Ford Models

Ford Models
Private
Industry Fashion
Founded 1946 (1946)
Founder Eileen Ford
Gerard W. Ford
Headquarters New York City, New York, U.S.
Owner Altpoint Capital Partners (93%) and others[1]
Website fordmodels.com

The Ford Modeling Agency, or as it is known today Ford Models, is an American international modeling agency based in New York City. It was established in 1946 by Eileen Ford and her husband Gerard W. Ford.[2][3]

Company

Ford Models was started in 1946 by Eileen and Gerard W. "Jerry" Ford. Ford was the first company to advance their models' money-owed by jobs that had been completed but not yet paid. The Ford family had the tradition of allowing teenage models who originated far from New York City to stay in their home.[4]

The company was the pre-eminent New York agency until John Casablancas of Elite Model Management opened up in the city, leading to the "model wars" of the 1980s.[5] Ford, like many of the original agencies of the 1970s, now has to compete with a broad field of contenders, such as Women, IMG and DNA.

The agency has represented a diverse list of models and celebrities. In 1980, the company established the Ford Supermodel of the World Contest, which attracted more than 60,000 hopefuls annually from around the world. Today, the contest lives on in the form of the annual V/VMan Ford Model Search run in conjunction with the two Visionaire publications.

History

Eileen and Jerry began the business in their home. Their daughter Katie Ford took over in 1995 after working in the agency for 16 years. In 2007, John Caplan became Ford Models' chief executive officer.[6] After leaving the company, Katie Ford became Global Ambassador for the anti-slavery/anti-human trafficking organization Free the Slaves.

In recent years, the company has diversified through Ford Artists to represent talent in the hair, makeup and wardrobe industries. It has also promoted itself through its social media platform, which includes the Ford Models Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Ford Models has also lent its name to an imprint of Random House books, which created a series of teen novels that served to try and glamorize working with the agency.[7]

Ford Artists and Ford Models

In recent years the company has diversified into other professions related to the fashion industry through Ford Artists. They represent hair stylists, makeup artists, manicurists, stylists, set designers, prop stylists, art directors, and photographers. Ford Artists locations include Chicago and Miami.[8]

In addition to the New York City headquarters, Ford Models has offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Phoenix, known as Ford RBA (Robert Black Agency).[8]

Investment

In 2000, Magnum Sports and Entertainment bought 80% of the agency.[9] In 2007, Stone Tower Equity Partners made an investment in the company.[6][10] Stone Tower was later renamed Altpoint Capital Partners.[11]

Ford models

Ford's clients currently include:[12][13][14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Meet The Russian Fund Manager And Former Merrill Banker Who Gets Paid To Manage Supermodels Archived March 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Business Insider.
  2. ↑ "Biography for Katie Ford". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  3. ↑ Archived February 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Roberta Bernstein (September 8, 1997). "Katie Ford". People Magazine. 48 (10).
  5. ↑ "Living: Come with Me to Casablancas". Time. August 25, 1980. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
  7. ↑ Stephen Gundle (2008). Glamour: A History. Oxford University press. p. 369. ISBN 9780199210985.
  8. 1 2 "Ford Artists Website". Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  9. ↑ Edward Wong (December 13, 2000). "Ford Models Is to Be Taken Over by an Agency for Athletes". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ ZACHERY KOUWE (December 6, 2007). "FUND INJECTS CAPITAL TO AID FORD MODELS". The New York Post.
  11. ↑ No, No, I Said 'Term Loan,' Not 'Turnpike'
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "Ford Models – New York – Modeling Agency – Profile with contact details and their models on FMD – MVA verified agency". Fashionmodeldirectory.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  14. ↑ Actors-Women, FORD/RBA (Scottsdale) Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
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