![]() ![]() From his thoughts on the early days of Elite and its lasting impact on the business as a whole, to his feelings about the perceptions and misconceptions regarding his character, Casablancas offers candid insight into the business behind the glamour. There are, of course, two sides to every story and in this exclusive interview John Casablancas tells his. Even in the litigious world of modeling, the libel suits, investigations, and tell-all books that have stemmed from Casablancas tenure are considered controversial. Stories of inappropriate behavior and clandestine relationships range from his much-discussed relationship with a then-teenaged, Stephanie Seymour, to the accusation that he abused his position as founder. While some remember Casablancas for his skills as a manager, just as many people can recount the scandals of his personal life and the dangerous precedents they set. In our age of political correctness, it is hard to imagine an agency head today who would flaunt a lothario image, much less relationships with his often underage models. When it came to putting a girl on a pedestal and creating an image that translated into top dollars, Casablancas was gifted, but the master manager was not without his demons. More than simply building editorial powerhouses, he had a knack for marketing his girls as crossover stars – a distinction that meant the difference between flash in the pan versus lasting iconic stars. Christie Brinkley, Stephanie Seymour, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Gisele Bundchen, Nadja Auerman, Naomi Campbell: the list of famous faces whose careers were molded by Casablancas reads like a high fashion who’s who. When it came to making stars, Casablancas’ track-record was undeniable. He remains very involved as its Chairman, is hands-on in developing the Brasilian operation, selecting models and developing their career plan. Following semi-retirement after departing from Elite, Casablancas launched Star System in 2009 a fast growing and very promising new project focusing on his passion: Scouting. The current fixation with new faces owes much to Casblancas’ shift towards scouting fresh talent and the launch of search juggernaut, Elite Model Look. Though he retired back in 2002 from Elite, there are more than a few of the moment industry occurrences that can be traced back to him. ![]() By the time Elite Models New York opened in 1977, expanding the company and extending its reach globally, the agency was among the most powerful in the entire world.Ĭasablancas remains an influential presence within the industry, praised as often as he has been derided. Cashing in on his own clandestine reputation and the disco decade’s anything-goes sensibilities, Casablancas offered an alternative to the clean-cut agency standard, personified by Eileen and Jerry Ford, and ushered in a new era. Elite offered not only management, but also a challenge to the industry status quo of the time. What began in Paris at the dawn of 1970s as an exclusive boutique centered around on a few modeling stars, quickly evolved into an international powerhouse focused on finding and developing brand new talent. On the modeling end, no one exemplifies this better than Elite Models founder, John Casabalancas, a man whose 40 year career has been defined in equal measure by triumph and scandal, in many ways mirroring the complex public perception of the modeling business itself. The over the top editors, the diva designers, the larger than life personalities who set tongues wagging and make the otherwise normal art of crafting & marketing clothing a consistently fascinating endeavor. Fashion is an industry dominated by characters: the closer to the top you get, the more you’ll find distinctive individuals whose strength (and weakness) lies in their powerful mix of bravado and business savvy. ![]()
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