Talent Spotting: Georgina Toms, Boss Model Management

GEORGINA Toms has just got back from Milan, landing in Manchester at 3am. She’s had little sleep yet looks as fresh as a daisy. That’s because she’s a model.

You know, those blessed creatures that seem to get better with age and late night Champagne-fuelled parties.

I’ve had my hair burnt on a job before too, in France. Thinking back, I vaguely remember the hairdresser putting something in the bin. Turns out it was my hair.

At just 22, Georgina has worked as full time international model for the last six years. “I was scouted by Boss Model Management when I was crossing the road in Bramhall,” she says. “Debra Burns (founder of Boss Model Management) swerved her car round and came and found me in Woolworths. I was 14.” We’re chatting over coffee. Well, I am. Peppermint tea for Georgina I notice. Better for your complexion apparently.

She’s a good girl, our Georgina. Not one of these volatile Naomi or Kate types. More importantly, she doesn’t live up to the stereotype that models are nothing but pretty faces.

Georgina Toms (L) at the Boss Model Management party earlier this month

I last saw you at the Boss Model Management party (click here). It was a very ‘tall’ night. I’m 5’11 and I felt short.

Yes it was very tall that night. Although I’m normally the shortest model when I go out. I’m only 5’8”.

You got scouted at 14. What happened after you finished school?

I went to Tokyo instead of college. It’s harder to get into modeling when you’re older and you can go back to college anytime. I’m actually doing Open University now.

Did you always want to be a model?

No and I couldn’t believe it when I got scouted. I didn’t believe they would take me. You just think it’s weird when you’re that young. But now I’ve been doing it for six years full time and it’s going really well.

Boss is my mother agency but I’m signed up to different agencies in other cities around the world. I’m with Elite in London, IMG in Paris and Milan and other random ones in Spain, Germany and Switzerland.

Where do you get the most work?

My best markets are in Paris and Milan. Italians like the pale skin and Parisians like the beauty – I do a lot of beauty work for things like moisturisers. I’ve done the Agent Provocateur print campaign in stores. I don’t work in England a lot which is good because I’d have to go to London and I don’t like London much. I prefer Manchester.

Do you ever feel like your brain isn’t active enough doing this job?

Yeah – that’s why I started Open University. I’m doing a history degree because I know there’s a lot of reading involved and I can read on the plane. A lot of girls do go back to school because otherwise your brain can switch off. You don’t really have time to think – you’re just kind of moving all the time, like a little doll.

Is it a bitchy industry?

It’s not that bitchy. I’d say office workers are more bitchy. Some people do take it too seriously though in the modelling industry. It can add so much stress if you’re always worrying about whether you’ll get jobs or not. You need to enjoy it.

Georgina Toms at work

Can it be glamourous then?

In some aspects it can be quite glamourous. You get to go to lots of great parties and meet nice people. You get to try nice clothes on and the pay is good so you can then actually go and buy those nice clothes.

The downside is getting up at 3am to get your hair and make-up done ready for sunrise. That’s always fun. It also tends to be famous models that get the free clothes and some of the girls who do the catwalk shows. I get free make-up sometimes, but normally only because they can’t resell it.

Do you have to be healthy to be a model or is it all champagne and cocaine?

I don’t see a lot of drugs actually. You do get groups of people in all walks of society that do drugs. Some models may do drugs but a lot don’t because it does have an impact on your looks. You don’t go out drinking the night before castings and jobs either because you’ll look and feel like death the day after. You need a balance – eat healthily and sleep early. I have a sweet tooth so I do eat a lot of chocolate. I’m naturally slim although I’m sure it will catch up with me.

Do you think models are becoming too thin, generally?

I don’t think models are getting too thin anymore. It’s a lot easier, especially in the UK, for girls who are slightly bigger than the average size model. There is a market for it. They like the healthy looking girls in this country. There is work for plus-sized models too, just as there is for older models. We’re all just clothes hangers at the end of the day.

Have you modeled at any of the big fashion weeks?

I tried to do London fashion Week but I’m an inch too short for the catwalk.

But so is Kate Moss…

I’ve got more curves than Kate Moss though. She’s tiny. I mainly do photography with a bit of film and TV work.

Does it bother you that you don’t get to go on the catwalk?

Oh God no. I was at lunch the other day in Milan and one of the guys had a list of the schedule of shows. It was just overwhelming.

There are easily ten castings per day for shows from 8am until midnight with two hours of waiting around between each casting. After that you’re going to fittings until 3am before getting up for 8am again. Then if you get picked for the shows you have to be up at 5am to get there for 6am. There’s a whole month of all that.

"I'm a very pushy model" laughs Georgina.

Any other modeling horror stories?

Well, I’m a very pushy model (laughs). If they don’t feed me I get upset. I was in one show that was a disaster. They wouldn’t bring us water because there was a drink sponsor - Vitamin Water. But we were there for three days straight so it just got to the point where you couldn’t drink another drop of that sugary water. I had to demand normal water.

I’ve had my hair burnt on a job before too, in France. I only realised the hairdresser had burnt it when I got home and saw the singed bits. Thinking back, I vaguely remember the hairdresser putting something in the bin. Turns out it was my hair.

Once I had a boob tube dress that I had to wear for a three-day shoot. They had to use Cellotape to hold it up. But the lights were burning the tape to my skin so I had to tell them that I wasn’t going to wear the dress anymore. They were begging me to do one more show in it, but I refused.

Didn’t they complain to the agency about you?

No - I complained to the agency. I’ve had my bag stolen on a shoot before too and after I’d finished crying they asked me to carry on shooting, which was nice. I lost my passport and everything but had to carry on.

Do you have to keep up with trends in order to keep getting work?

It’s a lot easier now because it’s more diverse. But there are definite trends a lot of the time. In England they like that dark haired Brazilian look, I guess because a lot of women over here love being tanned and having that look. Italians like pale skin so you get a lot of blonde girls working over there. Japan is the same. I never go to Tokyo with a tan. They love you being as pale as possible.

Who are your favourite models?

I’ve always liked Karen Elson from Boss. She looks great. I used to like Gemma Ward too but she seems to have disappeared.

A photo from Georgina's portfolio

Famous local model Agyness Deyn seemed to appear from nowhere and has done so well. Is it a lot to do with being at the right place at the right time?

Agyness Deyn was working as a model from 14 and she built herself up slowly. It took one break and good marketing. I think she was the look of that moment. It was lucky. Right place, right time, right connections. That’s all it takes. It was the same with Lara Stone.

What are your plans for the future?

I still don’t know what I want to be but I can definitely do this for a long time. I do so much networking that a lot of business opportunities arise. Investing my money would be a good step. You meet all the best connections and become friends with them. One of my friends quit modeling but through her connections she went to work for Tom Ford and then through that she got into a fashion school and now she’s working for Burberry.

A lot of models cross over into acting. Do you fancy that?

I was in a short film which won an award at the LA Short Film Festival. A lot of actresses get their money from their modeling contracts so the two professions can work well together. I’ve actually lost a lot of jobs though because of actresses – normally for things like perfume campaigns. They’re not going to choose me if they can get someone famous. They use models as a backup choice. It can work in our favour too. My friend was a body double for Angelina Jolie in Wanted.

How about TV presenting?

I’ve already done a lot of TV work. I was in Gordon’s Ramsay’s The F Word being taught how to cook. It was interesting. I’ve worked with him before on a shoot for Vogue which was a massive food fight between him and Nigella Lawson. We had to end the shoot early actually because one of the male models hit Gordon Ramsay in the face and gave him a black eye by accident.

What is Gordon Ramsay like?

He’s loud. I don’t know if he was in his work persona mode but he was exactly how he is on TV. Loud. Swears a lot.

You’re back on a plane to Milan after this. I’m not jealous. At all. What will you be doing when you get there?

Milan is like no place in the world when it comes to parties. You get promoters that take models out for dinner and to the clubs. They get paid to bring the models in. They take us to the VIP section and the clients pay for tables and because they want to be surrounded by pretty girls, they bring models in. We’re going to the Formula 1 party on Sunday. That should be cool.

Finally, what’s your dream model job?

I’d like to do a top beauty campaign – maybe L’oreal.

Because you’re worth it?

That and the nice amounts of money of course.

Georgina is a model at Boss Model Management in Manchester. Click here to view her portfolio.

Follow Lynda on Twitter @lyndamoyo