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by
Wayne Sterling
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In
1985 when Austrian born Heinz Holba made the then daring decision
to base his modeling headquarters in Los Angeles, his prescient vision
was to make the West Coast an important player in the international
modeling community.
And interestingly enough, at the time of this interview, (right on
the heels of the fashion frenzy of the Oscars) several of the critical
Fall 2001 campaigns (specifically Gucci, YSL, Versace, and Versus)
were being lensed in LA, an occurence that places Holba, founder of
LA Models, LA Talent, and New York Models, in a pivotal position in
the fashion industry. More than any other modeling impresario right
this minute, Heinz is beautifully positioned to exploit the increasing
power of LA as a major American fashion base.
With his New York wing, NY Models, firing at full cylinder with a
radical board that has essentially redefined the borders of the model
ideal, Heinz's empire is poised to be one of the most powerful in
the Zeroes. Here he sits down with MODELS.com's Wayne Sterling to
outline the logic behind his aesthetic and his vision for the future. |
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Q:
Could you please tell us how you became involved in the modeling industry?
I became
involved by buying an existing agency in Vancouver, Canada called
Booking One as part of a real estate investment in 1978. Subsequently,
I bought the franchise rights to Elite/John Casablancas Modeling Schools
and Agencies for Canada in 1979. Elite was then the largest agency
at that time with head offices in New York. I then opened ten agencies
and schools in Canada and California as franchises, found some top
working models, and worked closely with Elite New York and Elite Paris.
I began selling off those franchises in 1985 when I opened LA Models,
because by this time I preferred to be independent as opposed to being
a franchise. |
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Q:
You are in a unique position in that you have NY Models and LA Models
serving as bi-coastal powerhouses. What are the benefits of this
positioning to a model?
The benefits are to be able to expose a model to top clients like
the key photographers and casting directors around the country simultaneously.
It's about being in close contact with Europe through New York and
with Hollywood through Los Angeles. We're able to send new models
on TV commercial auditions as well as print and to submit them to
clients on both coasts. We feel like it gives our models an edge
over other beginners as well as established models.
Q:
What would you describe as NY Model's key aesthetic?
I think it's unusual, very editorial looks that clients are always
looking for in the never ending quest to be the first to find and
use someone new and trendsetting. We try to create that excitement
of discovery when we offer new models to clients.
Q:
Is this similar or different for LA Models?
LA Models has the same philosophy and ideas as New York Models but
in addition we are capable of catering to the requirements of commercial
casting directors and advertising and catalogue clients casting
and shooting on the West Coast.
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Q:
What advantages or benefits would you say the LA market offers that
the NY market does not?
Well following on my earlier thought, the LA market obviously offers
more commercial and film work which gives a new model additional
experience and additional opportunities to further their careers.
The earning potential is also obviously also much higher in film
than in print.
Q:
Your agencies are known for their revolutionary views on what a
model should look like. What inspired you to take this path?
We simply wanted to be different from other agencies and offer more
choices and ideas to clients as well as possibilities for models
that do not exist in the larger, more traditional and commercial
agencies.
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