By: Sydney Sanders, Copy Editor
Standing at 5’10” tall, it was no surprise that OGHS junior Andie Arthur might one day seek to become a model. With striking looks and a smile that could stop a clock, she certainly looks the part. What is surprising is that 15-year-old Arthur didn’t find fame; it found her…on Facebook.
“Well, it all started off around February,” Arthur said. “I got a message on Facebook from an agent in Jackson that works out of Los Angeles.” Thinking little of it, Arthur’s first reaction was to ignore the message, thinking it was a scam. “I mean, come on, it’s a Facebook message,” she said. “But then I thought, why not?” After several phone calls and meetings, Arthur sent some pictures of herself to some of the top agencies in New York. Soon, many of them began calling her, setting up appointments for a face-to-face meeting.
Arthur and her mother made the decision to drive to New York this summer to pursue this life-changing opportunity that Arthur suddenly found lying before her. Soon after hitting the pavement in New York, she began meeting with some of the top modeling agencies in the world. The decision to sign with FORD was one Arthur said is one of the best choices she has ever made. “The agents at FORD are incredible; they do basically everything,” she said. Setting up castings, fittings, jobs, etc. are tasks that Arthur would find challenging if left to her own devices. “There’s no way any model could get work without an agency. They’re the people that get you to meet with designers, casting agents, and other important people in the business.”
Life for Arthur took off in full speed soon after signing with FORD. During the early days of this school year, while her classmates were learning logarithms and aldehydes, Arthur was back in New York, preparing for her first runway show….BCBGMAXAZRIA, one of Fashion Week’s most popular events. “Backstage is pretty incredible,” she said. “It’s like controlled chaos. You have three people doing your hair, whether it’s slicked back with gel in a bun, or huge messy curls, they always get the job done.” But Arthur added that make-up is her favorite part of the pre-show preparations. Some designers want very little or no makeup at all, while others like Rosa Cha wanted Arthur made up in bright blues and oranges on the eyes and bright, orange-red lips. And no matter what she’s doing, there’s always someone around taking pictures. “Let me tell ya’,” she quipped, “that doesn’t help calm the nerves. When I walked out in my first outfit, I was so nervous. But, then that first step into the lights is just like…whoa,” Arthur said describing the experience. “Your mind just becomes empty, silent. It’s kind of strange, but one of the best feelings in the world.” Seeing Ashlee Tisdale on the front row in the audience wasn’t a bad bonus, she added.
Other celebrity sightings included Kanye West, Alexa Chung, Phillip Lim, and Olivia Palermo. “While at a casting, Victoria Beckham told me my shoes were cute! I could have fainted!” Arthur exclaimed.
During the remainder of New York’s fashion week, Arthur participated in shows for Rosa Cha designed by Alexandre Herchcovitch, Yigal Azrouel, and 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Arthur credits the patience and guidance of a good mother for the success of her first experience in modeling. “I could not be more thankful for such an amazing mom,” she said. “Traveling in the City is quite the challenge, and let’s just say we finally understood the subway when it was time to go home. But my mom and I are a great team.”
Friends back home are excited about Arthur’s success. On what it’s like dating a model, boyfriend Chris Franovich said, “I may have to hit the gym more often.”
So where does school fit in to all this excitement? Her teachers collected some lessons for her, and Arthur said she is doing her best to keep up. She admits that finding time to complete her studies is challenging, and knows she may have to adjust her method of education for at least the short term.
For now, Arthur finds herself across Europe, in Milan and Paris, attending Fashion Week in two of Europe’s premiere fashion cities. Where the future takes Andie Arthur only time will tell. But one thing is certain, this opportunity is taking her to some pretty amazing places.
