How Much Can an AVERAGE Model Expect to Get Paid? (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[whippie]

I have some questions about designers who pay in trade:

During FW do the models get given garments, (or shoes, bags maybe?) after the show? Or at a later time do they come back/have trade sent to them?

If they are paid in trade at the show do they get a choice? I mean are they given the outfit they wore or do they get to choose what another model wore- but wouldn't that result in catfights? It seems unfair if they only get what they walked in because that may be something they really thought was horrible, but saw something else they liked. Do they ever get clothes straight of the runway though?

Are they given "gift vouchers" they can redeem from the designer after FW? Say if Marc Jacobs payed models in trade could he say- your only allowed clothes from Marc by Marc Jacobs, or which ever is the less expensive brand- so he can further rip them off?

Ii remember watching a FTV backstage at D&G Mens and the interviewer was asking the male models which outfit they wanted to take home. Some of them said the suits were nice, another was happy with what he walked in, but some more were pointing to things that weren't on their rack. Again this seems disorginised and leading to catfights. How would D&G make sure the bigger models got an expensive suit over a singlet and pants? Is there anyway to moderate giving more expensive items to the bigger names or is it just whoever sticks their hand out first?

I'm just curious. Thanks

 

[fritmayo]

I'm just curious. Thanks

I must say i read with some "interest" these stories.
I deal models doing FW since about 15 years, i never had one who has been paid in trade.
As far as i know, it still agencies who sent models shows, so how is paid the agency if the model is paid in Trade? does the model must give them a piece of 20% cutted from the dress she got?

I have no idea in male modeling, no idea, at lower level, but in FW in Paris, Milan..these payment in trade just dont exist, I even very doubt that there would not be legal issue in accounting/taxation is the would like to do it...

 

[whippie]

^ Yeah that's another good point about the paying in trade. How does it benifit the agency? I suppose they make the models pay with income from other jobs. Well from reading this thread a little it seems to be a common consensus that pay in trade does happen. In Sara Ziffs Remember Me she asked a girl backstage if she knew how much she was being paid for the show she was just about to walk - and she said "I don't know, we'll probably get paid in trade or something". So I do think it happens, I just wondered how?

 

[BetteT]

I have some questions about designers who pay in trade:

During FW do the models get given garments, (or shoes, bags maybe?) after the show? Or at a later time do they come back/have trade sent to them?

Usually they get to pick from what's in the show ... but sometimes they get to pick something else later. Just depends on the designer and how they want to handle it. They call the shots ... usually in advance.

How would D&G make sure the bigger models got an expensive suit over a singlet and pants? Is there anyway to moderate giving more expensive items to the bigger names or is it just whoever sticks their hand out first?

The "bigger names" are usually paid in money because they are in high demand and get paid very well. It's the rest of the models that sometimes end up taking clothing in exchange for walking.

As a stylist, I sometimes have to dole out the clothes, based on the instructions from the designer. So, even that varies. Usually they are told exactly how many pieces they can take .. one, two or three, for instance. Then sometimes they tell them to choose from the outfits they wore in the show first, then if they don't want one of those, then they can select from whatever is left. Most or the time the models sort of work it out between themselves .. they actually do try to be fair, most of the time.

 

[BetteT]

^ Yeah that's another good point about the paying in trade. How does it benifit the agency? I suppose they make the models pay with income from other jobs.

The agency doesn't make the models pay if it's trade, as far as I know. It's done to further their careers. The big pay comes from commercial work (ads and campaign work paying the most), in most cases. So if a model walked in a high end show, her agency would be able to raise her rates for her commercial jobs. The higher her rates and the more popular she becomes, the more the agency will make.

So editorial work in magazines and walking in prestigious shows, which typically pay poorly, allow them to make a lot more money in the future.

 

[agee]

Why aren't the designers afraid that if they "pay" the models with stuff from the current show that that item won't get requested to be featured in an editorial or borrowed for a red carpet appearance?

 

[fritmayo]

The agency doesn't make the models pay if it's trade, as far as I know.

So editorial work in magazines and walking in prestigious shows, .

sorry but as i said, i have never dealt any model who has worked for trade for any high end show.
let's s consider Prada as still now the most regarded, according to you because it is a booster career they could pay in trade? of course they don't.
If Prada pay, which other designer could claim to be a better show to do for free?

In europe, pay in trade just dont exist at all at that level of work.

 

[BetteT]

It sure exists in the US. But you are correct ... probably not so much at the high end shows ... where they are more likely to hire high end models anyway, who would not have to work for less than their runway rate.

And no, I don't know what Prada pays ... but I do know that the average model doesn't get booked in a Prada show, either. And I'm talking about the run of the mill model, who gets lucky enough to book a show (there are thousands and thousands of other shows that are not the level of Prada.) That is what this thread is about ... average pay for average models, not the exclusive and almost unatainable world of the top models.

 

[cologne_rocks]

In NY an average show like Chris Benz or Tory Burch pays $1200 - $2000. Some designers give additionally credit notes or clothes from previous seasons. The Marc Jacobs girls are always allowed to pick a few garments of previous seasons, but i think it's in addition to the money.

 

[BetteT]

Thanks for the clarification. I'm in L.A. and I'm going on what I've heard from models I've worked with. As I said .. it depends on the designer and what they want to do and what the demand is for the model and the demand for walking in the particular show ... so it seems that it just varies from place to place and from designer to designer.

My bottom line, as I've said before: I think that all models should be paid thier rates for any gig. It's a valuable service, it's what they do professionally and they should be paid. I understand the need to build the resume and how it works, but I beleive that as long as a few accept less than the going rate, it just makes it that much harder for the rest to actually make a living by modeling.

But my opinion doesn't really count. It's the designers and the agents of the models who make those decisions.

 

[Unknownpleasures]

what is there about international established models walking shows for let's say uhm ..sao paolo fashion week.do they get paid more than let's say ...local models /models whose homecountry is brazil just for the sake of being "international"?

 

[Zann]

i'm sure this has been said but I really think that aspiring models should really read this thread before they venture out to become models. There would no way for me to survive to be honest lol. I've always thought about giving it a shot, but a) if i ever get the chance and b) if i ever come across the opportunity to get paid in trade, I would probably cry on the inside knowing I wouldn't get any money and quit.

I know it's been said earlier that campaigns make the most money. But does it matter the "high-end"ness of the campaign? Like would a model getting a campaign for Macy's get paid as much as a model getting a campaign for Dior or Dolce & Gabbana? I'm just curious if there is any rank on who pays the most and that sort of thing

 

[Bamhutt]

^ Commercial jobs pay very well, usually much higher than the "more prestigious" HF names. Commercial work doesn't get the same hype, but the models getting the work are earning a very healthy income.

 

[fritmayo]

I know it's been said earlier that campaigns make the most money. But does it matter the "high-end"ness of the campaign? Like would a model getting a campaign for Macy's get paid as much as a model getting a campaign for Dior or Dolce & Gabbana? I'm just curious if there is any rank on who pays the most and that sort of thing

There is of course huge price difference between campaigns.
basically yes, you can consider that a Macy's campaign pay more than most high Fashion campaign.
But in the 2 example you give you can consider really big possible difference. A Dior Fragrance, signed for few seasons and used worldwide, worth lot of money. The seasonal D&D campaigns where they use plenty of models pay almost peanuts, around 3-5000 €.

 

[AlbertNoir]

Commercial jobs (Barney's, VS, Bergdorf..) generally pay better than HF..but HF ads are more "useful" to increase your prestige in the industry (as appearing on the Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar covers, eds etc).
Btw in hf i think there're some "must to do" to get LOT of money: A Calvin Klein campaign for ex (Lara Stone's contract), a Ralph Lauren or a Giorgio Armani contract (with all their lines).
More the brand is strong worldwide and more will be the ways to get a well paid job. And of course beauty contracts are always lucrative.

 

[fritmayo]

what is there about international established models walking shows for let's say uhm ..sao paolo fashion week.do they get paid more than let's say ...local models /models whose homecountry is brazil just for the sake of being "international"?

of course they are paid more, if not they just would not go.
To attract international girls in Fashion weeks less important, usually the agencies propose to the models guarantee contract of a minimum "X"numbers of shows shows booked for a fixed price.

for exemple, talking about real exemple in Madrid FW, not super top girls, but girls who has already booked some shows in Paris or Milan can receive contract of 1000€ per show, with a minimum of 10 shows booked guarantee.
so if the girl go, she is sure to get at least 10.000 euros, when the local girls or girls in town, will of course not have any guarantee neither about tariff or about numbers of shows booked.

Also notice there are some "one shot" seasonal shows like Mango, Topshop, H&M..;which are very well paid, to book just the Mango show, can worth about the tariff of 10 -15 HF shows in Paris or Milan FW....

 

[á la Balenciaga]

i don't remember where i read that Prada take a year to pay the models used for runway

 

[m.j.]

what is there about international established models walking shows for let's say uhm ..sao paolo fashion week.do they get paid more than let's say ...local models /models whose homecountry is brazil just for the sake of being "international"?

its not paid extra cos they are international, but cos they are famous world wide... so it has better chance to end up in press, without paying extra to the papers. look at victoria's secret shows, its all about the models and celebs, paparazzi, and you can read about the show in every papers, daily, in europe or asia...

as for general discussion... big designers/fashion houses pat in cash and yes models do wait for money for like months
on smaller countries or unknown designers they give away free clothes with little or no money cos a model will be seen in it. some designers became famous after the topmodels were seen in their desings... example, if u see something on kate moss, 50% of women everywhere in the world would like to have that piece.

 

[Ochi Chernye]

How much does a Rimmel campaign pay? Just curious because compared to say, hmm, Chanel or YSL, Rimmel seems pretty cheap to me.

 

[á la Balenciaga]

i think most beauty campaigns pay very very well. if you notice, whenever a model scores a beauty campaign, they vanish from the runways. plus, thee advertising for beauty campaigns is more advertised. women and even men are always buying make-up.