THE MEN'S DIVISION AT FORD: A veritable who's who in the world of male models

By Karen Essex

Male modeling has never been so exciting and so competitive as it is now- from the chaotic scenes in Milan to the "prestige and required" appearances in Paris to the thrills of making it in New York. What kind of male model look would fashion demand next season?

Ford seems to have the right answer: "A complex set of relations between photographers, magazines, clients, and modeling agencies determine the look for models in any given season....To remain competitive modeling agencies must contribute the right model to this network of photographers, magazines, and clients.

HUGE SUCCESSES: The Ford Record Speaks for Itself- Proving that they were right from the very start is a long list of models who have been at the top. We can start with 3 names Ryan Burns, Axel and Ben Bonnet)

_The Gucci fragrance ad featuring a younger Ryan Burns.

First on the list of recent successes is Ryan Burns. Burns amazes his audience with his sensuous yet dangerous looks and indeed having captured the Gucci project, the label will never be the same again. Even now, he is still one of the most sought-after male models in the world. With his Spruce cover & Wallpaper shoots, he seems to be getting more and more selective with his work.

Another name is the  "Teutonic" charms of someone named Axel who still ruled the House of Karan. His Valentino shoots with top models Karolina Kurkova and Caroline Ribeiro is as playful and as sensuous as anything the conservative Designer ever did.

_ModelWatch's favorite Ben Bonnet.

Finally, the name Ben Bonnet is synonymous to a sexy, matured and intelligent man. Yet,  Mr. Bonnet (Armani, Levi's, Esprit) continues to be an enigma.

Ford Model Management is an institution in the world of modeling and fashion. Their influence is beyond doubt, their ability to captivate the imagination of the most influential in fashion is simply their way of doing things.

To be more precise, they "don't follow trends, they set them". Continuing this tradition of excellence in model management is its Men's division.

As models.com commented:

"With powerhouses like Axel and Ryan Burns holding down the fort and newcomers like Ryan Pilstl and Michael Gandolfi brimming with promise, Ford's Men's Division has stabilized to being a fixture in the business.

If Ford scouts you, feel very comfortable in the fact that here is an agency which over the past year has managed to uncover vital new faces currently captivating fashion's most powerful movers and shakers."

The Agency: A Brief History

"Ford Models, started in 1946 by Eileen and Jerry Ford, created a new kind of global industry based on beauty.

Eileen and Jerry began the business in their home and went on to create the world's most recognized and respected modeling agency.

Katie Ford took over in 1995 after working in the agency for 16 years. Her goals have been to continue Ford's position as an industry trendsetter...

In addition to the New York City headquarters, Ford has offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Scottsdale, Toronto, Paris, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Ford has expanded into the Chicago market in 1999.

Divisions include Women, Men, Celebrity, Sports, Classic, Commercial Print, 12 plus, Fit, Children and Teen, as well as talent and music management...."