It doesn't require too much imagination to understand the broad appeal of becoming a model. The media constantly reminds us of the high salaries, opulent lifestyles, and extensive wardrobes of the world’s leading models. Where there is wealth there is rivalry however, and the modeling industry is highly competitive as any successful model will tell you.
At first glance, modeling might appear to be a straight-forward profession. After all staying in shape, looking good and smiling demurely at the camera can't be all that difficult, surely? The actual shoot is of course only the tip of the iceberg, and the modern model is constantly pushing to get noticed in print, on the catwalk, through the party scene, in the press, and on the Internet. The long hours spent on make-up, in the gym and travelling to shoots are extra. Beauty is not just an art form - it is a pure industry.
The most frequent question we are asked by young women is how they can become a model. What at first thought appears to be a simple question soon turns into a mantra of acquired wisdoms and warnings. For most careers it’s pretty clear cut. After all, if you want to get into law you have go to law school, if you want to become a doctor, medical school, and so on, but what modeling schools there are offer only short, expensive courses and no guarantees. Becoming a model is not a clearly defined or a straight-forward career move. As many employers within the industry can only relate to their personal preferences (and frequently from the male perspective), we decided to ask the advice of those who have successfully climbed the career ladder instead. So we asked some of the world’s leading ladies what advice they would give to the next generation of models. Many were generous enough to offer their guidance, and so here follows a coffee-sized digest of how to go about becoming a successful model:
