Fashion Stars Who Became Model Agents

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Wilhelmina Cooper would have celebrated her 81st birthday today. Fashion consumed most of model turned mogul’s life as she appeared on over 255 magazine covers throughout the 1950s and 1960s until she passed away in 1980. While she was posing for editorials and advertisements, the Dutch-American model founded her own agency, Wilhelmina Models, in 1967—a time when only a handful of women owned their businesses.

But Cooper wasn’t the only one who switched sides after having a career in front of the camera. A small selection of models have also taken a route similar to the media mogul and in some cases, their paths have crossed. Here, CR looks at others that followed in her footsteps—as well her originator.

Eileen Ford

Ford modeled during the summers of her freshman and sophomore years when she attended Barnard College and subsequently graduated in 1943. Her education prepped her to become employed as a jack of all trades later in life: she was a secretary to a photographer, then a fashion stylist, reporter, and copywriter for The Tobe Report, a publication providing advisory services in fashion, beauty, and entertainment.

With her husband Jerry, Ford opened Ford Models in 1946. Since its beginnings, the agency has represented names such as Martha Stewart, Jean Shrimpton, Jerry Hall, Christie Brinkley, Kim Basinger, Janice Dickinson and Christy Turlington—the latter being one of her most successful models ever. And during Wilhelmina Cooper’s modeling days, she was a part of the Ford roster.

Wilhelmina Cooper

While her first name has become synonymous with one of the world’s most influential modeling agencies, Cooper paid her dues under the lights and in studios, and had that unique insight as to how models work. Tragically, Cooper passed away at age 40 in 1980. In one of her obituaries, Jerry Ford described her massive fame as a model: “Her look was the look of the time. It was simply the look that made her such a success.”

Cooper is credited with introducing some of the most groundbreaking models in the industry like Naomi Sims, Anjelica Houston, Beverley Johnson, Patti Hansen, and Whitney Houston. Today, the agency’s roster has over 2,700 models worldwide.In the 1998 film Gia starring Angelina Jolie as Gia Carangi, Faye Dunaway portrays Cooper as a supportive mother figure to the troubled, drug-addicted model. Cooper had a nurturing approach to many of her models.

Sarah Doukas

Doukas modeled for three years in the 1970s as a teenager after being discovered at an antiques market on London’s King Road. After a series of jobs managing music bands and working at IMG Models as an agent, she knew that she wanted to be her own boss, and in 1987, Doukas founded Storm.

She tells CR: “I had a lot of original ideas and I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and hence I saw a clear pathway to building my own model agency. I wanted to give talent a voice and to nurture artists, and to ultimately support models who wanted longevity and control over their careers.”

Doukas will always be remembered for discovering Kate Moss: As legend goes, Moss was at JFK Airport after a trip from the Bahamas. She and her father had been on standby for flights back to London. Doukas and her brother, Simon, were on the same flight as Moss and as soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, Doukas approached her.

Doukas once admitted, “I didn’t think I was going to change the face of modeling.” But she did. She also launched the modeling careers of Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Cole, and Sophie Dahl. Storm also represents Cindy Crawford, and have recently expanded with Storm Los Angeles.

Jenny Shimzu

Discovered while she was working as an auto mechanic, Shimizu was photographed by Michel Comte in Los Angeles, and was later approached to model in Calvin Klein’s iconic CK One fragrance ads as part of a group of hip, androgynous ‘90s influencers. Klein also tapped her to star in his clothing ads. As a model, she made history: one of the first openly queer models, and the first Asian model to open the show and walk for Prada. She dated Angelina Jolie and Madonna, and she’s married to Michelle Harper, a luxury entrepreneur and brand consultant.

Shimizu once discussed how she can sympathize with the models’ point of view as an Elite Model Agent: “I feel like I understand the girls. I know what happens behind the scenes. I know what it feels like to start show season; it’s like a triathlon.”

Kate Moss

In September 2016, after 27 years of modeling, Moss decided to embark as the head of her own eponymous agency while continuing to do work in front of the camera for certain projects. She said at the launch of Kate Moss Agency, “I don’t want pretty people. I want people that want to sing and dance and act. I want to create stars.”

She would know. After being a standout, highly in-demand model at Storm Management since the beginning of her career, she took those years of experience to create a London-based business in fostering talent. Funnily enough when she announced the launch of her agency, she too referenced the film Gia, and Dunaway’s character specifically (Cooper).

It’s a small (fashion) world after all.

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