By Jessie Rosenfeld
Staff Writer
A picture is truly worth a thousand words for Costa junior Carly Cohen and senior Karli Halberg as they make their way into the world of modeling.
Both Cohen and Halberg have taken their unique looks to the focus of the camera lens as models for fashion magazines and clothing brands.
Halberg entered the profession when she was recruited by American Apparel while shopping at its location in downtown Manhattan Beach. She did her first photoshoot for the brand in February.
“I did not want to do modeling before this happened to me,” Halberg said. “It was just something I stumbled into.”
Since being discovered in the store, Halberg has done two photoshoots for American Apparel. Her photographs are displayed on the American Apparel website, in the stores as advertisements and will be eventually used for billboards.
“I thought the photoshoot went well,” Halberg said. “The photographer was really nice and encouraging about everything during the shoot.”
Unlike Halberg, who did not actively pursue a career in modeling, Cohen has been interested in modeling since an agent approached her when she was only 12 years old. She declined becuase she felt that she was too young, but two years later she sent photos to a modeling agency called L.A. Models.
When L.A. Models saw her photos, they set up a meet with its director of new faces at L.A. Models, Sydney Garrison, in her Hollywood office, and Cohen signed a contract right away.
“Cohen is the perfect example of a new face,” Garrison said. “She began modeling early on and has developed into quite the model; [she is] constantly changing and growing.”
Cohen officially started modeling two years ago and has been pictured in small magazines and has modeled for clothing brands like Honey Sucker Apparel and Brandy Melville.
“Modeling has matured me a lot since I have been working with people who are older than me,” Cohen said. “I need to be mature when going to jobs since I cannot act like a teenager.”
Cohen began working as a sales clerk at Brandy Melville and, through her job, began modeling the company’s clothing. The photos of Cohen taken for Brandy Melville are different than most jobs she does because she gets to choose her outfits for the shoots.
“I like modeling for Brandy because I get to wear outfits that I would wear everyday,” Cohen said. “People are not dressing me because I have to put outfits together myself, so I have a definite form freedom, and I feel comfortable in what I am wearing. It is also just a fun way to work, and I did not know work could really be that fun.”
Cohen was first asked to work at Brandy Melville last August while shopping in the store. The manager approached her in the store and offered her a job. Once she began working at Brandy, they soon asked to take pictures of her to post on their Instagram, which has 1.5 million followers.
“I feel like she has changed the look of Brandy just by how her face is different and unique compared to what they used to do,” Brandy model, store clerk and product researcher Jimena Gonzalez said.
According to Cohen, she is unable to spend a lot of time modeling during the school year, but her working hours will increase during the summer season. This summer Cohen plans to continue her current jobs and attend more castings.
“Modeling is not really something everyone can do successfully and handle as well as Cohen is able to,” senior Estefania Freire said. “I definitely think she is really good at it, and I am proud of all of her hard work and what she has accomplished.”
According to Cohen, she hopes to make a career out of modeling. She also wishes to have a job in the fashion industry doing something along the lines of fashion merchandising.
“Modeling would be really cool, but it can only last for so long, so you need to have a back-up plan for the future also,” Cohen said.
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