Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘Geek Girl,’ Harriet Manners’ life changes when she is scouted by a modeling agency. Before this, Harriet never thought about becoming a model. It was her best friend who dreamed of being in the fashion industry. Harriet thought she was the most hated person in school, which is why it is impossible for her to imagine that she has what it takes to be a model. For all her self-doubts, she eventually decides to give it a go and joins a modeling agency called Infinity Models London. Under the mentorship of her agent, Wilbur, Harriet embarks on a transformative journey.
An interesting fact about ‘Geek Girl’ is that it is loosely inspired by the story of Holly Smale, the author of the books on which the show is based. Does it mean Smale referenced the real modeling agency she’d worked with?
The Fictional Infinity Models Has Echoes of Smale’s Real Experience
Infinity Models London is a fictional modeling agency that Holly Smale created while writing the ‘Geek Girl book series. The author revealed that while a lot of what happens in the books is fictional, a significant part of it is based on her real-life experiences, especially when she was discovered by an agent who encouraged her to become a fashion model. Smale didn’t reveal the name of the agency that found her when she was fifteen, but it did serve as the inspiration to create the structure of Infinity Models.
The author revealed that while writing the story, she referenced several real-life people. While she may not have directly based characters on them, she used some of their characteristics for her fictional creations. This means that many of the models, agents, and designers we see in the story are, in some form, a reflection of the people that Smale encountered during her brief stint in modeling.
One of the most important people in Harriet’s life is Wilbur, the man who spots her as fashion week and sees something unique in her when no one else does. Smale revealed that while her own agent was “vaguely flamboyant,” she didn’t entirely base Wilbur on him. Rather, she considers the agent a mix of several “eccentric people” she has met over the years. One of the people who had a significant influence over Wilbur’s mannerisms was Smale’s mother, from whom the author borrowed the “bizarre way of talking,” especially the part about making up all sorts of nicknames for people.
Smale’s experience in modeling also informed Harriet’s journey with the modeling agency and the way things eventually turned out for them. A lot of Smale’s own insecurity is poured into Harriet, who constantly needs to be assured that she is better than she thinks of herself, often by Wilbur. Considering how much of her life and experience the author drew upon for the story, we can say that while Infinity Models is not a real modeling agency, it comes close to representing real modeling agencies, with all the good and the bad of the fashion world presented through it.
Read More: Netflix’s Geek Girl: Is the Show Based on a Book?
