Courtesy of Freedom Models
[Freedom Models](https://www.freedommodels.com/) is here to change the narrative of modeling agencies all around the world. With offices on both coasts, Los Angeles and Miami, the boutique women’s fashion agency prides itself on development and international placement, continually seeking out the most trailblazing talent and visionaries to partner within this world of fashion.
Their philosophy is simple: beauty, kindness, humor, patience, and a healthy dose of creative energy. Carrying these traits combined with a strong work ethic helps [Freedom](https://flaunt.com/content/womens-history-trailblazers-2020) serve their talent and client in the most beneficial way possible. With 28 years of experience under their belt, from scouting and developing to imaging, production, and casting, the staff at Freedom work relentlessly day in and day out to help women reach their full potential.
Flaunt caught up with Natalia McDonald via Zoom, the British director who started her career at Premier Model Management in London before paving the way over at Freedom for the past 6 years. Read below as we discuss how she got into this industry, the change she hopes to see at Freedom, being open to all types of models, a normal day to day, and more!
**You say you got into this by accident, how so?**
So I studied Fashion Business at the University of the Arts. I did loads of different internships, and didn't really know what I wanted to do. I was working for CLM in New York as a photography agent. They suggested that a modeling agency would be a good place for me, I was kind of whatever about it at first. Back in the day, it was so unknown all these jobs in fashion existed. I didn't even know models had proper agents, and that was a real career.
The agency I worked for in London had a TV show. It was a documentary series that my sister was super obsessed with. It was actually my sister’s idea for me to apply to work for them. I interviewed with Premier and later got a message saying “okay you start on Monday,” then I literally never left.
**Oh wow!**
Yeah, so I really didn't really have any idea. I hadn't watched the TV show before I started, which was a bit of an era. It’s called _THE MODEL AGENCY_, it’s about Premier London. It's interesting. I'm glad I didn't watch it before I started though. Because afterwards when I started watching, I thought, “Oh my god, this is wild.”
**Is it wild though?**
I mean, Freedom no. We're a very chill company. But definitely back in the day working as an intern and an assistant, being a junior in that era of _The Devil Wears Prada_, that's a whole nother world. Freedom could not be any further from how I began. Not that the agency was bad or anything, it’s just a different mindset. I was so lucky at Freedom, because we all have so much input on how the direction we want the company to go, the girls we want to represent, the clients we want to work with. We're all quite young and we have ideas for change, that makes it a little bit different.
**What kind of change?**
Really, we’ve definitely been pushing the stereotype of what a model is. Since the past couple years, we've started taking on talent that also does other things. We rep photographers, stylists, artists and more. Some of these people are already on the board. Part of it is developing their other interests, so it plays a larger role in the opportunities they are able to take advantage of. We want to be a support system to our talent in achieving their goals.
We also have quite a range of body types, and that's really important to us. We're always looking for more of that. We made a decision pretty early on that with the creatives and with the different sizes, everybody would sit on the main board. Everybody is women, rather than there being a differentiation. You don't need a different section if you're a different size. Everybody sits on the main board, which is really important. Trying to make sure we have as much diversity as possible for our clients. It's always going to take a lot longer than we all want, I would love it to happen faster. If we can keep having more diverse models, there's a chance that the clients will book them, which means the change rolls a bit.
**How has scouting evolved since the pandemic or during the pandemic?**
Well, we definitely all always did. Since Instagram became a thing, we definitely have always used Instagram. In the pandemic, really it was the only thing. We used to do open calls so people could just come in, we had a set time and day. Although it was disruptive to the office, we did sometimes have people walking on the street. It’d be like, “Oh my God, that person is amazing.” Obviously with the pandemic, working from home, we couldn't do that.
We’ve done a bunch of model searches on Instagram and people submitting via email. We've used that a lot more, a lot heavier weight doing that. People can always submit on our website, all the information is up there. It's always open. We don't really have any requirements. We're pretty open when it comes to age, height, weight, all of those things. In the LA office, we actually don't represent men. In the Miami office, we do have a men's board. More online stuff, but it's hard. I like to meet people face to face because I like to gauge that energy. There’s so much you can read from somebody. Meeting people on Zoom is a little bit difficult , but you have to go with your gut. Doesn’t always work out, but that’s the job anyway.
**I love that you’re open to all types of models.**
Seriously, we love submissions from everybody. We’re so wide open and that's such an important thing. I've worked at an agency where they've been like, “Oh, you have to be 5’9”. You have to be under 21.” The world’s moving in a different direction. Women want to buy clothes off women that look like them, they want to relate to stuff. I remember being a young agent and booking girls on ASOS. Knowing when I’d go on ASOS to buy those clothes, that’s not going to look like that on me, because I know that girl and she’s a foot taller than me. That's pretty important too.
**How does LA’s Freedom compare to Miami?**
LA’s really a big market. When I first moved here, definitely a lot of people I worked with said, “Why would you go to LA? Why would you not go to New York?” But I personally love LA. I love the beach, I love to be outdoors. I love all that stuff. Honestly, the LA market has grown massively. In the last 5 years, it's become a real powerhouse. You can see that with so many new agencies trying to open up here, people definitely want to build that business.
Miami is Miami. People are very chill in Miami. You want something done, it’s on Miami time. So that’s definitely different. Sometimes when I go there, I have to take a little chill. Nothing can be quite as fast as I want it. But there's so many amazing photographers and creative art coming out in Miami, I do think it’s a market to keep an eye on.
**What does a day to day look like on your end?**
Wake up, my dog wakes me up and demands that we go out and he gets his breakfast immediately. Mine’s 10 months old so 6am, he’s ready. Ideal with him, then I check my phone. I know you're not supposed to check emails first thing when you wake up, but that's pretty impossible for me. Listen I get it, but it makes me more stressed if I don't look at my phone. That's not helpful to me, I need to deal with things.
Also being in LA, you're at the end of the time zone. London’s practically finished their day, so there's always so much to catch up on. I often have at least 5 to 10 girls that are on set, there’s very often some problem with something. Somebody’s lost somewhere, someone’s sick, so I check my phone. We work pretty flexible. We work from home, half and half in the office now. It really depends where I am. I love working from home. As you can see I have lots of plants, and my laundry. \[laughs\]
Mornings are a lot of emails, generally catching up with the girls and catching up with my clients. Every day is pretty different. Some days, I'll be wrapped up in the immediate stuff by lunchtime, then the afternoon I can be a bit more creative and think about career plans. What people are doing and what they need to do next, I enjoy that. Other days, the emails will be nonstop until 6pm. If I can go, I’ll go for a surf after work. I try sometimes in the mornings, but with the puppy it's harder. So at the end of the day, I can relax a little bit. I literally live on Sunset, so I'm right by the PCH.
**I love that! So you go in Malibu?**
Yeah, I can basically walk. Often, I'll have to get back on my laptop at some point.
**You do a lot of developing as well, right?**
When you're in a flow, you just _go, go, go._ A lot of what we do is sitting down with the girls and career planning. We have added the bios. We have about 20 girls on the website that have bios. Hopefully we’ll have at least 50% in the next 6 months. We rep some really amazing girls that do so many things, but it's really channeling all of that. With the 20 million ideas, we're like, “No, no, no, let's make this into a cohesive plan.” Which is always fun.
**Talk about your relationship with your clients.**
We made that video, the girls made it themselves over the last year. Similar to a lot of the at-home projects that people did at home during Covid, but for us really trying to push people's people's passions, it was super important to me for them to sit and think about what it all meant to them. Outside of the day to day and how it made them feel, because sometimes we can forget that. It's meant to be fun. You want to do it because you're passionate about it rather than “Let's make money.”
**At the end of the day, Freedom’s models are extremely passionate about who they are as people, beyond what you see on the surface. Below, the top models shared their sentiments on what it means to be part of such a great agency.**
[Salem Mitchel](https://www.instagram.com/salemmitchell/?hl=en)l:
"Being a part of Freedom means being understood. As a young woman I’m growing into myself while navigating a high pressure work field that can impact my confidence and mental health. For me it was crucial to work with agents who not only understand the business of fashion but the emotional and mental challenges that come with being a girl in her early 20’s. Freedom is made up of a diverse group of agents who really get it."
[Courtney Coll:](https://www.instagram.com/courtney_coll/)
"Being part of freedom has guided me not only in my career but on my creative path. When I started this journey though modeling, it was important to me that I found agents who understand me, who understand my body, and who believe in me. They push us in a way that anything is possible because they believe in the talent they sign and invest their time with. It’s powerful to see that they let us grow into the path we choose, instead of them choosing a path for us.“
[Mariama Diallo](https://www.instagram.com/mariama/?hl=en) :
"Freedom to me is about self-expression. It's about having a choice and being able to make that choice. Freedom is about being able to be who you are without limitations."
[Bre Maughan:](https://www.instagram.com/dreamsbaby/)
"With Freedom, I am empowered to be my most authentic self. I'm encouraged to be confident, sassy, fun, strong and everything in between. It's refreshing to be with an agency that’s willing to amplify new voices and creatives in a space that still holds on to traditional norms. Not to mention it's a women run agency! Freedom offers independence & endless opportunity, and I'm lucky to be a part of this community. To be a part of Freedom means to hold the responsibility to represent women everywhere, and to do it with grace."
