During the 80s and 90s, one woman truly redefined the modeling industry. I'm sure you've heard of her, everyone has. Her career was legendary. She walked the runways for the world's top designers, appeared in countless advertisements, starred in commercials, TV shows and several motion pictures. She was featured on covers of every major fashion magazine and earned hundreds of millions of dollars over her long and distinguished career. Her name was synonymous with supermodel. Her name: Destiny.
This is the story of how she became the greatest supermodel of all time.
Early on in her modeling journey, Destiny showed a lot of promise. She was still in high school when she began working on building her portfolio with catalog work and modest advertisements. However, once she turned eighteen her career really took off as she began booking bigger production shoots with top-tier photographers. But there was a deep, dark secret behind why her career all fell into place.
It was 1984 and Mr. Greenstein was the mogul of the modeling world. He had a reputation for being tough, but he had also discovered countless models, far more than any other agency. Destiny's future in the industry hinged on her meeting with him.
Destiny's stomach bubbled with nerves as she sat in the agency waiting area. Mr. Greenstein's assistant, Betty, walked over and gestured for her to follow. With graying hair and mature appearance, Betty reminded Destiny of a woman from the 1950s. She almost looked out of place in a modern modeling agency. As Destiny entered Mr. Greenstein's office, she caught Betty's eyes. They were full of warmth and sorrow and made her wonder if something was wrong.
Mr. Greenstein's office was located in the corner, high atop a prominent New York building with breathtaking views of Central Park and the Hudson River. It was an office reserved for the powerful and privileged. Behind a large mahogany desk sat Mr. Greenstein. He was rather portly, with gray hair and an unkempt beard. It was rather ironic that the most powerful man in the industry was far from the conventional image of allure.
"Take a seat," Mr. Greenstein said.
As she sat down in the chair facing his desk, Destiny's heart raced with excitement.
I hear you're doing excellent work for us. The feedback so far has been very positive," Mr. Greenstein praised.
"Thank you, Mr. Greenstein, I've been working very hard," Destiny responded.
"Has it been to your liking? Are you enjoying it?"
"It's been a dream come true and I've learned so much too."
"That's wonderful. Destiny, I'll get right to it. You're an incredibly talented model, with that look I've been searching for. I believe you can be our next big supermodel," Mr. Greenstein said.
"Serious? You really think so?"
"We wouldn't be having this meeting otherwise," Mr. Greenstein confirmed. "But I need to know that you can sustain this level of dedication as it carries far more responsibility than the smaller assignments you've been doing and involves significant investment from my company. You'll now be working with top photographers representing premier brands."
"I'm ready!" Destiny exclaimed. "This is all I've ever wanted." She was incredulous, but tried to remain composed, not wanting to show too much enthusiasm.
Mr. Greenstein gave a warm smile. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," he said. He walked to the other side of his expansive office. "Come," he beckoned as he sat on a plush office couch, his substantial frame taking up the middle seat.
Destiny got up from her chair and walked over towards him, but he stopped her by extending his hand.
"Give me a twirl," Mr. Greenstein instructed, gesturing with a small wave of his hand.
The request felt a bit unusual, but Destiny reminded herself she was a model. She rationalized that it would make sense for him to assess her physique. She was dressed in a pair of skin-tight designer jeans and a sapphire halter top that accentuated her 5'11", 120lb frame. She had deliberately selected this shirt not only for its ability to bring out the vivid blue of her eyes and the striking hue of her natural blonde hair but also because it highlighted her 36 C bust without being overly provocative. She completed a lighthearted twirl, allowing her hair to dance freely with the movement. When she turned back to face Mr. Greenstein, he was sporting a satisfied grin.
"Very nice, you really are a superstar," he said.
Mr. Greenstein gently patted the sofa cushion next to him inviting her to sit beside him. Destiny approached cautiously and sat up against the armrest in an effort to create as much distance between them as possible.
"Now, I'm prepared to make a substantial investment in you," he began. "But I need some reassurance that you're capable of handling the high-pressure situations and strong personalities you'll undoubtedly encounter. By supporting you, I'm putting my own reputation at stake. I need to know that you're a true team player."
"Of course I am," Destiny replied.