Career Opportunities in Modeling

One of the most exciting profession is Modeling and has models smiling down walking the ramp for fashion designers, TV and print ads, photo shoots for print jobs in magazines and other publications or a combination of these. The twentieth century has seen modeling rise to prominence and develops into a thriving industry. Up until the mid -eighties, modeling was split into two main divisions: show / ramp and photographic. Ramp models were tall sylph like creatures with a fondness for walk down the catwalk. Ramp models had to walk well and master their turn and turns. They needed make up skills as they often required doing their own hair and make-up.

Eligibility :

To be a model one must be tall with a good physique and exceptional features. The average length is 1,73m to 1,82m for women and men must not be shorter than 1,83m. Women must preferably be between the ages of 15 and 20 years when they start modelling and men between 18 and 30 years. The ideal size for women who wants to become a model is not bigger than a 34 and men must have a number 32 waist size and 38-40 chest size. A model must have a good and healthy skin, teeth and hair.

A sense of responsibility, reliability and personal neatness are important aspects. Punctuality and the correct posture are of utmost importance. A balanced diet and sufficient sleep result in a fresh and radiant appearance. Only the person with a neat, slender figure and plenty of energy will attain success in this career. Nevertheless a beginning has been made by ex-models by setting up training schools particularly in Delhi and Mumbai.

Career Prospects :

There is a boom in the international fashion industry these days. Modeling is one of the few industries where the earning power of women is higher than that of men. This is largely due to the fact that men’s fashion and fragrance markets are considerably smaller than the women’s. The media has only recently turned its attention to the new generation of male models who are well on their way to commanding the hype and earning power enjoyed by their female counterparts. Super males are fast heading towards celebrity status. Smart men know it is lucrative and can act as a springboard to other exciting professions. Male modeling market expanded with the growth of the international men’s clothing industry. As foreign and local brands of men’s clothing, accessories and cosmetics are flooding the Indian market, the male modeling scene is becoming vibrant.

Remuneration :

A model’s fees depend upon his / her ratings, experience and the state of the fashion / advertising business. Models in India are usually paid for an entire campaign or for the duration of the contract, except for fashion shows and catalogues where they are paid on day-to-day basis. A top model’s fee for a show could be upward of Rs.25,000/- or lakhs of rupees for an ad campaign. Low budget shows pay models somewhere around Rs.5,000/- to Rs.10,000/-. Print ads pay according to the number of photographs used. Magazine spreads and billboard advertisements also pay well reputed magazines paying around Rs.15,000/- to Rs.25,000/- per photograph.