Ashley Graaf was recently seen strutting the runway and posing for photographs under the world’s glamorous fashion arena in Paris late last month.

 

The 17-year-old had been informed last February she was chosen to travel to France in an open modeling call featuring talent scouts from all over the world including Paris, Milan, London, Munich, Barcelona and Tokyo, to name a few. The requirements were for males ages 16-25 between the heights of 5’11” and 6’3” and females in the age range of 15-25 with heights between 5’8” and six feet.

 

Graaf’s mother agency, Caryn Model & Talent in Minneapolis, made all the arrangements and Ashley and her mother, Kim, made the overseas trek for an amazing week-long adventure. They left May 23 with a connecting flight out of Chicago and came home June 1. Seven hours of flying to Paris and eight-and-a-half hours on the way back.

 

Day one in Paris included Ashely going to an orientation for two hours and learning what agents would be looking for. Ashley and the other 50-60 girls from the U.S., Canada and Thailand, were also instructed on how the showcase would be run. 

 

“I was a little intimidated at first,” Ashley said. “But after a while, things calmed down and it got more comfortable.”

 

Ashley said the agents she and the girls met with were picky and barely flinched when telling the girls their flaws or whether they were the right one or not.

 

Callbacks occurred when an agent wanted to see more and wanted to have follow-up pictures, bathing suit modeling, runway walks and additional information.

 

Of the 23 represented agencies from all over Europe, Ashley got 18 to request call-backs from her.

 

“Callbacks is when the real weeding-out takes place,” said Ashley. “They take pictures, compare models against the agencies’ specific needs, watch them walk and get to know the girls better.”

 

Ashley’s next step was to meet at the local offices of the agents who were still interested in her skills. Before leaving the initial callback, Ashley had already received three phone calls from agents wanting to meet her again. Several stayed silent in their pursuits and a few said they were not interested at this time.

 

“Ashley has done an amazing job of staying true to herself and not letting the judgement of others bring her down,” said Mom Kim. You really have to have thick skin in this business to deal with all this.”

 

After four additional meetings with agents towards the end of their trip, Ashley was offered a contract with an agency to stay in Paris for the summer modeling season. The contract was with an agency new to Ashley’s age market, so Ashley decided the time wasn’t quite right and she and her mom came home with the hopes Ashley will be primed to take center stage later in the fall.

 

Typically, models work for six-to-eight weeks in the summer and then return to their homes until the next season.

 

“Ashley wanted  to start with a more established agency that will pay for her living expenses and give her a phone and a stipend,” Kim said. “The newer agency didn’t have the same perks for her to decide to stay.”

 

Kim said many agencies expressed their interest in her and since she is so young, she can certainly take her own sweet time.

 

“If she chooses to go back, the door will be wide open,” said Kim. She had the most interest and callbacks of anyone in the entire showcase.”

 

The showcase concluded with a dinner cruise on the famous Seine River. A four-course gourmet dinner was served to all paid guests.

 

Ashley and her mother returned to the United States June 1 and Ashley returned to some of her most favorite things — being with her boyfriend, coaching gymnastics and go-kart driving. 

 

Her favorite thing about modeling is it is her best way of expressing herself.

 

“It’s where I feel most comfortable,” she says. “I’m able to challenge myself and strive to achieve my goals.”

 

The worst thing about modeling?

 

“Early morning call times,” she said laughing.

 

Ashley plans to take it easy this summer, enjoying her teenage years and spending time with family and friends. Her maturity and self-assuredness reflect fervently way beyond her years.  She’s a girl not in any  rush to grow up quite yet.

 

“Paris was an amazing experience and I hope to go back there this fall, or sometime in the future,” she said. “The next step will be signing a contract and being financially compensated so I can continue to do what I love, whether it’s overseas or here in the U.S.”

 

Only time will tell when people in this small community will be able to look up, see her face on billboards and TV ads and exclaim, “Hey, I know her. That’s Ashley Graaf.”