How I build and run modelling agency: Adwin Saputra

Image: Adwin Saputra photographed by Hakim Satriyo

“It was never my intention to build my own modelling agency,” Wynn Models founder Adwin Saputra told TFR. Yet it became one of the leading modelling agencies in the country within 6 years. Whether you flip through magazine pages or go to the mall, you’ll most likely see models from the agency appear on the spread or billboard.

Adwin started his career as a crew on fashion show in 2003. He got an offer from Jim Models when he worked for Panca Makmun, one of Indonesia’s top choreographers. After 5 years stint at Jim Models, he moved to modelling and entertainment agency DAMN! Inc.

That was when the journey began. 12 senior models urged Adwin to start his own modelling agency. “They told me if I moved to another agency, they would be freelance models. They would go wherever I go as long as I run my own agency,” said Adwin.

Wynn Models officially started operations in March 2013. “They came up with the name ‘Wynn,’ they created the website and comp cards, they spread their comp cards to stylists and designers. Everything is handed to me,” Adwin recalled. “All of the sudden, I had designers and stylists calling, asking for business license(NPWP).”

For a new agency, having 12 models – each with their own characteristic and market – is surreal. Adding to that, they consist of established names like Advina Ratnaningsih, Marcella Tanaya, Michelle Tahalea, Reti Ragil and Prinka Cassy.

Left to right: Prinka Cassy, Juwita Rahmawati, Advina Ratnaningsih, Reti Ragil, Juanita, Marcella Tanaya, Adwin Saputra, Michelle Tahalea, Ayu Faradilla, Anzanni Mayang, Antie Damayanti

The first two years were tough for the agency because they didn’t manage to recruit new talent. In 2015, Adwin branched out to foreign models in an effort to cater to the market. Indonesians are known to favour white models over local models. “As much as I want to be idealistic, my team needs to eat. I deploy different strategy for local and foreign models,” said Adwin. “For the locals, I think long-term. I want them to see what they can be in 3 to 5 years instead of 2 to 3 months.”

Nurturing models is part of Adwin’s job too. “My models are my family. We are like besties. They call me up to talk about their lives. It’s a personal approach to get to know the models. That’s how I know how to improve them,” said Adwin. The strategy certainly works its charm. The transformation of some of the models is jaw dropping. There were models who didn’t know how to walk in heels, models who didn’t know how to walk or pose, and models who didn’t know how to talk to people when Adwin first recruited them.

“Before I recruit a model, I give them a list of questions. It’s like an exam. They have to write down their strength, weakness, and goal. I have a model that said she had zero strength and a long list of weakness. I told her I could name a lot of her strength just by chatting with you for this past hour. She broke down and cried,” Adwin said as he showed the photographs of models before they joined Wynn Models. “People only see the outer appearance of models. They see the models when the models have blossomed. They don’t know the process behind nurturing and building the models’ confidence from zero,” Adwin added.

“Retail can discard damaged inventory. We can’t discard a model just because we don’t think they’re beautiful enough. We are in a human business. You don’t just throw away a person,”said Adwin. Treating models like humans is rare among the ruthless industry. Amongst the ruthless culture, Adwin pointed out, is categorising models in class A, B and C. “Why do you classify models like goats?”

Point taken.

It’s not just nurturing that makes Wynn Models what they are today. The agency imposes strict regulations on models,especially in dieting. “There is no point in being thin if you do it the wrong way,” Adwin pointed out. “I have a new recruit who went into a strict diet. She collapsed on the fifth day of a fashion week. She couldn’t work on the sixth and seventh day. I gave her an ultimatum, ‘if this happens again, you are out of Wynn.’”

The rules are even stricter for foreign models. Foreign models busted for escort work are immediately deported back to their country. “Keeping a clean rep is hard,” said Adwin.

As the guardian of the models, Adwin forbids any work that involves nightclub and dinner. He even has to turn down stylists from adult magazines several times.

The way he operates business revolves around transparency between agency and models. “I always inform the models about the clients and the pay before agreeing to a job. If the models turn down the job, I don’t take it. I don’t want to force my models to work if they don’t want to,” although that leads to many missed opportunities to work with European and American modelling agencies.

“Marcella (Tanaya) and Reti (Ragil) were offered contract from Wilhemina in Milan. They turned down the offer. Ayu (Faradilla) turned down an offer from London. Instead, she walked for Oscar de la Renta and Prabal Gurung in Singapore. I also have responsibility to their parents. If they are homesick, what am I gonna say to their parents?,” Adwin recounted. “At the same time, I understand their decision and I know that once they go abroad, there is a big possibility they won’t come back. Hege (Wollan), for example. But for work inAsian countries, I tell them that they have to do it.”

In the era where anyone can become a model on Instagram, Adwin’s ultimate strategy to keep the business afloat is quality and attitude. “We thrive on quality and characteristics of each model,” said Adwin.

“I specifically told everyone they have to say thank you to fitter and make-up artist after fashion show. A good example is Tiffany (Zhu). All fashion week crew were praising her. You know what she did? She took selfies with every make-up artist, stylist and fitter and posted them to her Instagram stories. It’s a small gesture, but it creates a long lasting impression.”

As far as humility goes, education is also mandatory in Adwin’s book. If we take a closer look at all models from Wynn, everyone has a bachelor degree. Some have a double major and some have a master’s degree. Jessie Setiono, one of Wynn’s senior models, is a lawyer at a reputable law firm. “Education adds quality to a person. You can talk to anyone if you are smart,” said Adwin.

In the long run, as Adwin observed, being able to strike a pose is no longer enough, especially when many prints publications have shuttered. It affects the numbers. Regardless of how modern technology is, prints exude a sophisticated feel. It remains an essential platform in building portfolio.

“It’s about putting yourself out there nowadays with social media. My models who locked their Instagram account finally gave in and opened their social media for public. They now earn money from social media.”

Handling models that come from various backgrounds with unique idealism is not an easy task, but at the end of the day, seeing models land magazine cover and brand ambassador contracts is a proud moment. “I send my models to acting class, presenting class, soap opera casting, advertisement casting. It is fine if they don’t get the job. I make shorter models go for casting even though the show has a certain height requirement. I want them to know what it’s like to be rejected. It is an experience that will turn them from nothing to something.”