Elite Models

Interview with Neal Hamil - Director of North America,
Elite Models

In the world of modeling, very few agencies have the recognition, respect and reputation of Elite Models.
With over 30 years of experience processing over five million bookings, Elite remains at the forefront of the industry. Some of the most recognizable names and faces to ever grace the fashion and entertainment industries began their careers in the Elite family. From current cover girls Alessandra Ambrosio, Monica Bellucci, Jessica White and new stars like Coco Rocha, to icons Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, Andie McDowell, Linda Evangelista, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Tyra Banks and a never-ending list of others.
The empire is overseen by Neal Hamil, and he shares his thoughts on modeling, success and beauty.

Author: Jonathan.L - Owner Models Observer
March 2009.

* Neal, how are you?

Neal Hamil: I am much better now, thank you! Brad and I came back from a lovely three week Holiday at our place down in Texas.....rested, tanned and ready to tackle 2009 - but two days later I slipped on an icy sidewalk and broke my back in two places. But that was January 11, and as the story went around the World and came back, the word is that I am in a wheelchair for life and paralyzed from the waist down! I suppose I am a medical wonder because I only spent about 5 days in bed and wore a brace for 6 weeks and am as good as new! I credit my rough and tumble Texan blood line for my FULL RECOVERY! HA !

* So, what attracted you to the modeling industry in the first place?

Neal Hamil: The beauty, the glamour the fame and the fortune! And, frankly, the challenge and the hard work and the girls...I love love love love love love the girls!

* What is the vision of Elite Models?

Neal Hamil: The team at Elite is making Elite cool and good and fierce again- and....it's working!

* You've turned Naomi Campbell into a supermodel as president at Ford Models. Please tell me about it.

Neal Hamil: Naomi was already Naomi when she came to me at Ford and we made a really good team, and I loved working with her. I know her and I respect her and I care about her and I still look at her and cannot believe my eyes at the "majorness" that is Naomi. She is a force of nature. I adore her.

* Recently, Elite has opened the doors of its first London office. How does a global model agency with so many branches manage its financial operations as a cohesive whole?

Neal Hamil: Elite is two companies. There is Elite North America which is based in NY, which I run and there is Elite SA which is the European branch which is based in Paris. I am only concerned with Elite in North America but NY is the epi-center! There are model schools and academies and pageants and shops selling merchandise with our logo on which have NOTHING to do with Elite Model Management in NYC. There are people who masquerade as scouts for Elite on social networks...it is un-ending! But with the internet it is very easy for consumers to confirm our involvement; or lack thereof; in any of these enterprises or people can just call us up on the phone and ask us!
* Elite expands within the U.S. as well. Tell me about Elite's young branch in South Salt Lake, Utah. How do you choose partners for success? How do you allocate resources for maximum impact?

Neal Hamil: When Stacey Eastman at Pulse Management in Salt Lake found Ali Stephens and brought her to Elite NY and then a few more great girls immediately thereafter it was clear we needed to be in business with him. We opened a Scouting Office (our first ever) in Salt Lake in this amazing new development called "Market Center" which is a 500,000 million dollar, multi-city-block, state of the art, mixed-use project and we, Elite, are the first tenants. The future of this development and our involvement in it is really exciting as a complete state-of-the-art film production studio is a part of this project. Remember..."High School Musical" was filmed there in SLC and...in fact, at Ali Stephen's high school! We got our roots down deep and very early on. We just hosted a charity event at our offices there on Valentine's Day called " Hearts for Huntington's" which was a major success. We're very proud of our SLC office and we are very excited about the future of the region.

* What do you look for in a potential model? What is "the look" that the market wants today?


A few of Elite leading models: Alessandra Ambrosio, Coco Rocha, Monica Bellucci, Ana Beatriz Barros, Jessica White.
Neal Hamil: I think people are reaching back to what came before and what is proven or that they are trying to innovate. I looked at Style.com and there are new girls in these shows ... some who have not the makings of a model with any real staying power. One girl, for example, had the shortest neck I have ever seen on a model in a top show. Ridiculous. You get what you pay for and I don't think some of those ladies were getting paid very much! Not that models are thinking they won't get out of bed for less than 10,000! That's not at all what I am saying. I think the top girls have been really generous and supportive and giving and understanding and kind in these uncertain times but I would not blame them if they did not want to be tossed into the mix with girls who are CLEARLY not in their league. Image them as athletes..........you get it, right?

* What is your biggest challenge in working in the modeling business?

Neal Hamil: The biggest challenge ...... unprofessional and unserious and delusional people who are not very nice on top of that! Thank GOD they are few and far between! This business is really fun and cool and almost everyone is great and smart but there are a few and they are dreadful and make it miserable for everyone...and I would think for themselves as well.

* "Beauty is worse than wine - it intoxicates both the holder and the beholder" (Aldous Huxley). Being surrounded by heavenly beauty for decades, what do you think?

Neal Hamil: Wow....what a great quote...well..I suppose I am wine-o then!

* What do you like about being a manager?

Neal Hamil: I like the process of seeing someone for the first time as a brand new model who begins to take hold and get some success and then see it just explode. That is the whole story for me.

* What is a work day like for you?

Neal Hamil: I wake at 7 and am on to Europe at 7:30 until 9:15 when I leave for the office and I work like hell all day and then around 11:30pm I plug my blackberry in to charge, grab Brad and our three dogs and head to dream land!

* What are your hobbies?

Neal Hamil: I love my dog. I love collecting art and we have begun a really good collection which includes Richard Avedon, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Tamara de Lempika, Mark Flood, Robert Rauschenburg, Rusty Arena, William Betts, Ryan Geiger......etc. Art is our great love. And our dogs!!!!

* Which trends do you think will intersect with Elite? How are you going to take advantage of them?

Neal Hamil: Dree Hemingway, Vanessa Triana, Lydia Hearst, Roisin Murphy, Jenny Shimizu, Rachel Williams, Yasmin Le Bon, Emma Balfour....and VERONICA WEBB...that is a trend-convergence-intersection that makes my head spin and I really love it that super cool people like Katie Grand and Rad Hourani get it.

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