A definite "no" comes from the fashion agency slides, who gave fashion model and blogging tech aficionado Anina an ultimatum:

either quit doing the technology stuff, or leave the agency. they say that fashion and technology do not go together.

they say,that i can not do both things and that i must choose to either be a model, or do the tech stuff. they say i will not find an agency in paris who will accept for me to do the both. and so i have been thinking deeply about what i am to be doing.

modeling makes me money, tech does not. i love tech, why should i have to give it up.

Why indeed? mobilejones, who is blogging on the new BlogHer community website, writes:

Anina's story isn't unique. Many employers are concerned about their employees blogging, and as a result, some people blog anonymously.

The concerns of the modeling agency aren't clear, but it does raise what is likely to continue to be a tough choice for employees. When an employer dictates your activities outside of work, what recourse do you have?

My question is what this agency is afraid of. Nicole on cruel to be kind ponders this:

I find it hard to believe that an agency - which is living from what their models bring as business to them and lives from the fact that her models get more famous - would threaten as an ultimatum "just" because of she is a bit geeky. There is a second side of the story I would love to hear. Then again, yes they may be just as stupid as that.

Back on BlogHer, trishaokubo notes that Anina's management company has backed her in this conflict:

It brightens my heart to hear that WOMEN Management has stepped up to the plate to support Anina. I don't mean to get on a soapbox here, but this is a great example of the kind of support that we're looking to foster amongst ourselves here at BlogHer.

Anina, who was at the BlogHer Conference last year, writes about her support and reveals, perhaps, why the Fashion Powers That Be may not appreciate her blogging:

i would never suggest, with my 360fashion project, or anything that i do, to work without an agency. it's too risky. you risk not getting paid, being mistreated, lied to, and whole host of things that as a little independent contractor can happen to you. my 360fashion project is not to REPLACE the need for agents, otherwise i wouldnt have ps-models in there. it is only to say that as there is less money happening in the fashion industry, on non-monetary collaborations, the 360fashion system can facilitate the interaction.

i dont see the problem of two people even, agreeing to work together, and then calling their agents to arrange the paperwork (i do think however, then the agent should take less commission). more proactive and independent fashion professionals i think would be happy to work this way, as they could arrange their own projects, work, and such. maybe that is what the industry fears when we speak about new ways to collaborate and communicate. for me, it gives then a doubled effort to get work, i am making my connections on one side and the agency making connections for me on the other side--it's a win win situation if everyone is on the same team. possession is ego.

so my mother agency explained to me from the french agency side, what happened to my couture show booking (that's why this whole situation happened--because i flew back for a job, that i understood to be a job, that was cancelled, and then no one informed me). a lot of press showed up to film me, and when i was not there, they were very pissed off. when the french agency said that i spoke directly to the client (the thing that made them so angry), my mother agency vouched for my professionalism and did not buy their story.

Today Anina is not modeling, but she is working ... showing Swiss TV how to blog.

Update 29 May 2006:

The last sentence, now crossed out, apparently was a bit ambiguous. The "today" referred to that particular day of the post, but some people, apparently, were reading it as meaning that Anina no longer models at all. I regret that anyone got that impression from my imprecise writing.

Anina corrects:

hi media girl,

in this post it says i am not modeling and this is not correct info. i am modeling. i have lots of agencies and even a new agent in paris.

http://mediagirl.org/node/1098

thanks for the correction!
great article and breakdown of the situation.
best,
anina
www.anina.net

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