What It’s Truly Like to Be a Fashion Model?

A model is an individual with a job either to advance, show or publicize business items (remarkably design dress in style shows) or to fill in as a visual guide for various brands and clients. People recognize modeling from different sorts of public execution, for example, acting, moving, or emulate creativity, albeit the limit is not very much characterized. Showing up in a film or a play is for the most part not viewed as displaying, paying little mind to the idea of the job. Be that as it may, numerous models can likewise portray themselves as entertainers. Style demonstrating is like acting, as the models need to communicate a feeling and feeling in their photos. 

For quite a long time, modeling was a quiet calling. There, people saw ladies but never heard. 

Qualifications of a fashion model

The Association of Model Agents (AMA) states that to be a model a female should have the following traits:

• 34-24-34 inches (86-61-86 cms) 
• Five feet eight inches (1.72m) tall.

Apart from this, a model should have:

• The capacity to cooperate with other people. 
• Undivided attention abilities. 
• To be adaptable and open to change. 
• Fantastic verbal relational abilities. 
• Tolerance and the capacity to resist the urge to panic in upsetting circumstances. 
• The capacity to arrange your time and the remaining task at hand. 
• Fixation abilities. 
• Actual wellness and perseverance.

Types of models

• Fitness models: such models focus on a healthy physique. 
• Bikini models: much similar to fashion models center on having an athletic and fit physique.
• Hip hop models: these are mainly in the music/movie industry. Focusing on dance moves.

Since the beginning of the modeling industry, women have been put under categories. Society has typecasted both male and female models ever since. Where, a perfect size, a perfect face, and a perfect height was everything the formed modeling. However, there has been an evolvement since that time. Men and women now are more vocal about things and what exactly it is and happens in this industry.

Nowadays social media has become a major platform for expressing and making that reach the world. Many also express what the modeling industry holds behind the glamour and fascination. As there is a saying that where is good there is evil as well. The model industry just like any other industries also has its goods and bad. This industry with issues like body shaming, sexual harassment, and labor exploitation. 

From scratch to bloomed

Models be it a male or a female have to go through a lot of stages to reach where the industry shows.

• Castings: The maximum time a model spends initially is in going for auditions. Castings are particularly crude placings. Some agents call you for auditions according to the requirements of the client. As a model, you need to be there. The client asks you to do a lot of things. They’ll ask you to walk in a line to see your catwalk skills. They may ask for a photo book. A client may also ask for a Polaroid which is a picture without makeup and filters. In short to see the ‘true you’. To see if you are fit for commercials, they ask for you to talk a line or a script. If you’re going to 15 castings you will probably get 2 jobs. Dealing with no is a huge part of this profession.
• Cakewalks/ fashion shows: walking into a runway is the most amazing thing. Everything is great, the music, the beats the clothes everything. You walk in clothes that someone has put love and effort in. All you have to do is to do justice to the outfit. Go straight to the photographers’ pit, stop, click, a fancy turn and go back. It requires confidence and focus. 
• Photoshoots: it is the easiest yet the difficult part. A model needs to know their best expressions and angles. 
• Perks: you get discounts at gyms. Sometimes at restaurants, you just need to ask your agency and they will get you a reservation in no time. You only have to pay the tip that is 10 percent. 

Issues that a model faces

• Racial diversity:  models have mostly faced discrimination based on their color. Many people denied them work and some did not treat them equally as others. This however has changed over time as people are more vocal about this issue. According to a study done by The Fashion Spot, 27.9 percent of the models who walked the 2017 spring runways were non-white.
• Body diversity: many have been slammed of the body he/she has. Plus size was always not the choice of the agencies. However, now more and more models are taking over the runways. Talking about self-appreciation and loving your body had now become a major thing. 
• Sexual harassment: models are considered independent contractors. Young and mostly females who are non-English speaking are particularly more vulnerable to such acts. Where models who work full time have the right to report such exploitation independent contractors don’t.  
• Pay: the payment of models is often in the form of clothes. But, The Bureau of Labor Statistics study, stated that a model in New York gets an average of $48,130. However, a model working elsewhere than the United States earned about $36,560.
• Drugs, arrogant people, and side work: very few but many models do get caught in this racket.  It’s very transparent and open. 
• Career: since most of the time is spent giving auditions no money is earned during this time. As for careers, the modeling industry is very short and fashion-based. Only 10 percent survive a career longer than 10 years in this industry.

Conclusion

Models are immigrants and come from all parts of the world. As easy, glamorous, and tempting it looks from outside it isn’t if you give it a closer look. Models go through a lot of struggles to the top of the struggles. From castings to catwalks to photoshoots and eventually experiencing a lot of different types of people. Some models stay some leave. A few are the strong ones who hold on to the process of reaching success while some give up as it just looks easy.