6 reasons not to be a model
At the moment I am on the road a lot for Holland’s Next Top Model and it strikes me that, no matter what I tell them, the model-girls still believe a glamorous career is waiting for them complete with silver lining.
For that reason, to sober up, I’ll give you an insight on a few less fun aspects of modeling life. Something you should only get into if you’re prepared to do anything to make it happen.
Pee in a dixie
You see the runway pictures showing the fashion VIPS sitting on a cushion in the front row. Backstage it’s total poverty. Think empty factory halls with rows of foldaway tables where make-up artists have stalled out their wears. Usually there’s a row of Dixie-toilets for the models to return their pee to the world. Did I hear someone say glamour?
Being in 3 places at once
During fashion week top models need to walk the shows and do the casting and fitting. Casting is the part where they chose you for a show and fitting is, you guessed it, trying on the outfit. And no the different customers don’t take each other into account so your schedule says you have to be at three places at once. You have to stay calm and prioritize (choose which show) and arrange the casting and fitting yourself at the risk of people not being amused by you.
Measuring tape around your hips
In the top segment sizes are important. This for the simple fact you wouldn’t fit the clothes otherwise. Designers just happen to like small buts. So take into account someone will regularly wrap a measuring tape around your hips. I personally know a top model whose hips were measured and the person measuring said: “Couldn’t we have chosen a slimmer model?” She just stood there like hey! That’s not what you call funny.
Don’t say goodbye
You say it of course but for some reason many casting directors think it’s too much of a hassle to say ‘ hello’. Maybe it influences their choice, but I just think it’s rude. In comes a little model girl wearing a dress, heels and her hair neatly in a ponytail then she’s looked over followed by the order: ‘walk please’ and then she’s dismissed with a ‘you’ll hear from us’. Or not.
From hero to zero
I will always remember that model I saw standing at the Grand Central (the show location) exit after she walked the Diesel show. She was looking at her Google Maps to get to her next location. So typical. One minute you’re queen of the runway and the next minute you’re just a 17-year-old girl lost in a big city missing your mother.
Model apartements
There’s nothing as horrific as; model apartments. In order to save money (you don’t make much of it in the beginning) agents put as many girls in an apartment as possible. I’ve heard terrible stories, from the models themselves. Really.
We’re talking bloody sheets, stealing stuff from the more successful girls who were away a lot and blowing in the living room with the other girls getting stoned in their beds.
Some girls share a room. You won’t even be able to switch on the light when coming in late because you’ll wake the other one up. I would find my own apartment the minute I could afford it, the very second actually.
Making money
Another misunderstanding. Of course there are models that make a lot of money but when starting out you position yourself by walking shows and doing editorial shots. This earns you exactly: nothing. With a little luck you get about €1000 a show (although many girls get paid in clothes) but then we don’t all walk 66 shows like Maartje Verhoef does. This money also has to pay for your ticket, driver and apartment. An editorial shot has a day fee of around 400 euros, with a little bad luck the make-up artist will be making more than you.
So dear model girls, it’s a calling and an tremendous experience to be a top model. But remember, the road is long, steep and hard.
