NASHVILLE, TN — As the world of fashion continues to change, Charika Milton White is making sure that as Founder and CEO of Hayami Agency, her company keeps up with the evolving landscape. One way White said her agency is staying in step with modern times is by recruiting older models, as more and more older models are being sought out for projects. She said this is largely because the general population has been increasingly wanting to see themselves represented in the media they consume, which has led to more inclusivity, including with age.
“I aged out of modeling at 28,” White said. “But now, there’s inclusivity in age, right? Now they are saying, ‘You can be 40 and be a model. You can be 80, and you can be 60.’ I am always looking for new talent. Age is not a problem.”
White said that what carries models more these days is less their age, and more their look and the way they carry themselves. She said that anyone has the potential to be a model, and that one of the talents that White has within herself is the ability to spot who has a natural gift for it. This is reflected in the meaning of the name Hayami, which White said “means early sight,” or “one who sees early.” White said that she is happy to represent people of any age, anywhere from 4-year-olds to 90-year-olds.
White said her approach to her work is heavily influenced by her status as a mother agent in the industry. White said the lead role of a mother agent is to work with talent, develop them, and then pitch them into other markets. White said that, in short, with her models she sees a vision, and her job is to prepare and develop them so that others can see the vision too.
White said she opened Hayami in October of last year, deciding after much debate to go into business for herself after coaching models who achieved national and international success. White said that she is also motivated by a drive to be one of the agencies putting Music City on the fashion map, as she said the fashion world in Nashville is still building. She said one example of this is that even when there are events taking place within Music City, agencies still often do not source Nashville models to work them.
“I’ve seen where people bring in outside talent to Nashville for different events, they bring in models from LA or New York, and I’m like ‘there’s models here, there’s untapped potential,’” White said. “I want to tap in and figure out how to make the world know that we’re here.”
White said that her managing style is largely more that of a brand builder. She said that modeling is the goal, but having an established and recognized brand behind you is the ultimate goal. White said this is because in the world of modeling, someone can be in one day and out the next; however, a brand is much bigger than this potential dynamic, as those with a brand have options outside of one particular medium.
White said people can follow up on what the agency has to offer on the Hayami Agency Instagram. She said people can also see her talent or submit themselves at the agency’s website, hayamiagency.com.
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