4/16/2013

What To Know About Wilhelmina

By Camille Nicholson


Wilhelmina is a female that that comes from the German language and is said to mean protector. Willy, Mina, Wilma and Willa are common nicknames or shorter versions used. There are famous people who bear this name, including a model and founder of a modeling agency, Wilhelmina Cooper.

Cooper was the founder of the company named after her, Wilhelmina Models, and had ownership for many years. She was of Dutch decent and born in 1939. She passed away at the young age of 40, as a result of lung cancer. Her career in the fashion industry began with modeling for Ford Models. At the peak point in her career, she began her own agency in New York City during the late half of the 1960s. The business is still in operation to date.

Perhaps her most successful years in modeling were during the 1950s and 1960s. Over her career, she was featured on the cover of over 250 magazines. To date, she holds the record for having the most covers on the American edition of Vogue Magazine, appearing approximately 27 times. She was considered a star in couture.

Her time spent modeling gave her knowledge of the industry, which she put to use when she started the agency with her husband Bruce Cooper, former executive producer of the Tonight Show. The business found success early on and became a leader in the industry, along with Ford Models.

The agency, and Cooper, are credited with launching the modeling career of African-American supermodel Naomi Sims. Prior to meeting Cooper, Sims struggled to find consistent work during the 1960s. It was not until she reached out to Cooper for help that she found the success she had been looking for. In Gia, a film from 1998, Faye Dunaway portrays Cooper. The film is a story about the life of Gia Carangi, a supermodel that Cooper discovered. In more modern popular culture, the sitcom Ugly Better named one of its characters after character, as a tribute to her success.

Although Cooper passed away at the young age of 40, her legacy lives on, especially through her company. The agency has offices in Austin, Miami, Los Angeles and New York. The business continues to put together licensing arrangements with agencies across America and in other countries, including Italy and Panama. The agency is considered among the best talent management agencies globally. It has earned a good reputation for its management of men, women, children, full-figured and fitness models. They have also worked closely with musicians and entertainers.

This company helps clients create and maintain their brand identities, sponsorships, campaigns, marketing opportunities, endorsements and more. It includes multiple departments. The primary areas of work can be categorized under: women, teens and kids, men, artist management, select, fitness, curve, runway and s2.

Wilhelmina is a name that comes from the German language. It is mostly given to women and there are several famous people who have had it. Wilhelmina Cooper was a famous model. She is also known for starting the professional modeling agency with her husband in 1967 called Wilhelmina Models. The business is still in operation to this day, decades after the passing of its founder.




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