Industry jargon not your thing? Our glossary will enlighten you!
A fashion model is a person who presents clothing, accessories and fashion products for designers, fashion brands, photographers and magazines. They are an essential part of fashion campaigns, fashion shows and fashion editorials. Fashion models play an important role in the fashion industry by presenting the latest trends and designs to a wide audience and thus contribute significantly to fashion communication and marketing.
Fashion models work in various areas of the fashion industry:
Catwalk: Models present clothes and accessories on the catwalk at fashion shows.
Photography: They take part in photo shoots for magazines, advertising campaigns and lookbooks.
Promotional events: Models represent brands at various promotional events and trade fairs.
Physical requirements: Certain physical criteria such as height, measurements and appearance may vary by market and brand.
Charisma and presence: A strong charisma and stage presence are crucial in order to present fashion effectively.
Professionalism and adaptability: Punctuality, reliability and the ability to adapt quickly to different requirements are important qualities.
The career of a fashion model, although it may seem glamorous, comes with a number of challenges. One of the biggest difficulties in this industry is the high level of competition. Models are constantly up against a multitude of competitors, which increases the pressure to continuously improve and differentiate themselves.
In addition to the competition, fashion models are often exposed to high levels of physical and mental stress. Long working hours, frequent travel and the requirement to be constantly fit and conform to the prevailing beauty ideals can be both physically and mentally exhausting.
In addition, the stability of a fashion model's career is often uncertain. Careers in the modeling business can be short-lived and highly dependent on factors such as current trends, personal age and fashion industry demand. These uncertainties require constant adaptability and often a plan B for the time after the modeling career.
The fashion industry is constantly evolving, and the demands and expectations of fashion models are changing with it:
Diversity and inclusion: there is a growing demand for more diversity in terms of size, age, skin color and gender identity in the fashion industry.
Digital presence: The ability to present and market oneself on social media has become increasingly important.