Mother agent

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A mother agent is an agent who directly oversees and represents a fashion model. Mother agents usually are the first to discover a model, and help them learn about the industry and build a portfolio.{{Cite news |last=Lockwood |first=Lisa |date=2019 |title=The Model Conundrum: Waiting to Be Paid |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=138542962&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2025-01-26 |work=WWD: Women's Wear Daily |via=EBSCOhost}}{{Cite web |title=Common Types of Modeling Contracts |url=https://www.marqin.fr/common-types-of-modeling-contracts/ |access-date=June 11, 2024}} They often decide which modeling agencies are best for the model and share in the commissions.{{Cite web |title=What is a mother agency? - glossary - model agency |url=https://www.the-models.de/en/glossary/mother-agency |access-date=June 11, 2024 |website=www.the-models.de}}

A mother agent can serve as a mentor who guides the model throughout his or her career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.signedmgmt.com/faqs|title=FAQS|website=Signed Model Management|access-date=June 11, 2024}} Typically, the mother agent is paid once they place a model with a booking agency in a larger location such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, and so forth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.themotheragents.com/10-things-to-look-for-in-a-mother-agent|title=10 things to look for in a mother agent|website=The Mother Agents|access-date=June 11, 2024}} They take a percentage, normally 10%, of every booking that the booking agency books. A mother agent can also take a standard 20% commission from anything they book themselves.{{Cite web|url=https://www.themotheragents.com/what-is-a-mother-agent|title=what is a mother agent|website=The Mother Agents|access-date=June 11, 2024}} However, a true mother agent does not book but places their models to booking agencies.{{Cite web |title=Mother agent FAQ |url=https://www.latitudetalent.com/mother-model-agency-faq |archive-url= |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=Latitude Models}} Some mother agents book on a smaller level to develop the model or for extra money.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-a-modeling-mother-agency-2379419|title=What a Modeling Mother Agent Is and What It Does for Models|website=LiveAbout|access-date=June 11, 2024}} Mother agents are often the scouts who initially find, recruit, and train the models, and subsequently locate agencies and opportunities for the models.

Mother agents serve more as personal managers, whereas regular modeling agencies typically take care of the logistics of booking jobs while operate on a less personal and larger level.{{Cite web|url=https://models.com/oftheminute/?p=136311|title=Greg Chan on Demystifying The Mother Agency Route – Of The Minute|access-date=June 11, 2024}} The two are not mutually exclusive, as some modeling agencies can also serve as mother agencies. Whereas mother agencies are often also based in smaller cities and lesser-known locations (in addition to larger cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, etc.), larger international agencies are typically based in large metropolitan centers with established fashion industries, such as New York, Paris, Milan, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and other major cities.