Models Inc.

Nashville has a reputation for spitting out legendary musicians on the regular. Just this year, local artist Kacey Musgraves won Album of the Year at the Grammys. We’re home to legends like Sheryl Crow, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys and Dolly Parton. People from all over the world move to Nashville in hopes of pursuing their dreams in the music industry. While we may forever be known as Music City (not to mention a national healthcare hub and, apparently, Tourist Town), Nashville has also become home to a number of legends of another sort — supermodels.

Emily Sandberg

Brett Warren

Shortly after transplanting to Nashville, I found myself back in front of the camera, modeling for the tenth year of my life. Having been signed with credible agencies in both Chicago and New York prior to my move to the south, I was lucky that the first modeling agency I looked into happened to be top-tier: AMAX Talent Agency. Open call led to a meeting with the agency’s director, Cherylann Stephens, which resulted in a contract. I remember sharing my goals within the modeling realm with Cherylann and her team. I wanted to eventually move back up to New York to model for big names like Dolce & Gabbana, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta. I didn’t want to model in Nashville forever, I wanted a “real” market. Yet, as time passed, I had quite the reality check when I found I was getting more work in this market than in any other I had dipped my toes in. What was this town? Could a fairly small—if growing—city that for so long has been known for its country music scene and downtown honky-tonks also be home to a burgeoning fashion industry?

The next couple of years in my life revolved around the Nashville modeling scene. With the help of my agency, my eyes were opened to a world I never knew existed this far south and inland. I grew to admire the fact that supermodels such as Lily Aldridge, Josephine Skriver, Niki Taylor, Karen Elson, Taylor Hill and Emily Sandberg didn’t just see this place as a launchpad (like most transplants), but actually call Nashville their home. Coincidence? I think not, considering Lily, Josephine and Karen all have rock star counterparts. The age-old cliché of rockers marrying supermodels has truly come to life here, and it has shaped our town in a way none of us ever expected. The wave of notable names has demanded more from Nashville, both economically and industrially.

While these particular supermodels didn’t get their start here, models such as Binx Walton, Laura Hanson Sims, Sofie Rovenstine, Briggs Rudder, Maggie Greene, Ellie Ottaway and Dylan Stephens have all been part of the

Nashville market, being led by their team of dedicated agents and a city that tends to keep one ambitious, yet rooted. With top “role models” living in the same town as the scene’s freshest faces, it’s no wonder that Nashville has seen a rise in the careers of their young talent. In fact, Laura Hanson Sims (a Nashville native and now in-demand international model) spoke with Wonderland Magazine about what it’s like having some of the industry’s top models in your neck of the woods, stating, “Karen Elson is my inspo for life. Her whole career is what I aspire to. She lives in Nashville—my hometown—and she put her number in my phone at a party one night.”

Cherylann, charmingly known by all her models as CA, is their mother here in this booming city. Between AMAX and other local agencies like The Block Agency and Tribe, their young models are groomed and developed into professional, working models, many of whom now play in the big leagues. But just over a decade ago, the fashion scene in Nashville was pretty much nonexistent, or at least for the high-fashion market.

When talking to Cherylann about the industry’s growth, she reminisced about the scene she stepped into nearly fifteen years ago. “In 2005, there wasn’t much of a market for professional models. We had music videos and some advertising, and that was about it,” explained Cherylann. While AMAX has technically been around for quite some time, Cherylann bought the agency in 2008, revamping its business model and turning it into a commission-only agency.

Cherylann Stephens of AMAX Agency

Ashley Hylbert

Having been an agent in Los Angeles before moving to Nashville, Cherylann noted the difference between LA’s market and Nashville’s upon arrival, explaining that LA had an established fashion, catalog and editorial market for years. “The business was very professional [in LA], and the clients and models understood and appreciated the professionalism. The modeling work in Nashville was more of a hobby in 2005, with a strong emphasis on classes and paid test shoots,” she explained.

So, what is it about our city that has aided in producing successful models in recent years? According to Ginny Edwards Maxwell, AMAX’s Director of Scouting and Development, it’s Nashville’s roots. “This city has a very nurturing environment with an extremely supportive fashion industry. Thanks to this, our models are able to test the waters in a safe way through auditioning and walking in Nashville Fashion Week and the Nashville Symphony Fashion Show, as well as working with some smaller local brands while they learn whether this is a path that is right for them. This city is such a creative place, with such kind people. We’re a small melting pot. Our models often come from families of musicians, academics, farmers, healthcare workers—both from Tennessee and from all over the world.”

AMAX Models

Hannah Burton

It might just be those very roots that also draw those previously named legends to create their homes here. It isn’t surprising that celebrities have chosen to relocate from major cities to our charming Tennessee town. The oddity about Nashville in recent years is that you never know who you may run into, or who might just be your new neighbor.

With such an influx of prominent men and women in the fashion industry moving to Nashville, there’s no doubt that the industry here will keep developing. While the market has undoubtedly been growing—slowly but surely—it will continue to adapt for the affluent groups relocating from major cities. Mark Block, owner of The Block Agency in Nashville and Denver, explains, “As more companies move here, their advertising work will follow … Our proximity to the film and TV market of Atlanta has led to many of our actors and models booking jobs on hit movies and television shows.” And, as we’ve seen, it also has those very stars purchasing homes in our neighborhoods.

It seems that Nashville’s down-to-earth demeanor mixed with its newfound industry growth has helped in boosting the success of such models, and brought a wave of already-established models along with it. The question I have now is, can Nashville sustain the fashion industry?

According to Cherylann, we absolutely can.

“Nashville is a very innovative, growing and ambitious city,” explains Cherylann. “More of our fashion designers are getting national attention, and our models are landing successful campaigns. [These accomplishments] help put us on the radar of creatives worldwide. We are fun to work with and fun to be around, and our easy-going yet professional approach to our jobs allow clients to work here with great talent. Models, actors, hair and makeup artists, wardrobe stylists and our infrastructure of support crews allow for a highly-competitive product.”

In short? This is only the beginning.

MODELS

MAGGIE GREENE | Maggie has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, and worked in New York, Miami, LA, London and South America and her clients include Express, Cuup lingerie, Maidenform, Leonisa and Universal Standard.

Maggie Greene

Alaina Mullin

ELLIE OTTAWAY | Ellie is an internationally-published model and has been published in Sports Illustrated and walked for Victoria’s Secret.

SOFIE ROVENSTINE | Sofie Rovenstine made headway as Miss Tennessee Teen USA and was eventually signed to the major modeling agencies Women Management and Iconic Management. She has done both runway and print for Victoria’s Secret, among many other fashion editorials.

BRIGGS RUDDER | Briggs has been featured in campaigns for Glossier and Estée Lauder, as well as done editorials for both Elle and Marie Claire. She has also walked the runway of Valentino.

LAURA HANSON SIMS | Laura Hanson has been in editorials for Vanity Fair Italia and Marie Claire Mexico among others and has walked for major designers like Anna Sui, Moncler and Desigual.

DYLAN STEPHENS | Dylan has appeared in several fashion editorials and walked the runways of many top designers. Most notably, Dylan appeared in campaigns for Marc Jacobs.

Dylan Stephens & Laura Hanson Sims

Brett Warren

BINX WALTON | Binx has appeared in both American Vogue (as well as many international Vogue publications), Elle, and i-D. She has walked the runways of Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Valentino, and Oscar de la Renta, among many other notable designers. She’s appeared in countless campaigns, some of which were for Tom Ford, Vera Wang and Dior.

SUPERMODELS

LILY ALDRIDGE | Lily has appeared in major magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Glamour and Porter. She has had campaigns with Ralph Lauren, Rag & Bone, Victoria’s Secret, Bulgari and Carolina Herrera (just to name a handful).

KAREN ELSON | Karen has been on the cover of several major magazines, including Vogue Thailand, British Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Elle and Nylon. She has walked the runways of Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, and Gucci, among others.

Karen Elson

Geisler-Fotopress / Alamy Live News

TAYLOR HILL | Taylor has modeled for H&M and Victoria’s Secret, among many other notable designers. She has appeared in several magazines, including Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar, and has walked for designers like Versace, Valentino and Chanel.

EMILY SANDBERG | Emily has been the face of Clinique, Donna Karen, Versace and Fendi and has graced the covers of Italian Vogue and Italian Marie Claire. She also appeared in the movie The Devil Wears Prada back in 2006.

JOSEPHINE SKRIVER | Josephine has appeared in magazines all over the world from Vogue to Elle, and is a Victoria’s Secret Angel. She has landed major notable campaigns and walked for some of the most high-end brands such as Balmain and Versace.

NIKI TAYLOR | One of the original supermodels that came out of the ’90s, Niki Taylor has graced the cover of Vogue, Allure, Elle and Marie Claire, among many others.

Niki Taylor

Geisler-Fotopress / Alamy Live News