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Amy: a super model in the making

August 6th, 2010 | Published in Fashion Lovers

Words by Maria. Above photo by Kin Chan. Below photos by Jonathon Waiter.

In the sun and warm summer air, Amy G. and I sit on the lawn of a residential home in the West End where we have just finished shooting String Magazine’s August editorial. Amy is soft-spoken and quite a vision with her porcelain skin and smooth, light brown hair. Her eyes dark, her lips heart-shaped, she could easily be mistaken for the ingénue star of a ‘20’s silent film. She has been modelling for less than a year and already she is at ease in front of the camera—although surprisingly, that wasn’t always the case.

Amy G. super model in the making “I didn’t really like having my photo taken before, like in family photos,” Amy states, “but when it came to modelling it was different. I didn’t know that it would come as naturally to me from the start.”

A very fortunate discovery, as she has been—and will be—spending a fair bit of time in front of the lens. Every local fashion photographer is more than willing to photograph her and being only a few days away from heading to New York at the time of our interview, she will be coveted there just the same. Her mother agency, Lizbell, did well by her and easily placed her with powerhouse Elite Models in New York. Talk of her going to Milan afterward is already becoming more official; where no doubt will Lizbell’s international reputation for finding the freshest new faces in Canada hold up.

Amy seems ready to take on the modelling world, though it was never a career goal for her. She’s not given much thought to a career goal in the first place, but at age 15 that’s very much understandable.

“When I was little I wanted to be a marine biologist,” reminisces Amy, “but I think I was just influenced by the Little Mermaid [movie]! I also wanted to have red hair really badly.”

Her laughter at this childhood whim is so genuine that it almost seems plausible that she may have thought it up just a few months ago. Her youth is evident in her demeanour and her vigour, but she has a solid knowledge of the fashion world and the modelling industry she belongs to. When prompted to choose the photographer she would most like to work with, she belts out a long list of names ranging from Patrick Demarchelier to Arthur Elgort. She comments knowledgeably on fashion trends and understands the tough side of the industry—though she is determined to not let it faze her.

“I don’t find that [modelling] takes a toll on my self-esteem because if I’m not right for the job, I’m not right for the job, but I’m right for other jobs,” she says charismatically. “So it doesn’t affect me negatively. I just think, ‘Oh, whatever, next time,’ and shrug it off.”

Amy G. super model in the making Her self-assured attitude may have developed from having practiced Irish dancing competitively for six years. It was also while competing that the idea of modelling first sprung up, when “dance parents” continuously commented on her modelesque physique. Their compliments and remarks on how well she could do in modelling, and the support of her family, are what finally made her decide to give it a try. Some similarities in her story with that of a certain famous model, who also practiced Irish dancing and is from the Lower Mainland, bring a contented smile to Amy’s face.

“[Coco Rocha] is also with Elite,” she remarks, “Hopefully I’ll get to meet her and ask her a couple of questions. I think that that would be very valuable.”

A few days later, looking at the photos resulting from the editorial just shot with her, Amy’s features and body language exude a serenity rarely seen in teenage girls. She transforms herself for every shoot and enjoys the process, adding that she relishes the most in dressing up for the part. She is careful to acknowledge, however, the work that every individual producing a photo shoot puts in, stating that her other favourite aspect of modelling is seeing everyone’s hard work come together in the final images.

Next is getting her on the runway more often to add fashion shows to her expertise, but seeing what’s in store long-term is still a mystery to her.

“[In a couple of years] I’d like to have done a couple of seasons on an international scale at fashion weeks,” she says. “After that, I don’t know. I’m kind of taking it as it comes.”

Published in Fashion Lovers

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