In 1999 an investigation by the BBC undercover reporter Donal MacIntyre into the business, including particularly Elite, sought to expose alleged drug-taking and sexual exploitation in the industry. The modelling world was continually overshadowed by allegations of a darker side. It definitely stemmed from his personality, which was a man who loved women, lots of women.” Indeed, Casablancas spoke frankly about his preference for girls of just legal age – “child women”, as he referred to them. He said, ‘What we’re selling is sex, so let’s sell sex. As Michael Gross, author of Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, pointed out, “John ripped the hypocrisy off the modelling business. I will never sleep with both eyes closed as long as that woman is around.” Ford responded by filing a $10 million lawsuit, claiming that Elite was poaching their models.Ĭasablancas loved this high-powered playboy world of money and beautiful women. There’s so much ego and conniving in this business – anyone will do anything. It’s the agencies that are at war.”Ĭasablancas observed candidly at the time, “Eileen Ford’s game is crystal-clear.

“We used to undercut each other for plum assignments, but now the models are good friends. “Our rates have doubled and things couldn’t be better,” she said. For the models the open conflict had its positive aspects, as one of their number, Beverly Johnson, noted. Fierce competition ensued, with models switching back and forth between Elite and Ford, leading to what became known as the “Model Wars”. Ford Models, which had been established in the city in 1946 by Eileen Ford, sought to see off the new kid on the block. The company opened a New York office in 1977, pitching itself directly against the local incumbent.

Elite world models