About Modeling

Function

The modeling industry is built around marketing people as examples of a certain concept or idea. Models are used to exhibit clothing, merchandise or certain behaviors as an example for others to follow. Models are chosen for their "aspirational appeal;" in other words, they are what others should strive to become.
Models are used as mannequins to display seasonal artistic concepts for hair, makeup and clothing. Many times, they are used to project an image to the public of a small demographic’s idea of physical perfection. As inspirational as models can be, their very beauty sometimes incites people to self-destructive behavior and low self esteem.

2007 jesilu_mac / Creative Commons
There are many different types of models to suit many needs. The most common are print models used in catalogs, ads and billboards. Runway and high fashion models are the ones who garner the most media attention, the height of which came during the 1990s with the "supermodel" craze.
Fitness models are people with exceptionally attractive muscular and physical development, as well as facial beauty. Fetish, lingerie and glamor models commonly exhibit more risque clothing and poses than other types.
Some models are chosen to exhibit body parts. There is a booming business for women and men with attractive feet, hands, eyes and backs. This was parodied by David Duchovny’s character in the movie "Zoolander."
There are also fine art models who pose for artists, sculptors and photographers. This is a great niche for petite women who can be shut out of other forms of modeling due to their height.

Leading agencies and publications have standard traits that they look for in a female model. To begin, she must be tall (around 5 feet 8 inches) and slender, with measurements around 34-24-34. Since most samples are produced in a garment manufacturing size 8 (around a regular misses’ 2 to 4 US), the model should be able to fit production samples.
Male models should measure at least 5 feet 11 inches tall, with measurements of 37 to 43 inches. Muscle development is crucial to a male model’s career. Abs should be toned, while chest and arm definition should be noticeably cut. Of course, fitness and bodybuilding models can be bigger.

Fashion modeling is a glamorous industry, but a limited one that is hard to break into. Millions of young women try to break into modeling every year and are frustrated or treated to abusive behavior by industry insiders. The media’s adulation of beauty has been blamed for lower self-esteem among women, along with a spike in eating disorders among young men and women. Exceptionally lovely people are nice to look at, but the worship of their look to the exception of natural beauty has troubled many.

2006 Gavinphoto.com / Jeanette Ponder
Many people assume that models are fragile creatures that don’t eat, are stupid and live lives of genteel leisure. These stereotypes are untrue. While many models do resort to harmful habits to keep weight off, most eat healthy food and work out to stay slender. Often, spectators don’t realize that top models may be only 14 or 15; prepubescent females haven’t sprouted hips, breast and curves like post-puberty women.
A day in the life of a model can be long, tiring and hard, with weeks or months spent far away from the company of friends and family. More and more young women are traveling to major cities in the US to start careers from far away places, meaning that there are often language barriers and cultural shocks. Modeling is, very often, not for the faint of heart.

The biggest danger from the modeling industry is the pervasive message that only extremely slender women and men are attractive. Organizers of fashion shows in New York and Madrid have started to refuse models that fall below 18 on the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale, saying that their extreme slimness gives young people the wrong impression. Young men have also been falling victim to anorexia and bulimia as male runway models grow more and more slender with each passing season.
Modeling is also low paying. The average wage of a normal model is $11.22 per hour, as of 2006. For some jobs, payment may be made in clothing. It’s common for a model to work another job to make ends meet. Very few actually make a living wage.

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