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Ford Models Celebrates Eileen Ford’s Enduring Legacy
In the world of modeling agencies, Ford is as close to a heritage brand as it gets. Founded by Eileen and Jerry Ford back in 1946, the agency set the standard for all that followed, creating the definitive template for model management and launching the careers of countless stars over the last six decades. The agency’s history is documented in Robert Lacey’s new book, Model Woman: Eileen Ford and the Business of Beauty. The expansive biography charts Ford’s rise from Great Neck, Long Island, newlywed to doyenne of New York’s fashion scene.
At the party to celebrate the book’s release, guests sat poolside at Dream Hotel, reminiscing about Ford’s legacy. “She instilled professionalism in the people who worked for her,” Sam Doerfler, director of Ford’s men’s division, told Style.com. “She could pick up a phone and call [Richard] Avedon or Calvin Klein. Now you [have to] go through layers and layers of people, but she knew everyone in the business.” 
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Ford’s impact was felt even by those who never had the chance to work alongside her. Models and agents alike commented on the familial spirit the Fords became known for and the ways in which the agency stays true to that today. “I’ve been with Ford for 10 years,” said Sasha Knezevic. “I look around and see old friends, colleagues—it just feels like a family here, and that is a beautiful, rare thing.” Newcomer Mia Gruenwald extolled the virtues of Ford’s foresight. “She was the first—she invented modeling agencies as we know them,” she explained. “That makes her incredibly relevant for my generation.”
According to Doerfler, there’s still plenty Gen Y can learn from Ford. “Her legacy is, basically, be professional, be on time, say thank you. And, honestly, there is such a thing as being a good model. With the Internet generation, they’re looking at things minute by minute, but when you take a step back and see how hard it was to establish an industry, it opens your eyes. The book is great because it teaches kids a little bit about the history and culture of our industry.”
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