Amores Model Seach Today at Angelika Mockingbird Station

Amores Model Management is having its first model search event today at Mockingbird Station!  From 2-7pm, girls and guys ages 16-24 have the chance to be discovered.  Girls must be between 5 ft. 8 in. and 6 ft.  Guys must be between 5 ft. 11 in. and 6 ft. 3 in.  Come by the Angelika Pavilion to get discovered or to enjoy the party!  I got the chance to interview Luis Basteri, the Agency Director at Amores Model Management.  Find out what makes Amores different!

Small 4 Style: Tell me a little bit about why and how you started Amores Model Management.

Luis Basteri: I have a background in television production that transitioned into talent management, based upon the connections I made on that side of the business. I reached a point where I knew I loved representing and managing models/talent but I wanted to do more. Working in a market that is very set in their ways with a more traditional approach can be a little difficult, so I explored other opportunities in model management in other markets. I felt like I needed to bring something new back to Dallas! Dallas is the perfect city to start a new modeling agency in; it's a growing market and I have a strong client base here. Most importantly, we have a team who is actively looking for new opportunities. We’re young and bring fresh perspectives to the market place!

S4S: What makes Amores different from other modeling agencies?

LB: We are the only agency in this market that operates under the most advanced talent booking and management systems available in this industry. We have strong relationships with partnering agencies and clients around the world. Some partners include, and are a part of this year’s Amores Model Search event, are Wilhelmina Los Angeles, Major Models NY and Australia's number one agency Chadwick Models. We have individualized plans for each of our models dependent on their goals and develop a presence for each in the marketplace. I feel that we almost act as a PR agency for these models; we connect them to clients, while still being cautious with their personal brand image so they can be as successful as they can be in a high fashion market. We only represent high fashion models; other agencies in town are more commercially focused.

Our staff at Amores strives to be innovative and makes a huge effort to keep up with the world of fashion and stay in-the-know. After noticing a need for a different type of models while working with our clients, we decided to extend our representation and management for the new Special Bookings division. We connect our elite group of influencers and digital lifestyle personalities to local and global brands while managing their appearances, bookings and advertising.  We are the only agency in the Southwest that extends this service!

S4S: Could you explain the Special Bookings division?

LB: We noticed a need in the marketplace for representation centered on digital influencers and now manage a hand-picked group of fashion, beauty and luxury lifestyle personalities. By connecting these individuals to clients we work with already, and exposing them to new brand partners, we’re able to strengthen their brand image. We can oversee each of these personalities’ professional growth, management, marketing and branding, while exposing them to opportunities that may be similar (and very different at times) from that of our model roster. I started to notice that clients were seeking out models that had a strong social media base, which would often result in higher booking prices and negotiations for social media posts representing the client’s brand. That’s how our Special Bookings department came to be.

S4S: How did you meet Lisa Petty and Cynthia Smoot to get them involved?

LB: Lisa and Cynthia are Dallas’ top digital lifestyle influencers. You can't represent the top elite group of influencers if you don't have the very best!

S4S: Describe the ideal Amores model in a few sentences.

LB: High fashion models must fit into sample sizes. For women, they at least need to be 5’9” and men at least 6’. We aren’t looking for your traditional model; we look for someone with a little edge. Personality is a big plus!

For our Special Bookings division, we select talent based on web aesthetic, content appeal, reach and fan base.