Setting the Record Straight with the Latest News on Maddi

The latest on Maddison's continued success from someone "in the know":

"As usual the media got it wrong. Maddi is not relocating to New York. She has been signed by Elite in New York and will be visiting when it is appropriate. And building her career. She has also been signed by agencies in Paris, Turkey and Milan and will go to these when she is older. Maddi will also be continueing her studies and is in Year 10 next year. She also travelled down to Sydney over the holidays and did rather well for a first timer in that market."

We continue to wish Maddi and her family the VERY best. It's clear to us that those closest to Maddi are truly looking out for her best interests!

Maddison and her family may relocate to New York soon

As reported here, Maddison signed with the Elite Model management in New York. Now there is word that Maddison may relocate to New York as soon as this Christmas.

We wish Maddison and her family well, and we hope they have a wonderful experience in our country!

The Elite Girl Next Door

Model banned at 12, but a rising star at 13
July 12, 2008
news.com.au

THE 12-year-old model who caused an outrage when she became the face of the Gold Coast Fashion Week last year has been signed by a top New York modelling agency, at just 13.Maddison Gabriel has been signed up by one of the world's most prestigious agencies, Elite Model Management, which has driven the careers of top models including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford.

The teenager's coup occurred after her Brisbane modelling agency Tamblyn Models, with whom she signed in January, met with Elite last month.

"They thought she was a lovely fresh-looking girl," said Tamblyn Models general manager Sallie Tamblyn.

"They are looking at bringing her over in January during the school holiday period," she said.

The Gold Coast teenager, currently on holiday in France with her family, made headlines from Australia to the US last September when, aged 12, she was selected as the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week, with then prime minister John Howard and US talk show hosts commenting on the case.

Tamblyn said she believed there was no danger to her entering the industry at such a young age.
"I really don't think its detrimental and her age isn't an issue," Tamblyn said.

"Maddison has only ever done age appropriate jobs, which is teenage parades.

"She hasn't done anything that is going to make her into any form of sex object or anything."

According to Tamblyn, premier Sydney modelling agency Chadwick also expressed interest in her.

But Chadwick general manager Martin Walsh said yesterday that a final decision had not been made on whether she would be represented by the agency.

Gabriel's rise into the modelling big time has concerned childhood protection lobby groups.

Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive officer Joe Tucci said he believed the fashion and modelling industry had to re-examine the practise of pushing girls into the industry.

He said children were accepting roles which were beyond their ability to understand.

AMERICA HERE SHE COMES!!

Model, 13, signs US contract
Rachel Syers
02Jul08
www.goldcoast.com.au

IT'S been nine months since the global media pounced on the controversial decision to name 12-year-old model Maddison Gabriel as the 'face' of Gold Coast Fashion Week.
Now just three months from turning 14, Maddison is taking on the world.
The freckle-faced teen has just been signed with Elite in New York, one of the world's leading modelling agencies, and will go to the US at Christmas.

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She is in Paris on a family holiday and taking the chance to meet agents reportedly interested in representing her once she turns 16.

Earlier this year, Maddison joined the books of Tamblyn Models in Brisbane which is now her 'mother' agency, and has also set her up with Sydney's highly respected Chadwick's.
Tamblyn spokeswoman Sallie Tamblyn said Maddison had enormous moneymaking potential overseas, and the agency was helping with her career development.

Ms Tamblyn said a Cairns model barely 16 years old had just returned from a month in New York and had earned close to $US20,000.

Speaking from Paris yesterday, Maddison told The Bulletin she was 'really excited' about plans to travel to the US in her end-of-year school holidays and begin working in the industry.

"I can't wait to see what will happen while I am there."

It's a far cry from the teen hiding away in her home from national and international media when the debate was raging over her Gold Coast Fashion Week involvement last year.

We have changed the nature of this blog--from parody to admiration

We intended this blog as a parody of modeling, as seen through the eyes of a young woman caught up in it. We failed both as a parody and as a piece of clever writing.

More importantly, we may have hurt a very nice young woman and her good mum. We have come to know that Maddison is a great girl, and that her mum, Michelle, is a wonderful woman who does for her daughter what every mum wants to do--give her opportunities to build and showcase her talents, whether through sports, the arts or any other endeavor.

Most of our readers understood this was a parody, but some did not, and we apologize to them.