A Cleethorpes woman who is helping to transform the fashion world into a more inclusive and diverse space said she feels “incredibly proud” as her New Model Agency firm, which she set up especially for people who are different, has landed its very own Channel 4 documentary.
Zoe Proctor, 49, set up the Zebedee Talent in 2017 with her sister-in-law, Laura Winson, after the pair recognised a need for more opportunities in the wider media for adults and children with disabilities. The company has gone from strength to strength in the years since, landing prestigious clients from Hugo Boss, Nike, Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger to high-street giants Primark and H&M.
Zebedee Talent’s models include people with Down’s Syndrome, wheelchair users, people with birthmarks and scars, and trans and non-binary people. The company, which originated in Cleethorpes, now operates from an office in Sheffield, and features in a brand new Channel 4 documentary, titled New Model Agency, which starts on Tuesday February 27 2024.
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In three energetic episodes of New Model Agency, viewers can catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life at Zebedee Talent’s office as the team fight for better representation in the fashion industry. The C4 series, made in association with Marks & Spencer, is available to stream on All4 and will be shown on Channel 4 at 10pm.
Speaking to Grimsby Live, Zoe, the founder of Zebedee Talent, said: “It’s been so exciting, but equally as nerve-racking. I did watch it through a cushion, but I’m just so incredibly proud of all of our team and the models involved. We’ve got such an important message to get out there.
(Image: Emily Bloomer / Zebedee Talent)
“The programme is quite light, it’s quite easy to watch and aimed at a younger demographic, but the message is important in there that we’re pushing for inclusion and the people we represent deserve to have a seat at the table. Each episode has a thread running through it. It follows us at the office in Sheffield showing our day-to-day life trying to encourage people to book our talent.
“In the show we also do a New Faces casting, working with the photographer Rankin doing a shoot with one of the winners of the New Faces Search, and we were pushing for more inclusion during London Fashion Week to get our models seen. It follows about ten of our models in day-to-day castings and shows the high and lows of what the industry is like, and how hard it is to gain our models meaningful and paid work.”
Speaking about the origins of Zebedee Talent, Zoe said: “I worked a long time for a college for young adults with learning difficulties – I was a performing arts lecturer – and I started Zebedee Performing Arts for adults with learning difficulties. They talked to me about wanting to have more experiences in the wider media, and at the time I didn’t feel there was anyone out there to send anyone to gain access in the industry.
“I went for a walk along the seafront with my sister-in-law, Laura, having a moan about the opportunities out there. We said, ‘if no one else is doing it, let’s give it a shot’, and we did.
“That was in 2017, and we’ve worked tirelessly to get to the point where we are today. We didn’t have a fashion background, so it’s been a hard slog to get the contacts and persuade people to book our talent. But it was very timely for us, we started at the right time, and we were completely driven and so passionate about it. I think we’ve changed the industry for the better.”
Episode 1 of New Model Agency is on Channel 4 on Tuesday February 27 2024 at 10pm. All three episodes are available to stream on All4.
(Image: Emily Bloomer / Zebedee Talent)
