Becoming a model: How the Model Scout recognizes your potential

Not everyone has the potential to become a model, unfortunately you just have to say that. The prerequisites for becoming a model vary depending on the market (national and international). However, there are always certain minimum sizes and certain modem dimensions to keep. Only in few exceptions things like the model size are not considered, however one should not rely on the fact that this applies to one. How a Model Scout works and what the perfect measures to the model become are you find in this article.

Tip! Interview with model agency owner Stephan Czaja (CM Models): Become a model

become a model – Perfect dimensions, features and the right setting

FIV: The profession of model is a dream for most girls. When people hear that someone is a model, the person is immediately associated with special beauty. But what are the prerequisites for being able to practise this profession?

Young women who dream of becoming models must first bring the right proportions with them. If this is the case, the paths differ depending on whether you consider modeling as a secondary profession or whether you want to work internationally as a model. If you want to work as a model, you should always have a minimum height of 1.74 m. Here you as a model will have the most chances of getting a job and will be booked accordingly. Models that are smaller need an extra portion of ambition or a special feature that makes them so interesting for the agency, but also for the customers, that they are booked again and again. The majority of the jobs, however, go to female models with a body height of 174 to 180 cm. One reason for this is that collections are cut to certain sizes before they are put on the market. Also at fashion shows you should always be able to show a similar body size, with female and also with male models. Therefore, there are standard sizes that are booked by most designers and customers. Apart from the body size it depends above all on the proportions. When it comes to skin couture, the measurements around the hip and chest become a little narrower. In general, different mental requirements apply to international models than to models who want to do this job as a part-time job.

Priority setting on the way to supermodel

In international model agencies, as in ours, the scouts pay particular attention to the absolute will. Modeling must be your A priority in life. At the age of 15 or 16 you prepare yourself for life as a model parallel to school. During your holidays, you’ll travel for a few weeks to the fashion capitals of the world, such as Paris or Milan. As soon as you get your diploma, your career really starts. This also means that the studies have to be postponed and a year abroad via Work and Travel in Australia is not possible. International agencies invest in you and therefore need planning security. Therefore, the international level is once again different from that of smaller, national agencies. If you want to make it onto the catwalks of this world, run for the highest quality Brenz, get lookbooks shoots for luxurious brands, you have to focus your whole life on becoming a model and give everything to make this dream come true. That means a lot of initiative! figure, skin, hair, appearance, walk, poses,…

As far as body size is concerned, the international requirements are once again stricter than those of the national market. As a fashion model, you usually get the biggest jobs (90%) with a body height of 178 to 180 cm. The competition is big and if you are at a casting in Milan, there are not only three or four models, but already 50 international models from the absolute top agencies are waiting for you at the entrance. So that you can keep up here, a good international agency is the A&O.

The most important indication and your guarantee for a long-term career is your charisma. Whether it is the first agency visit, a test shoot with a photographer, a casting appointment with a renowned client or a photo shoot for the new collection of a fashion designer. As a model you are self-confident in the center and often the person who takes care of the good mood. Especially when marketing staff are on site who are responsible for the success of a campaign and today the cover picture decides! As a model, you shouldn’t have any tension. You are calm, friendly, smile and do a professional job! Who convinces the customer with its kind, has high chances on a reservation and thus the first ?regular customers? But these only make up a small part of your jobs. Most of it’s for new customers you haven’t dealt with before. That’s why it’s so important that you go to every job with a positive disposition and have fun with it!

How Model Scouts Recognize Model Potential

FIV: What are the perfect model dimensions? In all heads the 90-60-90 still buzz around at the thought. Are they still up to date?

In fact, the classic 90-60-90 are a good indication for models. In the area of high fashion, the measurements, especially at the chest and hips, are still a few centimetres down. In the area of national jobs, it may well be a few centimetres more, e.g. when it comes to female models over 20 years of age. The beauty ideal does not set a commission. People like these proportions and feel inspired by them, e.g. to do more sports themselves. Clothes fit nicely and fall much better.

FIV: How do you know that someone has the potential to become a model?

For me, a good model always has to be an appearance first. Whether in Berlin Mitte or at a flagship store opening, when you meet a new person, they have to make an impression immediately. This, wow effect. Because that’s your job! You’ve got a photo, a moment, and it has to sit. Whether you’re on a large billboard or in a commercial played out on YouTube, you can be seen and must immediately think Wow. This is exactly what customers are looking for for their campaigns. On the other hand there are a lot of rough diamonds especially with young models. Just inconspicuous people, packed in big hoodies, with glasses and dishevelled hair. It is difficult to develop a direct view here, but the face in particular plays a major role. First the body size must be right but then it depends on the look, the features in the face, such as small tooth gaps, freckles and also hair and skin. To find the rough diamonds here, which also show personalities with a wow effect, who think entrepreneurially and have a clear goal in mind, is the big challenge as a model scout.

FIV: Are there also girls or boys who do not have any of these characteristics, but who are nevertheless ideally suited?

Absolutely! Perhaps two concrete examples from our agency. We have a model from Paris who is 170 cm tall, but has an Asian European mix and a distinctive tooth gap. She is also an absolute Parisian girl in terms of charisma and character. Her dress style, her appearance, her cheerfulness, all this is convincing. On the other hand, we have a model, a man only 1.80 cm tall, ideal would be at least 185 cm, but he has an incredibly strong presence in front of the camera and the absolutely unmistakable advantage of being an albino with African roots. Especially for urban fashion manufacturers, international fashion brands, these are unique faces for campaigns. Anyone who remembers TV spots of large online shops and fashion chains will always discover particularly eye-catching models, e.g. through an extreme ethnic mix or even through very special peculiarities such as large tooth gaps or freckles. Many people are now certainly thinking of the bushy eyebrows of supermodel Cara Delevingne, since she conquered the world through Karl Lagerfeld, thick eyebrows are again absolutely on Vogue.

FIV: Where do you prefer to look for models? Do you have any preferences?

The easiest and fastest way is always to apply directly to the agency via an online form. There are scouts working who, with their professional experience, can quickly judge whether you would make it far as a model in the agency. Of course there is always internal competition and if there are 3 new faces with blonde long hair and you happen to have blonde long hair, you might get a rejection from an agency even though you would have fitted theoretically. Don’t worry, maybe try it a second time in half a year and look around for other agencies.

The second way to be discovered, but the chance is much smaller, you have to live in cities where the big agencies are. Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. Here the model scouts also go through the city centre, e.g. when they shop and whenever you discover an interesting face, address the person. However, as I said, the chance is much smaller! In Berlin alone there are over 500 streets in the city. What is the chance that you will be on the same street at the same time as the model scout who finds your type perfect? Each agency tries to keep its model board as small as possible so that the management work can be focused precisely and the models represented on its own board can be promoted as well as possible. An agency like ours represents selected 50 to 60 models. Every day, however, we receive 30 to 40 new applications alone, which quickly amounts to 1000 applications per month. So you see how big the chance is to get invitations here! Who doesn’t dare, doesn’t win! So take a look at good, serious, international modeling agencies and try your luck with several. Here is a little tip for all models who are applying for the first time. In very few model agencies you will get feedback due to the large number of applications. If you don’t hear from the modeling agency anymore, you should always consider it a rejection.

No-go’s before model career

FIV: What about casting shows? Are shows like Germanys Next Topmodel a sensible way to make it to the top?

You can definitely become a famous influencer! A public figure. And that’s not so bad, is it? If you want to make it as a sustainable fashion model, with fashion magazines, the lifestyle about it, you need a real model agency that not only takes care of TV season but a career. Because ultimately it is about you as a person and about your life and not about the unique success. Of course, 3 or 4 can make it to known persons. The remaining 2000 who took part in the casting didn’t get far. If you apply in a model agency, you should also leave out the fact Germanys Next Topmodel. Especially in big agencies, there are models immediately the TV stamp. Not all agencies want that.

FIV: Would you accept someone who has already participated in Germanys Next Topmodel? Or has this even happened before?

Yeah, there’s been a few of them. We had also invited 2.3 to the casting. They were really nice, but the measurements were not right for our customers and partners in New York, Paris & Co. We had to pass.

FIV: Are you following Germanys Next Topmodel? Which winner did you like best?

Good question! Now I have to think for a moment, in fact I only know one, Lena Gercke. Then there was the short-haired one, but I can’t remember the name now. Who’s your favorite winner? Who did you like best?

FIV: My favourite winner has always been Barbara Meier, who has always fascinated me. She has an incredibly great charisma with her long red hair and blue eyes. Her success after GNTM has shown that she was a winner who deserved it! Which international models fascinate you?

Cara Delevingne took my heart by storm! So I could absolutely understand Karl Lagerfeld when he chose her. Since then she has had a great career and has really evolved. She’s a real entrepreneur now. So she’s really taken out everything that’s possible. Still, she never had any big scandals or excitement. Really great work and a really great person. I also find Kaia Gerber very interesting at the moment. New female muse of Karl Lagerfeld and daughter of Cindy Crawford. Cindy Crawford used to be the top model, and Kaia also has the top prerequisites for an international career. She even has an international career, plus this hammer background story with her mama, the top genes and her enchanting nature. To sum up, I think I can say that trusts in Karl Lagerfeld! Maybe you can show some shows of Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel later in this article!

FIV: Thank you very much for the detailed interview! And yes, I am definitely looking for some articles about the best shows of Chanel for our readers. If you want to apply as a model, you will find the important links here.

1. Coco Chanel Article
2. Karl Lagerfeld Articles

• CM Models
• CM Models Instagram
• CM Models YouTube