Which of Today's Models Have the Most Lasting Power?

[Marc10]

Off the top of my head, Anna Ewers and Vanessa Axente are the girls with the biggest potential. Julia and Fei Fei will continue to have great longevity. Also, for the same reasons t-rex gave to Sam, Edie Campbell.

 

[Fiercification]

It appears that Ms. Brokaw is definitely determining who becomes a girl of the moment and sticks around at the forefront of runway shows/editorials and campaigns for a few seasons...Ondria, Vanessa, Amanda, Malaika, Maartje. Even girls who may have initially come from the Bitton (Anna, Lexi) or Michelle Lee (Binx, Ine) stables have really been propelled to the forefront after being cast by her in Prada/Miu Miu/LV.

The likelihood of a newcomer sticking around without her seal of approval seems unlikely in a current climate based off what I've seen in the past two or so years. Interesting because one single CD has never had that much influence on the modelling circuit on such a global level. Marsh may have launched Gemma, Daria and Jessica into the big time last decade but there he never appeared to have the same power to monopolize the entire industry with his individual tastes.

Although there's a ridiculously high turnover rate for models nowadays I believe that we will see some of these girls last quite a while, providing they themselves are shrewd and have a means to market themselves. Someone like Amanda Murphy may not have to do this consciously as she is older and has another job outside of fashion on the side, which automatically makes her interesting but for most girls this is not the case.

Anna and Malaika for example seem to have picked up on that message; they've clearly made an effort to improve their walks and runway presence in order to separate themselves from the pack, whilst Binx seems to be being marketed as more of a 'global' beauty as opposed to a niche, cool girl this season (probably a strategic move from her agency in this case though). I can see them sticking around for a while, however someone like Lexi who's fairly non-descript or Maartje in particular who has zero charisma may end up being dropped far more easily (although Nobis' unbelievable nonchalant ascent to the top after seasons as a runway filler certainly negates this theory).

 

[t-rex]

How do we define staying power? I think of a model having a solid career maybe 15 years in - like a Karen Elson or Guinevere or Daria Werbowy.

What helps a model stick around? I know a body with curves or an athletic physique helps a model collect good catalog work and certain campaigns.

(I am one of the few on TFS apparently who like Julia Nobis, but I don't think she'll stay around - she's studying to be an ER doctor!)

 

[jacquelineo]

I was watching old runway videos last night and I stumbled across this Dolce and Gabbana video from Spring 2003. It is amazing the casting difference ten years later. I can name 75% of the cast. When you compare the two now, I wonder how many of the cast from yesterday's show will you be able to name 10 years from now?

 

[BoeingGuy82]

^ I could ID Kendall Jenner

 

[saucer-like]

A few years ago, I would've thought that Vanessa Axente and Nadja Bender were well on their way to becoming huge stars, perhaps Kati Nescher too. But it doesn't seem to be the case lately.

 

[modelista]

^It might be just me but I've noticed that most girls with major fanfare, who debut or had their breakout season after s/s 2011(Kati, Andreea D, Arizona etc) end up being little more than blips. Currently, there are only "It Girls" dominating in eds, ads & runways, but I see no real start power & I see NONE of them actually lasting another 3-5yrs.

 

[Benn98]

The industry can be quite partioned at times, and that makes the idea of 'staying power' quite challenging. You have runway, campaign and editorial presence, and to dominate only one part simply isn't enough. So Arizona has been booking at least a handful of Vogue covers up until last year, but she doesn't quite have the staying power of Karlie, for instance, who you still see on blue chip runways and campaigns. Andreea's only recently amped up her print work with more covers. And then you have an odd case like Caroline Trentini, who's print flame seems to be kept alive solely by American/Brazilian Vogue, does occasional runway work, and booked Versace this season, yet still, she's not quite 'lasting', is she? Because without her few backers she'd be plunged into obscurity.

 

[congacon]

i have to pull my hair trying to answer why anna likes her so much. honestly, no one cares about trentini's works. this girl impresses no one in term of beauty nor talent except for anna.

not only u need beauty, talent but also lots of luck. karlie wouldn't be where she is today without anna's loyalty.

 

[AtticusFinch]

ETA: Just read a few pages back and I have to disagree with eveyone who thinks the "mature" girls who only hit it big in their 20s+ like Ameyline (no idea how to spell that), Saskia, Arizonia (are there any others?) will have lasting power. On the contrary to most of you I think their age hinders their ability to have lasting power. I know this sounds awful, but realistically models have only a short time for a career... few are prominent once over their 30s. Saskia et al have missed like 5 or 6 years that the girls who start at 15, 16, have to establish themselves as well known. If Saskia stops when she is 30 (or is she already 30? Ok, so just say 8 years older than she is now) and Jac stops when she is 30... Jac's career was the longer one. And youthfullness is everything in this industry, so I think the younger starters are the ones who will do better as they have a longer peroid of "youthfullness"... like 17 - 27 compared to 28 - 34. And I think a longer career, even with lessening campaigns towards the end as it fizzles out (as is the way with basically every model ever), is a bigger marker of staying power than a shorter one. All the models we have seen and are confirmed to have lasting power - Jessica Stam, Kate Moss, Carmen Kass, Natalia Vodianova, Coco Rocha, Daria Werbowy all starter when they were very young. I cannot think of a model who started, older then these, and is still around now.

To summarise (as that is a lot to read Older girls are already halfway through their shelf life, where as the "prepubescent teens" have agesss

I know this is so so so oldbut I disagree.
If a model is signed and exploded after 20 it means the agency has faith in their success. I don't know many models signed in their 20s who weren't big but if you go through the threads there are pages of models signed in their teens that you never see again.

Your avatar is Anna S. She was SIGNED at 24.

 

[AtticusFinch]

i have to pull my hair trying to answer why anna likes her so much. honestly, no one cares about trentini's works. this girl impresses no one in term of beauty nor talent except for anna.

not only u need beauty, talent but also lots of luck. karlie wouldn't be where she is today without anna's loyalty.

It really highlights how political it is.
It's not just being tall and having good skin but
- supporters in the industry
- an agency pushing you
- having the current look
- not pissing off the wrong people
- having social media numbers
- being professional

 

[dsamg]

^It might be just me but I've noticed that most girls with major fanfare, who debut or had their breakout season after s/s 2011(Kati, Andreea D, Arizona etc) end up being little more than blips. Currently, there are only "It Girls" dominating in eds, ads & runways, but I see no real start power & I see NONE of them actually lasting another 3-5yrs.

That is why Julia N is so special

 

[Marc10]

i have to pull my hair trying to answer why anna likes her so much. honestly, no one cares about trentini's works. this girl impresses no one in term of beauty nor talent except for anna.

Well that's a little unfair. It's not like Caroline was some random model that Anna plucked from obscurity, she was (and is) a very well established model, one of the biggest of her generation. Beside she has worked with many different photographers and brands.

And I think the reason why Anna loves her so much is because she's an excellent print model, in terms of posing skills etc. And I suppose she must a great professional and easy to work with.

 

[t-rex]

But there are tons of models who are great in print and posing, and most models are professional and easy to work with. I think it's something personal to Anna - like Caroline reminds her of herself when she was younger, or something

 

[Benn98]

Either way, Caroline's bookings are still disproportionate and she doesn't have lasting power at all. I find Freja to be an exceptionally interesting case. She's done enough to consistently weather campaigns, runway, and print work over the years. She transformed right in front of our eyes and when British Vogue covered her with that warm and welcoming smile, proved that she can appeal to the mainstream audience as well. I think it's this type of transformation which spurs longevity.

 

[dsamg]

Either way, Caroline's bookings are still disproportionate and she doesn't have lasting power at all. I find Freja to be an exceptionally interesting case. She's done enough to consistently weather campaigns, runway, and print work over the years. She transformed right in front of our eyes and when British Vogue covered her with that warm and welcoming smile, proved that she can appeal to the mainstream audience as well. I think it's this type of transformation which spurs longevity.

Although she doesn't have social media, she has a huge internet presence. She has a creepier fanbase than any other model (mostly Asians it seems)..I stumbled across her thread on zetaboards the other day trying to find out info about her tattoo and just..wow I have never seen anything so crazy. I don't know why but across Tumblr and the internet she seems to have a more obsessed fan base than anyone.

 

[jj36]

Kasia and Madga have both lasted longer than I would have imagined. They still walk blue chip shows when requested, still get Vogue covers, and campaigns. They were never the biggest HF stars but considering how many other models have come and gone its impressive.

 

[john2elmejor]

Karlie Kloss

Coco Rocha, Mariacarla Boscono, Caroline Trentini, Hanne-Gaby Odiele (It is not in terms of power. Instead, I'm judging according their presence on the industry

 

[katcty]

I would say that Arizona Muse has proved to have staying power. She isn't working at the level that she was a few years ago but even the top models of today aren't working at that level. Booking 7 vogue covers in 2014 is astounding. She had a low profile 2015 but she still has an Estee Lauder contract, a few minor campaigns, and a few covers. She is still working.