Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Role Call | Ross Young, Head of New Faces

Ross Young, head of new faces at Next Models, says being a good model agent isn’t about grades at school, but how passionate you are about the industry.
Ross Young | Source: Courtesy
By
  • Kati Chitrakorn

There are few sectors of the economy that offer as wide and interesting a range of career opportunities as fashion. Role Call highlights some of the industry’s most interesting jobs and the talented people who do them. For more information about fashion industry roles like this and others, visit BoF Careers.

LONDON, United Kingdom — Ross Young is the head of the new faces division at Next Model Management. After completing an MA in history of art at Glasgow University, in 1999, Young joined an advertising agency as an account manager. Four years later, he joined Storm Model Management where he was responsible for the agency's new faces. In 2008, he left Storm for Next Model Management, which currently represents Arizona Muse, Abbey Lee, Binx Walton, Meghan Collison and Tali Lennox, among others.

BoF: Please describe your current role.

I run the New Faces division at Next Model Management in London. My day-to-day job involves scouting potential new models across the UK. My key responsibility is booking girls who are between the ages of 16 and 21 for editorials, lookbooks, e-commerce, hair and beauty campaigns and fashion shows. As I am working with young girls, they are often still in school or at university, so having an understanding of their life outside of the business is very important. The fashion industry tends to have little interest in whether the models may have a school exam they need to study for or a best friend's 16th birthday party they wouldn’t dream of missing. My job is to work with both my model and my client to ensure the best results.

ADVERTISEMENT

BoF: What attracted you to the role?

After leaving university, I got my first job at an advertising agency in Scotland as a graduate trainee. The hours were long and weekend work wasn’t uncommon, but I learnt a huge amount. The same applies to working in fashion, especially when you look after new faces. My phone is always on and you must be prepared to speak to clients or models late at night or on the weekend. But, it's not a problem, as I love working with people. I couldn’t do a job where I had to sit working on a computer or in the vaults reading books. In the course of one day, I probably speak to about 20 clients. I can honestly say that after 12 years in the business, there has never been a dull moment.

BoF: What is the most exciting project or initiative you have worked on?

I love our exclusive scouting partnership with Sundown Festival. We have worked with the team from the festival's infancy and have watched it grow each year. Every year, I get excited at the prospect of who we might discover, as we have found some very exciting girls during the festival who are in developmental stages. Our industry lives or dies on the strength of a model agency's discoveries, so to be part of that creative process is an exciting thing. Booking the first job of any new model is also a hugely rewarding experience. We build very strong relationships with the girls and their parents, so we share in their excitement when a job confirms, whether it's for a Burberry campaign or a non-paid editorial.

You need to be thick-skinned and have a bold, outgoing personality. Approaching people on the street armed with scouting cards isn't easy.

BoF: How is your role changing? What are the forces driving this change?

One of the biggest changes I have noticed over the past few years is the rise of the celebrity/model hybrid. It’s not always enough to be tall and beautiful, clients are looking for models with extra talents. Whether that skill is singing, acting or dancing, we are always on the lookout for girls with that extra edge. The rise of social media platforms such as Instagram and Viber have meant that girls can build a huge fan base on their own terms. Personality is as important as looks in today's industry and the girls who really connect with clients are the ones who end up booking the most jobs. When times are tough and budgets are cut, clients favour the girls with upbeat, fun personalities. Scouting girls with these kind of personalities is a big challenge.

BoF: Tell us about a time you failed and how you learned from it.

Getting the right balance between your work and personal life is difficult in this industry. Having your iPhone constantly switched on and beside you at all times is standard and makes truly switching off difficult. We work closely with our New York office, so working until midnight each evening is normal, because of the time difference. Working with new faces also means that my role is similar to being a parent, because it’s my responsibility to make sure the girls are happy and safe, whether they are on shoots or travelling to different locations. I take my job very seriously (maybe too seriously) and at times, my personal life has suffered as a result. I’m getting better at juggling a healthier work/life balance.

ADVERTISEMENT

BoF: What advice do you have for people who are interested in doing what you do?

Being a good model agent isn’t about which degree you have or how many A-levels you got at school, but how passionate you are about the industry. If fashion is an industry that you love, don’t give up trying to get your foot in the door. I grew up in a very small village in the north of Scotland and didn’t even know my job existed, but I always loved models, magazines and fashion stories, so I sought out the job.

The industry is tough and fast, and our clients are demanding, so model agents need to think fast on their feet and be able to multi-task. I haven’t met one model agent who would be described as a wall flower.

To be successful, you need to be thick-skinned and have a bold, outgoing personality. Approaching people on the street armed with scouting cards isn’t easy, so you need to be friendly, polite and confident. You never know when you might find the next modelling star and I’ve been known to stop taxis, jump off buses or get on the tube going in the opposite direction, because I caught a glimpse of an interesting face. It’s certainly not a 9-5 job.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

For more information about fashion industry roles like this and others, visit BoF Careers.

Editor’s Note: This article was revised on 23 June, 2015. An earlier version of this article misstated that Karlie Kloss is represented by Next Models. Kloss was represented by Next from 2008 to 2012. She is currently represented by IMG.

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Workplace & Talent
Analysis and advice on the future of work, careers and management.

AI’s Big Bias Problem

Generative AI holds vast potential when it comes to streamlining HR tasks and eliminating manual work, but there are mounting worries about its tendency to magnify racial and gender biases.


The Best Jobs on BoF Careers

Discover the most exciting career opportunities now available on BoF Careers — including jobs from Burberry, Tiffany & Co. and On.


view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections