An Interview with Model Cassandra Tighe
December 21st, 2009 | Published in Fashion Lovers
Words by Christopher Massardo. All photos provided by CoverModels Management. Click here for larger image.
Muse (m-y z) Noun ; the muse; a force or person, especially a woman, that inspires a creative artist.
And what is one kind of muse? Certainly a model.
But not just any model can be a muse. She has to be one-of-a-kind in her features, in her walk, her speech, and her presence.
A model inspires the greatest of creations and is summoned to all points of the globe for her ability. A current muse of mine, and that seems to be in a lot of people’s minds is the lovely Cassandra Tighe. Cassandra stands at a wonderful and true 5′9 ½”, with crystals for eyes, and a body language so classically feminine and so lady like I had to take notice. Whether or not she’s my muse of the moment isn’t of importance, but, that being said, she’s clearly a muse to several influential publications, designers, and agents that are of importance.
Cassandra is 21 and was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Her parents are in the military, which meant “a lot of moving around at first”. Her family eventually settled down in Ottawa, as fate clearly intended. She, like any girl, is social and made friends. “At the time, two of my close friends had been modelling with CoverModels Management for over a year and had been quite successful,” recalls Cassandra, “I just sent in my Polaroids.” From there, as Cassandra says, “The rest is history.” She was quickly placed in Toronto and Montreal, then just as quickly sent overseas to work in Athens. From there it was Tokyo, then Milan, London, back to Tokyo, then down under to Sidney and Auckland, for her third time to Tokyo, and then back to Ottawa to do this wonderful interview with me and to finally have some downtime.
Keep in mind each of those cities she spent anywhere from 2 or 3 months in—the girl has been busy. Her work is paying off and her face can be seen in some obviously brag-worthy material such as Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Cosmo Bride, VonZipper, and fashion weeks all over the globe—just to drop but a few tid bits. With that kind of drive, ambition—and not to mention her stunning portfolio—who wouldn’t want to interview her? I met with Cassandra at her mother agent’s office, CoverModels. I could tell quickly into our conversation that considering how well this girl is doing she is very humble and sweet, but by no means shy. She has a good head on her shoulders and her knowledge of the business is very impressive.
What was your life like growing up?
My parents were in the military, so most of my childhood was spent moving from city to city every few years. Although having to go to new schools and make new friends was difficult at times, it taught me to become a more outgoing and open-minded person, which has helped me considerably during my travels as a model.
Tell me a little about your mother agent.
My mother agent is Viresh Pujara. He has been a great source of support and encouragement throughout my modelling career. CoverModels is such a small agency–Viresh is personally able to dedicate the time and effort required to help develop you as a model. He is always available to respond to your questions and concerns even while you are modelling over-seas. Without Viresh I would not be where I am today.
Have you always wanted to model? What made you say yes?
I had always considered modelling when I was younger but never knew how to get started. I agreed to give it a try after meeting Viresh because he made it simple and convenient by setting up free test shoots and immediately placing me with agencies all over the world. I saw it as a great opportunity for me to travel, meet new people, and make a little bit of money along the way.
What was your first job?
I had just arrived in Athens, Greece where I was placed with X-Ray models. A friend and I were walking around Acropolis when a man approached us and asked if we had time to do a fitting that day for his friend who was a fashion designer. We were a little sceptical at first, but we called our agency to let them know the situation. As it turned out, the man’s friend was a well-known fashion designer in Greece and was preparing her collection for the upcoming Greek Fashion Week. Of course, our agency gave us permission to do the job. We then went to the designer’s house to do the fitting and were served a delicious traditional Greek dinner as a reward for our hard work. It was a great experience for my first job as a model!
How do you maintain relationships while overseas?
I have relied on internet networking sites like Facebook, Hotmail, and Skype to maintain contact with my friends and family during my travels. These sites have been a great help to me over the past couple of years, especially since time differences and cell phone charges can make communication difficult while overseas.
Have you ever had a job or experience that made you think “maybe this isn’t for me”?
I cannot recall any specific experience that made me consider quitting modelling altogether. Of course, every model must endure the criticism and rejection that comes along with the job. When you do encounter a disappointment or setback it is important to keep a smile on your face, think positive, and know that you will be rewarded for your hard work and dedication in the end.
How was shooting the VonZipper campaign?
Shooting VonZipper was a lot of fun. It was shot on-location about an hour’s drive outside of Sydney, Australia. The whole team for the shoot was awesome to work with which really helped to make it an enjoyable day. The owners/designers of VonZipper were there to style and supervise the shoot, which was really cool. The photographer, Ben Sullivan, is a prominent photographer in Sydney. He was great to work with and took amazing shots. Overall, it was an incredible and fun experience.
Where do you pull your inspiration from when you have to be a “role” or play a different character in modelling?
I think all modelling involves a sort of acting or role playing in addition to a great amount of teamwork. At a shoot the stylist usually prepares a collection of magazine tears and photos that serve as a reference for how they envision the shoot. This is usually a great help for me and the rest of the team to get an overall feeling of the shoot and work together to create a unique end product that, in turn, may serve as an inspiration to others.
What would you say in, in your opinion, is the biggest misconception about modelling?
I find that the biggest misconception about modelling is that once someone becomes a model they are immediately offered a big money contract and are paid to fly around the world living a luxurious lifestyle. While a few girls may get lucky and become a top model from the get-go, most spend their first couple of years investing in the business by travelling to different markets in order to meet with clients and build their books. Most people don’t realize that the models posing in magazine editorials are paid little or no money. For many models it is only after a year or two of travelling and editorial work that they are able to book the campaigns and sign contracts that make them a significant amount of money.
What are your plans after modelling?
I haven’t made any definite plans yet, but I’m sure an opportunity will present itself when the time comes.
The interview over, I thanked Cassandra for her time. It was a pleasant and refreshing experience to meet a model clearly on the international rise so level headed and business-focused on her endeavours. At this time, Cassandra is taking some much deserved downtime in Vancouver, where she is represented by LizBell, until she embarks on her next big move.
