My love for this industry carries the history of a lifelong journey of highs and lows. What has always kept me going, are the highs. Unless you have experienced the incredible transformation of personality and confidence that occurs in front of the lens, it will be difficult to understand the power it evokes within.
My passion and determination to see growth in those who can contribute to keep this industry wheel turning, led me on a journey of coaching, and finally to starting my agency. Cherished relationships have continued with those who helped get me to this point. It’s always been about the bigger picture for me; a picture that shows an industry pulling together, one of like-minded individuals standing together even when competing for those cherished bookings. Cherished, yes, for we are living in a time where tomorrow is more uncertain than it’s ever been. Being a mother makes the uncertainty a tangible presence and for those of you with children, will understand the drive to try and ensure a better future for them.
Nurturing our daughter, Zoryn, and allowing her the freedom to become her own person, was important to my Anton and I, so that she would follow her passion. Her strive for equality and excellence, coupled with a creative mind, has birthed a further desire in me to help uplift our industry that has experienced so much loss and has been stripped bare over the past two years.
Finding like-minded partners to birth this project, was of the essence. Bianka Hartenstein, AKA Little Harlequin, who has been a part of our lives for the past 6 years, capturing our hearts with her creativity, incredible can-do attitude and brilliant talent, was an obvious choice. Our journey together, started out as one of make-up and styling, to being on board Zoryn and my fashion film, to one of creative genius, when Zoryn spent a day with Bia. Our make-up star had become a phenomenal photographer over night! Their day of play was one of dress-up and make-up. The images were so incredible, that I entered them for publication, resulting in a cover and full 12-page editorial. Whenever Zoryn’s busy school schedule allowed, she would ask to do another shoot with Bia, and so the tearsheets have accumulated.
During these extremely tough two years, that have impacted on lives and livelihoods, I just had to find something to bring some joy again, and something that could help boost our industry.
My aha moment came, when one of our models was placed with an agency in America, and we had to start accumulating the necessary tearsheets. It’s not always easy to reach that 45 to 50 tearsheet target.
With the rise of online publications, but the uncertainty and sometimes hefty costs involved, I decided to start a publication to service this need. Yes, doing collabs and submitting to the magazines, but only sometimes getting published, is great for some. We do need to give thought to the creatives as well, for without them, we wouldn't have amazing images to fill portfolios and magazines. Collaborations to submit to magazines are generally at their expense . Models and performers that take their careers seriously, invest in portfolio shoots, but wouldn’t it be great to possibly get published as well?
Bia and I put our heads together and came up with shoot packages that could potentially assist in getting published. We have since partnered with other photographers and creatives who will offer the same. The shoots would be themed and include a number of models, dependent on the theme. It is not essential to shoot with these teams to be able to submit as collaborations will always be welcome to suit all pockets.
Magazine submissions will be free on a first come first serve, and excellent quality basis, thereafter, we have pricing tiers. Dependent on quality and number of submissions received, some might not make it to publication. If those that don’t make the selection have images that fit in with the next issue’s theme, they will be considered again.
The second aha moment came when meeting with acclaimed international ballerina, trained actress, model and art lover, Daniela Di Lorenzo. Daniela’s passion for this industry carries the great loss of her late fiancé, an incredible actor and special human, David Dukas. Daniela’s journey of healing led to a shoot with Bia that will be featured in our first publication. It also gave rise to two more publications that will feature models, the other, performers, creatives and their stories. Our flagship magazine encompasses a mixture of all. Daniela’s creativity and incredible penmanship will be a great asset to The Z Creative, the umbrella company of Zazaa! Zoryn! And Zwish! Our flagship publication is called, Zazaa! as this is the name Bia fondly calls Zoryn.
Upon meeting Kara Peach, we knew we had found the final cog in the wheel. This vivacious, forward-thinking, highly skilled graphics and marketing creative has added that special edge to our magazine offering.
What’s in a name? So many interesting elements and attributes are found in the origins of a name.
Zazaa! ~ Movement, Light, Flowery, Belonging to All, Growth, Plenty.
Zoryn! ~ Gold, Happy, Beautiful with an element of Bashfulness, Imagination, Willpower, Optimistic, Bold, Free, Gifted.
Zwish! ~ Clever, Great Humanity, Super Star
High end fashion - Zoryn! (A magazine of stories told through fashion.)
Talent and Creatives - Zwish! (A magazine of Press Releases, so to speak.)
Fashion, Performance and Creativity – Zazaa! (Our Flagship magazine that encompasses all)
Bia, Daniela and I invite you on this journey to help your models, actors and creative talent to showcase their experience and skills globally. Our publications will run on the Kavyar platform, a well-supported and successful platform for models, creatives, agencies and publications.
Yours in creativity,
Martéz
