Model And Celebrity

It’s not unusual to hear people outside of the fashion industry questioning our collective taste in models. As any fashion fiend knows, the industry is often trying to defy convention, so common traits are hard to pinpoint. We often find ourselves, even, trying to figure out why certain models are more successful than others, especially when people we’d expect to be very popular are much less so than their peers. What’s the reasoning behind this, we wonder?
To find out, we went straight to an expert in the field: Kristen Bolt, a scouting and development agent at the acclaimed Marilyn Model Management in New York City. Having worked with some of the coolest models in the industry, Bolt has a killer eye and really knows what differentiates a good model from a great one.

When you're scouting for models, what are the first things you notice and pay attention to?

"I like a girl who has personality—someone that can look me in the eye. They have to be genuine, too. I love it when a girl sees modelling as [more than just a job] and as an actual creative outlet—those are the girls that really keep me interested."



What physical traits stand out to you most when scouting? What's most important to you about someone’s body?

"Physical traits vary—I think what’s really important is that the girls own their physical traits. When I’m scouting, I tend to like girls that have wide eyes and a strong nose, wild hair, and beautiful skin. A girl who looks 'expensive' can often look very plain to the naked eye. Many successful models are not what is considered to be typically pretty—they tend to have an ethereal quality that is indescribable and hard to place."

What personality traits signal to you that someone would make a good model?

"Modelling is an exciting job, but a proper career takes time to develop. This requires a girl that has confidence and work ethic, but she should also be someone who knows how to have fun! A designer will often ask a model to run through the looks before a show—this can be tedious, but [with the right person] it can also be a great way for them to bond and for the model to get to know a collection. Set life is not always glamorous, either, so models need to be athletic and have stamina. They tend to be moving around on their feet all day long and need to be constantly engaging, too."

When Theresa May unexpectedly and rather suddenly replaced David Cameron as prime minister of the U.K., journalists scrambled to find out more about her personal life.

Ms. May has always been a very private person, but one little-known fact about the new leader has come to light: She is one of the many public figures who favor a small village on the river Thames just outside Reading and about one hour’s drive from central London.

When she’s not in her Westminster flat or at her new home at 10 Downing St., Ms. May and her husband, Philip, have a weekend retreat in Sonning, where their neighbors include Boris Johnson, the new foreign secretary who campaigned for Brexit, and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

Another famous resident is Uri Geller, the eccentric Israeli-born illusionist, who has been lived in Sonning since the 1980s, but he is trying to sell his £15 million mansion ($19.8 million) —which was modeled on the White House— and move back to Tel Aviv. Even singer Taylor Swift and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have reportedly considered buying another home in the area.



However, perhaps Ms. May’s most glamorous neighbors to date are George and Amal Clooney—the A-list actor and his lawyer wife bought a nine-bedroom mansion in Sonning around two years ago.

The home, known as Aberlash House, dates to the 17th century, sits on four acres of land and boasts a spa, swimming pool, tennis court, boathouse and a separate cottage. They had been renovating the estate at a rumored cost of £20 million ($26.4 million) and are thought to have moved into their new home in April.