A Designer's Advice to Aspiring Models

[Nicole Katherine Designs]

This is completely unasked for, but I really want to share these tips since I get several emails on a daily basis from girls that want to become models.
1. If you'd like to model for a company you need to approach it with the same professional demeanor as you would any other job opportunity. Do not send a link to your facebook or myspace profile and say, "Here's my ______ profile. Go look at it, I'd like to model for you." Chances are the company won't look. I have learned that the way girls approach me for modeling gigs really reflects the kind of person they're going to be to work with. If they have an unprofessional approach, chances are they're going to be unprofessional to work with. Always send a resume of your modeling experience, some other jobs you've had don't hurt because it shows who you are and your work experience...it's not just the face we're after but the whole person. Don't forget measurements, headshots and full body shots. And if you do throw in your networking profile in addition to those things, keep certain photo albums private or keep certain photos off the page.
2. Read a posting in its entirety before applying. You don’t want to be the person that committed to a job on the other side of the country. It’s also frustrating for the designer who asks, “Ok you’re local then because it says you’re in New York” and the model to respond “Oh yeah I’m totally in your area.” Only for the model next day to say, “oooohhhh I thought you meant local in New York because I totally missed the LA part.” Sounds super retarded but I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me.
3. Tattoos and piercings… I’m going to sound like an old lady for saying this (and I’m sure I’ll get hate mail for it), but please trust me on it because I’ve been doing this long enough to know (and know a lot of designers who agree). The amount of tattoos and piercings you have WILL limit how much and what kind of work you can get. Nicole Katherine Designs will use girls with moderate piercings and tattoos, but the direction we’re moving limits us to only using the artistically adorned to certain promo and advertisement shots, depending on the ad placement and who we’re trying to target in the advertisements. Moving forward we’re not going to use tattooed and pierced girls for our catalogs because we have to direct our catalogs to bridal shops and high end boutiques in addition to the rockabilly stores. We’ll still use tattooed beauties for fashion shows, but they also need to be over 5’6”
4. If you’re just starting out, work with the little guys. We can rarely pay, but we try to work out something that’s fair. Also, a beginning model needs to build up her portfolio and start-up companies need pretty girls that’ll rep their stuff. As long as you’ve modeled for a legitimate company and have learned something from it, its experience and it counts. For modeling it’s easiest to start small and work your way up 

[Tish]

Thank you. This is also helpful.

Kristy C said:

Man, I have never, ever considered sending my Myspace or Facebook to a clothing company, contest, anything....I don't feel that one's social networking page(s) are good to use if you are seriously seeking work like this.....for any well known clothing company.

I do not have a resume/portfolio/tear sheet/whatever to send to anyone.....maybe god forbid one day if I do then I'll start dipping my toe in the pond.

This is great info though, hopefully it will save alot of girls from wasting their time and getting their feelings hurt when a clothing company doesn't jump all over their Myspace and ask them to model. I have heard girls talk about this kind of stuff here in my own town.... "Well, I sent them a link to my Facebook, and didn't hear back from them, so f*** them/I guess I'm too fat/not pretty enough/blah blah blah/etc" It seems to me too many girls are concerned with "Getting famous/Getting their name out there/Getting on a cover" overnight......getting pictures on the internet so they can officially call themselves a "pinup girl" and don't want to put the work in. If you read any bio on any of the well-known names out there, they will all tell you it was NOT easy and they had to put their work in to make it happen! IMO pinup is tough nowaydays, there are thousands of girls inspiring to be the next big name as opposed to hundreds not long ago. This pinup thing has gone supernova, and there is some seriously daunting competition. You gotta have your game tight if you want to model for a well known clothing company or be on the cover or even pictured in a magazine. It takes time, it takes work, and it takes money. Hair, nails, makeup, wardrobe, shoots, it all adds up.

I don't have the energy to even try to explain to these girls here what they are doing wrong. I need to just start handing out PL cards and be done with it. There is golden info on here.

[Edson Carlos]

Great post !

[Miss Nikki Sin{★}]

very helpful, but unfortunately some girls (like me) want to do runway, and can't. is there a particular reason why the model can't be a few inches under 5'6"?

(I'm 5'7" in heels! lol"

[Nicole Katherine Designs]

Hmmm... I don't know where to begin on this one. I've actually used girls under 5'6" to model for me on the runway. I can't answer for other companies, but for mine... it depends on the show and the target audience. At the VLV fashion show the girls I used that were under 5'6" had a LOT of modeling and pinup experience. Their presence made up for their height For a smaller fashion show that my company will be featured in coming up next week, I've asked that girls be 5'6" because it's going to be more high end meets rockabilly, and there's a really affluent crowd attending.

I'm more particular about measurements, than height, because I only make my samples in 2 sizes, Small and Medium. However, when you're having girls model trousers, the height thing can be an issue... taller girls have longer legs and on the runway, trousers look better on longer legs than shorter legs.

Input from other designers would be awesome for THIS particular question But, those are my reasons.


Miss Nikki Sin{★} said:

very helpful, but unfortunately some girls (like me) want to do runway, and can't. is there a particular reason why the model can't be a few inches under 5'6"?

(I'm 5'7" in heels! lol"

[Tifa DeLeone]

I'm 5'3 and done a lot of fashion shows.
But as Nicole Katherine Designs says it depends on the show and what crowd is coming.
Sometimes pinup/retro/vintage inspired designers want more of a show than basic runway and pinup models do this very well, they know their poses and have a certain attitude on stage.
And for more high end shows when you'd want a more "classic" runway you might use taller and in some cases more skinny models.

Don't put aside your dream to strut down the catwalk! :)

[Ellie Monster{★}]

Awesome advice! Thanks!

[Dottie's Delights]

I am right now gearing up for a big, more traditional fashion show with models coming from a major agency. I am sharing the models, so it was kind of a group decision on picking girls, but we were only shown girls at 5'9" and above, and anything under 5'10" was considered "short." Now, this is of course a different scenario than a rockabilly or pin-up show...I think it is pretty fair to say that pin-up girls are generally shorter than runway models...when you are going for a curvier appearance, it usually works out better to use someone around 5'6". I think the main issue is getting a consistent height, for a streamline look. Too much difference in the heights of the girls walking and it can become distracting. For bigger shows, part of it may even just be that a taller model is easier to see, but I think it is mostly just more flattering in general to have that elongated, tall and skinny appearance on the runway for the fashion world. Again, pin-up is a bit different, but I do still try to use girls at least around 5'5"-5'7" if possible.

Nicole Katherine Designs said:

Hmmm... I don't know where to begin on this one. I've actually used girls under 5'6" to model for me on the runway. I can't answer for other companies, but for mine... it depends on the show and the target audience. At the VLV fashion show the girls I used that were under 5'6" had a LOT of modeling and pinup experience. Their presence made up for their height For a smaller fashion show that my company will be featured in coming up next week, I've asked that girls be 5'6" because it's going to be more high end meets rockabilly, and there's a really affluent crowd attending.

I'm more particular about measurements, than height, because I only make my samples in 2 sizes, Small and Medium. However, when you're having girls model trousers, the height thing can be an issue... taller girls have longer legs and on the runway, trousers look better on longer legs than shorter legs.

Input from other designers would be awesome for THIS particular question But, those are my reasons.


Miss Nikki Sin{★} said:

very helpful, but unfortunately some girls (like me) want to do runway, and can't. is there a particular reason why the model can't be a few inches under 5'6"?

(I'm 5'7" in heels! lol"

[Didi De La Rosa]

thanks for brining this up, too many girls think that betty bangs and red lipstick is enought to be called Pin up, and too many more get offended when they are not chosen to model. The fashion world can seem cruel, be we all love it so. Its hard sometimes to accept the bodies and faces we were born with. However, when a gal has love for herself there is very litle she can not do.

[The Trousseau]

I was looking for a more appropriate place to talk about the do's and don't's than the one that prompted it, and I found this great thread.

First, I agree with the advice so far. Sometimes it feels mean or crass when I have to talk about who will, and who won't be picked for my website or another project. On the other hand, when one is modeling, your "look" is on the market and it has to be talked about. Whether or not a girl is chosen is based on many factors, so not being picked should not be considered horrible. Remember, if the end client is wanting clothes modeled, and you don't fit those clothes, it doesn't matter how experienced or beautiful you are.

On the other thread, taking someone along on your shoot was being discussed. Yes, make sure the photog is okay with that. If he or she isn't, walk. However, be careful who you take. A talkative or bossy chaperone will ruin a shoot. Make sure you set some ground rules for your chaperone, so they understand they are not to interfere.

How you interact with the person casting the shoot is very important. If the casting is being done through email, be very careful what you write. Setting up demands or constrictions right away (besides the usual, "I don't do nudes" and "I can't shoot on ___ or ___") will severely limit your chances of being chosen.

And please, come prepared. If you are new, and just starting out and paying the photog, that is one thing. But if you are coming for TFP or pay, please be ready with some poses and facial expressions so the photog doesn't have to spend his/her time teaching you how to pose. Some of that will happen to get the look he wants, but you have to bring something to the table, as well. Try to have something besides the same old look in your 'tool box' of poses.

Oh, and if you are wearing clothes provided for you, please, please, please respect the clothes.

[Vintage Suits by Mary]

I couldn't agree more! I hate having to turn down perfectly nice girls, but my company has a certain "look" and I only use models that have that look. I don't want girls to take it personally, my line just isn't alt/fetish/rave/goth.

I have ONE tattooed girl that I use, only because she has such a 40's look. I was actually talked into using her for a fashion show by one of my other models, and I am so glad I did; her personality just popped! (and she fit the samples)


The Trousseau said:

Sometimes it feels mean or crass when I have to talk about who will, and who won't be picked for my website or another project. On the other hand, when one is modeling, your "look" is on the market and it has to be talked about. Whether or not a girl is chosen is based on many factors, so not being picked should not be considered horrible. Remember, if the end client is wanting clothes modeled, and you don't fit those clothes, it doesn't matter how experienced or beautiful you are.

[Felish]

Thanks, this is truly useful information!

[Roxanne Quinn]

This was a great post, especially for someone like me, who has a pretty good "beginning of career" acting resume and headshots. However, I'd always really liked to get into pinup modelling. I still need a portfolio/etc, and I've definetely been told multiple times that I have the "look." However, I don't even know where to start. I don't have a lot of money for a portfolio so I'd really like to find a pinup photographer that could do me a discount/for free, but even after that I wouldn't know where to go. Can you recommend any agencies/companies that I could approach that you know of, especially in the LA area?

P.S. I have no tattoos whatsoever, due to my acting, and it's nice to know that girls with no tattoos are still wanted in some areas of the business!