Out of Saint-Petersburg in Russia comes LMA, an agency with a penchant for scouting unusual and memorable faces. Still finding their feet in the international market, LMA work with the best of the best in Russia, their models shooting with the likes of Mario Testino in Moscow for British Vogue. We will be looking to this agency in the future as they firm their international agency contacts and begin to export their phenomenal new faces.

Agency Name: LMA
Year Opened: March 2006
Website: www.lmamodels.com

How did you get into the agency business/what is your background?
For more than 10 years we have been producing fashion shows in Russia for Russian and foreign clients such as Matthew Williamson, Julien McDonald, Frost French, Paul Smith, and Temperley London. Two and half years ago we decided to open our own model agency in Saint-Petersburg (where our office is located) because we were dissatisfied by other Petersburg agencies (their work, level and quality of models are very low).

How many models do you represent?
On the local market we represent about 120 models (men, women). And about 10 models abroad.

What are the agency’s divisions?
Men, Women

First model signed?
When we first opened we signed about 20 perspective Petersburg models at once.

Who are your top models?
Now most popular Dasha Malygina and Lyoka Tyagnereva (on the global market). Also, we have popular girls on the local market.

Who are your ones to watch?
First of all there are girls who already have agencies in Europe, we hope that soon they will have great success. Also we pin great hopes on our men’s division.
[O2W recommends you check out Liza, Maria, Gleb, Evgeny, Alexey G, Anatoly, Artur, Andrey]

What is your development process?
Saint-Petersburg, in contrast to Moscow, is a less full-fledged market in every respect. Moscow is overflowing with models, so that’s why we are searching for collaboration with agencies outside Russia. Once we build relationships with agencies beyond the bounds of Russia we will be able to promote our models more successfully.

What sets you apart from other agencies?
Primarily we try to produce an image based on models with very specific, uncommon and memorable faces. Sometimes it isn’t a commercial success (especially on local market) but they go unmissed by more important participants of the model market.

What other agencies around the world have you formed close ties with?
We’re working on this!

What do you look for in bookers, agents, scouts, etc. before hiring them?
In Saint-Petersburg we don’t have any professional bookers or scouts. We have a team of people who like their work very much and we trust that they will be best very soon.

What are the most common ways of discovering a new face?
In the streets, cafes, high-schools. And there are people who come into our agency themselves.

What’s been an unusual way?
We once made a tv reality show with MTV Russia called Fashion School. There was a huge street casting for 1 week!

Describe your local market?
Mainly, we working with local clients on Saint-Petersburg market. They are: designers, magazines, advertising agencies, and producers.

All big magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Citizen K are located in Moscow, but most of the editorials are shot by NY, Paris or London photographers. So our models do these shoots very often. It was cool when Mario Testino booked our guys to shoot with Natalia Vodianova for British Vogue in Moscow!

From Russia (with love) comes Evgeniy Kolotov. Not yet placed anywhere outside of his hometown of St Petersburg, be sure to check out Evgeniy’s polaroids where his natural beauty, elegance and perfect posture come across very, very strongly. View Evgeniy’s profile.

Genius Russian scouting is showing no signs of slowing down. The next girl up is Balakina, already signed to top model makers Women in New York, Paris and Milan, and Storm in London. Balakina is one of a half dozen beauties from the Moscow agency Avant Models who may just take over the runways this coming season. View Balakina’s profile.

Completely new to the business, Russian boy Artur Daniyarov has only polaroids and a test shoot to his name. His subtle beauty is something to be seen. View Artur’s profile.

We are enchanted by this strawberry blonde. Anka Khargelia, half Russian, half Georgian, is 15, 177cm and based in Perm. Word is we’re not the only ones impressed…