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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

14 yo dd model scouted

30 replies

gracieben6 · 05/08/2016 21:06

Was shopping in Topshop on Oxford street today with DD1 (14) , DD2 & DD3 (7). A lady came up to me and asked the age of DD1. I said she was 14 and she asked me if I'd ever considered modelling for her. I said I hadn't and she gave me a business card to call them to arrange a meeting. Have googled agency and it seems well-known and legitimate. I'm worried that DD1 will become obsessed about weight and looks. She is a healthy skinny - she eats healthy and comes on runs with me sometimes. She is desperate to have the meeting but I am a little bit unsure. Any advice from anyone on whether to have the meeting or not would be appreciated Confused

OP posts:
sparechange · 09/08/2016 10:20

My friend and I were scouted at Clothes Show Live in the 90s by Models One

They rejected me at the first meeting, but friend went on to get signed by them, and appeared in a couple of music videos and did some commercial work. It all fizzled out in a few years, and she got on with her life, although she does the occasional thing now for friends who make their own jewelry and clothes, and want modeled photos for their websites. And we obviously occasionally watch the videos on YouTube!

The only thing I would caution about is that scouting does not equal getting signed, and getting signed does not equal lots of work, so if you are going to take this forward, please manage her expectations.

Comments like 'it will help her learn to budget by earning money' aren't useful or realistic - it is very unlikely she will earn much money in the early days, when she is still building a portfolio and not being paid for those days, and then when she does earn, the agency will take a hefty cut for their expenses (including a chaperone if you aren't able to go along with her)

You know her personality type and therefore how well she will cope with rejection, sleazy men, being pressured to lose weight, being pressured to keep up with girls who are older than her, lie about where she is and what she is doing, and all of the less pleasant side of the industry

If not, she could have some work and will have an interesting dinner party story of later life...

90daychallenger · 09/08/2016 10:44

I was scouted by an agency when I was a teenager and went on to do a few fashion photo shoots and adverts. They were fun and I very much enjoyed telling people I was a model but...

...The pressure to look a certain way was enormous, particularly to keep your weight as low as possible.

...The pay was actually pretty shit. For a whole day shoot I'd be paid about £250 (this was the early 2000s) but would usually have to travel to the shoot at my own expense and hand over a percentage to the agency. The days could also be up to 14 hours of sitting around in freezing cold studios wearing whatever get-up they wanted you to no matter how uncomfortable. You couldn't really negotiate more pay or better conditions because the manager would just tell you to get off-set and replace you with another random tall, slim pretty teenage girl of which there are hundreds.

...There were many many creepy men that needed to be almost constantly fended off. Those offering better opportunities in glamour modelling were the worst.

...It's very hard to build a career in modelling because the work is patchy so you need to have another job or juggle it with college. This is okay but then there's a risk you get a reputation as being inflexible and, again, the agency will stop asking you to do shoots if you say no because of other commitments.

...It is horrible for your self-esteem. Many many people will be constantly telling you you're too fat, your legs are too chunky, your boobs are too small, your eyes and too close together, your hair is too short, your toes are too long. I was on a shoot once and the manager looked me up and down and, in front of everyone, said 'What the fuck is this thing?' Sad

Would I recommend doing modelling? Yes, I would. I had some great times with other models and know a few who've gone on to have it as their full-time job (though are now struggling now we're all in our early 30s). I'd say go for it but go into it with your eyes wide open and be ready to quit as soon as it gets too much.

IamNotDarling · 09/08/2016 11:46

I was scouted at 14 and kept touch with the agency until I was 16 and leaving school.

By that time I had discovered beer and boys. Also my 'look' was no longer en vogue. I wasn't prepared to make the changes and I decided to severe ties.

I'm glad I did it.

Mummydummy · 23/08/2016 11:00

I agree with all the comments about modelling as an industry but I would go along and find out - if your daughter is desperate to follow it up. Its perfectly normal to be scouted in Topshop and Primark Oxford Street - it happened to my friends daughter, they signed up with the agency but no assignments came through. That's just the reality - very few get anything come of it (which might be a life lesson in itself). so I would manager her expectations about what will come of it - very likely nothing much. If it did, I think you need to be confident about your ability to support your daughter and make good choices. I do also know someone whose daughter financed her year abroad and some of university with the proceeds of her modelling - which was largely catalogue work and low level magazines. The girl's view was 'its very boring, I'm off to uni..'. And a male friend of mine at college modelled, he was a bit of a twat but he had a nice leather jacket...

JustDanceAddict · 23/08/2016 12:14

I don't think there's any harm going to the meeting as your DD may not be that interested after meeting them, or it may not be feasible for whatever reason - def tell her/them her studies are the most important thing etc. My DD is 14 and that's the approach I'd go for the potential fun/earning element. A friend of mine models p/t, but got into it later in life (does ads mainly) and seems to be happy with it all.

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