If I asked you to think of a model, you’d probably think of Kate Moss. She’s the archetypal supermodel and her career has been a wonderful success. And it’s mostly down to Sarah Doukas, founder of Storm Management, who made Kate Moss into the brand she is today.
When Doukas left school, it was before she’d finished her A-Levels. Her father told her she was going to “come to no good” unless she did something useful, like a typing course. Her response: “I’m never gonna do that.”
Sarah threw herself into the world of work, starting as a tout in Kensington Market. She tried modelling for a while, when her flatmate was a photographer, but didn’t really like it. After that, she dabbled with a few different businesses; managing a punk band in London, starting an antique stall in Paris and a children’s clothing company in the US.
An independent spirit
Throughout all these different ventures, she had made sure never to be someone else’s employee. It’s very obvious she’s fiercely independent.
But, on returning to the UK from the States, she broke her own rule, trying a job at IMG as a model agent. For three years, she learned the ropes of the agency trade – but she could never be satisfied working for someone else.
“I’d never wanted to work for anybody since the day I left school. I always wanted to do my own thing.”
And so, she did. With a little help from her friend Richard Branson (yes, that one!) she set up her own modelling agency. Her business, she says, is based on people.
Storm’s primary goal, we’re told, is to give young models longevity. Credit: Laura Cain.
“You need to keep your staff enthused by doing new things. We just opened in LA six weeks ago. That’s great for my staff!”
Quite the away-day. Her formula in business, she says, is to blend the old and the young together in the office, taking the experience from the former and putting it with the creativity of the latter. But, most importantly, “they have to like each other.”
Looking after the newbies
Sarah has to think carefully about how she treats the young talent. New models, often under 18, need a little nurturing. This is where Doukas draws upon her own experiences. For example, she’s a mother.
“It gives you a huge understanding. You start thinking: ‘if this were my 16-year-old, would I send them to the East End of London in winter at 7 o’clock? No, I wouldn’t.’
“You’re automatically very aware of all those things. For example, they’re in school and that’s very important. We don’t take them out of school.
And, of course, Sarah knows only too well the feeling of being a young model; self-employed, full of insecurities and depending on looks for work. So it’s important to make things clear to the new starters from the off.
“We talk about the pitfalls, we talk about the fact that this is a strange business; you’re going to hit rejection, you’re not right for every job. We try to give them some education about the business.
“I couldn’t do this business if I didn’t like people and I’m very astute if there’s something wrong or if there’s someone unhappy.”
Knowing what to look out for
But, of course, she is there to do a job. Doukas certainly knows what she’s looking for. She smiles as she tells us: “it’s like being a porcelain dealer. I know what the camera likes.”
When it comes to finding models, Doukas says ‘it’s always this amazing crazy one-off.’ Credit: Laura Cain.
And in case you’re seeking a modelling career, reader, here are the basics: “strong cheekbones and jawline, aquiline nose and slightly wide spaced eyes.”
(An aquiline nose, of course, is one with a thin bridge.)
It’s clear that one of the features setting her apart is this ability to spot the right people. Not everyone can be a model, and in fact Sarah argues that the people we might think are attractive passing us in the street are usually no good.
“It’s always this amazing crazy one-off,” she grins. “My eye works like a camera.”
And if she could change anything…
She wouldn’t. Sarah makes it clear that, though things could have gone more smoothly, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Everything that’s happened to me in my life has been great for dealing with Storm. We’re still here.”
And going strong. We could maybe have pressed her to give us a proper answer, but she doesn’t seem like one for changing her mind.
She has no regrets, so we thought we’d better not make one out of this interview. That’s a storm we wouldn’t want to bring on!
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Standfirst
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Headline“My eye works like a camera”: Storm Management’s Sarah Doukas on her ‘complex’ industry
Short HeadlineThe agent who discovered Kate Moss
StandfirstThe headstrong businesswoman tells us about her life, her business and what makes a good model.
If I asked you to think of a model, you’d probably think of Kate Moss. She’s the archetypal supermodel and her career has been a wonderful success. And it’s mostly down to Sarah Doukas, founder of Storm Management, who made Kate Moss into the brand she is today.
When Doukas left school, it was before she’d finished her A-Levels. Her father told her she was going to “come to no good” unless she did something useful, like a typing course. Her response: “I’m never gonna do that.”
Sarah threw herself into the world of work, starting as a tout in Kensington Market. She tried modelling for a while, when her flatmate was a photographer, but didn’t really like it. After that, she dabbled with a few different businesses; managing a punk band in London, starting an antique stall in Paris and a children’s clothing company in the US.
An independent spirit
Throughout all these different ventures, she had made sure never to be someone else’s employee. It’s very obvious she’s fiercely independent.
But, on returning to the UK from the States, she broke her own rule, trying a job at IMG as a model agent. For three years, she learned the ropes of the agency trade – but she could never be satisfied working for someone else.
“I’d never wanted to work for anybody since the day I left school. I always wanted to do my own thing.”
And so, she did. With a little help from her friend Richard Branson (yes, that one!) she set up her own modelling agency. Her business, she says, is based on people.
Storm’s primary goal, we’re told, is to give young models longevity. Credit: Laura Cain.
“You need to keep your staff enthused by doing new things. We just opened in LA six weeks ago. That’s great for my staff!”
Quite the away-day. Her formula in business, she says, is to blend the old and the young together in the office, taking the experience from the former and putting it with the creativity of the latter. But, most importantly, “they have to like each other.”
Looking after the newbies
Sarah has to think carefully about how she treats the young talent. New models, often under 18, need a little nurturing. This is where Doukas draws upon her own experiences. For example, she’s a mother.
“It gives you a huge understanding. You start thinking: ‘if this were my 16-year-old, would I send them to the East End of London in winter at 7 o’clock? No, I wouldn’t.’
“You’re automatically very aware of all those things. For example, they’re in school and that’s very important. We don’t take them out of school.
And, of course, Sarah knows only too well the feeling of being a young model; self-employed, full of insecurities and depending on looks for work. So it’s important to make things clear to the new starters from the off.
“We talk about the pitfalls, we talk about the fact that this is a strange business; you’re going to hit rejection, you’re not right for every job. We try to give them some education about the business.
“I couldn’t do this business if I didn’t like people and I’m very astute if there’s something wrong or if there’s someone unhappy.”
Knowing what to look out for
But, of course, she is there to do a job. Doukas certainly knows what she’s looking for. She smiles as she tells us: “it’s like being a porcelain dealer. I know what the camera likes.”
When it comes to finding models, Doukas says ‘it’s always this amazing crazy one-off.’ Credit: Laura Cain.
And in case you’re seeking a modelling career, reader, here are the basics: “strong cheekbones and jawline, aquiline nose and slightly wide spaced eyes.”
(An aquiline nose, of course, is one with a thin bridge.)
It’s clear that one of the features setting her apart is this ability to spot the right people. Not everyone can be a model, and in fact Sarah argues that the people we might think are attractive passing us in the street are usually no good.
“It’s always this amazing crazy one-off,” she grins. “My eye works like a camera.”
And if she could change anything…
She wouldn’t. Sarah makes it clear that, though things could have gone more smoothly, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Everything that’s happened to me in my life has been great for dealing with Storm. We’re still here.”
And going strong. We could maybe have pressed her to give us a proper answer, but she doesn’t seem like one for changing her mind.
She has no regrets, so we thought we’d better not make one out of this interview. That’s a storm we wouldn’t want to bring on!
