Established in June of 2013, Amores Model Management – a young, well-connected agency, is focused on propelling exceptional talent to new heights through highly visible domestic and international campaigns.

Luis Basteri, the über talented Founder and Agency Director, spent a few moments with me sharing what sets Amores apart from other model management agencies, what he is looking for when scouting new talent and what he expects from an upcoming model search.

Pop Goes the City: What sets Amores apart from other model management agencies in Dallas?

Luis Basteri: We focus more on international projections, although we work with local clients, that is not out focus. We are a management agency and each of our models has an individualized plan developing them for a long-term career in the industry. We are also managing local fashion bloggers now.

PGTC: When you are scouting new talent, what are you looking for most?

LB: Number one, is measurements – height, weight. Personality is very important. In this industry, a model can have the most amazing look but if they are not getting along with the clients and is not likeable, clients won’t book them. The model who has a fun, likeable personality will beat them out of the job. So, you can have the look but you also need to have the personality. We can tell within the first five seconds when we meet with a model how they are going to do.

PGTC: You are young and very driven. What motivates you?

LB: I guess this is something I have always wanted to do. When you do what you love, that is what motivates you.

I started working at the age of 16 logging taped and editing for the City of Irving television station. I later became a production coordinator at the The Studios at Las Colinas – largest television and motion picture studio in the southwest. The studio housed productions such as FOX’s “Prison Break”, ABC’s “The Deep End”, “Barney and Friends” and more. This is when I started working in talent management and started working with a local modeling agency as a model booker. This was a new agency and it was where learned about how to start an agency from nothing. I later became their talent director and launched their commercial print talent division. From there I moved to a competing agency and was in the broadcast division and handled their commercial print division.

I took a break for a bit to determine what direction I wanted to go and I visited other agencies around the country for a couple a months. I decided since I have a client list here, Dallas is a smaller market, why not go ahead and open my own agency. Dallas is the perfect place to do it.

PGTC: You have a model search coming up. What are your expectations?

I expect to find new faces that we can develop! We have an amazing panel of judges from NY, LA, Australia and Mexico City ready to help with that. We also have great support and sponsors like KVIL, Deep Eddy, Vita Coco, Acura, Mockingbird Station, Fashion Scoop Daily and many more.

Are ready to be discovered?!

Join Amores Model Management, Saturday, October 11, 2014 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Pavilion at Mockingbird Station, for its first model search event! Model aspirants will meet with agents and will get snapped by a fashion photographer for a chance to become the newest face of Amores Model Management.

The search is open to girls and guys ages 16 to 24. Girls must be between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet. Guys must be between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 3 inches. Interested parties can apply in person. It’s free to enter the model search, and the event is open to the public.

The winner will receive a two-year international modeling contract with Amores Model Management and a trip to New York City to shoot with top fashion photographers and meet with leading industry clients.

Model hopefuls can apply in-person at the event. Those who are not able to attend on October 11 can submit an electronic application within 48 hours of the event here: www.amoresmanagement.com/#become. The electronic submission period will end promptly on Monday, October 13 at 7 p.m. CST.