Model (profession)

A model (from Middle French modèle//aew), is a person who is employed to promote, display, or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing) or to serve as a visual object for people who are creating works of art.

Modelling ("modeling" in American English) is considered to be different from other types of public performance, such as an acting, dancing or being a mime artist. The boundary between modelling and performing is, however, not well defined, although such activities as appearing in a movie or a play are almost never labelled as modelling.

Types of modelling include fashion, glamour, fitness, bikini, fine art, body-part and commercial print models. Models are featured in a variety of media formats including books, magazines, movies, newspapers, and TV. Fashion models are sometimes featured in movies Looker, reality television shows (America's Next Top Model, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency), or music videos ("Freedom! '90", "Wicked Game", "Daughters").

The modelling profession was first established in 1853 by Charles Frederick Worth, the "father of haute couture, when he asked his wife, Marie Vernet Worth, to model the clothes he designed. The term "house model" was coined to describe the type of work. Eventually, this became a common practice for Parisian fashion houses. There were no model measurement requirements and most designers would use women of varying sizes to demonstrate variety in their designs.

With the development of fashion photography, the modelling profession expanding to photo modelling. Models remained fairly anonymous and relatively poorly paid until the late 1950s, though often marrying well. One of the first well known models was Lisa Fonssagrives who was very popular in the 1930s. Fonssagrives appeared on over 200 Vogue covers and her name recognition led to the importance of Vogue in shaping the careers of fashion models. In 1946, Ford Models was established by Eileen and Gerard Ford in New York; it is one of the oldest model agencies in the world. One of the most prevalent models during the 1940s was Jinx Falkenburg who was paid $25 per hour, a large sum at the time. During the 1940s and 1950s, Wilhelmina Cooper, Jean Patchett, Dovima, Dorian Leigh, Suzy Parker, Evelyn Tripp, Carmen Dell'Orefice, and Lisa Fonssagrives dominated fashion. Also Dorothea Church was among the first black models in the industry who gained notoriety in Paris. However, they were not known outside the fashion community. Compare to today's models, the models of the 1950s were more voluptuous. Wilhelmina Cooper's measurements were 38"-24"-36" whereas Chanel Iman's measurements are 32"-23"-33". It was also during the 1950s that pin-up models originated.

In the 1960s, the modeling world was just starting to establish modeling agencies. Throughout Europe, secretarial services acted as models' agents charging them weekly rates for their messages and bookings. For the most part, models also were responsible for their own billing. In Germany, agents were not allowed to work for a percentage of someone else earnings. As a result, they referred to themselves as secretaries. It was also because of this that most models did not travel. With the exception of a few models traveling to Paris or New York, traveling was relatively unheard of for a model. Most models only worked in one market due to the odd labor laws regarding modeling in different countries. In the 1960s, Italy was in no shortness of fashion houses and fashion magazines but was in dire need of models. Italian agencies would often coerce models to return to Italy without work visas by holding their pay. They would also pay their models in cash in which models would have to hide their money from custom agents. It was not uncommon for models staying in hotels such as La Louisiana in Paris or the Arena in Milan to have their hotel rooms raided by the police looking for models without work visas. It was rumored that competing agencies were behind the raids. This led many agencies to form world-wide chains for example, Marilyn Agency has branches in Paris and New York.

The innovations of the 1960s flowed into the 1970s fashion scene. As a result model industry association and standards, model agencies became more business minded and more thought went into a model's promotional materials. By this time, agencies were starting to pay for as well control a model's publicity. In the early 1970s, Scandinavia had an excess of tall, leggy, blonde-hair, blue-eyed models and not enough clients. It was during this time that Ford Models pioneered scouting. They would spend time working with agencies holding modelling contests. This was the precursor to the Ford Supermodel of the World Competition which was established in 1980. Ford also focused their attentions on Brazil who had a wide array of exotic models which eventually led to establishment of Ford Models Brazil. Also during the 1970s, Janice Dickinson coined the term supermodel and claims to be the first supermodel. It was also during this time that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue debuted. They set a trend by photographing "bigger and healthier" California models and printing their names by their photos, thus turning many of them into household names and establishing the issue as a cornerstone of supermodel status.

The early 1990s were dominated by the supermodels of the late 1980s. In 1990, Linda Evangelista said to Vogue that "we don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day". This comment changed the landscape of the modelling industry through a pronounced shift in public perception of attainability. Evangelista and her contemporaries Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Stephanie Seymour, became arguably the most recognizable models in the world, earning the moniker of "supermodel", and were boosted to global recognition and new heights of wealth for the industry. In 1991, Turlington signed a contract with Maybelline that paid her $800,000 for twelve days' work each year.