Finnish agency Brand Model Management believe in building a model from the ground up. Only signing self-scouted talent, Toni Korpineva from Brand is one of Finland’s new breed working to take Helsinki fashion – a scene that is rich with street style and youth culture but sorely lacking media representation – to a higher level.

Agency Name: Brand Model Management
Year Opened: 2005
Website: www.brand.fi
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How did you get into the agency business/what is your background?
I was working for several years in the travel and timeshare business at Holiday Club Resorts. The company has grown to be one of the leaders in the industry in Europe during recent years, and it gave an interesting view to getting used to a fast growing environment with very different kinds of people and clients – and watching everything internationally.

How many models do you represent?
We’re now building up our men’s division, so it will be about 50.

What are the agency’s divisions?
Women and men.

First model signed?
There were over ten when we opened as we scouted them before. But the girls who are now making a breakthrough like Miriam, Tilda and Jasmin, have been with us since the end of 2005 or beginning of 2006.

Who are your top models?
My policy was to build an agency based only on new faces scouted by our team itself. We haven’t actually taken any models from other agencies. That’s why we’ve been developing them from zero, and now it seems our Ann-Marie, Emmi, Miriam and, from new ones, especially Iina will make something big during 2009.

Who are your ones to watch?
Definitely Iina, Julia and two blond beauties: Jasmin and Tilda! But we never stop…

What do you look for in a new prospect?
We see that in Finland there’s a lot to be found. During the first years in this business I found out that there hasn’t been a lot of scouting at all. I always want to have the right feeling – the person makes an effect or doesn’t. If I find out that the model’s look is based on her true personality, we’ve got far deeper ground to build up an amazing career.

What is your development process?
As the market in Finland is very small and commercial – even though it’s getting better now with a new generation of designers and other professionals – we need to cooperate closely with the best agencies abroad. But in the first place everything is based on the skills and motivation of the model: We want to be sure that each of them finds her/his own path and goals in their career. I also want them to understand what this business is all about – and when I can see that they have figured out the big picture, it’s time to move forward. Models deserve to know more than they’re usually told.

What sets you apart from other agencies?
Mostly what I mentioned earlier: We pay attention to our models, and we want them to grow up with the knowledge and understanding of what role they have in the industry. Our team is also much more intense – we are like a strong family, our models play very well together. I can also bet that we’re the only one following our new faces to their first assignments: I just came back from Milan, as 5 of our young ones went there for the first time. I was sitting on the terrace of a restaurant, having my office there and meeting everyone after the first castings, and also collecting feedback from their agencies.

Describe the ideal Brand model?
A smart person who is ambitious in a good way, and doesn’t think modeling is her only dream job. A young person, who is cooperative with others, has a positive attitude and high standards, and who is ready for challenges. And the look: it has to give something from her/his soul and personality. We represent a lot of young girls who have active sports careers – like Julia or Tilda – and I think we’ve combined these paths successfully. But I’m ready to work two or three years for someone if I see that her personality just needs that time to be ready – and if we have that time to spend.

What other agencies around the world have you formed close ties with?
From the beginning I wanted to keep the doors open: It’s about each model, what is the best placement and way to proceed. Eventually we work for a model, not for the agencies. I like to work with agencies who can see further with a brand new face. People who really believed in me and our way of working since the very beginning were, for example, Nathalie in Paris, Manuela from View Barcelona/Madrid and Aidan from Premier London. It’s natural that we work well with them. And because of their support at a personal level, I’m probably here doing what I do right now.

Anyway, we have open relationships with top networks as well, and in New York I really like the way that, for example, One or Trump represent [their models]. And I admire Supreme, who can create a model, not just sign a contract. Right now we have models in Milan with Fashion, Joy and Why Not, but we share models with d’Management too. For Finnish models Hamburg and London also play an important role. Tuomas at M4 doesn’t hesitate too much when taking a fresh new face on and sharing responsibility of her development, and I like to work with people with a vision.

What do you look for in bookers, agents, scouts, etc. before hiring them?
In Finland we have this funny situation: there’s only one booker who has left an agency in 20 years, so there’s not a lot to hire. But for me the will to understand this business and especially truly caring about our young talents: bookers and agents should think always in the long run. Sometimes I feel we’re part of the girl’s family – we have to be always around. Playing your role the right way, this business really can bring together work, benefits and great relationships between people – through trust.

What are the most common ways of discovering a new face?
As Finland is one of the leading countries in connecting all households to the internet, I realized it’s also amazingly effective way to do scouting. And the point is not where and how – it’s about the way to spot the girl. On street you see the girl / guy fast, you don’t usually have time to talk – but when you can scout the new talent depending how she looks in natural pictures and you can see dozens of them, it gives already an idea of how she will look in photo shoots! But many of them are still found on the streets of Helsinki, on the stairs of movie theaters, through friends… Actually one interesting thing is that we get a lot of suggestions from models themselves.

What’s been an unusual way?
Models who are with other agencies send girls first to us to be seen, not to their own agency. I found that very interesting. I think it tells something about the image of Brand among young people.

Describe your local market – what type of work is there for a model, who are the biggest clients/photographers/publications?
Finally there’s chance to inform about Finnish market: It’s been depressing. Magazines don’t breath the same air as the rest of the fashion world, they work too much with inside people. There should be symbiosis together with agencies, stylists, photographers and other professionals much more. For models this is frustrating – you can’t live with modeling, and it’s hard to proceed with your career. That’s why many promising faces just quit or keep ‘hanging around’ and model as a hobby. We have many talented photographers who suffer the same, but I hope it’s changing. Designers like IvanaHelsinki is now on Paris fashion week’s official list, and two others are going there, Marimekko (our biggest clothing brand) is getting more international, and we got our first international top magazine when Elle was launched here in April. Think about it: Old soviet countries had their Elle before Finland! Then we have local magazines like Trendi, and it used to be the ‘top’ before Elle arrived. Of course [there is] Cosmopolitan. Then there’s interesting and ambitious projects like Finnfashion, which gives a good field for local professionals to show their skills. I think Brand is part of this new wave of the new generation – I believe the fashion industry will be the next Formula One or ice hockey scene for Flying Finns.