How To Become A Supermodel.
Imagine yourself as a skinny girl shopping at the local model and a modeling scout hands you her card. The next day your one of the richest models in the world walking the catwalks of Paris, New York and Milan and landing multimillion dollar cosmetic contracts. You meet a man at a party who looks oddly familiar and he introduces himself. He’s Leonardo DiCaprio. The next thing you know you are on a private jet to Tahiti with tons of international press.
That sort of thing happens, doesn’t it? It happened for Gisele Bundchen right?
Yes it did but it was a little harder than that. There are many steps to becoming a supermodel and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. For some, things happen very quickly and for some models it takes years.
The first requirement you must have is a dream. About two years back I was talking to a model named Melissa Baker outside my Hollywood studio. She had just got released from her agency in Los Angeles for not having the proper measurements. She was in tears and she said, “All I want is to be a model for Sports Illustrated.” Last year her dream came true and she was whisked away to the tropics and did a photoshoot for Sports Illustrated for famed fashion photographer Raphael Mazzuco. What did she do to get from where she was to where she wanted to be? She lost weight. She moved to New York. She got picked up by a major agency and landed the Sports Illustrated go-see.
Here are the top ten tips to becoming a supermodel. Keep in mind that these strategies are not for everyone. Good luck.
1. Stop eating and grow. To become a supermodel a girl should be at least 5’9″ barefoot, weigh approx 110 to 120 pounds. These measurements would give the model a body mass index of about 16 to 18. Richard Habberly, a top agent with Elite model management in New York City and represents Alessandra Ambrosio says, “Models starve themselves and we tell them to.”
2. Be photogenic. Very photogenic. When you first approach a modeling agency it is ok to have a snapshot taken of you without pics by a professional photographer to assess your potential. If your signed you had better photograph well and work with the best photographers you can. What are the advertisers, agents and photographers looking for? It changes year-to-year. Sometimes its blondes, some years heroin chic, some years athletic or Brazilian. There is no one specific look. Generally it is a “Je ne sais quoi.” A certain something special.
3. Get signed. If you want to be a supermodel you must have a super agent. Move to a big city (preferably New York or Paris) but it needs to be a major market. Get signed by an agency like IMG or Elite. If your interested in becoming a Victoria’s Secret model go with Ford or Elite.
4. Don’t be a party diva. It is important for a model to become a supermodel to be on time. Call times can be very early. If you are supposed to be in the makeup chair of a photographer at 7 a.m. and you are still in bed at 10 a.m. it can ruin your reputation very quickly. It’s ok to go out and have fun. It’s not ok to go out and have fun the night before a shoot. Your reputation will be ruined quickly. Keep in mind the client or photographer may be all smiles when you show up late but they do not forget and will tell your agent.
5. Befriend powerful people. It helps if your friends with fashion editors like Anna Wintour or famous fashion photographers like Stephen Meisel. Be on your best behaviour. You never know which photographer or assistant at a magazine is on the rise to becoming the next star.
6. Date celebrities. Gisele Bundchen landed Leonardo DiCaprio and then quarterback Tom Brady. Kate Moss started out with Johnny Depp years ago and now has an on again off again relationship with Pete Doherty a British rock and roll star.
7. Expand your brand. Heidi Klum designs jewelry for Mouaward. Gisele Bundchen licenses her name to a footwear line and is in talks with H&M about launching her own lingerie line. Kate Moss sells her clothes at Top Shop.
8. Don’t ever gain weight. Heidi Klum was the toast of Victoria’s Secret for walking down the runway only weeks after giving delivery to her new baby. Former model Tyra banks was harassed by the press for putting a few inches on her hips. If you are in front of the right agent, client, photographer and you have gained weight it may be hard to get in front of them again.
9. Get of your cell phone and listen. No one wants to work with a model that is constantly monitoring their phone and chatting away like they have somewhere more important to be. Focus on the task at hand.
10. Rinse. Repeat.
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Fashion Photography by Robert Voltaire
Posted by: Fashion Photography Blog
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39 Responses to “How To Become A Supermodel.”
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Great advice. Thank you. I will email you about your portfolio rates.
There is no way I could ever be as skinny as a supermodel. What sizes are considered plus size and are there any plus size supermodels?
This site is great! There is so much good advice here…Could you maybe write a entry on how to get signed to a modeling agency? I’m not sure how to go about the whole thing…should I make an appointment should I have pictures before I go in should they be professional?
Is there any chance you’d shoot with me? I need to build my portfolio and I would love to work with you!
I heard that all supermodels are anorexic. I want to be a model so bad but I love food so much. Late at night I snack on all kinds of bad stuff and I really don’t know what to do about this. How do models maintain their weight. I guess it is their job and they have to but I don’t know how to get away from the ice cream cravings.
Do they really even have supermodels anymore. I remember once upon a time when it was a big thing to be a supermodel but these days don’t they pretty much put celebrities on all the covers.
Agencies tell models to starve!! thats so awful! I can’t believe they actually do it!
I know this girl that says that she is dating a celebrity. He is on that show Entourage. I am not going to say which one he is but let’s just say his name starts with an “A.” She said that she met him at a party and that he said she should sleep with her because “It would be good for her career.”
okkk…how do i go about dating someone famous? Forget modeling I just want to! haha
Yeah, But how are you going to become friends with Steven Meisel or Anna Wintour. That sounds like Mission Impossible!
I am 27 years old. Am I too old to become a model?
Love your site! How do you choose the models you want to shoot? do you just get your pick?
To get to be a supermodel would I HAVE to do nude pictures? I’m kinda uncomfortable with that but I really want to be a model….
I love your blog. I just started a new blog about fashion photography. It is called New York fashion photographer blog.
The address is:
http://www.newyorkfashionphotographer.net
Check it out!
What kind of lighting equipment do you use? Do you have any blogs about photographic lighting?
How old is Heidi Klum…hasn’t she been modeling for forever?! …
When I shoot models they are on their cell phones all the time. I really hate that. I mena shouldn’t they know better already!!!?! Great blog by the way. Thank you for sharing the hot tips!
to be a supermodel is it better to have short hair or long hair? Mine is super short do i need to grow it out?
I want to date a celebrity too!
ummm date celebs…how can i date a supermodel? the guys some of them date…those girls are way out of their league…look at heidi and seal! sooo i think ihave a chance ha.
Someone came up to me at the mall yesterday and gave me their card and said I could be a model…how do i know if this is legit or not? I’m not trying to get scammed
I really think I could be a male model. How does a guy go about becoming a model? ya knwo what are the general measurments of male models and stuff liek that
The agencies really do tell you to starve! My one friend is a model at Elite and she was always super skinny but over the past few months shes lost like 20 lbs ….its so weird…and unhealthy!
I spent the summer in NYC and i randomly found an apartment and had 2 roommates who were models they literally lived off celery….i felt like such a fatty! it was crazy!
My Uncle is a fashion photographer and he says his biggest pet peeve is when girls show up late…and that if they are super late he won’t work with them again
Love the direct – and humorous – approach at the truth! Keep it up!!
Stop eating and grow! That is hilarious. Seriously though. I hate it when really short girls walk around and talk about how they are runway models. I met this girl once and she told me she was a Victoria’s Secret model and she is only 5’2″. If your that short do something else!
Don’t models have to retire by like 30? what do they do after that?!
What are some of the big named modeling agencies in the LA area? Is it a good idea to just walk in and try to talk to someone…I’m not sure how I should go about this
I’m a receptionist at a modeling agency and i HATE it when models show up late. I have to shuffle around appointments and then the agent gets behind …girls be ON TIME!
What is photogenic. It says that to become a supermodel or a successful fashion model that you should be photogenic. What does that mean? Or how does one become photogenic if that is even possible…
I love your website. Is it really that hard to become a supermodel?
Hi Robert, I will be in the Los Angeles area in December of this year. Is it possible to arrange a fashion shoot?
My daughter is 5’7″ tall and I think she could be a model. Is she too short to be a supermodel? Please let me know. I am really interested in jumpstarting her career.
Do you shoot male models too? Please contact me!
By the way I really love reading your blog. It keeps me up-to-date with all the latest female editorials. Were you thinking of including men too at some point?
Mark adding male editorials may be a very good idea to diversify the blog. As it grows and we get more staff Voltaire Fashion News will keep that in mind.
This blog is working as a supporter guide for a simple model. This blog is teaching that how a normal model makes a world’s no. 1 model. You are doing a great job. It is good for newcomer. Thanks for it.
What the fuck is wrong with everybody? Are you all on drugs? Who the fuck is willing to have an eating disorder just for fame and money? I’m 17 and even I realize the fuckery going on in society. You are all wannabe Barbies, and if you really think starving yourself is gonna get you famous, then drop dead because that’s what you’re gonna end up being anyways.