We don’t wait for change.
We build it.
We don’t wait for change. We build it.
The Alternative believes uncompromisingly that fashion is most powerful when it reflects the world as it actually is. Co-founded by two committed advocates for authentic representation, Rachel Payne and Becca Thorpe. The Alternative exists to challenge what has long been accepted as the standard. Together, they bring decades of experience, a shared vision, and a proven track record of building careers that matter.
This is not a conversation about inclusion. It’s a commitment to it.
MEET THE CO - FOUNDERS
Becca Thorpe has never waited for the industry to catch up. A former curve model turned pioneering agent, she spent over 15 years at the forefront of one of fashion's most necessary shifts—helping the curve market grow from its earliest days into a legitimate and celebrated force. Her work at Muse Management and NEXT, recognized by Vogue and Refinery29, helped redefine who belongs on set, in campaigns, and on the pages of the industry's most influential publications. She didn't just open doors—she rebuilt the frame entirely.
Becca joins The Alternative with the same relentless purpose that has defined her career: to champion real diversity, in all its forms, from the inside out. Not performative. Not temporary. Permanent change, built by the people who have always believed in it.
Rachel Payne has been quietly rewriting the fashion industry's rulebook from the inside out for over a decade. She began her career at JAG Models in 2014, helping build the agency from infancy, before bringing her signature eye for detail and talent management to Muse and New York Model Management.
Throughout her career, Rachel became known for her global network, relentless advocacy, and mentorship of creatives—launching the careers of hundreds of models while fiercely pushing for a landscape that honors all ethnicities, body types, and gender identities. For Rachel, beauty was never meant to fit in a box. In 2023, she founded The Alternative to finally give the industry what it was missing: an agency built on authenticity, evolution, and uncompromising equity. She doesn’t just manage careers; she champions them.