'Modelling is an ugly business'

Premier, a UK prestige modelling Agency, has opened its doors for Channel 4 and in the immortal words of James St James, 'It's not all sequins and cocktails, kids!'

The fly on the wall series promised to be somewhat of a backstage pass into the modelling world and its deliberate focus on the intense fashion week period -six weeks of money, madness and mood swings- offers a unique portal into the fashion business from the perspective of those behind its curtains rather than in front of the press pit. I eagerly anticipated The Model Agency but equally expected to find myself at odds with its message and the personalities it showcased. The documentary style offers plenty of inane office chat and shows the inner workings of 'the desk' to be no different to any other office environment. Carole White, the founder and office manager, is amongst the staff members to gush about the 'big family' dynamic and the depth of feeling they all have for each other underneath the banter and bravado. However, bitching often reaches dizzying heights with tension between commercial and editorial staff making for draining viewing at times.

Amid the minutiae of daily office life the word 'fat' is thrown around like it's going out of style as office members pore over photographs and criticise every 'flaw' in a manner verging on the reptilian. Yet, in Wednesday's episode a commercial model visits the office for a meeting with her booker only to find the entire desk openly gawping at her obvious lack of flesh and loudly gossiping about her thin legs which one staff member has difficulty looking at. They profess concerns on camera about the amount of weight she appears to have dropped since joining the agency a year ago. It's this lack of association made between the bookers' willingness to talk about the models as commodities and the models subsequently making drastic changes to fit the profile that leaves a sour taste.

The first episode honed in on Annie. As the Head of New Faces she's responsible for girls as young as twelve who find themselves scouted by a member of Premier's staff and subsequently put onto the books for 'nurturing' until they're ready to be 'launched' in a catwalk season at around the age of sixteen. India Farrell is the new model they suspect will be a 'breakthrough girl' and they've packed her off to New York alone to meet with design houses for fittings and bookings. As it transpires that young India is having second thoughts about a future in the modelling industry the whole office seems to go into emotional hyper drive. Annie spends almost the entire episode on the phone, weeping uncontrollably to this kid and stating manipulatively, 'I love you', 'I've looked after you since you were a baby' and 'I don't want you to regret this'. The cherry on the cake of this tasteless show of inappropriate emotional attachment was when Annie claimed to be closer to the young models than their own parents. If this series isn't a clear caution against taking your pretty daughter for a walk-in appointment at Premier I can't imagine what is. These flamboyant displays of 'care' and 'concern' turn to frustration and anger as the sixteen year old India decides to put an end to her modelling career and return home after experiencing illness, homesickness and the unpleasant experience of a New York agent calling her 'fat' to her face. It would be interesting to know if the same amount of energy and tears are spent by Annie on the girls who are dropped from the agency after initial promise doesn't turn into earning potential. I'd be interested to see if the series addresses the plights of models who've experienced the polar opposite of star treatment but I suspect the makers of The Model Agency will play it as safe as possible.

Annie and Carole from The Model Agency

When they're not using words like 'nurturing' and 'launching' as though each model is a fragile, dependent fledgling being cast into the fray, there's unsavoury talk of 'money girls' and 'show girls'. Somewhat sinister references to young women as commodities abound throughout - feminists beware! As news hits the office of India's decision to leave modelling, Premier co-founder Steve White is stunned at the notion that a sixteen year old with the potential to earn ridiculous money has instead chosen to live a 'normal, regular teenage life'. If he took the short time necessary to consider the significant self-esteem issues that can arise as the result of living life within strict physical boundaries where you can be rejected from a catwalk job on the grounds that your hipbones are too broad, he might have an easier time comprehending her decision.