Shelley was one of the most successful models at the Ford Modeling Agency (now known as Ford Models Inc.), one of the leading modeling agencies in the entire world. Her mother, Patricia, was a former model herself; and she brought Shelley to Eileen Ford (an acquaintance of hers) in New York for representation. Shelley recalls, "She [Mrs. Ford] barely looked at me, but at the end of the meeting, she turned and said, 'We'll be expecting you at 9 o’clock tomorrow.'" And Shelley became one of the top Ford Supermodels of all time, one of the first models to sign those lucrative and exclusive million-dollar modeling contracts models nowadays aspire to get. She ranks among some of the highest-paid, most recognizable Ford Models whose names and faces rocked the world of modeling - such as Dorian Leigh, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Dovima, Suzy Parker, Wilhelmina Cooper, Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy, Lauren Hutton, Karen Graham, Beverly Johnson, Margaux Hemingway, Cheryl Tiegs, Cristina Ferrare, Jerry Hall, Christie Brinkley, Brooke Shields, Shari Belafonte and Kim Alexis - just to name a few. (For more, check out: Best-Built Fords ) Eileen Ford said of Shelley, "Modeling was just a vehicle she used to get educated. It was never a thing where she wanted to be the best model in the world. She simply became one of them despite herself."
