I am a huge fan of Yolanda Hadid; she is a mentor to me. Her struggles have been huge, going through a divorce from David Foster and having lyme disease, but through it all she has managed to keep her dignity and pursue her dreams. Her two daughters, Bella and Gigi, are super models; as well as her son model Anwar, all from the guidance and love of their dear mother. Yolanda also manages both of them and you can tell that she doesn’t put up with any BS. Yolanda was a part of 4 seasons of Real House Wives of Beverly Hills and during that time, she became bedridden with Lyme disease. To me, her bravery and willingness to show her real story, was beyond brilliant, but truly it was her real life. After 7 years she is well enough to start her own business, going back to her roots with the show “Making a Model,” on Lifetime. It’s a competition story of sorts, but to me it’s more of a basic training on how to be a super model from the best, Yolanda Hadid.
The episode that I saw was the beginnings of the competition where Yolanda does hair makeovers and gets these girls ready for their first audition/interview with the IMG agency, which is the biggest modeling agency in the world. To Yolanda’s dismay, the girls didn’t do their research and neither did their mothers. When they were each asked whom their favorite photographer is, none of them had answers, including their mothers. Yolanda is whipping them all into shape; she has the wisdom and discipline to make them all a success stories. But her basic message was that of empowerment and that a pretty face could only take you so far. You need to be educated, well spoken, and have some life experience. She says that demanding respect is a huge part; by looking into someone’s eyes and firmly shaking their hand, you will always seal the deal.
We were also able to experience a casual Q & A, moderated by Marcy Medina, West Coast Bureau Chief of WWD, in which the audience participated, giving us even greater knowledge of how powerful Yolanda really is. She is an amazing force, having survived Lyme disease and then teaching all of these kids her secrets about this crazy modeling business. But because Yolanda is so grounded, we see a practical view of how these girls can achieve their goals the same way as Yolanda and her kids have done throughout their lives.
About The XX Project:
The XX Project is a women’s business community to empower and influence for leadership and partnership.
Women tend to think of other women as competitors rather than allies, but together, we are stronger. The XX Project maximizes your network and leverages your skills to empower yours, and one another’s business. It provides a support network in both personal and professional endeavors.
The XX Project is a network of top female leaders across all industries that come together and share their empowerment stories and strategies, giving participants the motivation and spark to affect change in their own lives.
Michelle Edgar / Founder & CEO – Michelle Edgar founded The XX Project over 4 years ago and has made it part of her everyday life to inspire and empower women in business through this network and platform by providing women with resources and tools to enhance their lives. She is an agent at ICM Partners in Global Branded Entertainment and Concerts. Michelle’s expertise and focus is securing partnerships for ICM Partners’ artists across all genres of music.
As an executive in the music business for over five years, Michelle has previously worked at FRUKT, KIDinaKORNER, Red Light Management, and Warner Bros Records, focusing on strategic partnerships and artist development. She has worked on campaigns for the likes of Imagine Dragons, The Black Keys, Skylar Grey, Theophilus London, Gary Clark Jr., Steve Angello, Miguel, and Mariah Carey.
Michelle also founded Music Unites: a non-profit organization funding sustainable music education programs in under served public schools. The organization launched the Music Unites Academy program in partnership with the Compton Unified School District. Her love for music stems from her training as a concert pianist at The Manhattan School of Music and Northwestern University.
About “Making a Model”:
In the cutthroat world of modeling, every aspiring beauty needs support, guidance, and sometimes a nudge down the runway. On “Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid,” premiering Thursday, January 11 at 10pm ET/PT, former model and television personality Yolanda Hadid (“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”) brings her expertise to the forefront as she coaches aspiring teen models to succeed on and off the catwalk. As the mother and agent to fashion’s “IT” girls Gigi and Bella, and model son Anwar, Yolanda and her trusted team of experts will put the girls, and their “momagers”, through an intensive eight week training program, focused on the physical, mental, and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand.
The eight-episode series follows six young aspiring models and their mothers as they travel to New York City, shack up under one roof, and pursue their dreams of becoming a supermodel. Each week, Yolanda puts the girls and their moms through a series of lessons and assignments designed to not only test their modeling agility, but also the strength of their mother-daughter relationship. With a $5,000 weekly prize on the line to put towards their future careers, only one girl will be left standing to win a management contract with Yolanda’s company and the potential opportunity to be represented by IMG Models in New York. Yolanda’s daughters Gigi and Bella Hadid, designers Tommy Hilfiger and Nicole Miller, and supermodels Devon Windsor and Alek Wek, make special appearances through the season. “Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid” is produced by Hudsun Media for Lifetime. Michael Rourke, Christopher Spry, Sean Rankine, and Yolanda Hadid executive produce. Mary Donahue and Mioshi Hill executive produce for Lifetime.
Model-Mother teams include:
Breanna (13) and Jessica Bunevacz – Los Angeles, California. Lilyan (15) and Kat Cole – Coalgate, Oklahoma. Carrington (16) and Lisa Durham – Los Angeles, California. Mikayla (16) and Karen Gilles – Chicago, Illinois. (add space after period) Makenzie (14) and Teresa Rooney – Fishers, Indiana. Athena (13) and Diana Katoanga – Portland, Oregon.
“Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid” joins Lifetime’s robust roster of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle series which include the Emmy® nominated series, “Project Runway,” “Project Runway All Stars,” makeup and hair competition series “American Beauty Star” with host Adriana Lima, and the competition series, “Glam Masters,” executive produced by Kim Kardashian West. A+E Networks is also an investment partner in BeautyCon, a destination for generation Z and millennials in the beauty space.
The evening was capped off by a nice reception with great libations and good appetizers, and being able to mix and mingle with all of the people involved in the evening’s festivities, was equally gratifying.
http://thexxproject.com
http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/making-a-model-with-yolanda-hadid
* Note some content was taken off of their websites.
