How to get your child into modeling nyc
Child Modeling: Origins, Agencies, and Realities
So you have a cute child. So cute, in fact, that strangers tell you your kid should model. You're thinking about it—but where to begin? What is it like being a "Stage Mom"? It is worth it? Parents share where to start, what the casting experience is like, and the realities of child modeling.
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Agencies
About agencies and dealing with them
About the modeling life and the casting experience
Agencies
Below is a list of agencies recommended by parents whose kids have modeling experience:
CESD
Youth Division
333 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 477-1666
A3 Artists Agency (formerly Abrams Artists Agency)
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, NY 10118
(646) 486-4600
Generation Model Management
20 West 20th Street, #1008
New York, NY 10011
(212) 727-7219
What parents are saying (March 2021): "It's a hard time for baby modeling rn given covid restrictions, but we've been with Generation for the past year, and also considered NY Models. The latter was super cold and felt a bit more factory-like, whereas Generation feels scrappy and managed by just one older woman. She's kind of kooky, but they're well-respected in the field and my daughter's first shoot was with one of the best child photographers in the business."
FunnyFace Today
381 Park Avenue South, Suite 821
New York, NY 10016
(212) 686-4343
Teri B Talent & Model Management
16 Madison Square West, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10010
New York Model Management
71 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010
(212) 539-1700
Zuri Agency
115 West 30th Street, Suite 905
New York, NY 10001
(646) 678-3848
Innovative Artists (if your child is into acting)
235 Park Avenue South, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10003
(212) 253-6900
Thoughts from parents about modeling agencies and dealing with them
"Future Faces is a scam - I submitted to them and they came back with the need to pay for photos etc etc and a terrible sloppy standard email.
No one should be paying for photos for any child under the age of 4 or 5, and any agency that asks for that is scamming you. Casting directors are receiving iphone photos from every child model right now."
"My daughter has been modeling for about 6 months now and is with an agency. I’d suggest pursuing an agency before worrying about the trust account and permit (you will need one of those but it only lasts for a year so no sense in getting one before you need it). If you want to go ahead and start putting the papers together anyway, google 'New York child performer work permit' and that should take you to the right place.
In terms of agencies, the most important thing is that the agency should not require ANY money from you. And for a baby they should not be pushing any professional pictures. You don’t need pro pics for submitting to the agency—just cell phone pics of the baby looking at the camera are fine. They should be the only one in the photos, and nothing should be on their face.
No hats, etc. Each agency’s website will contain submission instructions."
“I think it depends on the agency. Ford is more selective. Abrams Artists and Funny Face Today are less selective. The reps at Funny Face and Ford are very nice. Abrams is a bit 'sitcom' drama-like. There's also Product Model Management which has a great rep as well.”
“The only place I know about called Wilhemina models which supposedly is a very reputable company. But you send in pictures and then they will contact you if they want to use your son... so I think it's sort of a crap shoot.”
“My sister-in-law used Abrams and really liked them. Got my niece to a few national auditions (Volkswagon, Gap, etc). Just a word of warning, it is truly a time sucker. Great hobby if you only have 1 kid and no full time job, otherwise, very hard to manage. Lots of days waiting around and hoping your kid stays in the same good mood he/she was when you got them there. Good luck to you all.
”
“My daughter did voiceover work through Abrams Artists for a few years when she was younger. It was fun and paid well and eventually she didn't want to do it anymore. When my son was born they begged me to get into it with him because they're always looking for newborns. They hoped I would do it right out of the hospital. I didn't. He did do a photo layout for KMart when he was a baby. They literally taped him to the floor. We went on a few go-sees but there is very little money in photo shoots and the time required - shlepping around the city - waiting in waiting rooms too small for all of the strollers, cattle calls... it's just not worth it.”
About the modeling life and the casting experience
Some "harsh realities" from an industry insider:
“I work in advertising and work with models of all ages. If you are thinking about getting into this, I would feel remiss if I didn't let you know about some of the albeit harsh realities of getting your child into modeling.
-You need to be present with your child at all times or have legal guardian that you allow to interpret and sign legally binding paperwork/ contracts.
- You and your child need to be at the beck and call of an agent so they can send you on a casting call. Sometimes you will only have a few hours or day's notice.
- On a casting call you can wait for hours to be photographed and once photographed you could be told on the spot that your kid is not right for whatever reason.
- Your child can be called in for several rounds of callbacks and still not be ultimately chosen by the client
- Your child may make to the shoot only to find out that they are shooting 5 other kids for the same role and are going to choose the best picture from that.
- You may never end up seeing the photographs that are taken of your child.
- Just because your child is cute in person does not mean they will photograph well.
- Just because your child is cute is does not mean that your child will still be just as cute when surrounded by lights and crew of people.
- Even though your child is cute does not mean someone else's child might be cuter or might just work better for the campaign idea.
- Casting agents, clients, photographers will throw you away as quickly as they shower you with compliments
- Usage rights for photography of babies and toddlers is often a small flat fee ($250- $3500) for unlimited rights [for a particular client] in perpetuity.
- Laws for photographing children are different from state to state know your rights and requirements as a parent.
- Photographers often will ask to not have a parent in the room while the child is being photographed because it distracts the child.
-You and your child need to have a thick skin and take rejection well.
- Your child needs to be able to nap outside of your home easily because often shooting schedules change and you may need to hang around a set with your child during usual naptime.” (rates are from 2011)
Thoughts from another parent about why modeling/the entertainment industry was not right for their son:
“Many years ago my now 19 yr old did voiceovers .
.. not the same as photo modeling -- but I got pregnant with my son when my daughter was 8 and they couldn't wait to get hold of him ... They even asked if I would consider putting him to work straight out of the hospital. Apparently there is a need for 'newborns' on screen. I said no. Eventually he did a print ad for Kmart – which was fun because it was a last minute thing - there was no audition - just show up and they took the pix ...
I did take him out on a couple of calls -- but soon discovered it was not for us... Waiting in large rooms w/lots of kids w/my daughter was one thing - but with babies and their strollers and all their stuff was another ... not to mention - missed naps -- having to be photo ready when baby is just waking -- crying -- and the pay sucks.
If I had to guess - it's probably worse now.
We worked w/Abrams Artists and they were terrific.”
Waiting times can be long:
“I have a friend that is a photographer that does a lot of children's books.
He has asked me a few times if I was interested in bringing our 4 year in. One of the main reasons is her mild manner temper. He did say it gets crazy and the wait times can be pretty long.
Because of this I have decided to not bother. He sure did not paint a pretty picture of it.”
Sometimes a cute kid might not be so charming in front of the camera:
“We met a few when our twins were little and I was home with them. Some took themselves way too seriously and you literally had to call them if you were going to be unavailable for even a day. What a joke! There was one agency i really liked, funny face, because they would call you for a casting, and if you could make it, great. If not, no big deal. That was more my speed. We went on a handful of castings, and we actually did get booked for several jobs. In the end, my son was a ham in front of the camera and loved it but my daughter would cry in front of the camera.
She hated it. The pay was not even worth the effort, and in the end, it just became too much of a hassle getting into the city with baby twins. I don't even know how I did it that many times! i do have a few cute clippings for the baby books though.”
“We had a similar experience when our son was an infant. We had some connections and signed him up with an agency...here are some of the basics of what I learned.
All babies are cute - what REALLY matters is the baby's disposition, how well do they do when handed over to a complete stranger with mom/dad standing off to the side possibly out of sight
Is it worth your time - most go sees are in Manhattan or NJ where you'll be put in a holding room with loads of other moms and babies, wait for up to an hour to have some ad types look at your baby, take some reel and say we'll let you know.
After which if you get the booking, aside from the travel time, it's usually a 3-4 hour call with lots of standing around.
Finally - if your child books - it generally pays $50/100 per hour then there's 15% to the manager who gets you the job and 20% commission to the agency. However, the manager and agent don't get any money from you unless your child books, so you should never pay anybody any money ever for representation.
Editorials and magazines covers pay the least and pharmaceutical national print pays the most...so you also need to be careful of what product you're comfortable having your baby represent.
Ultimately I found it wasn't really worth my time. It was nice to get some money...but I felt it was more important to get him on a regular sleep schedule, go to the park and mostly not spend my time sitting around waiting rooms with a squirmy infant., with other moms who seemed to maybe be trying to live out some of their dreams (sorry if I sound jaded, I spent a lot of time working in casting). If it's something he wants to pursue when he has an opinion on the matter, we can revisit.
It is fun to try out though and even more fun to see your baby's face in print.”
Competition is tough:
“When my son was an infant I took him to a modeling shoot in the neighborhood (like all the parents in PS). I then got an email from the photographer a few weeks later inviting me to another shoot because she thought my son had potential. I thought it might be fun but it was kind of a nightmare. I had to lug him to photo shoots in obscure NY locations (near Lincoln Tunnel, etc) and then wait on line with 200 other people to get his photo taken and then never hear from them again. I decided it wasn't worth my time. I suppose if you can get a legitimate agent they might have better in but it seemed really competitive.
I used to work at a large ad agency, including a couple of baby-oriented accounts. This is an extremely hard way to make money because you have to attend so many casting calls with dozens of babies that are also exceptionally cute.
Babies are hard to cast based on photos since they change so quickly, so the photographer and client will want to see her in person. You don't get paid for this extremely time-consuming effort, so can easily blow 1/2 day per time and you may only get called back 1 out of 10, 20 or 30 times, or never. The money is pretty good for a print ad, but generally low for editorial or catalog. TV ads pay very well, but extremely hard to get. Companies typically bring in several babies (4-6) for each shot they need since they don't want to count on any baby being able to perform at any given moment. All will get a session fee, but only the baby that is used on camera will get additional fees.
The photographer will keep 'working' your baby until she starts to cry. You may find this upsetting!
One mother says to give it a try or you might regret it:
“Try the major agencies...ex. Ford, Wilhelmina, etc. websites. They often hold open calls in NYC.
I took my son on a whim last year and he got called back with Ford agency (although we didn't sign a contract at the time...he was in Pre-K and it would have involved taking him out of school regularly for "go-sees" and shoots, which I didn't feel comfortable with)...starting school age, they schedule after school hours. Apparently you have to take them to a lot of interviews in hopes of getting a job...but if you do, great! Also, they tend to look for kids that fit within certain sizes (ex. 3T, 5T, 8 etc.) so if they don't fall within a certain size, they may not be called at the time. Anyway, I'm right with you with the whole modeling thing...could never imagine myself as a stage mom...part of why I was scared off by the whole thing...but, you never know, if others are seeing something spectacular in your baby, quite likely an agency will! I'm still kicking myself for not signing him up when I had the chance...
Check their websites...last year the open call for Ford was in March or April I believe.
.. and good luck!!”
“I just went through this with my eight year old so I have a bit of info. A woman approached my husband on the playground when he was out with our kids and asked him to bring our daughter into the JCrew office to meet the casting people there. She ended up doing a shoot for them and is now the splash photo on the website when you click on 'girls.' She wanted to try it and I didn't object but I'm very glad that she had a blast but said she didn't want to do it again because she had to miss school for it and didn't want to miss any more. But most of the big agencies (Ford, Wilhemina etc.) have child and baby modeling divisions. There are also some agencies geared particularly toward children. One which came particularly highly recommended was Generation. The woman who runs it, Patti, is very good and also a warm and reasonable person. You should just take a photo or two of your baby and email it to the children's department of the agencies you're interested in and see if they respond.
You can also call them and get some guidelines, but they'll probably want to see pictures before they meet with you."
If you have the time to devote, you could get a few fun memories/photos out of it:
"It's a lot of effort for not a lot of $ but it is fun to get the professional photos and the experience out of it. So if you have a flexible job/no job, this can def work, but it's a lot of last minute casting calls, shoots, waiting around, etc. So you and your baby have to be chill af with going w the flow."
"I ultimately didn’t want my life and his to be about being available for auditions at any time and place and to worry about him always looking camera ready. But we had a few fun moments to add to his baby memories!”
And a word of caution about "talent" marketers:
“My good friend who lives in Boston and her tween daughter were approached in a mall by a scout.
The scout told them her daughter would be highly sought after for commercials, etc.
Their service costs about $1500 to have a professional photoshoot and a profile created on their Internet database, where she is supposedly marketed for opportunities. Supposedly, around 200 talent agents, casting directors, and talent management companies work with them. Any actual fees from jobs would be split between herself and the talent agency that contacts her as the talent marketing company itself is not an agency themselves.
I dont know how the field works but it sounds fishy to me. If you are interested in modeling, etc. don't you just go straight to an agency? I am suspicious that as this company has no material benefit if her kid gets any jobs- all they really want is for her to pay them $1500 bucks for a photo shoot...I would appreciate any insight. I would hate to see my friend get swindled!”
Response to the above story:
“Please advise your friend NOT to move forward with this 'talent' marketer. It is a way to get your friends money for nothing. My husband is a professional fashion photographer and I'm an art director.
We have both worked within the industry for many years and know for a fact that this is not how it works. I really hate hearing people get scammed especially when it comes to children.
You're also correct in saying if her child wants to get into modeling she will only need to deal with an agent who would typically receive 20% not half. There is no need to pay or sign with a 'talent marketing company.'"
Child Model Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does this bill do? | This bill amended various sections of Law so that child models are now considered Child Performers and are provided with the same protections. |
| Who is a child model covered by this new legislation? | Print and runway models under the age of 18 who live or work in New York. (Models in film and TV are already protected as child performers. ) |
| Does a child model need a permit? | Yes. Child models must have a Child Performer Permit issued by the Department of Labor before they begin work. A Child Performer Permit is valid for 1 year and is free. |
| Does all print and runway modeling require a permit? | No. A permit is not required if the modeling occurs: at any church, academy or school as part of regular services or activities or in an annual graduation exercise; in a private home; or in any place under the direction, control or supervision of the Department of Education. |
| How can a child model obtain a Child Performer Permit? | There are two ways to get a permit:
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| What information is required on the application form? | A child model’s parent or legal guardian must provide the following information along with certain attachments. See the application instructions for more detail.
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| Where should I send the completed application and attachments? | Send completed permit application forms to: New York State Department of Labor |
| Must a child model be a good student? | A parent or guardian must provide evidence that the child model is maintaining satisfactory academic performance or is no longer required by law to be in school when applying for a child performer permit. |
| Must a child model meet health standards? | There must be proof from a medical professional that the child has been examined within the last year and that the child can model without harm to his or her health. |
| Where do the child model’s earnings go? | A parent or guardian must set up a trust account for a child model and an employer must assure that at least 15% of the child model’s earnings are put into that trust account. |
| Must an employer have a permit? | An employer who engages a child model to work in New York State must have a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Department of Labor prior to employing a child model and must notify the Department of Labor at least 2 days before they are going to employ a child model. A Certificate of Eligibility is valid for 3 years. |
| Are the work hours of a child performer restricted | The total daily and weekly hours worked by a child model must be limited, depending on the age of the child and whether or not the child is required to attend school. For specifics regarding print or runway model working hours see the LS 559. |
| Why does the new law permit a child model to work during school hours when the old law provided that a child model could not work during school hours? | This law provides more protections for child models than the old law. With regard to education, the law provides for adequate schooling and considers the academic standing of each child. |
| Does a child model need a tutor | When the child attends public or private school, employers must provide for a child performer’s education while the child’s school is in session and when the child is not otherwise receiving instruction due to his/her employment schedule. Instruction must take place from the 1st day of missed educational instruction through the remainder of the child’s employment in the production, if the child was guaranteed 3 or more consecutive days of employment or from the 3rd day of missed educational instruction through the remainder of the child’s employment in the production. |
| What if the child model is from a different state or country? | A child model that works in New York State must fulfill the educational requirements of his or her home school, even if it is located in a different country. |
| Can a child model be alone on a set or runway? | No. A responsible person, designated by the parent or guardian, must be at work with the child model if the model is under age 16. |
| How does the law address eating disorders? | As part of the permit application, the Department of Labor gets a certification from a medical professional attesting that the child model is fit to work. The Department of Labor also requires that a parent or guardian review certain information about eating disorders before applying for a child performer permit. |
| What happens if an employer does not comply with the law? | The Employer’s Certificate of Eligibility may be suspended or revoked. In addition, the Department of Labor may assess civil penalties of up to $1,000 for the 1st violation, $2,000 for the 2nd violation and $3,000 for the 3rd violation. |
| What happens if a parent/guardian does not comply with the law? | The Department may suspend or revoke a Child Performer Permit for good cause. |
| Will the Department be promulgating new regulations before the new law takes effect? | No. The Department of Labor has determined that no new regulations are necessary to implement the new law. The Department's existing Child Performer regulations already covered certain child models. When the new law takes effect, the Child Performer regulations will apply to all child models. |
| Which regulations will apply to child models when the new law takes effect? | The Child Performer regulations will apply to all child models. The Department of Education regulations for child models promulgated on December 3, 1962 will no longer apply after the new law takes effect. |
| Where can I find more information? | You can find many more FAQs, forms, and other information for child models on our website. |
To successfully complete the 15-Day Online Permit Application, you must print the permit from your computer printer after you enter all the required information. This temporary permit will allow the child performer to work for 15 days. This gives parents time to complete, document and mail their application to obtain a standard 1-year Child Performer Permit. All other applications are submitted by mail.
(Children that are home or distanced schooled are not covered by these same requirements, but must meet educational criteria required by education laws.)
14 beautiful girls and guys from the world's advertising posters who turned out to be Siberians - October 2, 2018
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Novosibirsk is well represented on the world's fashion catwalks. Russian models are generally considered one of the most hardworking, and Siberian girls are also among the most beautiful. Moreover, Siberian model personnel are in demand both in Europe with America, and in different parts of Asia. Even in distant Australia, models from Novosibirsk are sent to work. The SHE correspondent gathered 15 Novosibirsk citizens who signed contracts with world-famous fashion brands. You definitely saw them in advertising, but you don’t know that they are ours.
Elmira Abdrazakova. Contracted with Colin's. Age: 23 years old. Model parameters: 86–60–92. Height: 175 cm. Eye color: blue.
Elmira Abdrazakova - "Miss Russia - 2013". As a reward for winning the competition, the girl received 100 thousand dollars, as well as a car and an apartment in her native Mezhdurechensk. The Mother's Valor award was also received by the model's mother, Olga Pshenichnikova. But Elmira's pages on social networks after the competition were filled with negative comments and insults from representatives of radical circles. The reason for criticism was the girl's nationality, her place of birth and even her appearance.
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Pavel Ankudinov. Collaborated in China with Harley Davidson and Tommy Hilfiger. Age: 30 years old. Model parameters: 100–80–97. Height: 190 cm. Eye color: gray-green.
Pavel was a promising master of sports in swimming and a champion of various competitions, but he went into modeling.
Representatives of various agencies constantly advise Pavel to lose weight and reduce muscle mass, but he does not go for it. According to the young man himself, he wants to bring a real masculine touch to the modeling business and inspire designers to create brutal collections.
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Anna Brushnevskaya. Represented the Gucci brand. Age: 16 years old. Model parameters: 79–59–88. Height: 181 cm. Eye color: brown.
Anna got her first job before graduating from modeling school. On the day of her graduation at this school, the girl flew in an airplane under her first modeling contract. The first trip ended with a collaboration with the fashion brand Gucci, which chose Anna as the new face for glossy shoots.
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Taisiya Demidovich. Represented the Calvin Klein brand. Age: 16 years old. Model parameters: 90–64–95. Height: 179 cm. Eye color: blue.
Taisiya entered the modeling school at the age of 13 after seeing her friend attend classes at Elite Stars.
Four months after graduation, Taisiya signed a contract with one of the international agencies, and at the age of 15 she went abroad. The debut work of the girl was a collaboration with the famous brand Calvin Klein.
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Olga Zhukova. Photographed for Alexander Wang and H&M. Age: 22 years old. Model parameters: 80–60–88. Height: 176 cm. Eye color: brown.
Olga came to study at a modeling agency at the age of 11. From the age of 14, the girl lives according to this schedule: she leaves for 3 months to work abroad, returns home for a month and a half to see her relatives and deal with her studies, and flies away again. She always has two suitcases ready: one with summer things, the other with winter ones. Zhukova currently lives, works and studies in Los Angeles.
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Alexander Kazakova. Collaborated with Panasonic. Age: 21 years old. Model parameters: 84–58–85. Height: 173 cm. Eye color: gray-green.
Alexandra Kazakova signed her first contract after flying to Japan. It was there that the most memorable shooting took place: at the age of 18, the girl played the role of the mother of two Japanese children for an advertisement for Panasonic. Now Alexandra has the eighth international contract.
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Alexandra Karpova. Represented Chanel in Malaysia. Age: 26 years old. Model parameters: 83–57–90. Height: 180 cm. Eye color: gray-blue.
Alexandra grew up as a notorious Iskitim teenager. At the age of 15, her mother persuaded Alexandra to send photos to one modeling agency, but they did not pay attention to the girl there. A year later, Karpova was noticed in Elite Stars and offered to participate in the Miss Siberia 2009 contest. True, they immediately warned that it was unlikely that she would become the winner. The competition, the agency explained, can be used as preparation for a future career. At the show, Alexandra was noticed by a representative of an international modeling agency, and from that moment her modeling career began. For the last 6 years, the girl has been living between London and New York: you need to constantly fly to various shows.
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Victoria Kin. Filmed for Columbia in South Korea. Age: 18 years old. Model parameters: 80–57–88. Height 174 cm. Eye color: hazel-green.
Victoria's career began thanks to her parents, who gave her daughter training at a modeling school for her birthday. The girl was not afraid to combine an international career and study in the 11th grade.
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Victoria Kuznetsova. Worked in China for the Boy London brand. Age: 17 years old. Model parameters: 90–57–85. Height 170 cm. Eye color: gray-blue.
Victoria Kuznetsova made her first step towards the modeling industry thanks to a photographer who found her on a social network and invited her to shoot. After various photographers advised the girl to go into the modeling business. Victoria got into a new wave of world fashion for platinum models. Her haircut, which was the result of an experiment with excessive hair coloring, made her stand out from the rest. At the moment, Victoria's body is decorated with 5 tattoos, which usually interfere with the development of a modeling career, but the girl's face, according to photographers, is so unique that it already overlaps everything else.
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Ekaterina Polyaeva. She has worked in China with Dior, Prada, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Giorgio Armani. Age: 29 years old. Model parameters: 87–60–91. Height: 180 cm. Eye color: hazel-green.
The first casting in New York was not easy for Polyaeva: hundreds of applicants and a lot of Russian girls who are considered the most diligent and hardworking in the modeling business. But Ekaterina was lucky: she passed the auditions of well-known brands - Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs, however, she did not manage to participate in the show. But from that moment on, the “real fashion week” began for the girl: during the day - preparation for the show, at night - trying on and fitting dresses. I had to sleep 3-4 hours a day. And so 7 days a week.
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Yulia Prilepova. Represented Dolce & Gabbana and Alta Moda in Italy, Dolce & Gabbana in the US and Louis Vuitton in Hong Kong. Age: 28 years old. Model parameters: 82–58–89. Height: 178 cm. Eye color: gray-blue.
In 2008 Yulia Prilepova became Miss Elite Stars. This title is awarded to the best graduates of the modeling school based on the results of training and international castings.
During the 10 years of her modeling career, the girl has repeatedly shot for Vogue Italia, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, as well as for the brands Dolce & Gabbana, Alta Moda and Louis Vuitton.
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Olesya Romanenko. Filmed for Samsung in South Korea. Age: 27 years old. Model parameters: 77–57–83. Height: 169 cm. Eye color: blue.
Olesya Romanenko is a model with non-model short stature. However, it is in demand in all model markets - from Asia to Europe and America. In the West, she is called the “new Kate Moss”, and the girl’s friends are Natalia Vodianova, Russell Crowe and Milla Jovovich. The SHE correspondent talked to Olesya when she visited her parents in Novosibirsk in the summer.
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Mark Saveliev. Collaborated with Levi's and Puma in India, Armani and Van Laack. Age: 25 years old. Model parameters: 107–77–97. Height: 187 cm. Eye color: blue.
During his school years, Mark did not even think about a modeling career, but wanted to go in for sports. The manager of Elite Stars approached the young man with an offer to try himself in the modeling business right in the store. In 2017, Mark Savelyev became one of the most popular male models in Novosibirsk.
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Maria Stupina. Represented Chanel in Singapore, Marella and Bronx and Banco in Italy. Age: 21 years old. Model parameters: 85–61–90. Height: 177 cm. Eye color: blue.
Maria was advised to try herself as a model by a photographer friend. At the age of 15, Maria entered the model school with the sole purpose of getting rid of her shyness. But in the end, the girl became one of the most sought-after models in Europe. In 2018, Maria Stupina represented Novosibirsk at the Miss Russia 2018 contest and entered the top 50 most beautiful girls in Russia, according to the organizers of the show.
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Maria Shubina. Photographed for Adidas and Dolce & Gabbana in China. Age: 21 years old. Model parameters: 88–61–92. Height: 182 cm. Eye color: blue.
Nowadays, it is rare to see a model with a short haircut, perhaps that is why Maria once stood out from the rest. In 2015, the girl was offered her first international contract, and the first who supported her in her decision to conquer the fashion world was the rector of the NSPU Institute of Arts, where she studied. Since then, Maria Shubina has visited 4 countries, in each of which she worked for 2-3 months. Not so long ago, the girl returned from a business trip under a contract with a Japanese agency, as a result of which her face got on the pages of the Japanese magazine Elle.
See also:
“No matter how they call me names.”
The beautiful Siberian became Russell Crowe's girlfriend - she was belittled because of her appearance, but everything changed.
Dmitry Puchnin, stylist from New York; the attitude of Americans towards Russians; how to get a visa to the USA - August 3, 2022
In New York, Dmitry not only built a successful career, but also found personal happiness
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Dmitry Puchnin, a native of the Pomeranian hinterland, hairdresser and make-up artist, has been living in New York for 5 years. Dmitry collaborates with well-known modeling agencies, American photographers and glossy magazines. In an interview with 29.RU, our fellow countryman told how he escaped from a small village to a big city, where they go for a dream. He also answered whether the political situation in the world influenced his career. Dmitry also shared with us the details of his personal life - in America he entered into a same-sex marriage.
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In this video we briefly tell the story of Dmitry Puchnin's success
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Dmitry Puchnin was born in the village of Brin-Navolok, Kholmogory region. Since childhood, he had a craving for creativity: the northerner loved to draw, knitted and embroidered. After school, he discovered hairdressing - he entered the technical school of technology and design in Arkhangelsk.
Dmitry is 34 years old, he started his career as a hairdresser in the Arkhangelsk region
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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As our fellow countryman says, until the 11th grade he did not even know that there was a profession of a hairdresser.
— If I had known that it would be so interesting, after the 9th grade I even left school and would have gone to study, — says our interlocutor.
By the age of 34, Dmitry Puchnin has gained worldwide fame in the beauty industry. But he came to this, of course, not immediately. The first clients appeared in a student hostel, and the northerner worked out the technique on friends and acquaintances. Having gained experience, the hairdresser began working with models at photo shoots, creating images for the participants in the Miss Arkhangelsk beauty contest.
After gaining experience in Arkhangelsk, Dmitry moved to St. Petersburg. For about 7 years he worked at L`Oreal, became a creative partner of the Matrix brand. In parallel, he developed as a make-up artist.
Dmitry was also engaged in teaching activities - he taught other people hairdressing
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Working in the Matrix team gave the stylist new opportunities and access to the world level. Dmitry flew with author's seminars in Russia and European countries, starred in the Big Opera project on the Kultura TV channel, worked on the international Fashion One channel, where he talked about trends in the beauty industry.
In 2016, the stylist received the "hairdressing Oscar" - he won the prestigious Russian Hairdressing Awards competition. After winning, he decided to emigrate to the US on a tourist visa.
— When I moved to America, I was not afraid to return, — Dmitry says. - I knew that I had a client base in Russia, I made a name for myself there, I had a great life, there was a lot of wealth. But I realized it was time to move on. Again, some people flee to America when they could not succeed in Russia, and they believe that everything will be fine there. I do not support such stories.
The stylist was awarded for the best female commercial look
Photo: russian_hairdressing_awards / Instagram (banned in Russia)
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Before moving to America, Dmitry traveled extensively in Europe. He told why he chose New York for life.
— I often flew to Paris, Spain, Portugal. I never wanted to stay anywhere, I didn’t feel like I belonged. When I first flew to America, it naturally started from New York. And I seemed to immediately be at home, fell in love with the city. The energy of New York is mine. Los Angeles and Miami did not come to me: you can relax for a few days, but not live.
When Dmitry first saw New York, he immediately felt at home there
Photo: from Dmitry Puchnin's archive
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New York, according to Dmitry, is a city of freedom and opportunities for self-expression. When he first visited here as a tourist, he was surprised: almost every day people come out with posters for something, freely express their dissatisfaction.
“You can even boldly send three letters of the president,” he says.
Thanks to his achievements in Russia, Dmitry Puchnin received a "talent visa" and was able to work in the US legally. The first months were not easy, as the stylist admits - he practically did not speak English.
— There was an option to go to Manhattan without English, or stay in the Brooklyn area, in the Russian community, and never learn English. I chose the first option. There is a Russian salon, but the clients are Americans. I had a notebook: 15 adjectives, 10 nouns. Shorter, longer, lighter, darker... And with the help of creativity, I juggled these words and communicated with clients.
- The Russian guys here create cool images. With our background, even without knowing the language, we can do better, more, better than American masters with perfect English.
In his work, the make-up artist focuses on minimalism and naturalness
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Dmitry changed several salons, gradually increasing his earnings and expanding his client base. This year he began to work for himself - he opened his own studio.
His talent and his vision of beauty made him a sought-after master in New York: the stylist creates looks for models for shooting in glossy magazines, and cosmetics brands themselves send him their products.
- New York is not America, just like Moscow is not Russia. They come there for a dream, and you can make it come true if you work hard. New York has taught to sell itself, to create a beautiful picture in order to get more money, - Dmitry Puchnin explains his success.
In New York, Dmitry works with famous models
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Creates fashion images for them
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Dmitry Puchnin admits that he was scared during his career in Ukraine. According to him, Russian establishments began to be boycotted in New York: the Taste of Russia store had to remove a sign because of this, and attendance at the famous Russian Samovar restaurant dropped sharply. Politics also affected the modeling business.
- In the very first days there was such a flow when Russian models were removed from work. My friend from Manhattan was also removed. I began to worry that there would be a decline in clients: 70% of my audience are Russian-speaking people, half of them are from Ukraine, Dmitry recalls.
However, the conflict between the countries did not affect the work of the stylist, and there were even more clients - Ukrainian women who use the services of Dmitry moved their families to the States.
— Clients from Ukraine began to bring their mothers, sisters and other relatives to me so that I could restore their beauty. For most women, beauty services are like a psychotherapy session, especially if they have gone through a serious test, whether it be evacuation or parting with a young man.
Among Dmitry's clients there are many Russians and Ukrainians
Photo: from Dmitry Puchnin's archive
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According to the stylist, many New Yorkers perceive Russia as "an unsafe country where Americans are treated unkindly." Dmitry himself did not feel the hostility of the Americans.
— There is no such thing as being attacked and shouted after you. In New York and throughout America, people are self-centered, they worry about their own problems and do not pay attention to others.
We also asked Dmitry if the standard of living of people in New York has changed due to Russia's retaliatory sanctions against the US and the rise in gasoline prices. This is what he answered:
- The standard of living was so good that even these indicators did not create a stir and problems. I can safely go to the store and stock up on a grocery basket, as I did before, and I don’t feel a strong price increase. Gasoline has risen in price, we have a car. But there is no such thing that we spend half of the salary on him.
The stylist did not feel the strong impact of the sanctions on his life in New York
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
start of the special operation.
— Trying not to go too deep into everything, because then again we all take care of ourselves so much here, in order to pay rent, you need to focus on this. And I can’t change anything, so I’d better mind my own business.
Dmitry Puchnin is a member of the LGBT community. In New York, he entered into a same-sex marriage with the American Leo, who works as a manager in the largest shopping center in the city. The stylist met her future husband on Tinder.
- For some, this is a one-night stand, but I know many families who met there. I have always been for starting a family. Maybe due to the fact that he himself had a lack of it to some extent. Yes, and without a family in a foreign city is hard, - Dmitry admits.
Men support each other in everything
Photo: from the archive of Dmitry Puchnin
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Our friend met Lio for 3 months, after which the couple decided to sign - same-sex marriages are allowed in the USA. The man spent his honeymoon in Mexico.
“We try to talk a lot with each other about our problems and experiences,” Dmitry says about his relationship with his husband. - He supported me when I started working for myself: it was difficult to leave the comfort zone. He said that his income would be enough for housing and food, and gave me six months to start my project.
The couple shares household duties equally
Photo: from Dmitry Puchnin's archive
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Renting an apartment - $3,000 a month - Dmitry and Lio pay equally: they rent a three-room apartment in Coney Island, 5 minutes walk to the ocean . Spouses do not have problems with the distribution of household duties.
— Calm arrangement: if I come home early from work, I can cook food, lay out laundry, and so on. He does the cleaning. I am a creative person, I have everything scattered, but I know where everything is. And for him it is important that there is a level of the hotel: everything is clean, white, nothing superfluous.
Dmitry treats her husband's niece Amelia as if he were his own daughter. She and her mother live with their spouses. The girl often appears in the stylist's video blog on Youtube.
- We are a very close-knit family, we go to the beach together, we do each other's makeup. He prepared Amelia for September 1, braided her hair, took her to school with her mother, because her father practically does not participate in her life.
