The polaroids are dry and the nail biting is over, as the winners of Marketing
Birmingham’s Rising Stars modelling competition have been announced. After an
intensive modelling workshop at Premier Model Management in London, Laura Powell
and Richard Carr have been chosen as the ‘Faces of Birmingham’.
Nineteen year old Laura Powell from Shirley was spotted by a photographer for
Marketing Birmingham and asked to enter the competition. She says: “Kate Moss is my
favourite model and if my modelling career took off like her’s I would be ecstatic. This is
the first time that I’ve entered a modelling competition and I am so happy that I’ve won
I feel like crying! We had a fantastic day at Premier with all of the other contestants who
are lovely. I’m so shocked that I’ve won – this is a once in a lifetime chance and I’m
delighted to represent Birmingham.”
Richard Carr is a 26 year old bar manager from Birmingham. In the summer he took to
the catwalk for a friend’s graduate UCE show and admires David Beckham’s sartorial
elegance. Richard heard about the Rising Stars competition on Heart FM and knew that
he had to take a chance and enter. He says: “I entered Marketing Birmingham’s
competition as I thought that - if I won! - it could be a launch pad to not just a
modelling career in Birmingham but for anywhere in the world.”
From the hundreds of entries to the modelling competition, Marketing Birmingham and
Premier Model Management modelling agency drew up a shortlist of six including Emma
Brack, Lottie Morris, Stephen Bourton and Daniel Brown. The candidates spent a day
learning the tricks of the trade - catwalk, studio poses and industry insights from the
agency that represents Naomi Campbell.
Myra Gonzales, Scouting Director, Premier said: “We scour the UK looking for fresh
young faces, so when Marketing Birmingham approached us about finding a male and
female model for their Rising Stars competition Premier were happy to get involved. We
put the six shortlisted candidates through their paces, throwing them real situations and
talking about the reality of a modelling career to see if they have the potential for
becoming a professional model.”
So how did Laura and Richard fare with the model bookers at Premier? Annette
Koomjean, Commercial Booker from Premier said: “I look for models with a spark about
them plus great personalities and Laura and Richard have that in spades.”
Laura and Richard have won £250 Harvey Nichols vouchers and commissions from
Marketing Birmingham to appear in marketing and PR activities. Dave Hodgson,
Marketing Director Marketing Birmingham, says: “The models are the first winners of
Marketing Birmingham’s Rising Stars competition but there are still opportunities to
enter the Young Photographer of the Year, Fashion Designer, Jewellery Designer and
Fashion Entrepreneur categories. Deadlines for these are fast approaching, so check
visitbirmingham.com/stars for further information and entry details.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- Premier Model Management was founded twenty years ago by former model Carole
White and her brother Chris Owen. Today it is a dynamic business and an industry
leader, with a team of twenty staff and a brand name and profile of credibility and
authority in the world of style and fashion.
- Premier Model Management represents over 200 of the world’s top female and male
models, inc a variety of celebrities from film, music and sports world-wide. Premier has
helped build the international modelling careers of Naomi Campbell, Karen Mulder, Kate Hudson, Kirsty Hume, Lisa Snowdon, Claire Forlani, Catherine Bailey, Saffron Burrows, Lisa Faulkner, Rachel Hunter, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alice Evans, Brenda Schad, Olivia Inge, Ana Hickmann, Annie Morton, Jamie Gunns, Padma Lakshmi, Koyuki, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Jenny Frost, Holly Valance, Victoria Hervey, Henry Barnacle, Tony Scheina and Darius.
- Masshouse Developments Ltd, the force behind the landmark Masshouse development at Eastside, has pledged its support as main sponsor for Rising Stars.
Photo caption: Faces of Birmingham Laura and Richard strike a pose.
For images and interviews, please contact Trudi Dunlop on 0121 202 5001 or
email us.
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