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A model is a person who poses or
displays for purposes of
art,
fashion,
or other
products
and
advertising.
Modeling is distinguished from other
types of public
performance,
such as an
acting,
dancing or
mime artistry,
although the boundary is not well defined. Appearing in a
movie or a
play is
generally not considered to be modeling, regardless of the nature
of the role. However, models generally have to express emotion in
their photographs, and many models have also described themselves
as
actors.
Types of models include glamour, fashion, fitness, bikini,
fine-art, and body-part models.
[edit]
Fashion
Fashion models are used mainly to promote apparel. Fashion
Modeling generally can be divided into the following
sub-categories:
[edit]
Supermodels
-
Supermodels
are highly paid, top fashion models. These (usually female)
celebrities appear on top fashion magazine covers, in catalogues
and in
fashion shows.
They often live in
New York City,
and during fashion weeks they usually have 4-5 shows/day.[citation
needed]
The first model to pave the way for what
would become the supermodel was
Lisa Fonssagrives.[1]
The relationship between her image on over 200
Vogue
covers and her name recognition led to the future importance of
Vogue in shaping future supermodels. Fonssagrives at the height
of her career could be both sophisticated and yet a kook, with
which every American woman could identify.[citation
needed]
Her image appeared on the cover of every fashion magazine during
the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s from
Town & Country,
Life
and Vogue to the original
Vanity Fair.
Model
Janice Dickinson,
however, asserts that she was the person for which the term was
coined. as she popped the term herself while talking to her agent
at the climax of her career: "I'm not superman, I'm a
supermodel".
Other notable supermodels and top models
have included
Twiggy,
Gia Carangi,Lisa
Snowdon,
Karen Mulder,
Tyra Banks,
Christie Brinkley,
Rachel Hunter,
Christy Turlington,
Jerry Hall,
Lisa Butcher,
Paula Hamilton,
Marie Helvin,
Huggy Ragnarsson,
Naomi Campbell,
Cindy Crawford,
Linda Evangelista,
Elle Macpherson,
Stephanie Seymour,
Elizabeth Hurley,
Claudia Schiffer,
and
Kate Moss.
Currently, according several fashion world's personalities as
Claudia Schiffer,
Gisele Bndchen
is the only true supermodel of her generation,[2]
although there are some others famous names as
Doutzen Kroes,
Alessandra Ambrosio,
Carolyn Murphy,
Laetitia Casta,
Natalia Vodianova,
Adriana Lima,
Karolna Kurkov,
Daria Werbowy,
Gemma Ward,
Miranda Kerr,
Alice Burdeu,
Ana Beatriz Barros,
Fernanda Tavares,
Isabeli Fontana
and
Heidi Klum.[3][4]
Notable male models include
Tyson Beckford,
Marcus Schenkenberg,
and
Evandro Soldati.
[edit]
History of fashion models
The first true fashion model is generally
believed to be
Parisian
shopgirl, Marie Vernet Worth. She became the first professional
mannequin in 1853, to help her
fashion designer
husband,
Charles Frederick Worth.
[5]
[edit]
Body type
-
The Association of Model Agents (AMA) says
that female models should be around 34-24-34 inches (86-61-86 cm)
and at least 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall. Currently, the height
required to do fashion shows has increased. During the last
fashion shows in
Europe,
the average height was 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in), the average weight
was 50 kg (110 lb), with bust between 85 to 90 cm (33.5 to 35.4
inches), waist under 62 cm (24.4 inches), and hips under 90 cm
(35.4 inches), to fit the 34/36 size of haute Couture prototypes.[6]
Average dimensions for a male model are a height of 180-188 cm
(5'11"-6'2") and a weight of 64-75 kg (140-165 lb).
The unusually thin shape of fashion models
has been criticized for allegedly warping girls'
body image
and encouraging
eating disorders.[7]
Organizers of a fashion show in
Madrid in
September 2006 turned away models who were judged to be
underweight
by medical personnel who were on hand.[8]
In February 2007, six months after her sister,
Luisel Ramos,
also a model, died,
Uruguayan
model
Eliana Ramos
became the third international model to die of
malnutrition
in six months (The second victim was
Ana Carolina Reston).[9]
Luisel Ramos died of
heart failure
caused by
anorexia nervosa.
[edit]
Glamour models
Glamour photography
emphasizes the model rather than products, fashion or
environment. Typically the sexuality of the model is emphasized
in glamour
photography,
while in fashion photography the emphasis is on the clothes.
Early glamour modeling is often associated
with "French postcards", small
postcard
sized images that sold by street vendors in
France.
The early 1900s the
pinup
became popular. Pinups depicted scantily dressed women often in a
playful pose seemingly surprised or startled by the viewer. The
model would usually have an expression of delight which seemed to
invite the viewer to come and play.
Betty Grable
was one of the most famous pinup models of all time, her pinup in
a bathing suit was extremely popular amongst
World War II
soldiers. In December of 1953
Marilyn Monroe
was featured in the first issue of
Playboy
magazine. Playboy became the first magazine which featured
nude glamour photography and was targeted to the mainstream
consumer. Glamour models became popular in the early 90s with the
Hope Talmons and
Dita Von Teese
that created a gateway into the modern neo models like Heidi Van
Horn and Bernie Dexter.
[edit]
Fitness models
Fitness modeling centers on displaying an
athletic and healthy physique. Fitness models resemble
bodybuilders,
but with less emphasis on muscle size. Their body weight is
usually similar to (or slightly heavier than) fashion models, but
they have a lower
body fat percentage
due to increased muscle mass relative to fat mass. They are
usually muscular. The most recognized by name fitness models are
Sebastian Siegel,
Michael O'Hearn,
Christian Boeving and Clark Bartram.
[edit]
Bikini models
Bikini
models are similar to fitness models with emphasis on a fit
physique and the beauty of the female curves. Bikini models are
usually curvaceous and fit.
For
women models, usually the models can be shorter- more around 5'
5"-5' 8" (1.65 m - 1.73 m) and need to be about 100 pounds (45
kg) or lighter.
[edit]
Fine art models
-
Main article:
Model (art)
Photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists hire models
to pose for their art.
[edit]
Alternative models
-
Main article:
Fetish model
An
alternative model
is any model that does not fit into the normal category. Punk,
Goth, Fetish, Tattooed, or having a uniqueness outside other
model types. These mix with high fashion and art models.
[edit]
Body part models
Some
modeling agencies
have divisions which represent male and female models with
particularly attractive body parts. For example,
hand models
may be used to promote nail care products, leg models are useful
for showcasing tights, and wrist models are used to showcase
watches or bracelets. Petite models or females who are under 5'
7" (1.7 m) have found success through body part modeling. An
example of a petite body part model is Isobella Jade.
[edit]
Working conditions
Despite the stereotype of modeling as a
glamorous profession, according to the
US
Bureau of Labor Statistics
the median wage for models was only $11.22 per hour in 2006.[10]
MarketWatch
listed modeling as one of the worst ten jobs in America.[10]
[edit]
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[edit]
References
-
^
Rosemary Ranck, "The First Supermodel",
The New York Times
February 9,
1997
(online)
retrieved
September 24,
2006
-
^
Supermodels don't exist anymore, says
Claudia Schiffer Source:
news.com.au. Article from: Reuters. Retrieved
September 13,
2007.
-
^
MODELS.com's Top 25 Sexiest Models -
5-1
-
^
MODELS.com's Icons - 5-1
-
^
history from modelworker
-
^
Presque Top Model Oct 06
-
^
USA Today:
Do thin models warp girls' body image?
-
^
CNN:
Skinny models banned from catwalk
-
^
Ban on stick-think models illegal,
Jennifer Melocco, The Daily Telegraph, February 16, 2007.
-
^
a
b
Mantell, Ruth. "The
10 worst jobs in America: Low pay, no benefits put these
workers in a tough spot",
MarketWatch, Dow Jones, November 1, 2007. Retrieved on
2008-01-31.
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