Posted on: 04/06/2013

model child: Career takes off for Shelby native


Nine-year-old Lauren Garofalo,a Shelby native,is starting her modeling career in a big way � shooting ads for Toys"R" Us and working in New Jersey and Manhattan. The family of Tonya Moore and Adrian Garofalo,including Lauren"s 17-year-old brother,Brennan,lives in North Haledon, N.J. Her father,a business man,does some work on movies. Lauren got her start modeling in May 2012 when a family friend who worked for Calvin Klein referred the Garofalos to several agents. "We sent information to 20 or 30 agents and really expected nothing,but within 72 hours,12 agents contacted us and wanted to sign her". Lauren"s parents are her co-managers, but Lauren makes some of the decisions. "She chooses her jobs,free agent,not exclusive to anyone,but signed with Toys "R" Us for two to three years. The photo shoot sites are in Jersey City."She does modeling for H&M,a clothing chain,and does live modeling for a well-known New York store,where she has also done a number of private showings. Lauren was recently contacted by Bloomingdale"s public relations department to do a "catwalk" in this fall in New York City. selection of designer clothes,handbags,shoes, jewelry,home furnishings,cosmetics,and accessories for women,men and kids. Lauren and Brennan were born and raised in Shelby. While Lauren is persuing a modeling career in New Jersey and New York,the children senjoy returning to Shelby,where they are "normal country kids". Lauren and Brennan are involved in 4-H and enjoy their farm projects, participating in both the Bellville Street Fair and the Richland County Fair. Lauren shows lambs and market goats and Brennan shows market lambs and hogs and feeder calves. The children attend private Catholic prep schools when in New Jersey. Modeling isn"t the only passion in Lauren"s life. She"s an accomplished basketball player,practicing one to two hours a day. She is in the fourth grade,but plays on a traveling team made up of sixth-graders."Lauren loves modeling. "We let her choose her jobs and she has so much fun doing it. Her passion is basketball,but her modeling is her outlet to have fun and relax. And she loves the attention" Lauren and Brennan are the grandchildren of Louise Ball of Shelby and Larry Ball,also of Shelby.