http://t.entertainment.msn.com/eileen-f … toc=celebs

I have been around long enough to have met her and others from her generation.  Of course, it has been a long time since she was at the heart of the industry, but along with Wilhelmina and a few others, she definitely changed it.

You will be missed.

She was a trail blazer.

And set a standard.

RBD

Eileen Ford was one of the two most influential people in shaping the modern modeling industry. She set standards for models when there were none, she created an environment where you would consider having your daughter work in the industry. It became an iconic statement in New York fashion to say: "You want one of those Ford girls, they are the best!"

Eileen wrote the "standard contract" in response to a threat from New York to treat modeling agencies as employment agencies which would had considerably reduced the ability of fashion agencies to exist. The Standard Contract is still used (with more verbiage, but the core document is the same) by all major fashion agencies.

Eileen Ford ruled with a strong and consistent hand, and as the world changed Ford left an opening for the young John Casablancas to step in and create the Elite Agency which over a few years grew to become the General Motors of that era representing virtually all the true Super Models (with the notable exception of Ford's Christy Turlington). But it must be noted that it was fertile ground that Eileen Ford created that allowed Casablancas to flourish.

While the original Big Three in New York were Ford, Click, and Wilhelmina, it should be noted that Click and Wilhelmina patterned themselves after Ford. Wilhelmina herself had been a very successful model with Ford before she left to create her own agency.

Remember Eileen Ford, for what ever her failings (and she had a few), she was a true giant in the modeling industry. All of us who work in this industry owe our livelihood to Eileen Ford, the true founding father (mother?) of the modern modeling industry.

John
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John Fisher
900 West Avenue, Suite 633
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 534-9322
http://www.johnfisher.com

i worked in an office next to hers in the early 90s. always a classy lady.