Aaron Jessee Not Your Average Surfer

You may remember our other posts about Aaron Jessee, an incredible surfer that is signed to our Action Sports Division.  We decided to have Aaron leave his current home in Hawaii and take a quick trip to LA for a test shoot with one of our favorite fashion photographers, Rodney Ray.  After looking through these pics, we think we may have to yank Aaron out of the ocean and turn him into a male model! Not really, that would be a disservice to surfing, but we are thrilled his pics turned out so well because we are going to have clients lining up around the block to have this guy endorse their products.  A killer surfer with killer looks.  Nothing to complain about there!

Olivia Hamilton in Spur Magazine

We are loving these tear sheets of our model, Olivia Hamilton, from Spur Magazine.  This editorial was for a Jill Stuart feature, and we think that these clothes look like they were made for Olivia.  The spread ran in the January 2014 issue of Spur.  These photos were taken on her last trip to Japan.  Her trip proved so successful that Olivia headed back to Tokyo about a week ago, and has been working non-stop since she landed.  Tokyo is a long way from her Colorado hometown, but with the way Olivia has been working there lately, we bet she it is starting to feel like her home away from home!

Rachel Cook Has Got You Covered!

Pulse Management's Rachel Cook is taking the world of beauty by storm.  We love the dramatic look of her makeup on the cover of Nail It! magazine.  It is a stark contrast to the luminous natural look she has in the ads for Lorac Cosmetics below. 

These days manicures are just as important as hair and makeup. On the red carpets this awards season E! has a mani camera, dedicated solely to capturing the trends in manicures on celebrities. Rachel is on the cover of the nail magazine, and the first two photos that show up on the home page for Lorac.  We aren't surprised that the beauty world loves Rachel, look at her gorgeous face! We will buy some Lorac Cosmetics right this second if we can look as flawless she does.

Carson is Gearing Up for NYFW

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York is quickly approaching, and our girl Carson Bruner is busy prepping for it.  NYFW kicks off on February 6, and the entire schedule can be found here.  During Fashion Week in September last year, Carson booked some incredible shows including Victoria Beckham's eponymous line.  We heard that Victoria loved our Carson, and we don't blame her!  

Beckham wasn't the only celebrity that Carson rubbed shoulders with, we love this picture of her on a red carpet with Wiz Khalifa.  We wish Carson the best of luck this show season, and we can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

MAJOR MOMENT MONDAY: Hannah Holman's Louis Vuitton Feature

Today's MMM is a recent one, it was published in Vogue Ukraine in September 2013.  Anytime our models are featured in a Vogue publication it is a big deal, let alone in a Louis Vuitton feature!  Louis Vuitton is one of the most influential and popular fashion designers of the past century, and the collection modeled in this feature is one of the last ones created when Marc Jacobs was at the helm of the French fashion house.  The feature was photographed by famed fashion photographer Elizaveta Porodina, and the images are simply beautiful.

Jenna K in Italian Vogue

There are few things better than a beautiful, perfectly composed black and white photo.  At least that's what we used to think... the way to make it exponentially better is to have it be of our model Jenna Kurtz, and then have it be for VOGUE ITALIA!  To put things into proper perspective, Vogue Magazine is the number one fashion magazine, worldwide.  Vogue Italia is known for being one of the most fashion forward and popular out of all of the Vogue Magazines.  We love seeing our girl Jenna, who we found in her home state of Iowa, on the pages of an Italian fashion magazine, Vogue nonetheless! Way to make us almost burst with pride Jenna, we can't wait to see what you do next.

Hannah Holman for Harper's Bazaar China

In the December 2013 issue of Harper's Bazaar China, there was a stunning editorial called "Wonderland" that featured our very own Hannah Holman.  The shoot concept appears to be a post-apocalyptic Alice in Wonderland and we can think of no one better to model in it than Hannah.  We are green with envy over the gorgeous clothes she is wearing in the shoot!  

When we see pictures of Hannah in major magazines we get a little thrill every time because we knew that she was destined for success when we found her in a Utah mall.  She had to be patient and trust us for a few years while we tried to get her jobs.  We always say, "We can't guarantee when you will be successful, we can only predict if you will be."  With Hannah it didn't happen as quickly as we would have liked, but when she finally did start booking jobs, she started booking HUGE ones.  She is a true testament to patience, and it paid off big time for this beauty.

Jessi in The 60 Years of Chloe

We were thrilled when our model, Jessi Silolahti, was selected to be in the special 60 Years of Chloe photo shoot and story by Natalie Joos.  This story was done in celebration of the design house's 60th Anniversary, and Joos cast, "... fifteen fresh faces who could represent the next generation of Chloe women, and style them in a mash-up of old and new Chloe."  Chloe is one of the most iconic and fashion forward brands, and we love anytime our models work with them because the pictures always turn out amazing.  The blog the shoot is featured on, Tales of Endearment, is known for its creative shoot concepts, and for casting up and coming models to be featured.  Tales of Endearment, Chloe and our girl Jessi, made for a perfect line up!

Amy Swenson Covers I.T Magazine in Hong Kong

Pulse Management model, Amy Swenson, worked some amazing jobs on her recent trip to Hong Kong.  We are excited to share them all with you, but we are going to start with this beauty!  She was featured on the cover of Hong Kong Magazine I.T Mag, and she looks flawless.  We love seeing how our girls transform with different hair and makeup looks, and this look of Amy's is one of our favorites.  Stay tuned for more of Amy's Hong Kong trip, including her work for one of my very favorite designers. You'll have to check back to see which label I'm talking about, but you won't be disappointed!

MAJOR MOMENT MONDAY: Hannah Holman for Japanese Vogue

We still swoon over this picture when we see it.  Hannah Holman's work in the May 2011 editorial for Vogue Japan is visually captivating, and the colors and composition of this photo are as perfect as they get.  (In our humble opinion, of course)  Hannah had the privilege of working with famed photographer Raymond Meier for this shoot, and they made an incredible team.  One of the things that we love about our industry, especially with the internet, these photos are forever.  It is such a treat to look back on shoots that our models have done and get the same excitement about them as the first time we saw them, or the excitement we had when they booked a job and then to see it come to fruition.

When we discovered Hannah, she was from a small town in Utah, and we knew she had amazing potential.  She probably couldn't envision herself on the cover of Vogue Magazine (multiple times), but we saw that she had the potential for that.  We love it when we get to see our models lives unfold before our eyes, and we are so proud of all of the success Hannah has had in the modeling industry so far.

Erin Cummins for Model Beach Volleyball 2014

Pulse model, Erin Cummins, is the poster girl for the 2014 Model Beach Volleyball Tournament.  Model Beach Volleyball Tournament (MBVT) is an event that happens annually in Miami where models from a handful of top agencies join with professional volleyball players and compete against each other in a huge even on the beach with lots of spectators (not to mention corporate sponsors).  We love that out of all the models in all of the agencies participating, MBVT chose Erin's picture to put on their promotional materials.  Not that we can blame them, she looks amazing, and that handout makes us wish we were headed out to watch the tournament!

Sara Grace Kelley in Hong Kong

We were cracking up when we saw this post on our model, Sara Grace Kelley's, instagram.  She is still over in Hong Kong, and as busy as ever! Maybe the client wanted her to embody Miley Cyrus, but we think that Sara's Coco Rocha homage was a much better idea.  Like the good model that she is, Sara is great at transforming her look (with the help of Hair and Make Up teams, of course!), but she still has that fierce face and expressions that are just so "Sara".  Stacey Eastman, Pulse Management President, has been friends with Coco Rocha for years, so we'll have him check and see what Coco thought of Sara's tribute to her.  We're pretty sure she will be flattered.

Olivia Featured in Elle Japan

We are thrilled to see these tear sheets from Elle Japan's Holiday Gift Guide.  Our very own, Olivia Hamilton, got some prime placement in this publication, and she looks amazing! A-MAY-ZING!!!  This was one of the 41 jobs that Olivia did while she was in Tokyo.  Elle Magazine is one of the most successful fashion magazines on the planet, and we are thrilled that their Japanese magazine loves Olivia as much as we do! You can click on each of the above pictures to see a larger version.  We still have plenty more to post about Olivia's modeling work from Japan that is still being published, so stay tuned...

Liz is Jetting Off to...

Pulse Management's rising star, Liz Kennedy, headed off to Tokyo yesterday!  This Minnesotan had a lot to do before she left, so it looks like she combined her walking in heels practice with packing.  Way to multitask.  This is Liz's first international trip for modeling (keep in mind we discovered her only a few months ago), so I texted her mom to see how she was holding up.  Liz is traveling with a family friend because both of her parents were unable to accompany her (with jobs and other kids at home, finding a guardian can be tricky sometimes).  This is what her mom texted me:

"I'm sitting in Minnesota as my daughter is on a plane flying halfway around the world. It is still hard to believe! Liz has the support of so many friends, family, her mother agency Pulse Mgmt and Stacey Eastman, and her other agencies. We are all rooting for her and wish her the best in Tokyo! We wouldn't be here without Pulse and Stacey, and wouldn't want to be. We love you guys!"

We love Liz, Jen and their whole family, and we can't wait to keep you all posted about the amazing things Liz does while in Tokyo!

MAJOR MOMENT MONDAY: Tori Praver's Vogue Cover

For today's MAJOR MOMENT MONDAY, we are revisiting when Tori Praver was solo on the cover of Russian Vogue.  For any model, a Vogue cover is the ultimate job, and it is even sweeter when you are the only model on the cover.  

We discovered Tori in her home state, Hawaii, and she went on to do some amazing things.  She modeled for Victoria's Secret, Guess, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and many other high profile jobs.  These days Tori is a swimwear designer and a mother, who still models from time to time.

The Reality of Being a Model

This week Pulse Management's Armon Eastman had a taste of disappointment that all models face at one point or another.  As you may have read on our blog (or other social media), Armon is beginning his modeling career and has already had some amazing experiences.  From test shoots in LA and New York, to meeting with one of the best fashion photographers (Steven Meisel), to being placed on option for Prada and Burberry, Armon's career took off faster than a lot of models.  Armon was recently informed that he was released from being on option from Burberry and Prada.  Obviously that is not what any model wants to hear, but we thought we would take this moment to have some honest dialogue about what it is like working as a model.  

The fashion industry is a mercurial one, and any model will tell you they have had their fair share of disappointments along with their successes.  The very fact that Armon was placed on option for two of the biggest designers on the planet, speaks volumes about his potential as a model.  The fact that he was released on option does not mean that he did anything wrong or that there is anything wrong with him.  I REPEAT THIS TO ALL MODELS, just because you do not book a job does not mean you are ugly or a bad model, or not good enough.  It means the companies had something else in mind for their project, and a lot of the time the reasons are beyond your control.  In Armon's case it was because he is too young.  Other times it is because a model is too tall, too short, too blonde, not blonde enough, teeth too straight, or not straight enough, the reasons are endless.

Pulse Management President, Stacey Eastman, is not only Armon's manager, he is Armon's father.  This has given us a unique perspective into how this business can affect our models.  Stacey said the following about this situation:

"I feel I need to post this due to my son being released on option for Burberry & Prada. Due to all the excitement we had about him being placed on those options, we posted about those on our social media.  To put it into perspective, in our world option means that those prestigious clothing companies PICKED him out of thousands of guys and chose to put him on "option" to walk wearing their clothing. Which is why we said "option" MIND YOU IT USUALLY NEVER HAPPENS THAT FAST FOR A NEW  MODEL. We use that to gauge the potential of their carrier and that is massive. He was released from the "OPTION" only due to being so "NEW" so "YOUNG" even though we feel bad it didn't confirm at the last second is sad. None the less it's miraculous such designers wanted him exclusively till the very last second  and then released him. For sure this tells us ITS NOT IF THIS KID'S GOING TO WORK, BUT WHEN AND WE KNOW HIS SUCCESS WILL BE BIG! So to friends, family, fans, it's a tuff blow. A lesson every successful model has had to learn to reach the top. Fact is, he even had the lesson to learn so big so fast, speaks volumes of his potential. Times on his and our side. Please cut the kid some slack and his very proud father and manager as we continue building his and all of our other amazing models' careers.  ALL THE TIME FOR AND IN BEHALF OF THE FUTURE ROCK STARS OF TOMORROW!! 

Thank you,

His dad and Manager Stacey Eastman. "

We would like to hope that this post will help you all see what it is really like being a model.  You get to travel to amazing places and see yourself in magazines and get to wear clothing that most people only dream about.  It also can be really humbling, and heartbreaking and you  have to learn really fast that your self-worth does not depend on what others think of you.  Unfortunately in life there are people who enjoy seeing other people not succeed.  Whether it is kids at our models' schools or comments on the internet, we hope that our model's realize that those people are not the people they need to impress.  People's comments and negativity is a reflection on them, NOT YOU.

We love all of our models, and know that everything worth having has to be worked for.  We are here to help you navigate the ups and downs of being a model. We are just as proud of you for how you deal with your rejections as for your successes.

Ali Stephens in October 2013 Marie Claire Editorial

Did you guys see our girl Ali Stephens in the October 2013 issue of Marie Claire?  She was the sole model in a multiple page editorial about winter coats, and we had a hard time picking our favorite pics to share with you.  Nothing better than a warm and beautiful winter coat, and no one better to model them than Utah-native Ali.  Check out more pictures from the editorial here.

Life Imitating Art with Larisa Fraser

Larisa Fraser, a Pulse Management discovery, and one of our more successful models tied the knot with MLB all-star Ryan Braun.  Pulse Mgmt President Stacey Eastman and his wife, (Pulse Mgmt COO) Shayna Eastman attended the wedding last month to celebrate with Larisa and her new husband.

Stacey, Larisa, Ryan and Shayna

When we found Larisa she was a teenager from Alpine, Utah.  We have been managing her since then, and now consider her a part of our family.  It is crazy to think that had we never scouted her, she  might not have pursued modeling, and may have never had the opportunity to meet her future husband.  We love that we are able to literally change our models lives, and it was really special for us to be able to celebrate with Larisa and Ryan on their special day.  The fact that we were celebrating in their gorgeous home in Malibu, definitely didn't hurt!

Stacey and Shayna Eastman enjoying the date night the wedding provided

As you can see, Larisa was a stunning bride, which was no surprise to anyone.  She had a lot of practice being a bride, when she did this campaign for bridal designer Maggie Sotero.