Discovering Carla Voute

Scouted thanks to her best friend, the very first model of an agency that had only just been founded, Carla Voute has since worked in Greece, Istanbul and South Korea. For Vendôme, she looks back on her beginnings in fashion.

The beginnings

How did it all start: where and how were you scouted?

It all started thanks to my best friend. She had met my current agent during a conversation about their professional plans. My agent told her she was launching her own model agency, and my friend immediately thought of me. She told me about it, and I took part in the online casting as soon as it opened. I was the very first candidate to apply, which meant I could talk very quickly by video call with the woman who would become my agent. She then travelled all the way to my hometown so that we could meet in person.

Looking back, I find it quite special that it all began this way. My best friend has always believed in me, and I’m truly happy that she was the one who told me about this opportunity and introduced me to my agent. There is also something rather special about our relationship, since I was the very first model at her agency. We grew up together a little in this adventure, and I think it created a unique bond between us. It’s a story that naturally means a lot to me.

How did you feel when you signed with your first agency?

I remember feeling very proud. At the time, I saw that signature as a dream come true, whereas looking back, I understand it was really only the beginning of the adventure.

There was something quite particular about that moment: signing a simple contract, just a few sheets of paper, yet feeling that something very real was finally beginning. It was both the end of a period when I spent a lot of time imagining the future and the start of a new one in which I could truly discover myself.

Your very first casting: do you remember it?

Very well! I remember spending a lot of time thinking about the outfit I would wear, how to introduce myself and the image I should project. I really wanted to do things the way you were “supposed to”, without really knowing what that meant.

Over time, I understood that the most important thing is precisely not to try to fit a preconceived image. It’s better to show your personality, assert yourself and stay true to who you are.

Castings can be quite intimidating at first. You find yourself among lots of girls, all different, each with her own beauty and world, and it’s sometimes hard not to compare yourself. But when you talk with other models, especially abroad, you realise that we often share the same doubts and the same fears. In the end we go through very similar experiences, and that really helps you step back.

What surprised you most about this job, compared with what you imagined?

Without hesitation, the people you meet. I thought modelling would be an essentially competitive world, where everyone moves forward on her own. I discovered something completely different.

I’ve been lucky enough to work and travel in several countries, and I met people there with whom I built real friendships. You share so much, sometimes for weeks or months, far from home. Strong bonds form naturally. It’s something I never anticipated, and today it’s among my most beautiful memories.

The highlights

What was your most unusual shoot?

I’m thinking of a campaign for a hotel in Greece. We spent a whole day on a yacht with a wonderful team. The shoot was mostly video: we went paddleboarding, dived into the water and filmed in different spots around the boat.

I remember thinking at one point that the situation felt almost unreal. It was the middle of summer, in Greece, on a yacht, living a day that looked a lot like a postcard. We even stayed on for several days with part of the team. It’s exactly the kind of experience modelling lets you live, and that I probably would never have imagined doing otherwise.

Which campaign did you enjoy most, and why?

I’d say my magazine shoot with Bvlgari. It’s a house I really love. I especially remember the famous Serpenti watch, which I had always admired and had promised myself I would wear one day.

Discovering it, wearing it for a day and leaving with images of that experience felt quite special to me. It was a brand I associated with something very desirable, almost out of reach, so being part of it was a real satisfaction. And the Serpenti watch is still one of my little personal goals ;)

The first time you saw yourself on a screen or a billboard, how did it feel?

It was in Seoul, and I think I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.

I had gone shopping with friends. I knew the campaign would be displayed somewhere in the city, but I didn’t know exactly where or when. Looking at the huge advertising screens on the buildings, I suddenly recognised my arm on one of the ads. At first I could hardly believe it, then I understood it really was me.

I started screaming and jumping around, my friends were filming me and I almost had tears in my eyes. It was a mix of surprise, pride and emotion that’s hard to describe. It’s a memory I often think back to, especially when I have a few doubts. It reminds me how far I’ve come and makes me proud of what I’ve already achieved.

Who has been your best encounter since you started?

I couldn’t possibly choose just one. I think above all of the friendships I’ve built abroad, especially in Greece, Istanbul and South Korea.

These are people I have sometimes lived with day to day for several months. You get to know each other very quickly, you share the same experiences, the same uncertainties, you support each other and you end up forming strong bonds. What I find particularly interesting is that we come from very different backgrounds, with cultures, habits and lifestyles that are sometimes opposite, and yet we understand each other so easily.

These are encounters that go far beyond work, and I know I’ll keep them in my life for a long time.

A show or a photo you are particularly proud of?

I’m thinking of a series of photos taken in Greece with a photographer I really like. We had found a huge swimming pool, completely emptied and abandoned, just before the end of summer.

I loved the atmosphere of the place and the spontaneity of the shoot. The photographer had an immediate inspiration when he discovered the spot, and we made the images in just a few minutes. The result was exactly what I had hoped for, with something quite singular about the photos.

I particularly love this series because if summer had to have a final scene, it would probably be this one…