If the other week this page delighted in the local albeit refined charm of Emily Carter, then today the “Introducing Ford Models” series sets its sights on a continental stunner who speaks four languages. Meet Tasha Franken, 5’9½” (177 cm) 18-year-old, Spanish-born half Norwegian, half Dutch who puts paid to the notion that Europe is not also the cultural melting pot that the United States of America is thought to be. Tasha recently joined Paul Rowland‘s Ford division and is already settling in nicely by making the casting rounds and building up her book with new editorials and test shoots. Affable, articulate, and forthright Tasha possesses the sorts of qualities not commonly associated with models, which might have something to do with her fortuitous entry into the world of modeling.
Daughter to a Norwegian mother and Dutch father Tasha was born and grew up in Andalucia on Spain’s southernmost coast in a town called Marbella. Tasha had never previously considered modeling despite having a keen interest in clothing and design and also actively maintaining her own fashion blog. In fact as of this spring she had already been accepted to the University of Manchester in England to study design management for fashion retailing. Those plans, however have been delicately put on hold for one year. As it happens Tasha was scouted by the director of Elite London one afternoon this past summer at a beach about an hour away from where she lives. Some correspondence ensued and in a short matter of time she flew to London where she debuted in London Fashion Week S/S 11 walking for the Vivienne Westwood Red Label. Tasha then later photographed with David Dunan for an editorial in Harper’s Bazaar España Nov. 2010 that was styled by Sebastian Kaufmann. With this experience in hand she was referred to Paul Rowland and has since been signed with Ford Models in New York.
She’s been in the City for only a month and so far very much likes it in all its varying complexity. Having spent an hour in her company the Ford Models Blog was well impressed by her conversational ability, though her skill is hardly surprising considering that she speaks Spanish, Norwegian, Dutch, and of course English. In addition to languages she enjoys painting with oil as well using mixed media, playing the acoustic guitar, skiing, and cooking. It’s the last one, cooking, in particular that she’s struggling to practice in her new life as a model who shares a small flat in Manhattan with a roommate. She simply doesn’t have the time let alone her full repertoire of utensils to take full advantage of the wealth of fresh ingredients that can be sourced living here. But, in the end she came to New York to model and model she most certainly will.
Watch this space for more from Tasha Franken especially for the F/W 11 show season, which kicks off in only ten weeks!
She reminds me a little bit to Ruby Aldrige.
