Fashion model

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Career outlook for fashion model

Average UK salary

£58,240

Currently employed in Scotland

2,100

"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.

What's it like?

Models wear clothing and accessories to promote them to fashion buyers, customers and the media.

You might model items in live fashion shows or in photographs or videos. This could be for catalogues, magazines, newspapers, TV, social media or other advertising campaigns.

You could specialise in different types of modelling, such as:

  • photographic, advertising and TV commercials
  • fashion and catwalk
  • in-house live modelling for designers and clothing wholesalers
  • promotional modelling demonstrating non-fashion items at product launches and trade fairs
  • influencer modelling, showing of products for brands to your social media followers

You’ll need to have the right ‘look’ for the kind of modelling you wish to do. It’s important that you take care of your appearance.

You’ll also need to be confident, patient and disciplined. You’d need to be able to cope with criticism and rejection. Long, irregular hours are common and you may spend a lot of time travelling.

Influencer modelling has become a bigger part of the fashion and modelling industry in recent years. Brands can use influencers' online platforms to promote their products to large audiences. It also offers a new way in to the industry. You can start from home by building a following with your own social media accounts.

In fashion show modelling you'd walk along a catwalk, turning to display clothes in front of an audience.

In photographic, advertising and commercial modelling you'd:

  • pose for photographers in a studio or on location
  • take directions from photographers
  • act in TV commercials, including saying lines

If you worked as an in-house live model, designers would fit garments on to you in the workshop to see how they look. You would display the finished clothes to fashion buyers and private customers. When you’re not modelling you might do basic reception and secretarial duties.

You'd work closely with stylists, hair and make-up artists, producers and directors.

You'd also spend much of your time going to castings for jobs and looking after your appearance.

Working conditions

Hours

Working hours could be long and irregular, depending on the type and amount of work you had.

Travel

The job can involve a lot of travel in the UK and overseas to cities such as Paris, Milan and Madrid to attend castings, fashion shows and photo shoots.

UK employment status

Full-time

18%

Part-time

12%

Self employed

71%

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  • Persevering
  • Resilience
  • Cooperating
  • Networking
  • Listening
  • Verbal communication
  • Self esteem
  • Time management
  • Reliable

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Qualifications

To become a fashion model, physical appearance and fitness is more important than educational qualifications.

To work as a model you need a good appearance and the right ‘look’ for the branch of modelling you wish to go into. 

You will also need

Fashion modelling has become more inclusive. There are now more opportunities for models of different shapes and sizes.

Modelling agencies might want a certain look depending on what they are modelling.