Insights Inside the Industry with Karen Diamond, Director of Models 1

“We as agents do the best we can, but we are not experts. And so we can give fairly general advice on how to look after themselves. But now being able to work with something like the Be Well Collective is amazing. It’s an umbrella organisation that has so many experts that are there to help models with their wellbeing and ensure that they are able to do their job properly.”

Director of London model agency Models 1, Karen Diamond has worked within the fashion industry for over 30 years.

Governed by the British Fashion Model Agents Association, Karen shares how Models1 is an agency that manages their models with their health being a focus and of paramount importance. “The BFMA work very hard to make sure there are a group of agencies that self regulate and work in a professional manner to look after their models to the best of their ability.”

Karen addresses the misconception that many people have of modelling, how working within the fashion industry is often perceived as glamorous and an easy career however, this is certainly not the case.

“A model’s well fair is of paramount importance, because if a model isn’t well they can’t take care of themselves then they can’t do their job properly. I don’t think anyone really understands just how hard modelling is. I think people just think it’s standing around looking pretty. Its long hours, it gruelling, they have to be on their feet or jumping moving around a lot.”

Watch the video, where Karen shares why she believes an organisation like the Be Well Collective is so needed to provide support to the fashion industry and the young models within it.