Storm is one of the UK’s top model agencies, and was established twenty three years ago. Today the agency represents some of the most exciting and influential names in the world, including Alek Wek, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Jourdan Dunn, Kate Moss, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, and boys Jesus Luz, Tommy Dunn, Louis and Claude Simonon among others.
Storm began life in 1987 in a tiny house in Battersea. The house belonged to Sarah Doukas who, armed with seven years experience from running another top London agency, managed to secure none other than Richard Branson as her business partner.
Sarah stormed onto the fashion scene and revolutionized the traditional modelling industry. Her initiative was to launch Britains’ first model agency that represented its models on an international scale. Storm became the first UK agency to book and market models directly with prestige brands worldwide, and in turn foreign agencies placed their top models in her care. Sarah also wanted to represent a vast range of new faces she had discovered herself, and over the years Storm has become synonymous with setting a benchmark for the industry with the quality of the diverse and talented faces represented. The agency was born out of Sarah’s desire to create a company that offered a first class service but was constantly evolving, while retaining its integrity.
Sarah has earned a reputation as the legendary "spotter" – the maverick model agent with an eye for a star, who could turn a young hopeful’s dreams into a reality. 1988 will be remembered as the year Sarah changed the history of fashion when she spotted Kate Moss at a New York airport. This success was to be repeated throughout the years with Sarah consistently recognizing the potential in new faces. Liberty Ross, Behati Prinsloo, Jane March, Devon Aoki, Cat Deeley, Holly Willoughby, Sophie Dahl and Alexa Chung all forged their careers through Storm.
2006 saw the launch of Storm’s Special Bookings division which was set up to run alongside the model agency to source prestige commercial opportunities for clients beyond the fashion industry. Special Bookings today represents Emma Watson, Lily Allen, Lorraine Pascale, Thomas Dekker, Michael Buble, Monica Beluucci, Riley Keogh, Paolo Nutini, Katherine Jenkins, Lorraine Pascale and David Haye amongst others. The division has created TV, film, web, book, music, sport and licensing projects for its talent in the fashion and entertainment industries. One of the early success stories is Kate Moss’s collaboration with high street retailer Top Shop, the creation of her fragrances with industry giant Coty, and an eponymous handbag range she designs for the luxury retailer Longchamp.
Twenty three years on, Storm is a firmly established leading player in the fashion and modelling industries, but the company has managed to retain its identity. It remains a family run business with Sarah at the helm as Managing Director, her brother Simon Chambers as Director, and her daughter Noelle Doukas in charge of the womens board.