Page 79 of Loving the Enemy
“But, baby, you still are a pretty face.”
“Yeah, that may be true, but I have a brain too, and you recognize it.” She is beaming, and it is so good to see her so happy.
“Mind if I join you for a little bit? I’ve just finished for the night, and I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than spend it with my beautiful wife.”
She puts her paperwork down and smiles. “Oh, I’d love that.”
I take the chaise next to her and sit. “So tell me what you have been doing at Bella Celeste.”
Her eyes light up. “Oh, where do I begin?”
I can help but revel in her happiness. “Tell me everything.”
“Well, there is so much to tell you. Did you know that finding a great model isn’t just about good looks?”
“It isn’t?”
“No!” she says excitedly. “It’s more about personality.A designer can easily fall in love with a pretty face and a sexy body, but it will just be replaced next season when a new face comes along—someone who's even prettier, thinner, taller, and younger. What's harder to forget is someone's personality. The other day we had an open call with about a hundred people, and we signed only two. Yes, those two had the physicality of being a model, but what made us remember them in the sea of pretty faces was their sense of humor.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“Yes, and I’ve realized we are always on call for our clients, our models, and the companies they work for. We are, essentially, at their mercy. We may seem to play hardball with them, demanding ridiculous fees for our models, but the truth is, given the current climate of the industry and with an overabundance of modeling agencies, we need them more than they need us. There are too many agencies, many of which make very little money, and there are too many models. Everyone is very disposable, with the exception of only a handful. But I’m determined to change all that and make Bella Celeste stand out above the rest.”
“And how do you plan to do that?” I ask. She’s now got me intrigued. I’m always game for new ways of doing things, and I think she might be on to something.
“Oh, Michael, the plans that I have. First, we are going to crack down on the budget, which is why I’m having this meeting on Monday. Then we are going to take a serious look at the models—who we take in and what they are modeling for. We’re gonna bring class to this industry.”
“If anyone can, you can. Sounds like you have some amazing ideas, darling.”
“I do. I even want to expand our models to plus size for both men and women, and I want a children’s line as well.”
“Sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to see what you do.”
“Oh, Michael, I’m so excited.”
“Oh, baby, you are going to rock the fashion industry.”
