Model (person)
A model (from Middle French modèle)[1], sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed for the purpose of displaying and promoting fashion clothing or other products and for advertising or promotional purposes or who poses for works of art.
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. Models are generally not expected to verbally express themselves unless to visually enhance a photograph through the display of intense emotion.
Types of models include fashion, glamour, fitness, bikini, fine art, and body-part models.
Not all models are what would commonly be considered "beautiful": character models portray ordinary people and humorous types, mostly in print work and in commercials. Photo manipulation and cosmetic surgery also enable people with body imperfections to model and change their looks to suit a certain role. Many high fashion models have what could be called 'quirky' attributes and memorably unusual faces. High end brands often use these unusual faces as people are likely to remember their brand name and associate it with an interesting face.
Various representations of beauty and fashion using models have caused controversy and is known to have some social impact, particularly on young people - both male and female.
Male models receive overall less publicity and are often paid less than female models.
Fashion models
GeneralModels may be used to display and promote clothing. Fashion modeling may involve catwalk or runway modeling or editorial modeling, covering photography for magazine spreads, ad campaigns, catalogues, print etc. The emphasis of fashion photography is on the clothes or accessories, not the model. Fashion models may be used to display or promote various types of clothing, such as lingerie, swimsuit, bikinis, etc. Other models may be used in showroom, fit modeling, fitness or sporty modeling. Some are used for petite modeling or plus-size modeling.
The first person described as a fashion model is believed to be Parisian shopgirl, Marie Vernet Worth. She was a house model in 1853, to her fashion designer husband, Charles Frederick Worth.[2]
Female body type
The British Association of Model Agents (AMA) says that female models should be around 34-24-34 in (86-61-86 cm) and at least 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall.[3] The ideal measurements used to be 35.5-23.5-35.5 in (90-60-90 cm) which were the alleged measurements of Marilyn Monroe. However, today's fashion models tend to have measurements closer to the AMA recommended shape, although by no means all models have these exact statistics, and fashion houses may require other sizes for their models.
The unusually thin shape of fashion models has been criticized for allegedly warping girls' body image and encouraging eating disorders.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] Luisel Ramos died of heart failure caused by anorexia nervosa just after stepping off the catwalk.
Male body typeThe preferred average dimensions for a male model are a height of 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) to 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), a waist of 26–33 in (66.04–83.82 cm) and a chest measurement of 32–40 in (81.28–101.60 cm).[3]
Supermodels
Supermodels are highly paid, high profile fashion models. These (usually female) celebrities, also known as cover girls, appear on top fashion magazine covers, in catalogues and in fashion shows.
The first model to pave the way for what would become the supermodel was Lisa Fonssagrives.[7] The relationship between her image on over 200 Vogue covers and her name recognition led to the importance of Vogue in shaping future supermodels. 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 has asserted that she was the person for whom the term was coined, as she popped the term herself while talking to her agent at the climax of her career by saying, "I'm not superman, I'm a supermodel".[citation needed] In the 1980s, regulars like Gia Carangi, Carol Alt, Janice Dickinson, Cindy Crawford, Christie Brinkley [8], Kim Alexis and Paulina Porizkova began to endorse products with their names as well as their faces, getting in front of everything from Diet Pepsi to Ford Trucks.
