How one app is tackling abuse in the modeling industry
Gisele Bündchen. Bella Hadid. Adwoa Aboah. Karlie Kloss. It’s easy to name some of modeling’s top names and faces. They’re on the covers of glossy magazines, the faces of beauty lines and fashion brands, and the openers for runway shows of fashion’s best and brightest designers. They show off the glitz and glamour of the modeling world, making the life of a model seem luxurious, something to be desired.
But the truth about the modeling industry is actually rather dark. According to a 2016 IBISWorld industry report, only 20 percent of models are represented by big agencies, leaving 80 percent without influential protection. And without that protection many are subjected to late pay, bullying, racism, and unwanted sexual advances (but even models at big agencies can still experience these abuses). Mark Willingham, co-founder and CEO of Agent, Inc., estimates that around 90 percent of models are harassed or assaulted at some point during their career.
It was for these exact reasons that Willingham and Co-Founders Ashley St. Clair and Dustin Diaz decided to create Agent, Inc., and develop a technology platform that allows models to share their experiences and fight back against abuse. After Diaz had a frustrating experience trying to hire models for a book he was working on—in which only 10 of 20 models hired showed up, many of whom were self-represented and couldn’t be paid by credit card—he, St. Clair, and Willingham started to dig into the modeling industry. What they discovered was a lack of evolution in the industry and a lack of responsibility with modeling agencies.
The only answer seemed to be to take the problem into their own hands. “We asked ourselves, ‘Where is the support system for everything?’ and we couldn’t find it,” says Willingham. “People are only talking about the problems. We want people to talk about the solutions.”
And so the trio set off to reimagine the industry and create a platform that improves safety, efficiency, costs (for both sides), and transparency.
Accessible for free via both an iOS app on iTunes and web interface at joinagent.com, Agent, Inc. allows models and agents to share their experiences with designers and photographers, review the conditions they encounter during photo shoots, and fight back against many forms of misconduct. The platform, for example, conducts extensive criminal background and sex offender checks on all of its users—you must pass the checks in order to use the platform to contact or book a model. And, more importantly, the app has a 24-hour support team of fashion industry veterans who are available to help users if they encounter any sort of issues while at a gig. In the works for 2018 is a network of friends and authorities that can quickly respond if issues escalate or if models feel unsafe.
“We are giving value—empowerment—to models. They’re not sitting waiting for jobs anymore,” states Willingham. “But we’re also giving them the safest environment they can have in the industry, allowing them to speak up and get out if a situation arises. Models will be and feel better at their craft when they feel safe.”
When looking for models, clients can use filters to find models that best suit their needs. On the other side, models can rate companies and agents (giving them ratings out of five stars), report inappropriate behavior, secure payments, and control their booking schedules. “Models set their rates, and then supply and demand dictates everything else,” Willingham adds.
Unlike most traditional agencies, Agent, Inc. only takes a 5 percent cut from the client, and a 10 percent cut from the models, which is about 50 percent less than what would normally be taken out. It also ensures a level of professionalism, both from its clients and models. Anyone can get banned from the platform, and there are consequences if either side cancels the gig or if they don’t show up. And those who do show up on time and do good work receive higher ratings, making them more likely to get hired for other gigs or hire someone quickly for their own gig.
The modeling industry is a $1.4 billion dollar industry, but Willingham, St. Clair, and Diaz believe that there is room for growth, and a lot of change to be made. And that they might be the company to do it. “We believe in this company. We believe in this industry. We believe we can change it,” says Willingham.
For more information on Agent, Inc., visit joinagent.com.
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