We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Valeria Goroh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Valeria below.
Alright, Valeria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?
In the modeling industry, having an agent or agency is crucial for building a career. Every professional model begins by searching for a mother agency, which will manage their portfolio and secure contracts globally. In some cases, the agency may also represent the model in a specific city. For example, if you’re living in Los Angeles and signed with NEXT, IMG, FORD, STORM, or WOMEN, they will not only help you build your career and find contracts internationally but also offer work in the Los Angeles market as the local agency. Your mother agency can be located anywhere in the world, but if you’re just starting in the industry, I would recommend looking for a mother agency in your home country. This might help with better communication and understanding, in my opinion.
One of the most important criteria when choosing an agency is its reputation. It’s easy to verify this nowadays; simply open the Instagram account of the agency you’re interested in and see how they operate. A good mother agency should focus on development, so pay attention to which countries and agencies their models work with, and which models they represent. If you’re serious about the industry, you likely already have an idea of what a professional model should look like. You can also reach out to models represented by that agency and ask them about the pros and cons.
The main criteria for a model are height—5’8″ and above, a distinctive, memorable face, and a clothing size of 0-2. I want to emphasize that I’m referring to classic female standards on the global market, but these measurements can vary depending on the country where you’ll be working. For instance, in Asia, you can be in demand with a height of 5’7″, and in Turkey, models with slightly larger frames are often preferred. On the global market, curve models are also popular, and their size requirements differ.
The best way to find an agency is through models.com, where you can find agency rankings by country. Just send your polaroid shots to the agency’s email, and if they’re interested, they will definitely respond. My current mother agency is the Spanish Number Model Management. It’s my second mother agency; they reached out to me on Instagram, and that’s how I signed a contract with them.
Valeria , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Everything started with my deep interest in the modeling industry. I come from a very small town, where no one discovered me on Instagram, and no one invited me to castings. One day, after watching “America’s Next Top Model,” I decided that I wanted to pursue the same path. I began searching for any information related to the industry, found working models, and reached out to them to ask all the questions I had. Then, I chose an agency that I liked. My appearance was different from the models represented by that agency, and I realized that I didn’t look like a model. So, I first lost the extra weight, and my face changed significantly as a result. Only then did I reach out to the agency. They responded and invited me to their office, and I signed a contract with them after I finished high school. My parents were against me missing classes, so I had to wait a couple of years. I have been working as a model for over 7 years, having been contracted in Italy, Spain, Japan, Germany, China, Taiwan, Korea, France, Turkey, and the USA. I’ve appeared in magazines such as ELLE, VOGUE, GRAZIA, TATLER, MARIE CLAIRE, and INSTYLE. I’ve also worked on advertising campaigns for brands like Comme Des Garçons, FILA, Esprit, Stradivarius, New Balance, Faberlic, Elegance Paris, HUI Milano, and many others. For most models, magazine covers are considered the greatest achievements. To get on a cover, you must go through a major casting process. That’s why I am most proud of my covers for ELLE, FLACON, Aeroflot Style, and Fiercive. I would advise models to always remain professional in their work. Yes, sometimes it gets very hot on set, and sometimes it’s freezing. Of course, you should inform the client if something bothers you, and if it can be changed, the client will do everything possible to make you comfortable. However, it’s important not to ruin the shoot or create drama because of it. The modeling industry is very small, and it’s easy to gain a reputation as a difficult or demanding model, which no one will want to work with.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
If I had known about the existence of models.com, it would have made my search for my first agency much easier, as well as my overall understanding of the industry. The best and most current shoots for global publications, runway shows, rankings of top agencies, mother agencies, and more can all be explored through this website. It helps you stay on top of trends and always be informed about the latest industry news.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
What I love most about this industry is its beauty. For me, the most valuable aspects are freedom and self-expression. Fashion allows you to make a statement, to craft your own style. I’m talking about creative projects where you and a team work for free to build your portfolios, pushing boundaries to create something entirely new that could eventually become a trend. It’s about bringing the most incredible ideas to life. Fashion is art, and everyone involved in the industry is an artist, each contributing their unique vision. Through fashion, we don’t just follow trends; we set them, shaping culture and influencing how the world perceives beauty and individuality.
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Image Credits
PURITY RING CAMPAIGN
ZEFIR SILK BRAND SHOOT
TATLER
TEST SHOOT