THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 16, 1996 TAG: 9602160041
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By STEPHANIE STEVENSON, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
FROM THE PAGES of Seventeen magazine to local promotional work, modeling has always interested and intrigued teenage girls.
The beautiful faces we see among the pages become our role models, and many of us dream of becoming just like them.
But how?
The question was tackled during a panel discussion including models and industry representatives at the fifth annual Hampton Roads Woman's Show in Virginia Beach last weekend.
Panelists were Darlene Stevenson, owner of Stevenson Modeling Agency in Virginia Beach; Darlene Engles, assistant director/booking agent with Glamour Modeling and Talent Ltd. of Virginia Beach; Kim Wadsworth, fashion writer for The Virginian-Pilot; Barbara Lewis, director of Charm Associates in Virginia Beach; and Tina Nash and Janie Fridley, models with Stevenson Modeling Agency. They gave these insights into this exciting field:
In the local market, how do you determine if a young lady has potential?
Engles: When I look for a girl, I don't look for someone for extra height or who is super skinny. When looking for the local market, I usually look for girls who are outgoing, with a good disposition and on the pretty side.
Stevenson: When I go to talks and seminars, I usually look for the plain girls in the back of the room, because they usually are the ones with the most potential. They are not already stuck in a groove on the way they like to wear their makeup or the set way that they wish to appear.
What is the difference between an agency school, a modeling school and a booking agent?
Lewis: A modeling school doesn't focus on jobs, it focuses on teaching young ladies manners and poise. Most of the young girls who come to our school are not looking for a career in modeling but self-improvement.
Stevenson: A booking agent tries to use girls who have already worked before or people who show a lot of potential. Agents help them put together a portfolio and help book jobs for them.
Engles: Glamour is an agency school where we not only teach the girls how to be a model but we also help them get jobs.
What do I need to do for a 13- or 14-year-old who is interested in modeling?
Lewis: Many of the phone calls I receive at Charm Associates are from girls who are not necessarily interested in modeling but in being young ladies, learning poise.
How do you feel about modeling schools?
Fridley: Every school experience is different for each model. When I went to New York and modeled for YM (Young Miss magazine), I felt like I was missing something when I compared myself to the other girls who had already gone to schools.
I didn't get any modeling school experience until I came back to Virginia. I felt the experience was good for me and I think it will help many girls, but it depends on your preference.
Nash: My experiences with schools from the Washington, D.C., area to Virginia haven't been pleasant. I don't see the need to pressure someone to go into a school as long as you have someone willing to work with you and groom you to your potential.
When you go looking for an agent, what should you look for?
All of the panelists listed attributes: Credibility. Look for someone who agrees with your personality. Look for someone who is there to support you and someone you get along with well. ILLUSTRATION: SAM HUNDLEY/The Virginian-Pilot
Photos
Darlene Stevenson
Tina Nash
Janie Fridley
Barbara Lewis
by CNB