Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Lara Bonomo @ Teen Vogue Interview



Lara Bonomo is the Bookings Director of Teen Vogue - as Bookings Director she casts models, hair stylists, and makeup artists for Teen Vogue fashion editorials. There are many steps a model has to go through to get into the pages of Teen Vogue. The first step is when Lara meets the model & polaroids as soon as she arrives in NY. She tracks their progress from day one. Lara aggressively promotes the models she believes in to the fashion editors that style Teen Vogue shoots. The second step to getting into Teen Vogue is when Lara arranges for the right models to go see the photographer & stylist. The precision with which Lara matches models with the fashions in her editorials & the style of her Teen Vogue photographers & stylists makes Lara a star. Her cognizance of which model would look good in which clothes is what makes her an excellent casting director. Lara's professionalism, kindness & wicked sense of humor make her so amazing to work with. The models who start with Teen Vogue frequently move on to do Italian Vogue , French Vogue, British Vogue & American Vogue. Lara keeps a polaroid collage on her wall of models she is considering for upcoming editorials & Teen Vogue alumnus who have gone on to become supermodels. Yesterday I visited her at her office for an interview:

Q:How did you get into this business?
A:I've always loved magazines and would flip through my mom's old Vogues and Glamours when I was little- I loved the glamour and mystique of the models and how they took on different personas depending on the fashion point of view. When I graduated from college I sent my resume to model agencies and magazines, hoping to land a job where I could really learn about thhe industry. My first job was at an agency working on the new faces board and my next job was as the Asst Bookings Editor at Mademoiselle magazine. I could not have been happier-

Q:Where is your favorite city to travel and why?
A:Paris- Everything about that city is amazing- The architecture, history, people, culture. It really does have a joie de vivre all its own

Q:What do you like to do in your free time?
A:Read, see movies, hang out with friends

Q:If you weren't in fashion, what could you see yourself doing as a career?
A:I wouldn't work :)

Q:What do your friends think about you working in fashion?
A:They think it is cool- a lot of them are in industries that are very buttoned up so they like to hear the stories that could only happen in the fashion industry

Q:What are your must-have makeup essentials?
A:Neutrogena SPF 45 moisturizer
Rosebud salve for the lips-

Q:Who is your favorite designer and why?
A:I can't really say a favorite - it changes every season-

Q:What advice would you give to a girl trying to break into this industry?
A:Be realistic- Modeling has criteria that has to be met just like most other industries. It is not the right career for everyone.

Q:What is the best part about working in fashion?
A:It is constantly changing so you do not get bored-

Q:What do you miss most about home when you're working?
A:My kitty cat- Big

Q:Who are your style icons?
A:Jane Birkin - effortless

Q:How do you prepare for a photo shoot?
A:We are always shooting so I have to keep up on the newest models and hair/make-up talent. I like to keep the photographers and stylists updated n who we should think about shooting for the upcoming shoots-

Q:The best fashion advice you've ever received:
A:Less is more

My top 3:
Items I can't live without:
1.Passport
2.I Pod
3. water

Places I've been:
1. Paris
2. all over US
3. Tulum, Mexico
4. And I travel vicariously through the models who come visit me and tell me of their favorite places they have worked or the exotic locations they are from-

Designers:
1. Marc Jacobs
2. Philip Lim
3. Lanvin

Items in your handbag:
1. wallet
2. NY Post
3. cell phone

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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I look forward to everyday with you through this blog.

Congratualtions!