Hitting the headlines this month has been the appointment of Linda Evangelista as the new face of Prada. At the age of 43 getting such a high profile job has led people to ask if the modelling industry is changing tact. If she was on her own we would be saying it was Prada making a statement but many of the former so called "Super Models" are getting the big jobs. Naomi Campbell at 38 is starring in the latest Yves Saint Laurent campaign and Claudia Schiffer, 37 is modelling for Salvator Ferragamo.
Why are we now seeing this return to the super models of old? Part of the reason could be that over recent years the fashion market has been flooded with bland Russian and Eastern European girls whom a lot of the top designers see as dull and uninteresting. Recently Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s iconic designer was quoted as saying of the 1990’s super models "Time makes them more interesting, they are, and stay, irreplaceable".
What does this mean for an aspiring model and their future career? Well firstly, if you make it then there is a chance your career will go on for a lot longer than it would have in the past. There was a time when a model was finished at 26, but we can clearly see that is no longer the case. Are the requirements for fashion models changing? Well, you will still need to be very tall and probably quite thin but there is more scope for different types of looks. It seems personality and attitude are coming back into fashion and being a bland clothes horse is no longer what is called for.
If it is your dream to be the next big thing to walk the catwalk then what do you need to consider? Firstly build yourself up a profile and show your personality. Get something of you into your images, keeping them away from the ‘norm’ is a good idea. Develop a persona that you want to be known for, don’t copy anyone, be yourself and be proud of it. Showing a deep confidence and knowing who you are will reflect in your images and impress people when they meet you. Emulate but don’t replicate the super models of the past.
It is always worth remembering that what the fashion designers want changes from season to season and if you don’t have the right look right now you might do in 6 months time. If you have the right attributes to be a fashion model then don’t give up if you don’t fit in today. Build your portfolio and keep going to castings you could still be the next big thing as markets change.
