In-depth fashion week understanding of fashion week modeling rules

Go deep into Fashion Week to understand the modeling rules of Fashion Week

He once worked for Marilyn Model Company in Paris, and served as Liu Wen’s model agent in Paris. Now he is responsible for scouting for Viva Model in Paris. Newcomer. The photo shows her with model Gao Guozhi.

Just like movies depicting the fashion industry today, foreign counterparts are always portrayed in bizarre ways. I believe almost everyone will be curious about Margot's working experience in two of the most well-known modeling agencies. ?No one would decide to be a booker or agent, and there is no university or professional training to get started, but they are all self-taught through different channels. I lived in China for a while and returned to France in 2007 for personal reasons. My sister-in-law, a famous model at the time, was also in the company in Paris at that time, Marilyn. So the day after I returned to Paris from China, I went to Marilyn for an interview and was hired. At first I was just an assistant, but gradually I started to take on my own role. ?This kind of accidental start also made us more curious about her work experience.

Overseas is a cruel and unfamiliar battlefield

Life Style (hereinafter referred to as LS): Taking care of models is a very hard job, especially during fashion week. Do you think this nanny or What’s different about being an artist assistant?

Margot (hereinafter referred to as M): Models are indeed under tremendous pressure during fashion week. On the one hand, they have to go to more than 20 interviews in high heels a day, and they have to go around for several days, and they are burdened with the psychological pressure of whether they can be admitted; most of the people they face may not necessarily know them, (the person responsible for helping the designer select models Casting directors are often aloof; models have to look their best because they only have a few seconds to impress a client. At this time, their own beauty is one aspect, and their personality is another important indicator. The state of high excitement needs to be maintained for up to 5 weeks, regardless of whether it is good or bad; when the disappointment and fatigue caused by not being admitted and being canceled are accumulated, the work is not easy.

The job of the agent is to deal with this conflict. Sometimes two designers want the same model, but their shows happen at almost the same time, so the model can't do both. Here we have to talk about strategy and we must choose carefully, which even involves the career future of the model. Fashion week is extremely stressful for everyone involved, so you must have strong stress resistance to withstand other people's comments, opinions and countless doubts in your own heart. My role is to both reassure the models and respond quickly to any criticisms from clients or other clients. An agent is the bridge between models and designers/casting directors. For models we have to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I am probably everyone’s mom.

LS: I know that your current job is to find new talents, so how do you carry out your work?

M: Every agency has a talent scout? ( Scout), this person is responsible for contacting modeling agencies around the world to get the first choice for local models. Therefore, this person needs to travel frequently, and try to meet the model before others, and meet the person in person to ensure that she signs the person who meets the imagination; if she can speak English, we can talk to her in advance to understand whether she is suitable for us What is your impression of her and whether she has a good personality or not. A model's parent agency (the agency that first discovered the model in her country) often organizes competitions to discover her in schools, shopping malls or on the street. We usually have to keep our eyes open at all times on the street, maybe?

To conquer the world, you need to show your charm instantly

LS: Can you reveal your criteria for choosing a new face? Yes Is there anything that ordinary people don’t notice?

M: In terms of body shape, once you have a certain amount of experience, you will know which body shape is probably in line with industry standards. Generally, after the age of 16, a girl's waist will grow and her figure will be closer to that of a woman than a girl. It is important not to allow a girl to start a career in modeling at a young age, as the changes in her image as an adult may get out of control.

The personality of a girl who wants to become a model is also important. They need to quickly understand that a beautiful body and face are not enough, they must be open-minded; this profession is also like an actor. When facing photographers and clients, the ability to use charm to persuade each other is equally important. This is what supermodels and future stars have in common. This is an adult world, which contains a profound fashion culture. People who are not interested in it or cannot communicate with other people will become a big career limitation. Intelligence is a must.

LS: We all know that, especially in Paris and Italy, the living environment of models is fiercely competitive. Can you give us an overview of the living conditions of models today? How is it different from a few years ago? Where?

M: The competition is of course very fierce. Every year, more and more models are represented by various agencies. I think today's more advanced media communication methods and more affordable transportation measures have a great role in promoting this phenomenon. In the 1980s and 1990s, when there was no Internet and air tickets were sky-high, there was indeed little communication and little need. Nowadays, everything is possible. All modeling agencies in the world are equipped with computers, and even everyone has a BlackBerry. Everyone is connected to everyone all the time. Information spreads very fast, and people learn about it very quickly, so it is very important to respond quickly.

Models also need to respond quickly, because there are a large number of models emerging every year, and no one is sure whether the market timing will be there for them. Models are under a lot of pressure, so the agency needs to grab the client's attention for the model from the beginning. So every day is a challenge. Furthermore, no career is perfect. Models all have their own peak time, which may not be very long, but it is fair.

LS: How to judge the influence of a model? As far as you know, what does model.com rely on for selection? What are their rules of the game?

M: I don’t I know if there are any rules, but it is basically decided based on the number of advertisements shot, the quality and quantity of magazines. If a model appears on the cover of Vogue (American, French, British or Italian version), the ranking will of course rise. It's the same as working with a high-level photographer, it's that simple. This is the US ranking, it should be different if it is in Europe. The United States and Europe are two different markets to some extent. For example, if a model signs with Victoria's Secret, her ranking on models.com will rise a lot, but VS is meaningless for Paris.

LS: In your eyes, what are the key words to become a supermodel?

M: A model must have good people around to help, have family support, and be down-to-earth. Have an introspective attitude. Her various brokerage companies must be able to communicate well with each other and jointly make the best decision for her. You have to be patient and work down-to-earth. You have to be able to withstand the Fashion Week where you only sleep 4 hours a day for a month. You have to be on call at any time, with a positive attitude and an open mind.

LS: In this industry, is there any so-called "shady secret" or "hidden rules"?

M: It is the agent who establishes the connection between the model and the client, so if the agency If you don't do something like this, it probably won't happen. I completely disagree with the so-called "hidden rules". A good agency should protect models from such things. I believe "unspoken rules" don't help.

LS: Nowadays, Chinese models are gaining more and more momentum on Western T-stages. What do you think is the reason for this? Has the competitiveness really improved? Or is it because of market considerations that brands are giving more attention to China? Are there more and more opportunities for models?