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.
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