I ask this question because I was a successful working model during the stone ages, mid 70s thru the mid 80’s, and I did everything from editorial, to advertisements, to catalog. You would see me on the covers and editorial pages, but also in ads ranging from cosmetics to pantyhose and I did a ton of catalog. Every model I knew in those days worked the same way. I’m lost at how today’s models make any money. I don’t see them anywhere outside of a select few magazines. I don’t see them in advertisements, either in print or on television. Do catalogs even exist anymore? These girls can’t be making that much off of a handful of shows. We used to have what were called “the bread and butter” girls, who made up the bulk of the agencies rosters. They primarily did just catalog and made a very nice living with that. Is that even possible today?
How Are Today's Models Making Money?
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Bertrando3
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I will talk from my own experience when I was modeling for 11 years and nowadays as magazine's editor-in-chief and photographer who is always in touch with modeling agencies: (all data I'm giving you are from my own jobs and today's models in Spain)
- for lookbooks here models earn between 200 to 600€ for small brands and up to 1000€ for top luxury brands - 4-6 hours in one day
- for runway shows at Madrid Fashion Week models make between 150€ and 1000€ for top models - for one show
- for TV commercials it's above 1000 to 10 000€ for top models - for one day of production
- for advertising campaigns it's about 1000 and 10 000€ for a sigle campaign
- fit models are paid 500-700€ a month depending on the number of hours with the designer
* All these quotes I gave again I repeat are from experiences of mine and the constant contacts I have with agencies in Madrid specifically for the last 10 years
* Take into consideration that the lower amounts here are for male models and the top ones for female top working models
* Editorials (as I assume everybody already knows this) don't pay anything UNLESS the model is in a specific country and the magazine/photographer wants to do the shoot in an exotic foreign location then that's when there's a paycheck for trip/hotel/food.
* Covers don't cost anything either unless it's a huge magazine/top model/nude shoot and all of these specifics are dealt with the agencies from the get-go anyways
- for lookbooks here models earn between 200 to 600€ for small brands and up to 1000€ for top luxury brands - 4-6 hours in one day
- for runway shows at Madrid Fashion Week models make between 150€ and 1000€ for top models - for one show
- for TV commercials it's above 1000 to 10 000€ for top models - for one day of production
- for advertising campaigns it's about 1000 and 10 000€ for a sigle campaign
- fit models are paid 500-700€ a month depending on the number of hours with the designer
* All these quotes I gave again I repeat are from experiences of mine and the constant contacts I have with agencies in Madrid specifically for the last 10 years
* Take into consideration that the lower amounts here are for male models and the top ones for female top working models
* Editorials (as I assume everybody already knows this) don't pay anything UNLESS the model is in a specific country and the magazine/photographer wants to do the shoot in an exotic foreign location then that's when there's a paycheck for trip/hotel/food.
* Covers don't cost anything either unless it's a huge magazine/top model/nude shoot and all of these specifics are dealt with the agencies from the get-go anyways
magsaddict
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I can only speak from working at a magazine, which most people know don't really pay at all.
Editorial and covers don't pay, except in the event the shoot is 'sponsored' by an advertiser who works with the model, in which case the money is coming from the advertiser.
Models with good name recognition can make a lot of their money through appearance fees - events, Cannes etc. Commercial is still where it's at in terms of earnings, HF in general pays a pittance and so demanding! I think a lot of that bread and butter catalogue money is now in ecom. Ecom jobs can pay well!! I guess social media pays, but that's more influencer territory.
I'd love to hear about modelling in the 70s and 80s! I'm sure you've got some amazing stories.
Benn98
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What happens when a model appears alongside a designer as part of the brand's profile in a magazine? Eg Nicolas and his muses? I know celebrities don't get paid, but what about models?
I do get the impression that it's really hard for lesser-known models to make much money, or get coverage nowadays. And it will become even more difficult during this pandemic. Because everyone is after the big names. Cara, Kendall, Gigi, Bella, and they make way more than the rest without having to put in the 'free' work.
Edit: I see @magsaddict just responded, thanks for that!
I do get the impression that it's really hard for lesser-known models to make much money, or get coverage nowadays. And it will become even more difficult during this pandemic. Because everyone is after the big names. Cara, Kendall, Gigi, Bella, and they make way more than the rest without having to put in the 'free' work.
Edit: I see @magsaddict just responded, thanks for that!
Thank you all for the information. Editorial always paid very little or nothing at all, but it made your commercial or catalog bookings double or triple depending on the magazine. That was the point. Also most print girls did not do runway with some big exceptions. That has been a huge change in the industry since I retired. Another big change is the number of magazine titles that existed in the US and abroad. So many have vanished, yet magazines like Vogue and Elle have 100 editions. There was only one Elle, the original French edition, when I was working and I made the cover twice and that was quite a big deal. I also made the covers of British Vogue, Italian Vogue and German Vogue which was a new edition at the time. Although I did dozens of editorials for American Vogue, I never made its cover. In fact, I rarely made the cover of any American magazines, but did page after page of editorials for all of them and did advertisements for every beauty brand and appeared in countless catalogs. Even if you didn’t know my name you knew my face. As I said, I rarely see any of the modern girls anywhere outside of a few shows or a rarified campaign. In my day I could be on the cover of Vogue, in advertisements for Revlon cosmetics, Hanes pantyhose and Virginia Slims cigarettes. I would appear in a tv commercial for Seabreeze and in the JCPenney’s catalog.
It doesn’t seem to work that way anymore.
It doesn’t seem to work that way anymore.
I had a good time in those days. From 1977 to about 1983 it was party time, but I was always very professional. I was “discovered” waiting tables in a diner by the late Wilhelmina Cooper. She told me I could make six figures (which was a lot of money in the mid 70s) and I thought she was a crazy lady.
FashionMuseDior
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Yeah those times were crazy but full of amazing and talented top models like Gia, Patti, Janice, Iman, Jerry, Kim, Brooke, the list goes on.
I worked with everyone one of those girls plus Beverly, Peggy, Nancy, Michelle, Edie, Lena, Etc.
I’m flattered. While I don’t think it’s a good idea to give my name, I will narrow it down. I made the cover of both Italian Vogue and British Vogue in 1981.
FashionMuseDior
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Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say.
Why would a former top model who has had multiple Vogue covers and other big time jobs be coming on this forum of all places to find out how models are making money in the present day? Do you have zero connection to anyone working in the industry today? Don't former top models usually still get a little work here and there? Why wouldn't you just ask those people? It makes zero sense the more I think about it. I don't believe it.
Nuit
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Who cares?
I think the assumption is being made that I only asked members of this particular forum that question. It’s quite the wrong assumption to make. I will also add that I retired from modeling over 30 years ago and while I do have friends from the old days, they are few and far between. Funny thing is, the question I asked was brought up at a lunch I was having with two former colleagues both of which were also highly in demand. It was a rather informal reunion of sorts. We were perplexed at how the average working model today is making any money because we don’t see her anywhere. Not in the same way you would during our day. Multiple sources were ask and we got our answers. It was as simple as that. Lastly, I will say that just because one was a successful model doesn’t mean one stays in fashion circles forever. Most don’t and I certainly did not.
MulletProof
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You'd be surprised at the current top models with plenty of covers and nothing to prove that have come here just to debunk something that is really not worth their time, or worse, that VS one that only a few hours after the show, year after year, would come here in disguise like 'who do you guys think was the cutest? [insert her name], don't you think?!' lol. I knew this from my time as a moderator and being able to see the official/agency email accounts they signed up with.
I've noticed the glamorization of modeling in this particular forum among some really diehard (or just very young?) fans makes it hard to believe because.. how can someone in an idolized field be doing a 'normal' activity such as participating in an online forum, especially with members that signed up with the recently re-opened membership, but hopefully with time, you'll stumble upon old threads, see the high activity this site used to have and the information and potential for discussion it still has and that you can't find really in social media or any other forum for that matter, which is what makes people from all walks of life still want to register and it's not really a big deal.. eventually it makes sense if you're involved (as an enthusiast, consumer, worker or former worker) in fashion.
Anyway, I used to follow a lot of models as a teenager (circa 2003-2006).. there was no social media to find out more about them and now as an adult, I will remember some of these names from time to time and look them up just to see what they're up to now.. many of them lead perfectly normal lives completely unrelated to fashion and not remotely networked with the 'big names' they once worked with. Besides being a well-known short-lived career, I've always thought that modeling at some point must get old.. unless you've become exceptionally rich and powerful in it (which doesn't seem to have been the case in the late 70s/early 80s, if I know my fashion history well it's only until the Supermodels when models show a capacity to become this extra powerful type of businesswomen), you probably want to do something.. different, after a few years?. Add to that the process of aging, I think only Lauren Hutton still gets "a little work here and there".
Back to the main question of this thread, is it awful that I think some of the not-so-huge models do some escort-ish jobs to keep afloat, too?
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