Successful models not on social media

[maimon]

Can Models Succeed Without Social Media?

What do Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Cara Delevingne have in common—besides insane success, beauty contracts, and magazine covers? They all owe their careers to their savvy use of social media. In 2015, in order for a model to stay relevant, it seems that she or he has to stay engaged. Brands openly monitor the followers and follow-through of a given social media star’s fan base, eschewing runway favorites in favor of the latest viral sensations, which raises the question: Can you be a successful model if you don’t “do” social media?

Well, yes. Several of the industry’s biggest names are nowhere to be found online: Paolo Roversi muse and Azzedine Alaïa campaign star Guinevere Van Seenus rarely grants interviews and has remained mum online; Danish fashion mainstay and frequent French Vogue cover star Freja Beha Erichsen is similarly absent on Instagram (though countless accounts dedicated to her and her fan base exist). It would be simple for a supermodel like Helena Christensen to amass millions of followers, yet she’s remained both offline and openly critical of the value of a social media presence. Same for Malgosia Bela, who regularly graces the cover of prestige magazines like i-D and Italian Vogue and who joined Instagram, only to soon after shutter her account in favor of keeping her personal life personal. It would seem that for models on the level of Beha Erichsen, Van Seenus, Bela, and Christensen, with established connections, reputations, and years of top-tier work under their belts, there is little to be gained from broadcasting their every move. In fact, the opposite may be true.

There’s an argument to be made that models whose focus is high-end editorials must be able to embody a variety of characters, and that any added mystery helps maintain their mystique. The less we know about a model, the easier it is to accept them in a myriad of scenarios and images; it’s a lesson that Hollywood celebrities have embraced for ages. Rumors of famously press-shy Kate Moss’s Instagram have existed for years, but she’s never taken her snapshots public. Moss’s “never complain, never explain” mantra (one that, legend has it, was passed down to her by Johnny Depp’s publicist) has served her through career highs and lows, providing the public with just enough information about her to keep them interested, while always leaving something to the imagination. Moss lets her work speak for itself, and by staying out of the melee she neatly avoids the oversaturation point experienced by other stars (also known as the “ugh, I’m so sick of them, they’re everywhere” effect). Which means her staying power—and her commercial viability—is that much longer, and her chances of alienating or offending a brand’s customer base through a social media misstep is slim to none.

Sure, this is mostly the case for models who’ve been around since the major social media boom. New models are often encouraged to build followings in order to cross over for risk of being passed over for someone with more “likes”—but consider the case of Julia Nobis. Stepping onto the scene in 2009 (one year before Instagram’s inception), Nobis’s career flowered just as social media was becoming a mandatory element of the modeling business. With her austere good looks and innate elegance, Nobis quickly became one of fashion’s It girls, landing Vuitton campaigns, space on the runway at Dior, and international Vogue covers, all without a single public selfie, tweet, or Snapchat. Given that Nobis juggles medical school and modeling, she may simply not have the time to be active online—but as the rare social media holdout, her success proves models can make an impact without the aid of apps.

With the current generation of new faces seemingly born with iPhones in their hands, Nobis may also be the last of her kind. Though Instagram model Essena O’Neill made headlines for quitting social media earlier this year, a backlash to selfie culture has yet to infiltrate the modeling industry. For the moment, the ubiquity of Internet-bred stars like Jenner, Hadid, Chrissy Teigen, and Delevingne continues to spawn more imitators than detractors. Still, with extremes continuing to define fashion, it’s only a matter of time before the pendulum swings in the opposite direction. And for what it’s worth? A little mystery never hurts.

vogue

 

[Benn98]

Julia Nobis might not do social media herself, but that doesn't mean she shares the same mystique of Kate Moss surrounds her. With Kate, her images speak volumes and that always sufficed. She's got a massive pre-Internet reputation which precedes her, she doesn't need social media. Julia Nobis doesn't have that, even with all her feats. Nobis could leave off tomorrow and nobody would flinch, so she's not really a prime example. Frankly speaking, I'm glad we don't need to endure her insufferable musings and empty stares. Besides, doesn't she end up on other people's Insta? Also, she's tight with Raf, Willy, Jonathan, Meisel, Templer, Abe Shitose.....so most of her 'achievements' are tied to these people. She may not get ahead via sm, but she sure does via connections.

 

[saucer-like]

I think that it's more of a matter of promoting oneself on social media and how that presence becomes an incentive to book the model. Maybe some of those people gain followers by posting a photo of Julia, but Julia can't gain followers of her own if she doesn't have an active public account.

Perhaps a client would book her because posting a photo of her would increase likes. However, that is not the same thing as Gigi having a gillion followers with the booking being mutually beneficial in gaining likes. Gigi could then post the photo herself + tag the client (while the model with no account can't) and it raises her profile as a model/celebrity which leads to more work.

Julia has her connections/supporters through the "normal" channels of working as a model. She didn't know any of those people before she became a model. I don't think that can be compared to some of these young women with their rich parents setting up private dinners with designers or chasing down casting directors at the mall.

 

[dsamg]

Julia Nobis might not do social media herself, but that doesn't mean she shares the same mystique of Kate Moss surrounds her. With Kate, her images speak volumes and that always sufficed. She's got a massive pre-Internet reputation which precedes her, she doesn't need social media. Julia Nobis doesn't have that, even with all her feats. Nobis could leave off tomorrow and nobody would flinch, so she's not really a prime example. Frankly speaking, I'm glad we don't need to endure her insufferable musings and empty stares. Besides, doesn't she end up on other people's Insta? Also, she's tight with Raf, Willy, Jonathan, Meisel, Templer, Abe Shitose.....so most of her 'achievements' are tied to these people. She may not get ahead via sm, but she sure does via connections.

Well she has connections like any model who has been working for connections. You could say that about any model working. She had no connections before in Melbs, she became a superstar by herself

 

[petit fours]

Ilvie Wittek has no scial media plattform. maybe thats why she is not in huge demand.

 

[modelista]

Elsa Sylvan doesn't have any social media, which is a shame cuz she kinda fell off suddenly and there's been some pretty wild speculation as to what might've happened to her

 

[maimon]

i think Malgosia Bela has no social media account

 

[t-rex]

Malgosia had one but closed it

 

[maimon]

^ the same for Danny Beauchamp! but he really doesnt need one i guess.

 

[maimon]

Clement Chabernaud has no account either. obviously its just that generation of models who grew successful to a certain level before social media (especially the boys who always remained rather unknown) who can afford it.

Nowadays the finalists of Elite Model Look need an instagram account in order to compete and agencies show packages are layouted as instagram profiles so its inevitable.

 

[maimon]

just noticed that Valerija Kelava doesnt do social media.

 

[modelista]

I don't think Querrell Jensen has any social media

 

[pollyanna90]

just noticed that Valerija Kelava doesnt do social media.

I love that about her. She seems way better than the spectacle of social media.

 

[maimon]

Mali Koopman not having an instagram account seems really rare for a girl her generation!

 

[heyitsrachelle]

Arthur Gosse always comes to mind.

 

[anonid]

Mali Koopman not having an instagram account seems really rare for a girl her generation!

She had one a few months ago but she probably deleted it/went private.

 

[heyworld]

I dont think Kati Nescher has social media. She's quite reserved and extremely private.

 

[modelista]

I don't think Marie Piovesan has any social media

 

[anlabe32]

I dont think Kati Nescher has social media. She's quite reserved and extremely private.

She used to have Instagram but deleted it.

 

[pollyanna90]

I love that my favorite girls (Marie, Kati, Valerija) aren't on social media. They're way better than the insta girls