Ford Models
Private | |
Industry | Fashion |
Founded | 1946 |
Founder | Eileen & Gerard W. Ford |
Headquarters | New York City, New York, U.S. |
Owner | Altpoint Capital Partners (93%) and others[1] |
Website | fordmodels.com |
The Ford Modeling Agency, or as it is known today Ford Models, is an American international modeling agency based in New York City. It was established in 1946 by Eileen Ford and her husband Gerard W. Ford.[2][3]
Company
Ford Models was started in 1946 by Eileen and Gerard W. "Jerry" Ford. Ford was the first company to advance their models' money-owed by jobs that had been completed but not yet paid. The Ford family had the tradition of allowing teenage models who originate far from New York City to stay in their home.[4]
The company was the pre-eminent New York agency until John Casablancas of Elite Model Management opened up in the city, leading to the "model wars" of the 1980s.[5] Ford, like many of the original agencies of the 1970s, now has to compete with a broad field of contenders, such as Women, IMG and DNA.
The agency has represented a diverse list of models and celebrities. In 1980, the company established the Ford Supermodel of the World Contest that attracted more than 60,000 hopefuls annually from around the world. Today, the contest lives on in the form of the annual V/VMan Ford Model Search run in conjunction with the 2 Visionaire publications.
History
Eileen and Jerry began the business in their home. Katie Ford took over in 1995 after working in the agency for 16 years. In 2007, John Caplan became Ford Models' chief executive officer.[6] After leaving the company, Katie Ford became Global Ambassador for the anti-slavery/anti-human trafficking organization Free the Slaves.
In recent years, the company has diversified through Ford Artists to represent talent in the hair, makeup and wardrobe industries. It has also promoted itself through its social media platform, which includes the Ford Models Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Ford Models has also lent its name to an imprint of Random House books, which created a series of teen novels that served to try and glamorize working with the agency.[7]
Ford Artists and Ford Models
In recent years the company has diversified into other professions related to the fashion industry through Ford Artists. They represent hair stylists, makeup artists, manicurists, stylists, set designers, prop stylists, art directors, and photographers. Ford Artists locations include: Chicago and Miami.[8]
In addition to the New York City headquarters, Ford Models has offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Phoenix, known as Ford RBA (Robert Black Agency).[8]
Investment
In 2000, Magnum Sports and Entertainment bought 80% of the agency.[9] In 2007, Stone Tower Equity Partners made an investment in the company.[6][10] Stone Tower was later renamed Altpoint Capital Partners.[11]
Ford models
Ford's clients have included:[12][13][14]
- Kyla Grandy
- Maud Adams
- Kim Alexis
- Amanda Bynes
- Carol Alt
- Joanna Bacalso
- Caitriona Balfe
- Kim Basinger
- Byrdie Bell
- Gelila Bekele
- Candice Bergen
- Caron Bernstein
- Sara Blackamore
- Christie Brinkley
- Bebe Buell
- Brooke Burke
- Suzy Chaffee
- Nargis Fakhri
- Gina Choe
- Hailey Clauson
- Daiane Conterato
- Anderson Cooper
- Wilhelmina Cooper
- Kate Cordsen
- Courteney Cox
- Yaya DaCosta
- Charlotte Dawson
- Kristine Debell
- Lana Del Rey
- Carmen Dell'Orefice
- Janice Dickinson
- Katarzyna Dolinska
- Dovima
- Karen Elson
- Dani Evans
- Patricia Faure
- Matthew Felker
- Stacy-Ann Fequiere
- Liliane Ferrarezi
- Shandi Finnessey
- Nataliya Gotsiy
- Ashley Graham[15]
- Karen Graham
- Bridget Hall
- Jerry Hall
- Sunny Harnett
- Lydia Hearst-Shaw
- Tippi Hedren
- Paris Hilton
- Kristy Hinze
- Brent Huff
- Chanel Iman
- Elaine Irwin
- Beverly Johnson
- Steph Jones
- Allison Kuehn
- Francisco Lachowski
- Ricki Noel Lander
- Ali Larter
- Natalie Laughlin
- Dorian Leigh
- Amy Lemons
- Noemie Lenoir
- Damaris Lewis
- Nicole Linkletter
- Peggy Lipton[16]
- Ryan Lochte
- Kimberley Locke
- Ali Lohan
- Lindsay Lohan
- Pixie Lott
- Erika Lucas
- Kellan Lutz[17]
- Ali MacGraw
- Gavin MacIntosh
- Elle Macpherson
- Eva Marcille
- Chloe Marshall
- Kim Matulova
- Karen McDougal
- Kristen McMenamy
- Xuxa Meneghel
- Jennifer Messelier
- Ana Claudia Michels
- Naima Mora
- Bridget Moynahan
- Melanie Marquez
- Claudia Wagner
- Carolyn Murphy
- Ajuma Nasenyana
- Kevin Navayne
- Flavia de Oliveira
- Natalie Pack
- Suzy Parker
- Jean Patchett
- Tera Patrick
- Brita Petersons
- Tori Praver
- Bar Refaeli
- Crystal Renn
- Emily Ratajkowski
- Charo Ronquillo
- Amber Rose
- Jennie Runk
- Rene Russo
- Mary Jane Russell
- Jessica Santiago
- Ines Sastre
- Mikaela Schipani
- Monika Schnarre
- Bre Scullark
- Stephanie Seymour
- Brooke Shields
- Jean Shrimpton
- Maiysha Simpson
- Tatiana Sorokko
- Martha Stewart
- Heather Stohler
- Kim Stolz
- Sharon Stone
- Barbara Summers
- Raven-Symoné
- Rosie Tapner
- Fabienne Terwinghe
- Cheryl Tiegs
- Analeigh Tipton
- Ashley Tisdale
- Penelope Tree
- Christy Turlington
- Twiggy
- Agneta Frieberg
- Vendela
- Frederique van der Wal
- Veronica Webb
- Alek Wek
- Spencer Sutherland
References
- ↑ Meet The Russian Fund Manager And Former Merrill Banker Who Gets Paid To Manage Supermodels. Business Insider.
- ↑ "Biography for Katie Ford". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ↑ Archived February 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Roberta Bernstein (September 8, 1997). "Katie Ford". People Magazine. 48 (10).
- ↑ "Living: Come with Me to Casablancas". Time. August 25, 1980. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- 1 2
- ↑ Stephen Gundle (2008). Glamour: A History. Oxford University press. p. 369.
- 1 2 "Ford Artists Website". Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ↑ Edward Wong (December 13, 2000). "Ford Models Is to Be Taken Over by an Agency for Athletes". The New York Times.
- ↑ ZACHERY KOUWE (December 6, 2007). "FUND INJECTS CAPITAL TO AID FORD MODELS". The New York Post.
- ↑ No, No, I Said 'Term Loan,' Not 'Turnpike'
- ↑
- ↑ "Ford Models – New York – Modeling Agency – Profile with contact details and their models on FMD – MVA verified agency". Fashionmodeldirectory.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ↑ Actors-Women, FORD/RBA (Scottsdale) Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Graham, Ashley; Dakin, Gary (May 17, 2010). "Plus-Size Models An Increasing Presence in Ads". Tell Me More, National Public Radio (Interview). Interview with Allison Keyes. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Hutchings, David (April 4, 1988). "''People:Can You Dig It? the Mod Squad's Peggy Lipton, One Marriage and 15 Years Later, Returns to Acting''. April 04, 1988 Vol. 29 No. 13". People.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ↑ "Kellan Lutz". Models.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
18. http://models.fordmodels.com/ and http://fordrba.com/
External links
- Ford Motor Company Latest Models
- Ford Models Blog
- Ford Artists
- fordPROJECT
- Ford Models – New York in the Fashion Model Directory
http://www.fordrba.com