We have had a little bit of a move around in Team TTM following the end of our Miss Newcastle competition and our new office move. Our Events Co-Ordinator Joseph has now changed roles to Head of U.K and International Agency Communications.

This means that he will now be investing all of his time securing agency relationships throughout the UK as well as in key cities all over the world. Joseph will be hand-picking models he feels has potential to model under other agencies and travel, of course under TTM’s wings.

This time next year we will have developed stronger connections across the globe and continue to match our models to missions.


Watch this space, watch us grow.

Today on the blog we find out about Building Surveying Student Joe West. New to the modelling industry he shares with us his experiences so far and offers advice to aspiring models…

What do you enjoy most about being a model?

Meeting new people is one of the main highlights. Everyone I have met so far is so friendly and fun to be around! I also enjoy seeing lots of unfamiliar places, it’s pretty cool to see places I would never really go to like Crathorne Hall and Wynyard Hall, I love the huge buildings and gardens.
I love wearing new clothes too, always makes me want to go out and get them!

What is your career highlight to date?

The Metro Centre Fashion show was just one of the best weeks ever! I thought catwalks were mainly serious, but this one was super fun with plenty of smiling and interaction with the audience. It was an awesome experience and hugely boosted my confidence. I made some great friends within that week too.

Who have you worked with so far and what were you helping them to achieve?

I worked with ‘Psyche’ in Middlesbrough to be in their Spring/Summer 2017 look book. It’s so strange seeing myself in the book and online!
I have also been featured in North East times magazine as part of their fashion feature with Union Clothing and Crosseyes glasses. I recently did my first job as an extra in a video about the architecture of Northumbria University campus which was fun. I have done a couple of jobs for Intu Metrocentre, Fashion Week and a shoot at Newcastle Racecourse for Ladies Day. Along with these I have worked with some great photographers based in Newcastle.

What would your dream job be?

Working abroad with a big-name brand would be awesome. It would be an absolute dream to work with someone like Hugo Boss or Ralph Lauren! A professional surfer would be my dream job outside of this industry but with the consistency of the waves you get on the East coast, that is almost impossible.

What advice would you give to an aspiring model wanting to start working in the modelling industry?

Don’t hesitate to get involved, you never know what could be in store for you. I certainly didn’t expect it to be as successful as it has been! I came into modelling without any experience in front of the camera, I was actually quite nervous but I have become so much more confident than I used to be. Every photographer I have worked with has made me feel comfortable and I have had such a good time. I would also say that if you don’t get chosen by a client for something then don’t let that get to you. You have your own unique look and there will always be a client out there that you are perfect for.



Who is your inspiration for being in this industry? 

Still being new to this industry I don’t have the best knowledge on particular people and names but Stefan Pollmann (Insta: Stefan_pollmann) has an awesome look and does some pretty cool things. I get inspiration from anyone who is a model really!

Have you been on any bookings where you felt the team worked particularly well together? How did it feel – tell us about it.

Definitely the fashion show week, everyone was always in a happy mood all day and all the models, the clients, technician and everyone else involved got on with each other so well. And by the sounds of the audience it was very successful!

How do you prepare for a booking? What do you make sure you know before you arrive on a shoot? Physically and mentally?

I always make sure I get a good night sleep so I don’t look tired for the camera or any client. I like to eat healthily and smash the gym leading up to a booking as it generally makes me feel brighter and better about myself. Before the fashion show I watched a few videos to see how to look good on the catwalk, it definitely helped and gave me extra confidence. I also like to get friendly with the client beforehand as you feel a lot more comfortable shooting when you can have a laugh and joke around.

‘Invest in your skin. It is going to represent you for a very long time.’ -Linden Tyler

One of the most important things for a model to take care of is their skin. After all that is their base, always at the forefront of the camera, taking centre stage. Between busy schedules, travelling and lack of sleep this can sometimes fall behind other priorities, so we have called in the experts!

Today on the blog, we speak to Luisa Scott, owner of Newcastle Skin Clinic. Luisa has many years of experience in the beauty and aesthetic industry including working in the prestigious Harrods.

What daily skin routine would you recommend for a model on the move?

Jane Iredale’s Magic Mitt - it's a very finely knitted glove that removes make up and mascara with no cleansers, just water. All of the make up washes out, and you can then hang this up to dry and you can re-use it for a year. It is better for the environment and most definitely your skin. I take it everywhere on my travels with me. It is also important for you to replace collagen in your skin as you age- for this I would recommend Skinade, a collagen drink that helps to rejuvenate from the inside out.

What is your go to skin care product?

Daily power defence by ZO it has everything you need and can also be used as eye and lip cream.

With our models being so involved with make-up, what would you recommend to remove the make-up and cleanse the skin?

Try to avoid wipes as most contain alcohol. I use the Magic Mitt to remove make-up and to cleanse the skin we use ZO oilacleanse - it's an exfoliating cleanser for real deep cleaning.

Emergency break-out saviour?

Zap and Hide by Jane Iredale.

There is a lot of folk tale around some products, is there any you would stay away from?

I would say to stay away from high street or department store brands. A lot of their money is put into marketing and not so much into the product itself. We prescribe dermatologist range products where the money goes into research.

Balanced diet is very important for our models, what would you recommend to have in their diets to help their skin stay healthy?

Good fats are excellent for your skin so that's plenty of oily fish, avocado and seeds. I would recommend to try and eliminate processed foods and dairy can often bring out spots, so try and use an alternative such as almond milk.

What is the best way to exfoliate our skin?

I would recommend not to use harsh high street scrubs which scratch the skin surface. Most of these contain beads which are banned in the United States as they are bad for the environment and also for your skin. I love triple microdermabrasion polish from Exuviance. It has microfine exfoliating crystals, papaya enzyme and 10% glycolic acid.

What is the best night time skin routine?

Skin goes into repair mode overnight so this is the best time for healing. Retinol is a skin saviour, the holy grail of skincare however lots of products don't contain enough of the ingredient.

 It has been quite a whirlwind following our 10th and final Miss Newcastle competition! We finally got the chance to catch up with our winner Alisha Cowie to hear all about her experience and future plans…

What did it feel like winning Miss Newcastle?

Winning Miss Newcastle felt like a dream. The first pageant I entered was Miss Newcastle in 2016 and I didn't get a place in final so I decided I would apply again, then to win felt so amazing. I felt like it was meant to be and that the time was right for me.

What do you plan to do in your year as Miss Newcastle?

In my year as Miss Newcastle I plan to continue my modelling with Tyne Tees Models as well as keeping up with my charity and volunteer work, within my local area.

How will you be preparing for next years Miss England?

In order to prepare myself for Miss England I will be working hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I will also be working alongside my sponsor, Bijoux; I will do this by hosting charity events with the help and support from them and maybe some events hosted at Bijoux. Leading to Miss England I will be making public appearances alongside charity and volunteer work.


Who is your inspiration and why?

Audrey Hepburn is my ultimate inspiration. I love her so much. She is was so giving with an elegant and graceful nature; to me she is perfect and I aspire to be just like her.

Can you explain you experience being Miss Newcastle 2017 finalist and the relationship with the other girls?

My experience as a finalist was great! It was so fun getting to know new people and making friendships. All the girls were brilliant and unique. All of us got on so well, I think that is because we all had the same goal and we all appreciated the fact there was going to be one winner and also that we all wanted to be crowned Miss Newcastle. We all helped each other along the way and making sure others were feeling good and confident. It's important to cheer each other on.

What charity work did you undertake in preparation for the competition?

Leading up to Miss Newcastle I personally raised £715; I did this by hosting my own events such as charity fashion shows, online raffles and organising my own fundraising pageant.

What are your future plans?

My future plans are to go to university and study Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science. I will also like to continue my modelling to see where it can take me. However, I am thinking of taking a few months out to travel and volunteer abroad.

Today, I woke up with the news of Anita Pallenburg’s passing.

Throughout the 60s and 70s, Anita led the way for bohemian fashion. With an effortlessly cool sense of style and authenticity, Anita was the original ‘it’ girl. She brought to life the aesthetic and day-to-day lives of the rock'n'roll stars of the Sixties and Seventies. Known as a muse to The Rolling Stones, and their fans in following.

At the age of 73 she even stepped out in her friend, Pam Hogg’s SS17 runway show, wearing a draped gold lurex top and trouser combo and a cane. We fell in love with her style time and time again. She inspired fashionistas everywhere.

I was first introduced to Anita through Bella Freud’s fashion film: ‘Hideous Man’, linked below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdEpS1x6-sI

Anita, to me, is the perfect representation of the fashion socialite. Everyone wanted to be friends with her, everyone wanted to be her.