Diving into the world of fashion modeling as a career is an exciting way to show off your talents and discover your potential. However, there’s a long history of people who have tried and been met with only dead ends when pursuing their modeling careers. Fashion modeling is a demanding occupation, but it can also be very rewarding when models know how to put themselves out there and find their niche.
What Is a Fashion Model?
The range of what a fashion model can do and become is quite sizable. Primarily, a fashion model poses in apparel for catalogs, billboards, eCommerce sites, and other advertising collateral. Fashion models also appear in editorials, product shoots, art videos, and other forms of visual media.
The job of a fashion model can be boiled down to taking direction, knowing how to strike the right poses at the right times, and also giving creative input at times. Another major role of fashion models is showing off new apparel at shows on a runway.
Becoming a Fashion Model
In many ways, you don’t really “become” a fashion model. With the exception of subsets of modeling, like plus-size modeling and fitness modeling, agencies look for fashion models that fit a specific body type and overall look. Female fashion models are generally 5-foot, 9-inches or taller and have a slim build, while male fashion models are generally 6 feet or taller and have a lean build with definition.
Getting toned is one way to prepare for becoming a fashion model, but much of it has to do with having an instinct for how to wear clothes that work well with your look and working well in front of the camera. It’s also a good idea to start practicing your runway walk to be ready for auditions.
Of course, you’ll want to be mentally prepared as well for what you expect from the world of high fashion. Many new fashion models are surprised at how taxing days of shooting can be and the sometimes seemingly impossible demands from photographers and creative directors. You’ll need to be prepared to put in long hours and work hard to find real success in the industry.
Building a Portfolio
Another essential step you can’t skip when becoming a fashion model is creating a solid portfolio. While social media can be a helpful tool to share some of your photos, you’ll want to create a separate portfolio containing all of your most professional shots. Have a photographer take photos of you showing off fashionable outfits in high-quality lighting. Soft natural lighting is ideal, but if you have access to studio lighting, you can use that as well.
Getting an Audition
After you’ve compiled a portfolio, you can contact talent agencies and get yourself in front of industry insiders who can book gigs for you and help guide your career forward. Discovery Spotlight is a great place to get started since you can get auditions with influential industry insiders and guidance through educational resources and live events. Contact us today to get started!