modelknowledge
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- Mar 15, 2011
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there are lots of commercial models who are relatively unknown outside fashion forums because the fashion industry puts more emphasis on the image models. if you ever look at an agencies blog, it focuses on the new faces or the girls who land an editorial in a top fashion magazine. a model could land an international television commercial for Nivea and the agency rather focus on another model who landed a Grazia editorial in some Asian country. Meanwhile, its the girl who landed the commercial that is keeping the agency afloat. I think the problem is agencies are still thinking the way they did in the 1980's. Catalog work is no longer considered below a fashion model. Even the most highly regarded models do a lot of commercial work because it pays well.
E-commerce was created because someone in the industry realized that models impact a buyer. People on Bellazon and UMC are always asking about catalog models because those models are healthy and pretty looking compared to a lot the image models we are seeing right now. Yes, there is room for everyone within the industry but sometimes the industry gets too far fetched. Yes, you want to have different but sometimes having too much different doesn't work. It's like opening up an ice cream store and only having odd flavors. Sometimes you have to sell vanilla and chocolate because it sells. There was this article a few years back saying that during the credit crunch, many advertisers were playing it safe using classic model types such as pretty beach blondes with blue eyes and tan brunettes who were ethnically ambiguous because they appeal to most people. Sometimes, classically good looking model works. That's why Kate Upton is so popular. I am not a fan of her but in a way she is different by being healthy and the All-American girl. She is reminiscent of a different time in fashion that the public seems to be going towards. A lot of my mothers friends who aren't into fashion have been talking about how thin models are getting and how in their day models had to be pretty if they wanted to be successful. Statements like that make me think normal people (non-fashion freaks) are sick of seeing edgy and super thin girls. Just look at Victoria Secret. The models they are using are so much thinner than they were using say 15 years ago. Sometimes I think models like Cindy, Claudia, and pretty any top model in the 1980's would be relegated to commercial boards of their agencies because they are too normal looking. I remember when the runway would have some models under 5'9". It wasn't odd for a model to be 5'7" and high fashion. Today, a lot of these runway girls are 6'0" and possess the same measurements of a 5'7" model.
The industry is changing. There is no doubt about that. With the publishing world going digital, its only a matter of time before the next big change happens. I don't know what that might be but one thing is certain: E-commerce girls are going to be even more popular because a lot of retail sites like Nasty Gal, Missguided, and ASOS are acknowledging the models they use, and some are even promoting them by letting their costumers getting to know them through interviews.
E-commerce was created because someone in the industry realized that models impact a buyer. People on Bellazon and UMC are always asking about catalog models because those models are healthy and pretty looking compared to a lot the image models we are seeing right now. Yes, there is room for everyone within the industry but sometimes the industry gets too far fetched. Yes, you want to have different but sometimes having too much different doesn't work. It's like opening up an ice cream store and only having odd flavors. Sometimes you have to sell vanilla and chocolate because it sells. There was this article a few years back saying that during the credit crunch, many advertisers were playing it safe using classic model types such as pretty beach blondes with blue eyes and tan brunettes who were ethnically ambiguous because they appeal to most people. Sometimes, classically good looking model works. That's why Kate Upton is so popular. I am not a fan of her but in a way she is different by being healthy and the All-American girl. She is reminiscent of a different time in fashion that the public seems to be going towards. A lot of my mothers friends who aren't into fashion have been talking about how thin models are getting and how in their day models had to be pretty if they wanted to be successful. Statements like that make me think normal people (non-fashion freaks) are sick of seeing edgy and super thin girls. Just look at Victoria Secret. The models they are using are so much thinner than they were using say 15 years ago. Sometimes I think models like Cindy, Claudia, and pretty any top model in the 1980's would be relegated to commercial boards of their agencies because they are too normal looking. I remember when the runway would have some models under 5'9". It wasn't odd for a model to be 5'7" and high fashion. Today, a lot of these runway girls are 6'0" and possess the same measurements of a 5'7" model.
The industry is changing. There is no doubt about that. With the publishing world going digital, its only a matter of time before the next big change happens. I don't know what that might be but one thing is certain: E-commerce girls are going to be even more popular because a lot of retail sites like Nasty Gal, Missguided, and ASOS are acknowledging the models they use, and some are even promoting them by letting their costumers getting to know them through interviews.
