Behind the business

Gail Rose runs Premiere Productions UK, the city’s long-established modelling and show production agency…

I’m from Aberdeen and my first passion was music. I had lessons in percussion, piano, voice and guitar from the age of seven. I performed in bands, orchestras and theatre pits, even appearing at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Concert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and studying with Dame Evelyn Glennie. I even worked as a session musician for Grampian TV, documentaries, Hogmanay shows, the BBC and accompanied and toured with the Torry Quine, June Imray. 

I also worked part time as a model and one day my agency asked if I could produce music for a bridal catwalk show. I’ve always loved music and wedding dresses, so it was the perfect combination for me. From there, I discovered a gap in the market for fashion show and event production, stage management and a model agency, so Premiere Productions was born. 

Now we do photoshoots, show production, promotions and exhibitions. There’s always something exciting going on. We’ve done stage management for Beverly Knight, Fiona Kennedy, Heather Smalls, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gary Wilmott and Sir Alex Ferguson and we’re involved in many of Trend’s events and fashion shoots. We do bridal catwalk shows including Your Wedding Aberdeen, as well as all over Scotland and down in to the Lake District. 

We also produce Dance Proms Aberdeen which involves around 350 dancers from Dance Schools across the city and shire, as well as charity fashion shows like Brave and Courage Fashion for Friends of Anchor, where we help stage the shows and train the models. I love seeing Anchor’s volunteer models become so much more confident in themselves, not just in terms of their appearance, how they move and hold themselves, but inside themselves too. It’s quite a transformational process for many of the models involved.  

Over the years, our work has diversified in terms of the number and types of events we manage, but also our models are becoming more diverse in terms of age and size. We represent all ages from young children to retired people. Our oldest model is Judy, who’s 92. 

I’m really fortunate that everyone involved in Premiere Productions is great. I have a wonderful, hardworking, professional crew of models, some of whom have been with me now for 25 years.  I get to meet so many amazing clients that have become life-long friends and I still love working with the ever changing styles in fashion and music. 

There’s very little I don’t love about my job, but if I have to choose something, it’s when things become untidy and chaotic backstage during a show. Before the show, everything is beautifully organised with each model’s outfits in running order on their clothes rails. When the models arrive for the show everything gets untidy. I find myself tidying their bags away under tables so they aren’t near their rails. I think I may be a little OCD.  

I’ve been married to Mike for 42 years, and should just like to point out I was a very young bride. We have two amazing children. Michelle works as a professional dancer and photographer in London and Glen is studying law at RGU. 

When I’m not at work, I’m listening to music for the next shows and meticulously saving in folders! I spend a lot of time with my Dad who has Parkinson’s and Dementia and I still teach rhythm workshops two days a week in primary school classes throughout the city. 

I’m really grateful that my work means I get to do all the things I love. 

Tel: 07412666384
Facebook: PremiereUK
Instagram: premiereproductionsuk