By Gina Salamone Daily News Staff Writer Tuesday, May 5th 2009 Olivia Mignone Overcame Height Bias ...The 18-years-old from Queens dreamed of becoming a model since childhood. But at just 5' foot 1", she knew that wouldn't be easy. Instead of sitting around sulking, she started her own modeling agency for girls, donating money raised from shows to charity. "I've always wanted to model," Mignone shares. "I watch 'America's Next Top Model.' My freshman year of high school, when I was 14, I joined my high school charity fashion show. "My mom was friends with Hal Eisenberg who is the executive...


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By Amanda Marinaccio Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Watch out Gucci, move over Prada, there is a new designer in town, and the amazing part is she hasn’t even finished the 5th grade. Growing up on Hone Avenue, ten-year-old Maria A. Manolis has been drawing since she could hold a crayon and plans to become a designer after attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. “Her first attempt at designing was draping fabrics when she was a toddler,” said Elena Manolis. “From 4 years old on she was doing basic shapes, and by 6 she was drawing people and dresses.” An honor student at the Greek...


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By Nathan Duke Thursday, April 2, 2009 1:22 PM EDT An 18 year old senior from Bayside’s Benjamin N. Cardozo High School said she is currently overseeing 18 teenage girls who do not fit the typical description of a fashion model, but will walk the runway at a Manhattan charity event this summer. Olivia Mignone, who lives in Bayside and attends Cardozo, founded Shortstack Modeling Agency in 2006 through the city-based Windows of Opportunity, a leadership development agency that empowers youth by allowing them to address issues with which they are struggling through the creation of community...


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