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PROFILE MODEL CITIZEN For Paul Fisher creating models & supermodels wasn't enough --he set out to ensure the super in supermodel meant more than just an internationally renowned beauty Words by Andrea Gallego • Photo Credit: Scott Humbert / Patrick Wymore Like most young girls who dream big dreams, my weekends began with watching MTV's House of Style. I can still vividly recall the elegant goddess like models being gracefully escorted out by their agents. Today, I know this man — the one who would walk alongside the supermodels— as Paul Fisher. A talent agent and manager with over twenty years of experience, Fisher has represented high profile names like: Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, Carré Otis, Brooke Burns, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Djimon Hounsou — to name a few. He has been dubbed "the world's greatest super model agent." His latest agenda: to completely transform the modeling industry as we know it. When Fisher first embarked onto the modeling industry in the 1980s, the twenty-something-year-old's intensions were simple —to chase girls. "I went into business for the wrong reasons. I didn't know how to spell Vogue or Bazaar. I remember asking my grandfather for $10,000 to start my business. He knew it was for the girls but he loved me and believed in me and gave it to me anyway. I knew nothing about the modeling business," confesses Fisher. He learned about the industry from photographers and editors, and quickly fell in love with the "transformation process" of taking a young girl and making her a star. He created supermodels, but success and power distorted him. It wasn't until his sister was fighting cancer that his life changed. For several months, Fisher lived at the hospital attending to her. He recalls gaining consciousness during this. "I was by my sister's bedside when I got a call from one of my models. She was complaining about making $50,000 in an eight hour work day! It was very exciting to watch these models transform but I started to hate what they became and who I became in the process. So I quit," says Fisher. He revealed that he 88 MIAMI LIVING welfare of all players in our industry, agents, models and the clients," shares Fisher. The new CW show, Remodeled, which premiered in January (Tuesdays, 9 pm EST), features a behind-the-scenes look at The Network Talent as they visit various agencies to work on upgrading their look, their clients, their staff and their business models. It's a documentary series, not a reality show. "When the CW and Sony approached me, I gave them one rule, they could follow me with cameras but they couldn't tell me or my team what to do. They agreed because they believed in me." The show demonstrates how model's careers are transformed in a quick and powerful way. "Six months after episodes air, you will see them in the world. We hope that the audience is excited to see the real world of modeling," Fisher exclaims. One of the featured agencies on spent several months sobbing and feeling lonesome. It wasn't until he discovered his spirituality that he gained the strength to work again. "I wanted to live in the mountains but my spiritual teachers advised me to return and make right all the wrong and teach others to give back." A decade later, Fisher is back —with a mission. As the creator of The Network, the largest modeling network in the world, Fisher's company manages smaller modeling agencies around the globe — overseeing 50 agencies worldwide. The firm has made over $100,000,000 booking international modeling jobs, with their models appearing on the covers of over 3,000 fashion magazines. "The Network is a community of modeling agencies who really care. We care about the images the fashion industry portrays on the pages of magazines and in advertising. We care about the the show is Emerge Talent, located in Orlando with a satellite office in Miami. "Emerge is owned by an incredible woman by the name of Holly Caputo, whom has never been trained in creating new stars. When I first did the show with Holly I didn't think she had any real models. She continues creating real models and I believe The Network has so much to do with that. These kids are working, big names and are coming off of little farms! Nobody believed we could do it," says Fisher. Fisher's personal transformation effected the way he conducted his business, which in turn is transforming the modeling industry in a positive way. Not only is Fisher creating models / supermodels, but genuine role models. "When a kid does a huge campaign, I say, 'That's great that you did that campaign, but how are you giving back to the world this weekend?' The universe will take away as fast as it gave to you, unless you are willing to share." ML