “That US$150,000 (RM570,000) is for Naomi. My fee is 20% on top, which is US$30,000 so the total fee is US$180,000 (RM684,000).
You can continue holding your breath as RM684,000 is only for Campbell and Owen’s fees. “In addition, you have to pay for Naomi’s first-class return ticket from wherever she happens to be, usually London, New York or Milan. It must be the airline of her choice and not some grotty, no-frills carrier. Plus another four business-class tickets for her entourage of make-up artist, hairstylist, PR person and PA. That should be all unless she requests another first-class ticket for her boyfriend who might be accompanying her.”
The accommodation must be a suite for her and four superior rooms for her hangers-on in some snazzy five-star hotel like the Shangri-La or Mandarin Oriental lest you are thinking of your guest room. While it is safe to assume she eats like a bird, this need not apply to Dom Perignon or Moet & Chandon champagne. Mind you, her staff may not be on a diet. And it is going to be tough chasing after her in the lobby for unpaid phone calls, spa treatments and laundry.
“Since Naomi hardly hangs around South-East Asia, it will take a whole day to fly there and another day to return so you need to put her up for a couple of days,” continues the affable but matter-of-fact Owen whom I have known for seven years. “Really she needs to take four to five days off her working schedule.”
As Malaysia Airlines costs RM24,200 (first class) and RM16,200 (business class), that’s already RM 89,000. If the hotel bills add to another RM 15,000, the final sum will be around RM788,000.
“Her fee of US$150,000 is non-negotiable though if you are nice to me, my commission need not be 20%,” says Owen, grinning.
Fine. What if a Malaysian organiser/designer fits his fashion show to coincide with Naomi’s holiday. “Obviously if a Malaysian designer wants Naomi to model during London or Paris Fashion Week, that would be impossible as she would be committed to these important events. But if she is on holiday or in between work, maybe she can consider a, ahem, special deal?” I enquire innocently.
The wretched man almost falls off his chair with laughter. As he wipes mock tears from his eyes, he chuckles: “If you want Naomi or any supermodel to work during their time off, their fee is US$300,000 (RM1.14mil) – double their usual rates! These girls work back to back and guard their holidays jealously. Remember Linda Evangelista declaring she wouldn’t get out of bed for less than US$10,000 (RM38,000)? To get Naomi out of bed during her holiday will require US$300,000.
“It’s pointless harping on how expensive she is. That’s how market forces work. It’s supply and demand. If she gets this kind of money elsewhere, why should she settle for anything less in Malaysia? As far as she is concerned, if she models during, say The Star Fashion Week (sic), she will not get any more famous but The Star Fashion Week will benefit. She adds credibility, clout and prestige to the show and you can be assured of international coverage if she appears on the catwalk.”
If she appears on the catwalk?
Which brings up more caveats. Naomi Campbell does not have a reputation for being the easiest, sweetest and most chin-chai model to work with. Her tantrums are legendary. “Naomi will not simply wear any outfit you give her,” says Owen warily. “The clothes must fit her image as a sophisticated, worldly-wise girl. She models for the world’s top 20 designers and not small, unknown ones. I don’t think she will recognise any Malaysian designers however famous he may be in your country. If she doesn’t like the dress, she won’t wear it. Or if she thinks she doesn’t look good in it. Or if she thinks it doesn’t fit her to perfection.”
Obviously, it does not matter a hoot what the designer or the one signing her cheque thinks. It is what she thinks that counts. The outfits will have to be sent to her in advance for her to try and approve. “Naomi won’t wear outrageous, kinky designs or elaborate national costumes or bikinis or any outfit inconsistent with her position and image,” warns Owen. “No dodgy designers even if they pay.”
For payment, it’s cash upfront! The RM684,000 must be remitted into Campbell and Owen’s accounts before she tries on the clothes and boards the plane. Even Owen concedes it is a possibility she might “miss” her flight for whatever reason. “You will be refunded but your fashion show and gala will be ruined if the main attraction fails to turn up.”
As for other big names, Owen says: “Claudia Schiffer has just delivered a baby so she is out for the count. I know Christy Turlington won’t be interested. Ditto for Linda. Cindy Crawford may be available. Is Giselle big in Malaysia? Rachel Hunter will settle for US$100,000 (RM380,000) but you might as well get Holly Valance of Kiss Kiss fame for the same price. She sings, dances and can emcee your show. Her show comes with six dancers and road manager. Or how about Jennifer Love Hewitt the actress? She can be the MC for the whole series of shows for US$100,000. Excluding my commission, that is.”
Finally, there are the so-called “aristo” models – blue-blooded, genuine noblewomen born into royal or princely families. Eloise Anson is not only an aristocrat of the top drawer but also a debutante. So is Lady Victoria Hervey, daughter of the sixth Marquess of Bristol. One of the most photographed faces in London, she even has her own social column, Party Animal, in the (British) Sunday Times. Despite their noble pedigree, these aristocratic models are among the ‘cheapest’.
“Around £10,000 (RM73,000) plus my 20% commission,” says Owen with a grin.
