Some say 13 some say 16 some say 18. What am I referring to? Modeling. I started when I was probably around 16 doing mall fashion shows in that small B.C. city I grew up in. Did I think I was too young for that? No. Did my parents, obviously not or they probably wouldn't have allowed it. The thing is two short years later when I was 18 and trying to make it in Toronto, I was almost too old! Imagine that, 18 and too old. However that was in the 1980's and the "Super Models" ruled the world. So my career wained and ebbed doing the odd show and photo shoot til I was the ripe old age of 25 when I shot my last set of portfolio pictures and retired. Somewhat unceremoniously I might add. So again, how young is too young?
My daughter signed with her agent when she was 13yrs 7mos. She participated at VFW this past April one month after her 14th birthday and has done numerous shows and photo shoots some of which have been featured in online magazines. She was probably one of the youngest at VFW in fact I think she was the youngest. That being said if anyone were to guess her "done-up model age" they'd come up with 18 or 19, and most have. If they were to meet her on the street looking like she normally looks yah, she may get 15 or 16 because of her height but more so because of her maturity and the way she carries herself.
You see, my girl was born old. She very intelligent and well spoken she has a great attitude about this odd path she has chosen and she has a team of adults making damn sure she isn't damaged by the industry so many bash of unethical practices. Her agent is the same agent that signed the lovely Coco Rocha seen here talking about this very topic. I felt it necessary to weigh in on it because my daughter is very young in age but not in attitude. She has carried herself well thus far and has not lost sight of who she is and her own moral code. She's not a typical bubbly boy crazy teenager. She stoic and reserved and very focused on her goals.
She's also what the designers look for in body style and height, tall and slender. Who knows how long that will last. Her career in modeling could potentially be over by the time she graduates if she has a growth spurt that goes wrong. So is she too young? No, I don't think for her, for who she is, she's too young. I think she's in right at the right time. Her agent sees the same potential he did with Ms. Rocha in her and we are pacing her for a successful career without the early burn out. There is a plan in place and strict guidelines being followed.
First and foremost, school comes first. She can't maintain her A average if she misses school because of modeling. Second, nothing revealing, she won't do shoots she's not comfortable with. Close monitoring by me and her agent. If we don't know at least one or two people she's working with it's not likely she'll do the job. Her safety is my number one priority and if we are approached, and we have been, by some one I don't know, I'm on the phone to her agent doing a back ground check. If it's someone he doesn't know, and he knows a lot of people then it's a no thank you. Third, when she says she doesn't want to do this any more then that's it, she's done. No questions asked.
As for her future lets say the next four years, if she does well then we can expect to see her travelling. Not without a chaperon and nothing that will cause her to sacrifice school. We've agreed, my 14 year old and I that these two years will be spent here at home gaining experience, confidence and a killer portfolio. So when she is ready for the world stage, she will be exactly that, ready. And if it happens to be when she's 16 then so be it. If it's not until she's 18 or 19 then that's fine too. The trick is to let her grow up at her pace and be as supportive and protective as her mother as I can be.
I'm sure anyone reading this will have their opinion of this whole issue of how young is too young and for most 14 is too young. But there are the rare few who posses a maturity that surpasses most and for all the young models I have met this past year they all seem to have this rare trait it's what wins them the jobs and gets them noticed it's what is required to succeed. Trust me, if a client were to encounter one of those teens that you see at the mall with too much make-up, inappropriate clothing and thinking they are all that, they'd laugh them out the door telling them come back when they grow up, maybe.
I do have to agree to the need for some regulations. I also think that it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their daughters are not being taken advantage of and that they are at all times safe and cared for no matter where they are working and that the industry needs to really assess the inconsistencies with their changing demands day to day. I do have to say however, a 10 year old girl dressed up in women's clothing posing provocatively is WAY too young.
That's, how I see it.
Tammy.
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