Elite held a roundtable discussion with about 12 girls from the agency that morning asking what needs they have, what they want put in place and what’s been missing around safety and security. Some 50 Elite models participated in the Women’s March in January.

She said she wants the Elite models to speak on these platforms. “We’re giving them their voices back, creating social platforms on our web and YouTube to profile each girl.” “For us it’s all about empowerment,” said Boudreau, who has been modeling since she was three years old and continues to model, act and direct films. The company looks to revitalize its business by diversifying its portfolio of talent, offering services through public relations and social media firms, and embracing a revamped web site.

How can we move on? How can we make things right? It’s giving the girls their voices and empowering them to do so.” Casablancas stayed at Elite until 2000, leaving after a BBC exposé about drug use and exploitative behavior at modeling agencies tarnished Elite’s reputation.Īsked how the agency gets over the fact that its founder was accused of having sex with young models, Cayley replied, “There’s no way of saying it. For 30 years he shaped the careers of models who became household names such as Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Iman, Heidi Klum and Gisele Bündchen. He established Elite Models in New York in 1977.Ĭasablancas, who died in 2013, led a playboy’s life and was accused of having sexual relations with teenage models, including a well-known affair with Stephanie Seymour, who was 16 at the time.

In 2004, Eddie and Jules Trump, who are based in Miami, acquired the bankrupt Elite Model Management, which was founded by John Casablancas in Paris in 1972. Once a powerhouse of supermodels, today Elite is operating on a much lower flame, managing 150 models in New York, 90 in Miami and between 60 and 70 in Los Angeles. Vuitton in Hong Kong, Amiri's Prize Finalists, Armani on the Slopesīutterfly Cayley, executive vice president, who formerly worked at DNA Model Management, said they will be taking a poll of all their models in the coming weeks to better gauge concerns and ideas based on their individual experiences. “You have to educate and make sure the models agree with it,” she said. To remedy the situation where a model might find herself in an uncomfortable situation or faced with unwelcome sexual advances, the company is working on developing a code of conduct. We all have a role,” said Josée Néron, chief operating officer of Elite, who joined last March from The Society Management and before that, Marilyn Model Agency. And all of us have to work really hard to prevent this in the future. We have the models, we have the clients and we have the agents. In a roundtable discussion with Elite’s management and two of its models - Nina Agdal and Natane Boudreau - they discussed how they are empowering models to protect themselves in today’s climate and how to use their voices to speak up if they’re faced with harassment or other misconduct by photographers or stylists, or anyone working on the set or runway show. In the wake of sexual allegations against photographers and stylists, Elite Model Management is encouraging its models to speak up.

Elite modeling agency