Fashion model

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.

• British Fashion Model Agents Association – what it takes to become a model