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02 January 2019
Breaking into the world of professional modeling is no easy feat. It's a competitive and demanding industry where the journey to stardom is paved with persistence, skill, and resilience. Beyond appearances, models must embody a range of skills that allow them to adapt, stand out, and ultimately succeed. Starting young, many models find themselves navigating a complex and sometimes unforgiving landscape, dealing with pressure from agents, designers, and photographers, while striving to carve out a unique identity. However, the skills that top models possess aren't exclusive to the runway. These abilities—honed over time through hard work and dedication—are accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort. If they can develop these skills, so can you.
1. Fashion
You may have heard how Alexa Chung’s career evolved from modelling to becoming one of the most adored style icons to eventually cutting it as a respected designer. This doesn’t only happen to models. Celebrities and athletes alike will attract eyes and lenses when they have a terrific sense of style. Even then it’s not just about keeping up with the latest trends. You can pay homage to your favourite designer and add your twist to it.
2. Photography
Modelling and photography are a unit you can’t separate. Being a model requires you to have a basic knowledge of photography. Finding the best angles and the correct lighting can be some of the basic skills to focus on. There is no set of looks a model needs to have. Taking a good photo starts by maximizing the light around you. Go around the neighbourhood during the golden hour and take some quick snaps in different spots. This is a trick famous among online influencers these days.
It took about a year for Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista to debut on a runway and if you’re wondering what they have in common to get to that point, it’s their poise and the way they walk on stage. The best thing about their walk is that it’s something that you can train yourself to do. It’s never been about showing yourself. It’s about finding a character within yourself to each designer that you work for about the outfit you’re in.
Whether you are a free-lance or a full-time model, developing time management skills will be beneficial to you. You can simply use time management apps if you think you don’t have a knack for it but taking control of your own time and schedule can be very empowering. Some essential components of time management are planning, prioritization, setting boundaries, delegating tasks, and building a system you’ll diligently follow.
Besides time management, working as a model requires you to be organized. From the beginning, there will be audition, appointments and client meetings. Not to mention the various locations you must be whether it’s for photoshoots, fashion shows, or interviews. These kinds of things may seem menial but if a model does not have good organizational skills, she can say goodbye to her modelling career sooner than later.
Since you’re going to work with people from many levels of society, decent communication skills can do wonders for your line of work, and sometimes communication in the modelling world begin earlier even before you utter a single word. The way you carry yourself, your body language, and your handshake can be very telling about how you communicate with people.
Being able to actively listen goes hand in hand with your communication skills. Good and productive communication won’t happen without active listening. As a model, you’ll be taking instructions from photographers, production managers, and anyone in charge almost all the time. Being able to actively listen to what they want to achieve at the end of the project will not only help you make it a reality but there’s also a big chance that you’ll also leave a great impression on anyone you work with. This will lead to opening new opportunities in the future.
Our world has fallen into two categories in the past decade URL and IRL. These days scouting models from Instagram is a common practice. Aside from sending your headshots to modelling agencies, you can start stepping up your selfie game on Instagram. An even better idea is to use your account as your online portfolio. Even if agents don’t land on your page people may consider working with you based on your self-branding.
Additionally, maintaining physical and mental health is critical. Modeling can be physically demanding, requiring long hours and sometimes uncomfortable situations, so staying fit, eating well, and finding ways to manage stress are essential. Mental health is just as important; models who have a strong sense of self-worth and emotional resilience are often better able to handle the pressures of the industry.
To truly thrive as a professional model, it’s not just about having the right look or being in the right place at the right time. It’s about cultivating a mindset that blends resilience, adaptability, and self-discipline. The competition is fierce, and the expectations are high, but if you approach your career with commitment and focus, you can carve out a place for yourself within the industry. There is a place for everyone in the business.
Modelling is a profession that requires a specific set of skills. The best way to succeed in anything you do is to master and perfect those skills. Its undeniable that the most popular models we know today are still catering to conventional beauty standards. Yet the industry is marching towards better and more inclusive space. By having the right skills there’s always a place for you in the business. That said, it’s not an easy task and you’ll be expected to work your butt off before you become SOMEBODY. Finally, embrace the evolution of the industry. As the modelling world becomes more inclusive, diverse, and open to different types of beauty, there’s more room for new faces and unique perspectives. Models who stay true to themselves while embracing new opportunities are the ones who will not only survive but thrive in this dynamic and ever-changing field.
