Introducing Our New Fashion Film Series BFS – Exploring the New Wave of Modelling with Contact Agency [@contact.agency]

#BFS: Beauty, Fashion, Style.

GUAP presents #BFS films. Every Monday we will be dropping short editorials that explore beauty, fashion and style.

Modelling: The New Wave

The fashion industry is moving on from its model of homogenous faces and bodies and opening the doors to individuality and personality. With this shift the way agencies scout and work with their models is also shifting.

In Modelling: The New Wave, we sat down with James, Emmanuel, Nandipha, Gartruche, TJ and Joanna from Contact agency to discuss what’s it’s like to be a young model today.  

Meet the Models

Gartruche
Style | Top , Angel Chen @angelchenstudio @mayconcepts , Berret , Diana Cavagnaro @dianacavagnaromillinery , @pop_pr_ ,  Earrings, Loveness Lee @lovenesslee @sinistersistersldn

Story | Gartruche moved from New York to London to train professionally in contemporary dance at the age of 18. At 19 they where hosting queer club nights in London which led to walking for numerous fashion shows in London fashion week. Trans rights activism is at the heart of everything Gartruche does. They are constantly fighting for non-binary representation in all kinds of media.

Nandipha
Style | Top & pants, both Ashley Williams, @ashleywilliamslondon @thelobbylondon
Scarf, Victoria Ragna @victoriaragna @pop_pr_ , earrings, Loveness Lee @lovenesslee , bag, SCOTRIA, @scotria @sinistersistersldn

Story | Nan is a Goldsmiths psychology graduate with a passion for BME and environmental activism, spoken word, live music and platform boots. She was born in South Africa and raised in Yorkshire and hopes to raise awareness for issues around gender, class and racial equality as a black woman with albinism.

James
Style | Top , Bethany Williams @bethany_williams_london @thelobbylondon
Bottom, Gina Corrieri @ginacorrieri_
Ring , O Thongthai @othongthai @thelobbylondon

Story | James was born and raised by a single mother in West London. Growing up, his household has always been musical, and there was always a firm interest in art and design. His two favourite hobbies are DJing and producing music electronic music such as jungle. He is also into skateboarding and can speak Mandarin.

Joanna
Style | Top , Rife and Stride @rifeandstride
Skirt ,@thelobbylondon, earrings, Loveness Lee @lovenesslee @sinistersistersldn

Story | Joanna is 20 years old hailing from South East London, originally from Nigeria. She is an International Relations student and a model.

TJ
Style | Shirt , 3.PARADIS @3paradis @thelobbylondon

Story | Tau Joshua (TJ) Sawyerr is a 17-year-old model and creative from London. As well as studying, over the last 3 years, TJ has made a name for himself in the fashion industry, working with likes of Nike and Vogue as a model, all while doing his GCSEs.

Inspired by Nadine Ijewere and Jawara Wauchope’s Tallawah project, which he was a part of, TJ has delved into creative direction and fashion journalism spurred on by his passion for English.

TJ has a deep-rooted love for the fashion industry and with a unique story and articulate voice, wants to pave the way for the next generation of overlooked young creatives.

Contact is a modelling agency that champions diverse, unique faces and gives young models more autonomy over how and when they work.

Watch the fashion film here:

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The models stories are their words but have been edited slightly.