How to become a fashion model

Posts: 21 Location: Italy

Hello,

the problem with writing an article on "How to become a fashion model" is that you can't really become a model. Either you were born that way or you weren't. And if you were, somebody has probably already discovered you, in which case you don't need to read this. But if you happen to be one of those rare creatures that is 5'7" to 6' tall; not larger than a size 6; have perfect skin; between 14-20 years of age still; and un-discovered, we can give you some pointers on how to get started.

1.Finding an agency

Most models are recruited by modeling scouts who roam around the country in a tireless search for fresh faces. Models are often discovered in shopping malls, schoolyards, clubs or other obvious places where young people hang out. If you fit the requirements, it's very likely that you will be noticed. You can also send pictures of yourself to an agency. At the end of the article you'll find the addresses of the top agencies in New York and Paris. You're better off sending a few simple photographs than trying to create an expensive portfolio. The simpler the photographs are, the better it is. An agency wants to see a natural face, not someone that's playing dress up and trying to strike supermodel poses. Another way to get signed is to go to agencies's open castings. Call the agencies's reception desks to find out when those are. Although some models have been discovered through model conventions, most schools and competitions is generally a waste of money. You shouldn't have to pay anybody to get access to an agency.

2.Starting your career

Unless you already live in New York, Paris, or Milan, you will most likely have to move there after you've signed with an agency. They will find you an apartment and help you get settled with your new life. But the beginning of a modeling career is a very difficult time: "You need to have a strong character," says HelÃ¨ne Caroline Bodet who is a booker at Elite in Paris. "In the beginning many girls feels insecure and weak. They're far away from home and maybe they don't get any jobs at first." The agency will try to support you through difficult times: "We let them know that it's OK to cry in front of us and try to give them security and trust, but we can't take the place of a family," says Bodet. An agency can also not be there to protect you 24 hours a day. We all know the stories of young models that have been drugged and violated by people they met in clubs, or ripped off by scam artists who promised them the moon. "The fame and glamour of this business attracts a lot of sharks," says Bodet, "we always tell the models not to believe what anybody tells them and not to listen to anyone who promises them anything." Ambitious models stand a much better chance to be successful. Although it is of course exciting to be on your own in a big city and glamorous to hang in the VIP room at all the hippest night spots, you have to be disciplined and keep going to castings and show up to meetings on time. "The girls that never make it are the ones that don't take modeling as a real job," says Bodet.

3.Presenting yourself

Presenting yourself for clients is an important part of the job. "Many girls make the mistake of trying to look elegant and sophisticated, but they don't have the fashion knowledge to pull that off," says Bodet. "The client wants to see the natural beauty of the model. We try to teach them not to wear make up - except maybe a little blush - and just have clean hair and nice nails." She also recommends dressing simply - jeans and a t-shirt will do - and wear nice shoes with medium high heels. It is of course also extremely important to have a pleasant and professional attitude. However, don't to try too hard to be charming. Clients are generally more impressed by someone who has a take-it-or-leave-it attitude than someone who seems desperate to get the job.

4.Working the camera

A large part of being photogenic is to love to be in front of a camera. To be a successful model you have to be a bit of an exhibitionist and enjoy having your picture taken. It is also important to remember that you need to be very relaxed about nudity. "The best models are the ones that really like the job and want to take part in the process," says photographer Dean Thunderwall who works for magazines like Arena, Mixte Mode, and Italian Glamour. "Some models really work with you on the picture, they come to the shoot prepared, they look up references beforehand and have suggestions and ideas. It's more fun to work with someone who doesn't look at the polaroids to check if she looks good, but does it to see the whole picture and try to make the story work." Like with anything else, it's important to find your own niche and know what you're good at. "Many models have found a certain "character" that works for them. Some are really good at looking pissed off, some are really good at being sexy, like Frankie Raider, and some just look really cool, like Kirsten Owen," says Thunderwall. The girls who know how to perform well in front of the camera are also the ones that are most likely to make a successful crossover into acting. Milla Jovovich is a good example of a model who has managed to bring her talent for expressing herself on photographs onto the big screen. She once confided to us that she always tries to "be as real as I possibly can." Perhaps that is the secret.

5.Agencies in NYC and Paris

New York:

Company
270 Lafayette Street, #1400
New York, NY 10012

T Management
725 Fifth Ave. 15th Floor
New York, NY 10022

NY Models
596 BroadwaY 7th Floor
New York, NY 10012

Karin
524 Broadway #401
New York, NY 10012

Elite
111 E. 22nd St.
New York, NY 10010

DNA
520 BroadwaY 11th Floor
New York, NY 10012

Women
109 Greene St.
New York, NY 10012

Ford (tied)
142 Greene St.
New York, NY 10012

Marilyn (tied)
300 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010

Next
23 Watts Street
New York, NY 10013

IMG - Women & Men
304 Park Ave. So. Penthouse North
New York, NY 10010

Paris:

CITY MODELS
21, rue Jean Mermioz
75008 Paris
01 53 93 33 33

ELITE MODELS
8 bis, rue Lecuirot
75014 Paris
01 40 44 32 22

FORD
9, rue Scribe
75009 Paris
01 53 05 25 25

KARIN MODELS
9, avenue Hoche
75008 Paris
01 45 63 08 23

NEXT Management
188, rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris
01 53 45 13 13

VIVA
15, rue Duphot
75001 Paris
01 44 55 12 60

If you need a worldwide list of serious 1st and 2nd level agencies, please post your requests in this forum.

Greetings,

Mira

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Posts: 96 Location: USA

Thanks mira! One thing I find wrong there though. Models do not have perfect skin... it only looks that way because of makeup and airbrushing right? Can you also give me a list of agencies in LA? Thanks again Smile

Posts: 21 Location: Italy

Hello Lea
I don't disagree with you even if we talk at cross purposes. I was talking about the total skin of a model and not only the face.
Assumed you have a lot of birthmarks, scars and other skin irregularities you will have it harder to get a good job than a model with absolute pure skin.
Heidi Klum's body is full of birthmarks but you will never see any of them on advertisements because the industry is looking for perfection. Have you ever seen a catwalk model with birthmarks and scars? Even if most of them uncover their skin irregularities (tattoos too) with make-up and airbrush-tech, agencies watch out for a perfect skin.

Girls (and boys) who want to become models should set a limit, that's very important.
It's inept to spend your life with sending pictures to every agency you can find. Instead of this you should make a list of known first level agencies and just contact them. In my opinion open calls are the best way to show them your potential.
When you get refused you can ask them why and what they think about your chances to become a model. Always talk to agents like they were your best friend, that makes impression.[ Wink

]
After 10 refusals you should understand that you are probably not suitable for this job. [ Sad

]
Even if you get accepted by a second or third level agency after years of open calls and mail-applications, do NOT expect too much.I will post more to this theme from time to time herein.
Here is a short list of mentionable and serious agencies in Los Angeles. Call their reception desks and ask for open calls:

Next Management
Beverly Hills, CA
1-305-531-5100

Elite
Beverly Hills, CA
1-310-274-9395

Ford Models
Beverly Hills, CA
1-310-276-8100

Wilhelmina LA
Beverly Hills, CA
1-323-655-0909

L.A. Models
Los Angeles , CA
1-323-436-7700

Click Models LA
West Hollywood, CA
1-310-246-0800

Nous Model Management (2)
Los Angeles, CA
1-310-385-6900

Q Models (2)
Los Angeles, CA
1-323-692-1700

MIRA [ Very Happy

]

Posts: 15 Location: USA

Trying to become a model is definitely not the easiest thing in the world! I know cuz i struggled at first too but i found that persistence will land you in the right spot.. I have always wanted to model since i was young. i got the same lines a lot of tall girls get, "Do you model?" "You should really get into modeling!" I finally got a full enough head to really try it. I was 15 when i was first approached by this woman who asked if i was interested in pursuing modeling..i told my mom about it and we visited the woman, but she eventually thought it wasnt right for me cuz i was to young to be traveling abroad on my own. (i was sooo upset but i had to isten to my mom..) after that i stopped for a really long time. i continued to take pictures for fun and for the thought that maybe one day i will try it again. One day i was stopped again by a photographer when i was 19 and she was scouting for girls to appear in an ad for the lucky magazine...I eventually did that job and it was my first ever appearance in a magazine.. i was sooo excited, i thought to myself..this is it,,this is what i want to do forever, so i really put my foot to the pavement, i went out to pursue my dream.. Thats when i started going out to open calls.. i was turned down many times but with good rejections i suppose..they all believed that i could model but that my look wasnt right for them at the time. I went along my way beginning to second guess myself about the whole thing, when i eventually settled on freelancing for a smaller agency. I got more work on my own from being stopped on the street and finding it myself on line or just by knowing someone.. until one day my agency sent me on a casting..i was going to be in the area of a pretty well known and rather new agency (from stories i heard it was hot and rising) i checked online to see if they had an open call and it was the same day as my casting.. i decided to go in when i was done and to my suprise i was picked up and offered a contract.. Now i am sooo happy and just beginnng to take a real step into the scene. Sometimes it doesnt always come easy, even if you are beautiful and tall and live in the right area. Like my mom always told me,"Nothing comes easy in life and if you want it that bad you gotta go out and get it YOURSELF cuz it surely isnt gonna come to you!" Many girls are lucky enough to be spotted in a mall or on the street, thats if you are in the right mall or walking the right street. but otherwise its like searching for a needle in a hay stack...anyways i have wrote a novel..sorry to bore you, but i just wanted all the potential models to know that we all have long stories before our actual beginnings..one important peice of info,,,beware of the scams when an agency really wants you and they are legit, you dont have to pay for anything, in rare cases test shoots but usually nothing!
Have a great day guys and reach for the stars!

Ciao,

Melissa*

Posts: 2 Location: USA

Thank you soooo much Melissa for your post, you have no idea how much i needed to hear about an experience so similar to mine. I just arrived in new york a week and a half ago, and immediately began going to open calls. I was turned down by the first agency I went to, but he kept satring at my picture then at me for at least a minute before he turned me down. The second agency I visited, the scout/agent was soooo nice to me, but ultimately turned me down because they had just signed a girl with too much of a similar look as me(he even showed me her comp). The next agency I visited, the guy didn't really even look at my pics, he just rushed the interview and ran out with his friends/coworkers to go smoke...(although he kept saying 'pretty' when he flipped through my pics,so i'm definately going to re-visit them perhaps a little earlier when the nicotene urge isn't so bad[ Wink

]).
Anyway the 2 other agencies I visited didn't even look at me or my pics for more than a sec(I swear).

After that first week I've been doubting my chances in the business. But I have to atleast keep trying because my family is almost completely broke and we need the money.SO THANK YOU for sharing your story with us, you have inspired me to keep on trying and keep on being determined....hopefully my story will also have as good an ending(or beginning) as yours.

Peace

Posts: 15 Location: USA

hey,

it really does take a toll on your self esteem going to open calls and being rejected, but you just have to surpass that and keep going. it can take a while or it could be next week until an agency picks you up. But seriously dont give up..if you want it, get it!! It wont hurt to get with a smaller agency just to get your foot in the door,, also there are a lot of websites that have castings and auditions...that helped me out a lot when times were slow...i can give those to you if you'd like.
(email me) also i know that modeling sounds like a great and fun way to make money but it doesnt come that quick..commercial print work makes more money that most editorial jobs, unless your some big name model, then you will get really paid..otherwise they are practically done for free or for tear sheets for your book, cuz eventually thats what it will be about tear sheets, tear sheets, tear sheets!
another thing if you dont mind me asking..what agencies have you tried?
also have you asked some of the agents what they think of your potential as a model and if so what feild (fashion or commercial) does your look fit into.?
speak soon, take care and stay focused!

ciao,

melissa*

Posts: 2 Location: USA

Hi....sorry I couldn't reply sooner. Thanx melissa for replying to my post,and to answer your question,I visited elite,img,boss,wilhelmina, karin,t mgnt and next.Yes, at the few calls when I got to speak with the scout/agent, I was told of my potential in the business....the guy at elite said I wasn't quite commercial but my features weren't strong enough and the guy at t said that I am probably taller than I think and thin so I would be good for runway(but alas he didn't sign me [ Surprised

)] ), the lady at karin said that I don't look my age (I don't think she meant it in a good way...I'm 17) I know that staring out I would make hardly any money, but I have a very determined nature and I strive to succeed in anything I put my mind to.

Although I plan to visit all the agencies on my list, my family and I have decided that it would be better if I finished my first year in college and then return to new york sometime later next year.I plan to find a local agency in Minneapolis where hopfully I can do some commercial work and earn some money for school.

Yea please send me the info about the auditions and stuff at purple_rune@hotmail.com.

Thanx...........................PEACE!!!

Posts: 1

hey can u put up chicago agencies addresses=thanks-i love the stories-lauren

Posts: 21 Location: Italy

quote:Originally posted by Laur26
hey can u put up chicago agencies addresses=thanks-i love the stories-lauren

[url]http://www.error-is.org/fmd/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26[/url] [ Very Happy

]

-mira-

Posts: 1 Location: Macao

In my country, there aren't any people roaming around looking for
models. My ambition is to be a model, however, there aren't any opportunity at all![ Sad

]

(Sorry for my bad english)