Commercial Modeling Versus High Fashion Modeling

[sebastianp]

Not every model can do high fashion, but most of high fashion models can do commercial is all about market. You can be edgy and still do some commercial jobs. It not always about beauty...

 

[agee]

^ I think that it is more the reverse. High fashion tends to be stricter about height and proportions, but you can find girls of all stripes doing high fashion, from quirky to exotic to classic to sexy, especially if you take a long-term view. Put it this way, if I take all the VS Angels of the past 15-20 years, I can identify a model with similar looks who was a regular on the high fashion runway, Vogue Italia or Vogue Paris, but I cannot find parallels for runway, Vogue Italia or Vogue Paris regulars as part of the VS Angel line up.

In the short term a model has to let her agents put her in the bucket that they think is best, and if at some point she really has a passion to be in a different bucket and meets the basic requirements to be in that bucket, then she needs to advocate for herself with her agency, and if they are not willing to help her, consider changing agencies. Another option, especially if it is a commercial model who wants to do more high fashion, is to do trade work with designers and fashion photographers.

 

[alonsoJonathan]

I think thoughts like this is the reason why most successful high fashion models are only successful within a span of a few years because they are kept in the tight bubble of high fashion jobs.

Why can't people try and experiment all the aspects of the modeling industry and see what works for them. It's silly for models, and agencies alike, to keep themselves at bay of work because they're afraid of making their image "cheap". The high fashion industry is a revolving door of the "new girls" that swallows models whole and quickly regurgitates them after a few seasons. It's sad because I find most high fashion models can actually do many commercial works, but they're too afraid to or are simply not willing to. And then people are yelling at their ears that if you become the face of VS or do some commercial for Target, then Gucci or Chanel won't hire you anymore. Pure silliness at the very least.

Models back then did everything! And I mean everything! That's why they are still booking jobs even if they're past their 30's or 40's, and even 50's. It's called social networking.

High fashion models like Raquel Zimmerman and Isabeli Fontana have the true testament of longevity because they're not afraid to put on a swimsuit or do photoshoots for for some cheap down town catalog, atleast they're working throughout the year.

Seriously, if you have it, then you have it, don't try to demean your own career by simply limiting yourself.

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Commercial work in general does pay more. But ad campaigns for high fashion brands also pays well because they generally have bigger budgets than editorials or runway.

Less paying jobs = less competitive, more girls chosen.

High paying jobs = more competitive, less girls chosen.

So if you're an aspiring model who wants to live in the upper east side of Manhattan one day, then try to do every job imaginable that you can handle, no matter how cheap, small, expensive, big, blah blah blah.

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**** Edited ..... removing response to posts that were moved to a new thread in The Etc.s of the Modeling world ... just as you were posting this. The Most Valuable Models ... Runway Models not being Paid What they are Worth?

i have to agree with these. 80% of the models who have been working for over 4-8 yrs is because they do more then just "HF work"
Natasha,Isabeli,Daria,KK have done both commercial n High Fashion work n are more well known or more of a complete model IMO then lets said Stella,Kristen,Guinevere.

 

[alonsoJonathan]

I think since this great post we have seen others like Adriana Lima enter this space. As far as the next Gisele, my money is on Maryna Linchuk

3 yrs later n she hasnt ....

i will said Karlie n Joan will have a great career in both markets.

 

[Mariann]

What exactly is commercial modelling, is this more likes lookbooks, TV ads, catalogues, isn't H & M more commercial? I noticed that high fashion models can work the catologues and things that in my view are commercial.

 

[BetteT]

You are correct ... those sort of things are all more or less commercial modleing. Anything that presents any product to the public is usually "commercial". Runway presents the product to the buyers and editors ... the people who work in fashion. And Editorial work in magazines is not considered commercial ... unless it's for a lifestyle magazine.

There is a slight crossover between the two ... so the line is sometimes blurred.

But you don't realy see many famous runway/ecitorial girls in Macy's catalogs or in TV commercials for tampons or insurance. Yes, it can happen ... but only a few lucky models can do both and look right in either place. It's a different "look" for each type of model. Runway/Edtorial models are quirkier looking and not as conventionally pretty ... sometimes they would be considered almost ugly or at least have a very distinctive and uniquie look. Commercial models must be pretty and have killer smiles.

 

[Mariann]

I some times struggle to distinguish commercial images from high fashion ones. In my experience as a model there are some images in my portfolio of which are high fashion but I think a lot more commercial as I am not travelling yet and doing it locally. Where I am- I would say there is definitely a more commercial style with photographers.

I noticed a lot of models start off commercial then get into high fashion, it seems to make it a whole lot easier. Have a look at Irina Shayk's website, it's full of high fashion images. Where as in Google her images are more glamour and commercial. She did a lot of work for catalogues. Commercial photography was used then, now she has done a lot of editorial work for exposure in the high fashion area.

The same goes for Mirranda Kerr, Adriana Lima, Gisele and Alessandra- they did a lot of commercial work in their early careers, what about Cintia Dicker, Bambi and Hannah Holman

 

[Mariann]

Are Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines commercial?

 

[happycanadian]

certainly, they are.

 

[Mariann]

Thank you. I just wanted to make sure of that.

I've noticed a lot of models began their careers commercial before entering into the high fashion world.

 

[CommanderTMugler]

I some times struggle to distinguish commercial images from high fashion ones. In my experience as a model there are some images in my portfolio of which are high fashion but I think a lot more commercial as I am not travelling yet and doing it locally. Where I am- I would say there is definitely a more commercial style with photographers.

I noticed a lot of models start off commercial then get into high fashion, it seems to make it a whole lot easier. Have a look at Irina Shayk's website, it's full of high fashion images. Where as in Google her images are more glamour and commercial. She did a lot of work for catalogues. Commercial photography was used then, now she has done a lot of editorial work for exposure in the high fashion area.

The same goes for Mirranda Kerr, Adriana Lima, Gisele and Alessandra- they did a lot of commercial work in their early careers, what about Cintia Dicker, Bambi and Hannah Holman

I'm pretty sure Gisele and Alessandra started in HF first doing crazy amounts of runway then that lead to the exposure and commercial work. Miranda started out more commercial then ventured into HF recently. Adriana might have started in HF as well.

 

[Mariann]

I'm pretty sure Gisele and Alessandra started in HF first doing crazy amounts of runway then that lead to the exposure and commercial work. Miranda started out more commercial then ventured into HF recently. Adriana might have started in HF as well.

It's only recent that Miranda got into high fashion? I am sure she did have commercial work and got some big commercial advert at the age of 21, apparently according to the Daily Mail she struggled with bookings when signed with Next at first or something. I know her big break didn't entirely come through until VS and when she was in her twenties or something.

I thought Adriana, Gisele and Alessandra did do a fair bit of commercial work, I think they returned back to high fashion at some point in their careers. Just looking through their pictures, there are a lot of commercial images.

Does any one have any examples of their commercial work that maybe are vintage or not in Google search results?

 

[theBlueRider]

It's only recent that Miranda got into high fashion? I am sure she did have commercial work and got some big commercial advert at the age of 21, apparently according to the Daily Mail she struggled with bookings when signed with Next at first or something. I know her big break didn't entirely come through until VS and when she was in her twenties or something.

I thought Adriana, Gisele and Alessandra did do a fair bit of commercial work, I think they returned back to high fashion at some point in their careers. Just looking through their pictures, there are a lot of commercial images.

Does any one have any examples of their commercial work that maybe are vintage or not in Google search results?

Miranda actually did some decent runway shows before VS. Not Prada or anything but she walked for 3.1 Philip Lim etc. Candice was kind of similar.

Gisele did commercial work when she was a young teenager in Brazil but when she went international she started in high fashion. Same with Alessandra and Adriana.

 

[BetteT]

Moderators' Note:

Please remember to stay on topic ... this is not Supporting Cast where we discuss individual models and their careers.

The topic here is the basic differences and occasional similarities between the two types of modeling and the fact that some models can do both. But please do not turn this into a discussion about specific models. If you wish to illustrate your point about what each type of modeling usually looks like, it's OK to show photos .... preferably generic photos without well known models.

Photos and naming of specific models or discussions about their individual their career paths should be posted in their own threads in Supporting Cast.

Thanks!

 

[Zeitgeist]

I think it's possible to "start" as a high fashion model and peek later at commercial photography - once you're established as a model. But it's much harder to do a lot of commercial work and then chance to the high fashion sector (an exception is, afaik, Ophelie Rupp?).

 

[Mariann]

Is mainstream the same as commercial modelling?

 

[happycanadian]

Hey Mariann,

I think essentially "Commercial Modeling" consists of print/television advertisements that aren't specifically "fashion". This would include swimsuit and lingerie contracts, as well as other endorsements like shampoo, cosmetics or any kind of random national gig like shooting an American Express campaign, or Pepsi, Mercedes, etc.

 

[Mariann]

Hey Mariann,

I think essentially "Commercial Modeling" consists of print/television advertisements that aren't specifically "fashion". This would include swimsuit and lingerie contracts, as well as other endorsements like shampoo, cosmetics or any kind of random national gig like shooting an American Express campaign, or Pepsi, Mercedes, etc.

Thank you for a quick reply

Yeah in my view, I had commercials in my head and print adverts like Nivea, Herbal Essences, Garnier and cosmetics maybe like Max Faxtor as commercial. I also think catalogues fall into that category but they usually can include fashion like high street fashion or cheaper clothing than high end products.

I can see what you mean about swimwear and lingerie usually being commercial but what about brands like LaPerla? They are more high end lingerie and you see high fashion photography there?

What exactly is mainstream then if it's not commercial, I was wondering if they are the same thing as I know mainstream is usually anything that isn't high fashion?

 

[happycanadian]

Commercial doesn't necessarily relate to quality. For example, a campaign for "American Eagle" ad isn't going to be high fashion by anyone's standards and probably won't be of a high quality (in terms of artistry, photographers, styling, etc) , but it IS still fashion, and so it isn't technically "commercial" modeling.

ANY cosmetics gig, whether it's shot by Meisel for Dior or whether it's shot by random John Doe for Covergirl is considered commercial, as it's not fashion that's being advertised.

I've not heard the term Mainstream Modeling used as a sort of actual thing, but I can only assume that it would be related to the less exclusive brands, whether it be fashion or commercial (ie, catalogue work, Sketchers, Bunny Swimwear, etc).

 

[Mariann]

So for models doing editorial work, would you say that usually is high fashion including beauty shots found in Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, etc?

Are the commercial editorials ones you find in magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour or Marie Claire?