How To Become A Successful Fashion Model With The Top Modeling Agencies – 21 Tips For Success
1) Arrive early. Never be late. No excuses. Total all the rates of everyone and realize that if you are late for only 15 minutes you could increase the cost of production by more than $1,000.
2) It is better to own a $1,000 dress than four $250 dresses. Stick with classic looks, such as black cocktail dresses.
3) Do not get tattoos. You never know when you will have to do a full body shot. It is not fun for a makeup artist to cover lots of real estate on your body.
4) Consider minor cosmetic procedures: Bleach your teeth and fix your teeth if there is a need and if you have the funds. Have a professional shape your eyebrows. Do not get a sunburn and try to minimize tanning salons since they will make you age a lot faster. There is no better investment than an investment in yourself!
5) Do not get lost on your way to an assignment. Use the Global Positioning System (GPS) and good old fashion maps (this is important in case your phone fails and/or you do not have access to an Internet connection near the job location), and even better if you can visit the location the night before your fashion modeling job.
6) Be organized. On the back of your completed voucher, staple a business card from the client or advertising agency representative in order for your agent to contact them about getting a copy of the finished product.
7) Ask your agent what the dress code is for the event and take several of your best outfits. For example, if a dress is required, take your 2 or 3 best dresses just in case the producer does not like a particular dress (black is always safe), as well as a pair of black heels, jewelry, etc. Also, bring a fake wedding ring to the photo shoot for couple shots as well as a pair of glasses to your jobs just in case. In other words, ask your agent and be prepared.
8) Be tenacious in tracking down your tear sheets. If you do not get the tear sheets, it is like you never did the fashion modeling job. Generally, you should ask your agent to contact either the client or the advertising agency representative. Do not bother the client or the photographer unless you have the permission from your agent (to be fair, some agents are so busy that they are generally out of the loop after the photo shoot is completed since they are focused on getting you your next fashion modeling job). Always get a business card from the client and/or the advertising agency representative.
9) At a typical photo shoot you will meet at least 6 people: the photographer, his assistant, the fashion stylist, the makeup artist, the hair stylist (some famous makeup artists only focus on makeup and not hair for fashion modeling campaigns), the manicurist (on select photo shoots), the advertising agency account executive, and the client. Learn names fast. It is much nicer than saying “Hey you, I need some powder” during your hair and makeup session.
10) Help the fashion stylist. Be on the lookout for wrinkles, etc.
11) Look for ways to improve your expression or movement. Know your own personal problem areas.
12) A genuine smile shows in the eyes, not the mouth. Make your eyes smile for the camera.
13) Iron any clothing that you take to fashion modeling jobs.
14) Know what your agent requires before and after a fashion modeling job. At a minimum, you need to call your agent as soon as you arrive on location, as well as when you have left the location. Your agent needs to know that everything went as expected. Not calling your agent before and after an assignment will not only worry and frustrate your agent, but will create communication problems in the long run that will most likely lead to him/her finding another fashion model to represent instead of you. In other words, you must talk to your agent on a constant basis (constant communication with your agent is key in developing your fashion modeling career).
15) There is nothing more important to your agent/agency than your personal safety. If a client ever asks you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, please leave immediately and contact your agent/agency as quickly as possible.
16) Track expenses. As a fashion model you are running your own small business. Track costs like gas, postage, haircuts required for modeling auditions, etc. In general, these deductions should lower your taxable income.
17) There are lots of tough jobs in the world and modeling is not one of them. Try hauling furniture up and down stairs or working in a coal mine if you would like to appreciate how fortunate you are to get paid to smile for a living. Cultivate an attitude of graciousness and never complain about your fashion modeling job. You are incredibly lucky. Never forget it and never let it go to your head. There are thousands of extremely beautiful women located around the world that might be better looking and more gorgeous than you with an extremely beautiful personality who are just waiting to take your place if you fumble the opportunity that you have been given as a fashion model.
18) Top modeling agencies might require you to meet with your agent and your agency at least once every three weeks if you are located within the same county as your agent and agency. Top modeling agencies might require you to meet with your agent and your agency at least once every eight weeks if you are located in a different county as your agent and agency. Your agency will help you develop your fashion modeling career, your look, presentation skills, portfolio, etc. The more you call, talk to, and visit with your agent the better he/she will know what your long term goals are and how to best represent you and speak on your behalf to clients regarding pay rates, etc.
19) Always take care of yourself. Workout 5 to 6 days a week, eat well, moisturize, and get tons of beauty sleep. Do not drink alcoholic beverages unless absolutely necessary (for example, you can make an exception for your birthdays and your wedding day). Do not eat junk food. Remember, it is YOUR body, and only by taking care of it will you be able to become more successful in your fashion modeling career.
20) If you give your agent a gift, do not do it at Christmas like everyone else. Do it out of the blue in April or after a really big booking. It will be more memorable.
21) Many fashion models love like a second mother, honor like a second father, and strictly follow the advise and recommendations of their agent. For many fashion models, their agent IS THEIR BEST FRIEND. Never forget that!
Even though we can never guarantee anything, if you are a new fashion model you might be wondering what your agent will do for you and what you must do for your agent in order to have a successful relationship with your agent, your agency, as well as hopefully a successful fashion modeling career as the years go by and you become more experienced, and hopefully famous!
Your Modeling Agency Will Be Responsible For The Following:
1) Develop your look: your agents and your modeling agency will give you valuable recommendations about the best possible color, length, and style for your hair, to the way you dress and present yourself to corporate clients and the general public.
2) Your agents and your modeling agency will be responsible for recommending that you follow a strict exercise and healthy eating regimen. They will recommend that you exercise at least 5 to 6 days per week as well as helping you to develop a healthy lifestyle that you will hopefully carry with you for the rest of your life, even after your modeling years.
3) Learning about your short-term goals as well as your long-term goals not only in fashion modeling but also in life. The more you communicate with your agents and your modeling agency, the better they can guide, advise, and represent you in your fashion modeling career. The better your agents and your modeling agency can represent you, the more successful you will be in terms of quality of clients that book you, how much you earn per assignment, etc.
4) Taking care of you, developing your fashion modeling career, and making you as successful as possible (and maybe even famous) if you have what it takes and do everything that is required and/or asked of you by your agents and your fashion modeling agency. That said, please understand that there are never any guarantees that you will be a successful and/or famous fashion model.
You Will Be Responsible For The Following:
1) Communicate with your agent on a weekly basis at the least, and meet with him/her at least once every three weeks. The more you meet with your agent, the better he/she can understand your needs in order to represent you as best as possible in order to successfully develop your look as well as your fashion modeling career.
2) Repeat rule #1.
3) Always listen to your agent and follow his/her advise. In the rare cases where the advise from your agent is different than the advise coming from your modeling agency, then follow the advise of your modeling agency.
4) Never, ever change your look without communicating with your agent about what you are planning to do with your look. For example, your agent might be planning to book you for a very important, well known, and profitable fashion campaign that requires you to have long hair, and if you were to cut your hair it would be a recipe for disaster and could ruin all of your chances of getting selected for such a prestigious fashion campaign.
5) Always communicate with your agent any problems that you might be having at any particular moment in time. Experience has taught us that if a fashion model is having personal problems she will not do very well in her job performance as a fashion model. Your agent will advise you in how to proceed in order to minimize any long term damage to you, your health, and your fashion modeling career. If a client gets a negative impression of you, the client will probably never book you again, nor any of his friends, colleagues, and associates.
6) Follow the 21 tips presented above for a successful fashion modeling career, and do not forget that many fashion models love like a second mother, honor like a second father, and strictly follow the advise and recommendations of their agent. For many fashion models, their agent IS THEIR BEST FRIEND. Never forget that!
Thank you for visiting our fashion modeling agency, and best wishes.
About ZARZAR MODELS
ZARZAR MODELS is one of the top modeling agencies for women in the United States representing models in print fashion editorials, high fashion runway, film, television commercials, and promotions. The agency represents top models in all of the major fashion markets and recruits and represents models around the world through its global fashion and modeling network.