tanya powell
So Cassi van den Dungen lost Australia’s Next Top Model’s 2009 crown, turned down contracts with Priscillas and Elite New York and threatened to go back to Sunbury to focus on her boyfriend’s bricklaying business. But it seems she has not given up on her modelling dream. Van den Dungen has rejoined the agency that discovered her at the age of five and repped her as a child model: Melbourne’s Tanya Powell Model Agency. Never heard of it? Tanya Powell is one of many low-profile Australian agencies that often springboard models in the smaller markets, only to then send them on to sign with larger local agencies, namely Chic Management, Priscillas, Chadwicks and Vivens. And some question the wisdom of van den Dungen’s decision to turn her back on offers from bigger players with proven track records of managing international careers.
This is certainly the case with the modelwatchers on online forums The Fashion Spot and vogue.com.au and indeed, Priscillas itself.
Unaware that van den Dungen had returned to Tanya Powell when frockwriter called this afternoon for comment, Priscillas booker Lizzi Leighton-Clark noted, "It's a shame that she's not willing to pursue a modelling cereer that goes beyond Melbourne, because obviously she has the potential to be an amazing model".
Modelling is not just about having a pretty face and long legs. It is about attitude, work ethic, momentum and, moreover, the right management.
According to Tanya Powell manager Rosetta Stefano, Tanya Powell does not have any models under contract. The agency's biggest womens' name is Cassie Gardner, in addition to television personalities Paul O’Brien, Tania Zaetta and Laura Csortan.
With Gardner's wider career now being managed by Viviens in Sydney and IMG in New York, one would hope that all is not lost for van den Dungen. And both van den Dungen and Tanya Powell should take on board the fact that, since van den Dungen is evidently not under any kind of non-compete agreement with the management agency affiliated with ANTM, ie Priscillas, every other major Australian agency that is headquartered in Sydney would be very keen to sign her up immediately.
The essential difference here however is the fact that while an unknown Gardner went from a small agency to bigger agencies, van den Dungen made a name for herself in a high-profile television competition, had offers from big agencies, but has chosen to go in the reverse direction.
Van den Dungen is booked to shoot for Portmans on Saturday – a web campaign is all Stefano could tell frockwriter, adding that she rejoined the agency immediately after the ANTM finale.
Reports Stefano, “We’re speaking to lots of different companies. She’s definitely very keen to be a model. We are doing her comp card, she went for a casting yesterday, she’s on the way. At the moment she wants to basically do as much as she can in Melbourne. If you’ve got a good product it doesn’t matter who represents her”.
32 comments:
OMG what is she thinking?!Such a shame!!!! What a tool!Such a waste!GRRRRRRR!
This is what happens when 16 years old child dates a 26 year old male doush bag break layer!!
Dumber and Dumber! SO FREAKING ANNOYING!
Why is this step consider backward? I think it's a very responsible decision from a young adolescent girl. Some people quite often end up as a "flash in the pan" in this industry and it seems like she wants a little longevity, is somewhat serious, and looks only one step ahead rather than getting too caught up in the bigger picture. Which are mostly formed from other people's opinions.
Lets face it,this isnt computer IT business she is going into...Modelling and fashion don't wait for you,it keeps on moving.There is a bunch of girls out there Elite can take on board.It's her loss,there isn't such thing as longevity in modelling these days,its very rare and when a high profile contract comes along you should grab it.I am sure there is alot of girls out there who wants to bitch slap Cassi right now,what is she thing?!
Anonymous 2 very responsible decision from a young adolescent girl??!! At age 16 living with her mid 20something boyfriend,getting engage and chain smoke?...err I doubt she is thinking of her career rather her boyfriend.
But then she is only young let her make her stupid mistake.She'll cry later when she ends up at center link like a true blue bogan.
Personally I feel a 16 year old choosing the comfort of doing business with someone she knows and trusts to act on her behalf is a very wise discussion.
A model really hits their stride between 17 and 21 and as mentioned, if her personality is ripe for such a career. Cassi has plenty of time to get used to the idea and branch out from the comfort of her home town.
Her mother agent will deal with other agents on her behalf and as she has known her since the age of five, may just know a little more about her best interests than us ?
I have worked with Sydney agents for years, and I am confident they will guide her in a good direction when the time comes for decisions and contracts to be signed.
Not forgetting she is still a child at 16. Some girls are much more mature and confidant at this age than others.
I wish her well.
For one, she's 17, not 16. For another, if this "agency" is a platform to bigger agencies, why not take the bigger agencies as offered to begin with? It would be a responsible and mature decision - if we were talking about another field of work. Unfortunately Cassi has been fucking everyone around during and since the competition, and the industry WILL NOT wait for her. She will be in for a rude shock, because your reputation follows you in this business.
Marian, I think it's quite wise also. The big international agencies would probably chew this young girl up and spit her out before she even knew what hit her.
A lot of people get caught up in the externals of the fashion industry. They have no idea what a cesspool it can really be once one is on the inside.
I don't agree with Marian and the colourful guy at all.Big agencies like Elite or IMG have what they called "Development divison" where they take young models on board and train them to be high standard models.Nobody is gonna chew you up and spit you out if you know how to work the business.
Have anybody gone on the Tanya Powell Model Agency's website?! I just wanna vomit,it is so tacky!!
@1:21PM Uhuh. What about the perv executives and photogs that frequently drug/coerce these naive young girls into bed? Or the agencies that take such a huge cut of the girls salaries - for rent, expenses, etc. - that the girls are lucky if they have enough money for food?
These big agencies aren't looking out for the girls. They're looking out for themselves, as there is always fresh meat willingly showing up at the slaughterhouse door.
colourful guy,I think you're still stuck in the 90's stigma of the modelling world.Girls are more smarter these days and so are there parents.I think in any career choice in life,you have to take a risk.We walk pass perverts everyday and people screwing over people all the time,that dosn't mean these girls have to stay locked up inside there rooms!
If I think the way you think,I would never travel any where in the world cos I would be too scared about getting blown up by terrorist.Don't be so negative,beside Cassi is already dating an full grown adult anyway ....some how I don't think she is that innocent or naive....she is just plain stupid.
@2:23 Well, you have an opinion about everyone else's mentality it seems. That's pretty arrogant if you ask me. However, you didn't and neither did I ask for your assessment of mine. *roll eyes*
meanwhile, i see this story made it into at least two murdoch papers today: the herald sun and brisbane courier mail. by the time of my call late yesterday, the agency had not spoken to any other journalists.
@ Colourful guy who's treading water in a sea of naivety, please stay afloat 'cause you're sooo right
@ anon 1:21, IMG's "Developmental Division" put simply is a holding cell where any youngins they spot with a spec of potential (and there are hoards of them!) are placed so that other agencies can't touch them. The overwhelming majority never get off the ground - they're not chewed, they're just spat!
@ anon 2:32, who writes "girls are more smarter these days and so are there parents"
Classic!! I'm framing it!
you guys crack me up
Girls are more smarter these days and so are there parents. Yis.
why do people like to judge someone about who they are dating or if they smoke or not? if you had watched the show, I don't think cassi is actually as mean spirited or cunning as the other girls on the show. i say it's good of her to be herself and still have morals and show her true self instead of putting on a mask. but in a world where a lot of people actually welcomes actions like lola stealing someone's idea and thinking there is no injustice/moral issues in that, nothing is impossible. everyone thinks they know her and hold it against her because she is dating someone older and living together with him. Her mum went overseas and so she needs a place to live at, so why not with her boyfriend? most people in a relationship sees their partner all the time anyway, it's a logical step, especially if she can't afford rent, etc. She may regret her decision in the future to turn down the Elite contract, but t hat's her choice. you can't say if she is stupid or not. And there is no way that she is taking away the chances of the other girls. No one said Elite cannot sign any other girls from the show, they chose cassi which means she has something they like. i have no idea why the other girls and mass of people direct this hate toward cassi. she didn' scream at elite to give her a contract. it's not her fault that she is photogenic, is it? how immature. but people do like to blame others on their own faults or 'misfortunes'...
The real question is: Did she fix her teefs yet?
i completely agree anon 10:34.. she is getting quite alot of flack for her smoking and older boyfriend, however it is people like lola, who in my opinion is just an outright b**** who were cheered and celebrated. at the end of the day it is her decision, though it does sadden me that so much potential could possibly be lost. i really believe she could be the next big thing to come out of australia but you've gotta want it. guess we'll see if she does or not..
A cut to funding for Cancer research is actually a sad loss of potential. Not fashion, and certainly not modeling, pea brain.
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though it does sadden me that so much potential could possibly be lost.
What an interesting debate. for most girls at 16 or 17, decisions like this are overwhelming. Obviously there's something holding her back from going international. Hopefully it is because she doesn't feel prepared mentally to take it on yet, and not boyfriend related. But if so, she won't be the first girl to make that mistake.
...it's quite apparent that Cassi was NEVER in the show for a modeling career. She must have only entered the competition for the $20,000. Had she been seriously interested in modeling, she would have done the rounds with all the good agencies before the show's casting (like the rest of the contestants would've done), but unlike the others, she would've been snapped up by one of them and we wouldn't have seen her in the show.
Its well known in the industry that the NTM show is a refuge for those models with flailing careers or wannabes who simply couldn't get signed anywhere. Cassi was an exception, - she certainly stood out from that bunch but I'm sure so too would have 90% of the girls from our top agency's board.
What do you mean you "don't really care". Your "top agency's board" could help Cassi start that fashion label she's been banging on about. It's sure to be a smash - her favorite designers are Dada and Snoop Dogg. Here's where your genius can come in.
she's just a young girl, who apparently still wants to take up modeling as a profession.
Leave her alone....
She might not want to be with a larger sydney agent and feels comfortable with a personable small agency.
its her choice. why is there so much publicity on her?
let her get on with her life, i cant believe there is so much interest in her choices.
Leave cassi alone! :)
@ I don't really care BUT: of all the ANTM girls I have met, and I have met a lot of them, very few-IF ANY-of them were "models with flailing careers or wannabes who simply couldn't get signed anywhere". All of them say they thought it would be the best way to start or move forward. Naive perhaps, but not because they can't get signed elsewhere or are "flailing". It is so cynical to hate on hopeful girls who just want to give something a go. Your attitude is gross. No doubt you will come back with a "Well I am just telling it like it is!" swipe. But it actually isn't how it is: you are just being mean.
Go "The Dung!" Boganistas everywhere unite.
Thank god I don't have to live with her anymore.
Dat yoo, Clare Venema?
Maybe she will have a successful career in fashion or another area, god knows there are plenty of models with successful careers at the start who end up later on being moneyless and education less because of their time spent modeling
i actually watched this cycle 'cause i heard of it somewhere and... oh dear... talking about going crazy
Let's just hope she'll be mature enough and ready to take on a bigger agency and career within a year from now coz' I really hope she will be. She is the next Kate Moss. Period!
Her life, her decisions. It's easy to criticize from the outside looking in.
I think this thread will be going long after we are dead and gone, Patty.
she's with work:agency in sydney - very high fashion agency, but quite boutique and 'picky' with their books. cassi will be ok.
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