“It’s all about looking the part”, the woman advises.

“What shoes are you wearing?” she asks – and must simultaneously decide to find the answer for herself, for now she’s leaning under the table. “Oh no… Are they espadrilles?” The girl frowns, shakes her head and ducks to have a look of her own. Her pumps shift at all the sudden attention. Opposite, a suede knee-high kicks and folds over the other. “Well, we need black court shoes. Have a look at any of the girls upstairs, they look really good. And that top, have you got a blazer? Or what I really like is a nice black shirt.” The girl fixes her smile and nods. “Actually, I’ll show you an agency girl on Facebook who looks great… See? At the moment, I really wouldn’t feel comfortable putting you on Lancôme or Dior, or any of the premium brands.”

The woman puts her phone back in her bag and smiles. “So how do you feel?” The girl nods and replies, “Good.”