One Model's Story

[model_mom]

When you send your picture's into an agency,you realize your chance of getting an answer is not good. When the phone rings and it's a top agency wanting an interview,you're still thinking,this may or may not happen. When they sign you shortly after you walk into their office,you start to think,OK,I'm going to be a model. Your idea is that you're going to be in local magazines and do commercial jobs for department stores. Their idea is much bigger....in fact it's amazing. They want to send you to Paris. They know what your dreams are and they fuel the flame. If you take a chance and go to Paris you'll have your dream and much more. The word "maybe " is never mentioned. Two weeks later you're on your way to Paris (with your mom,because you're only 15.) You arrive with too much luggage and drag the whole mess into the agency. The receptionist takes you to meet with the agency head and during the conversation it comes up that you're only 15. Her reaction is an immediate "NO"! Your mom says right away that if that's going to be a problem, your bags are still packed and you both can return to the states....but after regaining her composure she says,"Certainly not". Then all the talk about a doctor's visit to get a health certificate and that you can only work a few days a week comes out.
In the mean time she is giving your mom an address for a room where you will be staying. Room is putting it mildly....the carpet is full of holes,the twin mattresses are on the floor and the paint is coming off the ceiling. The house where your room is located is occupied by a 90 year old lady who has a tendency to wander. The next day she wanders into the bathroom where you are taking a shower (no curtain) and won't leave. Shortly thereafter your mom is calling the agency to say this is not going to work.....to be continued...

 

[model_mom]

Next day....You find yourself moving into a room in a different apartment in the Red Light District of Paris right across the street from the Moulin Rouge. You still haven't heard from the agency and the bills are piling up for rent,food and taxi fare. You have no idea how to use the subway but your landlord tells you it's a much cheaper way to travel. After three days of this, modeling doesn't look so exciting and you wish you were back home with your friends. The next day the agency contacts you and says to come in and meet with the other agents and then sends you around Paris to a few castings and for a test with a photographer.....still nothing about the subway so more taxi fares. Paris is a BIG city and the street directions are very complicated so after exiting the taxi we are lost in no time.
As we are looking around a nice lady that speaks English approaches us and ask if we are lost. She asks if I am a model and what agency am I with....she mentions her name but it means nothing to me and we find our way to my first casting for the day. After a few more castings and a test we return to the agency to find out the lady we met was Ellen Von Unwerth and she would like to meet with me the next day..... to be continued

 

[model_mom]

We still have no idea who the lady is but my agent says that she is a very important photographer and to dress in something that makes me look older for our meeting. I went with Ellen to her office and she took some polaroids and ask if I was available to work on Thursday.....the answer was no.... because of the age thing and that was my only contact with a photographer that I now know was world famous.
In the afternoon we walked to another casting that we thought was close by but we ended up at the wrong address (again). While we were backtracking we walked across a bridge over the Seine River and sat down to rest. I'm not sure where he came from but a horrible street person started harrassing my mom till he had her in tears. We couldn't understand what he was saying but he wouldn't let my mom pass till he was finished with his rant....OK I'm 15 ,my mom is hysterical and we have no idea how to get back to the agency....are we having fun yet?

 

[rangerrick14]

wow this sounds interesting

 

[model_mom]

Back at the agency....now... with my mom recovering from her scare...an agent goes with us to the metro,explains to us about getting a pass and shows us on the map how Paris is divided up into districts that fan out form the center of the city. The next few days are spent in an endless amount of castings for shows which have to be on a certain day in order for me to work....I am instructed not to mention my age but not to lie if asked. I was asked a lot....not a good sign. My mom cooked a lot because eating out was so expensive but all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed with the cat and sleep. I hate this place and want to go home. We can't go out at night because the streets are full of tourist (mostly male) visiting the sex shops and attending the performances at the Moulin Rouge,it is understood that if your in the streets you are a part of the scene so we stay in the room and look out the window for entertainment. I still haven't booked a job but I have two tests tomorrow.

 

[adorefaith]

sorry mm..just wondering..what is this?. who wrote it?. does it belong to a book or something?.

 

[rangerrick14]

this has to be a book

 

[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.

 

[Fontenrose]

Very interesting!

 

[Paws]

I am so glad that you are posting this model_mom!!!

 

[BetteT]

I just knew it was Ali! And I strongly suspected that those were her own words. Thank you and thank Ali for sharing.

There's a lot of aspiring models here who will find it very interesting and very helpful. It shows both sides ... the fun and the frustration of being a model. It's not all excitement and glamour .... which is evident here. And young girls who want to become models need to know that.

 

[model_mom]

Thank you, I talked to Ali before I started this thread and she gave her OK.

We decided to try and keep up with Ali's schoolwork while she was in Paris and the only assignment from her English teacher was that she keep a journal till she returned to school. In the end all the homework became to much to keep up with and we had to end up homeschooling Ali till she returned to school a year and a 1/2 later.

 

[model_mom]

I went to a casting for "Dior" this morning....it had something to do with a hair ad in a magazine and was suppose to be for "a lot" of money.....here's the catch....they wanted to cut my hair short and dye it black. I came downstairs to talk with my mom but she could see by the look on my face that it wasn't going to happen. We met a girl name Tatiana (sp?) from Russia today. She was 19 and had been modeling by herself since she was 16. She speaks ENGLISH! (side note I think this is the Tatiana that starred in the VS show in 2006) She was so nice and could probably see that my mom and I were a couple of lost sheep. I had a casting for Harpers Bazarr next and ask her to go along with me. She said it wasn't on her list but I talked her into going in with me. She booked the job! (They took one look at me and said they were looking for a "Pro"?) I was happy for her. We went to lunch with her...it was so nice to find a friendly face. She warned us to look out for the gypsys in the Metro. She told us they make a living by stealing from the tourists! We went downstairs to find a phone tonight....It's daytime in the US and I want to call my boyfriend,my mom about had a cow...she thinks I am going to be kidnapped. I was laughing at her until a young man walked up and licked the phone booth!!!

 

[yourbestfriend]

Thanks for posting this model mom. It's great to see a real insight into an experience that many could possibly take as a cake walk.

 

[sethii]

This is so interesting! Thank you for taking the time to type it up and to your daughter for writing it in the first place

 

[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!!