Introducing Rachel Rose Scott

Growing up in a small town in Louisiana, Rachel Scott always knew that she belonged in New York City. Although modeling wasn’t her goal at first, her mother often suggested that she maybe consider it. “I look exactly like my mom,” she says. “We’re like twins.”

At the age of 16, while riding home from school she heard a radio announcement about a Pro Scout model call. Although she previously had doubts about joining the modeling industry, she jumped at this opportunity. “The open call was at the local Holiday Inn. I made it through the first round. At the second round I met the booker for Elite Model Management and he signed me that day.”

While finishing high school, Rachel made frequent trips back and forth from Louisiana to New York. “It was tough. I missed a lot of school. I missed my first day of Senior Year because I was shooting in New York.” Soon after, Rachel moved to Harlem and lived with roommates. “I stayed in the model apartments a few times,” she said. “But I wanted to be independent.”

She and a fellow Elite model spent 2 months in Hong Kong, walking in Market Week shows for designers such as Calvin Klein, Valentino, and Versace. She also booked a campaign for the Hong Kong version of Forever 21. “Being in Hong Kong was a culture shock,” she recalls. “The language barrier was really difficult. One client got really mad and screamed at me because I couldn’t understand what he wanted me to do. In Asia they want you to copy exactly what you see in the inspiration picture. You can’t add your own interpretation.” Rachel also walked in a few shows for the Spring/ Summer 2010 New York Fashion week, one being Rebecca Minkoff. She describes the fashion week experience in one word: Crazy.

It’s been 4 years since Rachel first started her career with Elite. She’s currently signed with Race and in the next 5 years Rachel says she would like to go to college and major in English or Creative writing. “Id also like to have a serious relationship,” she said. “I’ve never really had one because of my career. In 5 years I’d like to try being a normal person [laughs]. But definitely still live in New York City.”

by Jasmine Pierce

IMTA: scam? window of opportunity? blessing?

We were fortunate enough to attend the IMTA awards this past week that where held at The Hilton Hotel on 53rd and 6th Avenue.

This being our first physical interaction with IMTA gave us a lot of mixed signals and different opinions, this is how our evening started and how it developed:

When we arrived we were taken to a back room with an open bar, we saw some models, bookers and other fashion industry insiders. Our first impression was this is quite the small award ceremony compared to VH1 fashion awards (if you remember those). Talking to presenters that were giving out the awards for model of the year (female and male) we saw how they were discovered during this convention.

We took a walk through out the halls and saw aspiring models, and other young people that think that they can model when the reality is completely far from the truth.

They escort us to the VIP section at the dinner, and to our surprise we see around 3,000 guests at this dinner, everything from scouts, bookers, agents, photographers, coreographers, models, aspiring models, aspiring actresses, parents, guests...WOW it blew our mind away the great impact this convention has on the American culture and the whole world for that matter.

At our table we had the pleasure to meet some models that are signed with Whilemina and Elite Model Management, they actually got discovered at this event a few years go.

We ran into bookers from M4 Model Management in Germany, Ford Models, Elite, IMG, Major, Whilemina, Beatrice in Paris..well a lot of important names in the industry. Surrounded by tables with major players in the scene and talking to them apparently it all comes down to the final rounds of MODELS OF THEY YEAR (female and male).

The ceremony starts, there are some performances by some young aspiring musicians, which I have to say they were NOT good at all, except for this phillipino brother and sister who blew our minds away with their voices...young men aspiring to be the next Justin Timberlake, or the next Yianni (famous piano player in case you do not know!)

We can see how IMTA is a business, they feed off of the dreams of hundres, THOUSANDS of young men and women around the globe with the "opportunity" of getting their foot into stardom. The scence of "scam" comes to our heads...but the slowly we start seeing how 1 out of 500 actually has potential, and is that 1 person that makes a complete difference, either if he or she is a model or actress.

By my left side I see this older gentleman sitting down enjoying his cheesecake, and slowly I notice how every agent in the room waved or came by to pay his/hers respects. This was no other than a huge producer for TV and MOVIES that is there with the sole purpose of seeing who is the female/male model of the year and also to see what potential there is for the acting division competition. Now this competition for actors is quite impressive, the most impressive category was the kids division...the kids that won their categories...WOW!! You could see an 8 year old little boy nailing to perfection his role, this is what this gentleman was looking for.

We started talking to this producer which we will call AL, he started telling us about how he has been attending this conventions for 23 years and has discovered talent for famous TV shows and BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES, he did not give away names as for confidentiality of his clients, but I can see this guy is not joking around. Even though IMTA is a well oiled machine that charges around $5,000 dlls. to each contestant to participate, it is what they claim to be...A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.

Now after numerous awards for dancers, singers, actors...the awards for MODELS OF THE YEAR start, this is what we are here for...with the question mark in our heads...is this for real or is this just a scam?

Well ladies and gentleman its as real as it gets, we had the opportunity to see amazing talent walking down that stage, faces we will see in NUMERO, V MAN, VOGUE, COSMOPOLITAN, NYLON, GQ to mention a few, gracing runways of Paris, Milano, New York...I mean the talent they brought to this competition took my breath away, I got to see FIRST ROW how young men and women from all over the country came as an aspiring model and left as an agency model.

IMTA is definitely an opportunity to shine and learn, do not miss the chance if you have it.

For more information on IMTA please do not hesitate to email us at info@somw.org

You can also visit their website: www.imta.com

High Fashion Mom

My name is Samantha Quarrier, I am from a very small town named Crestview in the panhandle of Florida where I was born and raised. Just as in the movies, I was the ugly duckling, the one no one let sit down on the bus ride to school, always having my hair pulled was tripped in the hallways, last chosen to play any school yard games. I grew up with a large family of five brothers and three sisters.

My sisters and I were adopted when I was an infant. My biological mother was a drug addict and has a lot of physiological issues. I had a happy childhood, and yet I always felt out of place. When I was around 14 or 15 I received a postcard from Barbizon school of Modeling. I asked my mom multiple times to at least attend the search, finally my persistence prevailed. I looked around at all the girls that were the same age as I, all with their beautiful faces, skinny and tall. I had the height, but nothing more. Needless to say, I was invited to attend the classes that they specially engineered to help build basic makeup, proper etiquette and runway skills.

As time went by I was more interested in modeling, so I went to a model competition just get an honorable mention, then another to receive runner up to the winner. I went to Miami to test with Elite model management of Miami. At this time I turned 16, and was at what I thought was my prime, a couple years went by with my fluctuating between trying to model, or acting. I went to California after working with an acting coach for almost a year and a half. After finishing the showcase I decided to finish my schooling and then pursue the modeling. As I turn 18 I was just out of high school and ready to become the top model of the U.S. if not the rest of the world. It was a close friend of mine that told me if I wanted to model then I should just go for it. I then got back in touch with Elite Miami, to who was bought out and now had all new agents. I went and was turned down because I wasn’t the look they wanted to keep in Elite Miami.

I came back home crushed because I felt as though I still wasn’t good enough for anything. I was constantly watching my weight and keeping my hopes up, keeping my eyes open for any new searches, or opportunities. Over a period of time, I went through a lot of different jobs but not one of them leading me anywhere. I was working at an upscale restaurant as a hostess. I sat a couple at a booth, explained the menu specialties and before I could walk away, the man spoke to me offering his business card. He explained that he was a photographer from the area and was interested in hearing from me. I politely took it and put it in my purse and proceeded to work. When I got home that night I looked at the card and googled his name and found that he was legitimate. That following morning I called and set up to meet with him to discuss having a test shoot. I knew I had found the break I was waiting for. When I went to the office, I found he was in business with his mother who just so happened to be a mother agent for local models. Immediately they were interested in finding me a great agent to sign me to.

There were only a couple of months and I was off to New York to show my look book to as many agencies as I could. Then finally after walking the city, I walked into Race Model Management and felt right at home. I was only to be in town for a week, so I needed to work fast. Immediately I was set up with test shoots and had great reviews. I was asked to stay for a bit longer to see how well I worked. Almost immediately I was picking up a few modeling jobs. All along keeping in touch with my friends and family in Florida, as well as promising my father I would still make it to his banquet .I told him I would be there to assist at the end of the month, as well as telling my boyfriend at the time that I was to be home soon. As work got to be slow I took the opportunity to go home. It was only to be for a week tops. When I got home, it turned out that I stayed a bit longer than anticipated. Then I was expecting a baby and the father of my child went into the Navy, so I stepped away from my dream, and out of the modeling lime light for my pregnancy.
Now that I have had my baby boy, being a model is back in the picture. I know it will take a lot of hard work to be back in the shape but I am willing to push myself to start again. He is a beautiful baby boy, so curious of the world around him.

Being a mother and having the father of my child in the Navy, it’s as though I am a single parent. The modeling door will be open for him when he gets a little older if it is what he would like to do. Since modeling is a day time job, I am going to try and peruse it again. My new dream and goal is to model in Europe for tear sheets. I believe modeling is almost the best way to travel and meet new people, I know it’s the best way to make friends. It helps build character and make you a stronger and more independent person. My confidence has come light years from when I first started modeling. Nothing should ever stop you from pursuing your dreams and reaching your goals.