Ben Barry

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Ben Barry
Born February 9, 1983 (1983-02-09) (age 26)
Ottawa, Canada
Nationality Flag of Canada Canadian
Education University of Toronto, University of Cambridge
Notable work(s) Fashioning Reality: A New Generation of Entrepreneurship
Notable award(s) Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case
Official website

Ben Barry (born February 9, 1983) is a Canadian entrepreneur, author, and women's health advocate.[1] He is the founder and CEO of the Ben Barry Agency, a modelling agency and consultancy known for its use of diverse models, and the author of the Canadian bestseller Fashioning Reality: A New Generation of Entrepreneurship.[2][3] He has been profiled on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, MTV, and CBC among others.[2] He has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Guardian, The Times of India, The Globe and Mail, and the Financial Times.[4][5][6][7] Michaëlle Jean, the Governor-General of Canada, has described his work as, "positive, determined action to undo stereotypes and redefine society's idea of beauty."[8]

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[edit] Early life and career

Barry was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He attended the independent school, Elmwood School before moving on to Ashbury College, and graduated from the University of Toronto, where he was a member of Trinity College, in 2005 with a BA in Women's Studies and Political Science. He later attended the University of Cambridge and completed an MPhil in Innovation, Strategy, and Organization in 2007.[2] He is presently completing a PhD with an Ogilvy Foundation research grant at Judge Business School.[9][10] Barry's second book, Beyond Beauty: Discovering, Challenging, and Refining Beauty, will examine perceptions of beauty across the world and will be based on his Ph.D. research.[2] He is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Fashion Incubator, and sits on the Board of the Canadian Foundation for Women's Health.[11][12] Barry also writes a bi-weekly small business column for the Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper of record.[13]

[edit] Ben Barry Agency

He began the Ben Barry Agency at the age of 14.[14] The Agency is known for its use of diverse models; those of widely different sizes, races, ages, and abilities. This is in contrast to most modelling agencies which impose strict height, weight, and age requirements.[9] The Agency played a critical role in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.[2][9][15] Barry has been acknowledged for his efforts to reform the fashion industry to more accurately represent women's diversity, and to end the use of a physical beauty ideal type.[14][16][17]

[edit] Awards

He is a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the first male recipient of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.[1] Maclean's named him one of "one of twenty-five leaders of tomorrow".[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "2008 Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case Announced". Status of Women Canada. 2008-11-04. http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/newsroom/news2008/1104_e.html. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Ben Barry". Speakers Spotlight. http://www.speakers.ca/barry_ben.aspx. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  3. ^ "Young model agent changing the face of fashion". CTV News. 2007-03-13. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070313/fashion_excerpt_070313?s_name=&no_ads=. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  4. ^ "Can this 26-year-old change the shape of the fashion industry?". The Boston Globe. 2009-04-30. http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2009/04/30/meet_ben_barry/. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 
  5. ^ "Young, white and super skinny? We don't buy it, women tell advertisers". The Guardian. 2009-01-10. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/realistic-advertising-women-judge-research. Retrieved 2008-01-11. 
  6. ^ "Size zero debate fuels research". Financial Times. 2008-01-06. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f6038c5a-dc1d-11dd-b07e-000077b07658.html. Retrieved 2008-01-11. 
  7. ^ "Women's brand choice depends on brand ad". The Times of India. 2009-01-11. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Trends/Womens_brand_choice_depends_on_brands_ad/articleshow/3963993.cms. Retrieved 2009-01-11. 
  8. ^ "Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean Speech on the Occasion of the Presentation of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case". Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. 2008-11-07. http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=423469&categoryid=1&. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  9. ^ a b c "Barry slowly breaking barriers". Toronto Star. 2007-03-07. http://www.thestar.com/article/189388. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  10. ^ "Judge Business School: Programmes - PhD - A-Z Listing of PhD Students - Ben Barry". Judge Business School. http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/phd/people/profile_barryb.html. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  11. ^ "Toronto Fashion Incubator Board of Directors". Toronto Fashion Incubator. http://www.fashionincubator.com/about/board/index.shtml. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  12. ^ "Board of Directors - About Us - Canadian Foundation for Women's Health". Canadian Foundation for Women's Health. http://www.cfwh.org/aboutUs/boardOfDirectors_e.aspx. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  13. ^ "A card for all occasions". Globe and Mail. 2008-10-25. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080925.wsbbenbarry0925/BNStory/specialSmallBusiness. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  14. ^ a b "Models of all shapes and sizes". Windsor Star. 2008-10-13. http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=eb9b4e34-3f5d-42ec-b7ac-82659ca697e1. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  15. ^ "Ben Barry: Modelling Agent". University of Toronto Magazine. http://www.magazine.utoronto.ca/07summer/barry.asp. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  16. ^ "A New Kind of Fashion Model?". CBC News. 2007-03-17. http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/2007/03/031807_2.html. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  17. ^ "Male modelling boss a winner for advancing cause of women". Ottawa Citizen. 2008-11-06. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/city/story.html?id=cbf1b644-171f-4b0f-b56e-161766c103f7&k=83428. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Barry"