Written by: Lori B!
Getting signed to an agency is definitely next level in the styling world. The benefits seem endless and the opportunities plentiful. Most young artists struggle when deciding to finally take the plunge and start applying because they don’t know where to start. Luckily for our readers we had a chance to speak with Jillian Babbitt, at Exclusive Artists Management(www.eamgmt.com ). She gave us the insider scoop on how to get signed …
“Getting started with an agency can be difficult”, as Jillian puts it, it is sometimes similar to “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”. Agencies usually look for artists with an established celeb clientele, but they also understand that this is the reason stylists want to sign with an agency, hence the chicken and the egg.
If you are an emerging artist, do not fret! Submit a strong portfolio, agencies love to see your work and if your work matches what they are looking for they will put your on an Assistant/Emerging artist roster. This will give you the chance to work on projects that other artists are unable to. Jillian states that this usually consists of “unpaid specs or test shoots, editorial shoots for smaller magazines or assisting our artists with one of their clients.” Which is the perfect way to get your foot, or blowdryer, in the door! No matter how advanced you are, artists are always evolving and the chance to educate yourself is an opportunity every artist should take.
Jillian has been working with Exclusive Artists Management for a little over a year and a half and has seen multiple artists become signed and develop their own celeb clientele! Her advice: Network! She told Bangstyle that “The artists who did make it were the ones who were willing to do the unpaid jobs at the beginning as it helped them meet the right people”.
World renowned artists usually have an amazing team working together behind the scenes to make the magic happen. There are many other aspects besides styling that go into shoots or celeb clientele that require a great deal of attention and planning. Agencies take on the hassle of scheduling and negotiating - they book the shoots, organize your ever-changing schedule for you (according to Jillian there are A LOT of schedule changes), and they follow up post shoot to acquire imagery to keep your portfolio up to date. Jillian says “being with an agency allows stylists to focus more on what they do best – hair”. And isn’t that why we became stylists after all?…
Whether you are a developed or an aspiring artist looking for an agency we hope this advice gives you some ideas for moving forward with the process. If you have any other questions about looking for an agency please leave it in the comment box below!
Artist Credits:
Matt Fugate with Karlie Kloss
Joseph Chase with Ashley Greene
Gui Schoedler with Vanessa Marano
