When most people think of modeling, they think of Victory Secret fashion shows with modeling walking the runway, glamorous photo shoots in exotic locations, flashy, apparel, limos, fame, etc. But it wasn’t always like that. So, how did modeling come into existence and become a very sought after profession? To answer this, we need to travel back in time.

What Is A Model?

By most common definitions, a model is a person with a role to display, advertise, promote commercial products (most notably fashionable clothing in fashion shows), or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art for artists, or to pose for photography shoots.

What Does Fashion Have To With It?

Without fashion, we wouldn’t have modeling. While there a far more to fashion than we’ll focus on here, fashion design and production is from prominence in France from the 15th century. In the 16th century, Anne Boleyn was famous for wearing a French-style hood, which showed her hair and had a generally provocative style. Even then, the French were famous for their liberal attitude towards sexuality. From the 17th century, it exploded into a rich industry both for local consumption and for export. Haute Couture began in the 18th century, but the French had been looked to with admiration or disdain in their dress sense well before that. Also in the 18th century, couturier Rose Bertin was named the Minister for fashion and the position was still retained in the Napoleonic era. Initially, it was the rich and powerful telling the designers what they wanted to wear in clothes. During the 19th century, fashion transitioned into many styles. The modern term of haute couture originated in the 1860’s, for “fashion in good taste“.

Artist vs Photographer

In the 19th century, everything began to change. It was during this period that many design houses began to hire artists to sketch or paint designs for garments. The images were shown to clients, which was much cheaper than producing an actual sample garment in the workroom. If the client liked their design, they ordered it and the resulting garment made money for the house. Thus, the tradition of designers sketching out garment designs instead of presenting completed garments on models to customers began as an economy. This is also an important aspect when it comes to modern day photography as we know it today. We get a brief look at how photographers of modern times wanted a piece of the action later in history and where they steal the idea of being prominence artists from when the fact remains, they are photographers, not artists.

The First Real Model

Rather than spent time and money on artists to sketch or paint designs for garments, it was surprisingly, Englishman, Charles Frederick Worth working in Paris in 1853, (who is known as the “father of haute couture“) who asked his wife, Marie Vernet Worth, to model the clothes he designed. Therefore, Marie Worth became the first recorded model in history. Modelling as a profession as we know it today was first established from the term “house model” was coined to describe this type of work. Eventually, this became common practice for Parisian fashion houses.

At the time, there were no standard physical measurement requirements to be a model, and most designers would use women of varying sizes to demonstrate variety in their designs. Worth went a step further, not just creating designs based on his own ideas, but was the first designer to have his label sewn into the garments that he created and displaying them on live models so that clients could approve or disapprove.

Before Worth, a former draper, set up his maison couture (meaning high–fashion is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing), in Paris, clothing design and creation was handled by largely anonymous seamstresses, and high fashion descended from that worn at royal courts. Worth’s success was such that he was able to dictate to his customers what they should wear, instead of following their lead as earlier dressmakers had done. The term couturier was in fact first created in order to describe Charles Worth. The novelty of using real live females to model fashion designs was a success and designers then began to dictate what was fashionable.

From then on, it was understood that any designer who wanted to be a success had to be in Paris and become part of a couture house or form their own. Paris was the home of fashion shows and all the fashion magazines were either based in or looked to Paris for their information. For women throughout the Western world, Paris was the be all and end all of clothes. So, without fashion, we would not have the modeling industry we know today.

First Fashion Model

From a photography perspective, while photography got it’s start much earlier, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, commonly known or referred to simply as Nicéphore Niépce, was a French inventor, usually credited as the inventor of photography and produced the oldest surviving camera photograph dating back to 1826 or 1827.

So, it goes without saying that fashion photography has been in existence since the earliest days of photography. Arguably, depending on who you talk with, while it is recorded that Charles Worth first used his wife Marie to model his high end fashion in 1853, three years later in 1856, photographer, Adolphe Braun published a book containing 288 photographs of Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione, a Tuscan noblewoman at the court of Napoleon III as well as his mistress.

The photos depict her in her official court garb, making her what some claim as the first fashion model. However, also in 1856, she began sitting for Mayer and Pierre-Louis Pierson, photographers favored by the imperial court. Over the next four decades she directed Pierson to help her create 700 different photographs in which she re-created the signature moments of her life for the camera. She spent a large part of her personal fortune and even went into debt to execute this project. Most of the photographs depict the Countess in her theatrical outfits, such as the Queen of Hearts dress. A number of photographs depict her in poses risqué for the era — notably, images that expose her bare legs and feet. In these photos, her head is cropped out. It’s worth noting that while all articles of clothing from any time period are studied by academics as costume design, only clothing created after 1858 is considered as fashion design.

Female Fashion Models Of The Early Years

With the development of fashion photography, the modelling profession expanded to photo modelling. Models remained fairly anonymous, and relatively poorly paid, until the late 1950s. One of the most popular models during the 1940s was Jinx Falkenburg who was paid $25 per hour, a large sum at the time. One of the first black models in the industry to gain recognition in Paris was Dorothea Church. Other notable fashion models of the 1940’s & 1950’s were Carmen Dell’Orefice, Dorian Leigh, Dovima, Evelyn Tripp, Jean Patchett, Lisa Fonssagrives, Suzy Parker and Wilhelmina Cooper.

The Start Of The Modeling Industry

In 1946, Ford Models was established by Eileen and Gerard Ford in New York and is one of the oldest model agencies in the world. But it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the modeling industry really began and got a foot hold with many establishing modeling agencies. At the time, in Europe and Germany, agents were not allowed to work for a percentage of a person’s earnings, so referred to themselves as secretaries. These so-called secretarial services acted as models’ agents charging them weekly rates for their messages and bookings. However, for the most part, models were responsible for their own billing. Most models only worked in one market due to different labor laws governing modelling in various countries. Due to those labor laws, with the exception of a few models travelling to Paris or New York, travelling was relatively unheard of for a model.

The European Market Of The 1960’s

In the 1960s, aside from models being responsible for their own billing, Italian agencies would also pay their models in cash due to being in dire need of models. which models would hide from customs agents. The Italian agencies would also often coerce models to return to Italy without work visas by withholding their pay to keep models from going to other agencies. It was not uncommon for models staying in hotels such as La Louisiana in Paris or the Arena in Milan to have their hotel rooms raided by the police looking for their work visas. It was rumored that competing agencies were behind the raids. To overcome this, the bigger agencies began to establish offices in major cities such as London, Milan, New York and Paris. This led many agencies to form worldwide chains such as the Marilyn Agency which has branches in Paris and New York.

The Start Of The European Modeling Standards

Did you ever wonder how and from where the modeling standards came from? Well, compared to today’s models, the models of the 1950’s were more voluptuous.  Wilhelmina Cooper‘s measurements were 38″ bust, 24″ waist and 36″ hips.  Now enter 1966 and English model from west London, Dame Lesley Lawson, also well known by her nickname of “Twiggy” for her under developed stick figure frame and build at the tender age of 16. Twiggy, who stood at 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) with a 32″ “B” cup bust and had a short boy’s haircut, is credited with changing model ideals. At that time, she earned 80 Euros an hour, or 1000 Euros weekly for modeling while the average wage was 15 Euros a week. Twiggy signed with agency Model 1 and at the time, model agencies were not as restrictive about the models they represented, although it was uncommon for them to sign shorter models than Twiggy or 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm).

To further the standards, in 1967, seven of the top model agents in London formed the Association of London Model Agents. The formation of this association helped legitimize modelling and changed the fashion industry. Even with a more professional attitude towards modelling, models were still expected to have their hair and makeup done before they arrived at a shoot. Meanwhile, agencies took responsibility for a model’s promotional materials and branding. That same year, former top fashion model Wilhelmina Cooper opened up her own fashion agency with her husband called Wilhelmina Models. By 1968, Ford Models Agency (FM) and Models 1 were established and represented models in a similar way that agencies do today. By the late 1960’s, models were treated better and were making better wages. One of the innovators, Ford Models, was the first agency to advance models money they were owed and would often allow teen models, who did not live locally, to reside in their house, a precursor to model housing. Ford Models is also accredited for pioneering scouting for models.

The BFMA

The British Fashion Model Agents Association (BFMA) was founded in the 1974 and is the UK fashion model industry’s trade association, which it includes the major UK fashion modelling agencies among its members. Models 1 is a founding member of the BFMA. In addition to the legal framework, all BFMA members must adhere to a very strict set of criteria which governs their business activities, this includes the Terms & Conditions of Booking and the Best Practice Guide for both model agencies and industry, drawn up by the British Fashion Council, in consultation with the BFMA.

The BFMA aims to create a unified voice for the UK model industry. Its activities are informed by the main objective of its members which is to discover, develop and represent fashion models so as to enable them to enjoy profitable, safe and fulfilling careers. Members meet at regular intervals and maintain an on-going dialogue with clients from all sectors and with other relevant stakeholders. These include NGOs, government and regulatory bodies such as HMRC, the Home Office / UK Border, and other trade associations. These dialogues are conducted with the view to enhancing the working conditions & welfare of the models which the BFMA’s members represent and the regulatory framework within which the industry operates.

Euro Model Standards

Now that you understand the BFMA and thanks in part to Twiggy back in 1966, the UK’s standard for fashion models is, girls should be at least 5 feet 8 inches tall (1.73cms) and proportionately around 34″ bust, 24″ waist and 34″ hips (86cm-61cm-86cm). Taking the stats of models Twiggy and Wilhelmina Cooper among others of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, you will see that the BFMA has maintained the standards of models since the BFMA was formed, and mainly by UK models and modeling agencies of the time.

BFMA standards for male models should be at least 6 feet tall (1.83cms), chest 40 (suit regular), and inside leg 33 inchs (84cm). Both male and female models should have clear skin, good hands, nails and teeth, healthy hair and regular features.

Modelling Trends Of The 1970s and 1980s

As a result of model industry associations and standards, of the 50’s & 60’s, model agencies became more business minded, and more thought went into a model’s promotional materials. By this time, agencies were starting to pay for a model’s publicity and popularity. However, in the early 70’s, Scandinavia (the term Scandinavia in local usage covers the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), had many tall, leggy, blonde-haired, blue-eyed models and not enough clients. It was during this time that Ford Models pioneered scouting. They would spend time working with agencies holding modelling contests. This was the precursor to the Ford Models Supermodel of the World competition which was established in 1980. Ford also focused their attentions on Brazil which had a wide array of seemingly “exotic” models, which eventually led to establishment of Ford Models Brazil. It was also during this time that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (S.I.) was first published in 1964, it is credited with making the bikini, invented in 1946, a legitimate piece of apparel. The S.I. issue has been published every February, but beginning in 2019, the issue is made available in May.

Sports Illustrated also set a trend by photographing “bigger and healthier” California models, and printing their names by their photos, thus turning many of them into household names and establishing the issue as a hallmark of supermodel status.

Modelling Milestones Of The 1970’s & 1980’s

The 1970s marked many milestones in the fashion & modeling industy. Beverly Johnson was the first African American to appear on the cover of U.S. Vogue in 1974. Female models including  Alva Chinn, Donyale Luna, Grace Jones, Iman, Minah Bird, Naomi Sims, Pat Cleveland and Toukie Smith were some of the top black fashion models who paved the way for black women in fashion and modelling. Additionally, in 1975, Margaux Hemingway landed a then-unprecedented million-dollar contract as the face of Fabergé‘s Babe perfume. The same year Hemingway also appeared on the cover of Time magazine, labelled one of the “New Beauties”, giving further name recognition to fashion models. By the 1980s, most models were able to make modelling a full-time career. It was common for models to travel abroad and work throughout Europe. As modelling became global, numerous agencies began to think globally. 

During the 1980’s there were so-called “model wars” in New York, in which the Ford and Elite agencies fought over models and campaigns. Models were jumping back and forth between agencies such Elite, Wilhelmina, and Ford. Further, in New York, the trend was the boyish look in which models had short cropped hair and looked androgynous. Ironically, at the same time inn Europe, the trend was the exact opposite. During this time, a lot of American models who were considered more feminine looking moved abroad. By the mid-1980’s in the United States,big hair was made popular by some musical groups, and the boyish look was out. The curvaceous models who had been popular in the 1950’s and early 1970’s were in style again. Models like Patti Hansen earned $200 an hour for print and $2,000 for television plus residuals (royalty payments). It was estimated that Hansen earned about $300,000 a year during the 1980’s.

Modelling Milestones Of The 1990’s

The early 1990’s were dominated by the high fashion models of the late 1980’s. In 1990, Linda Evangelista famously said to Vogue, “We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day“.

The mid‑1990’s also brought on the new “heroin chic” movement; a look popularized in mid-1990s fashion and characterized by pale skin, dark circles underneath the eyes, a very skinny body, dark red lipstick, and an angular bone structure. The look, characterized by emaciated features and androgyny, was a thumbing your nose reaction against the “healthy” and vibrant look of models such as Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson rather than the Euro model standards like Twiggy. Plus, in the U.S. heroin and cocaine was taking the country by storm. It was cheap, easy to get and was mainly in its purest form unlike illegal drugs today.

Kate Moss was discovered in 1988 at age 14 by Sarah Doukas, founder of Storm Model Management, at JFK Airport in New York City. Moss rose to fame in the mid 1990’s as part of the “heroin chic” fashion trend and became a poster child for Calvin Klein through her ads. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fashion icon status. She is known for her waifish figure, and role in size zero fashion.  Moss also received media scrutiny for her party lifestyle and drug use. Drug allegations beginning in late 2005 led to her being dropped from many fashion campaigns. She was cleared of charges and resumed modelling. In 2012, Moss came second on the Forbes top-earning models list, with estimated earnings of $9.2 million in one year.

In spite of the heroin chic movement, model Claudia Schiffer reportedly earned $12 million. Further, with the popularity of lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, there was a need for healthier-looking supermodels in the U.S. such as Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum to meet commercial modelling demand.

It needs to be noted that this steamed from three (3) factors. The first being the that fashion got it’s start in France and most designers adopted the BFMA Euro model standards as most fashion designers were in the U.K. Secondly, there has been drastic change in diets between the U.S. and other countries around the world. Traditionally, the U.S. has had fattier diets due to the consumption of high calorie low nutrition diets from over processed foods. The third factor is when models, especially females begin modeling in their early teen years. A lot of these girls started at age 14, 15, 16. Naturally their bodies are not done developing compared to an adult female 30 years of age or older. Plus, most teens are going to have less flaws than a mature woman who has beared one of more children.

The mid‑1990’s also saw many Asian countries establishing modelling agencies and by the end of the 90’s, the heroin chic era had thankfully run its course and ended. However, the new trend at the time was teen-inspired clothing that infiltrated mainstream fashion.

Teen pop music artists such as Aaliyah, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera popularized pleather and bare midriffs. As fashion was focusing on a more youthful demographic, the models who rose to fame had to be sexier for the digital age. Following Gisele Bundchen‘s breakthrough, a wave of Brazilian models including Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio rose to fame on runways and became popular in commercial modelling throughout the 2000’s. Some have tied this increase in Brazilian models to the trend of magazines featuring celebrities instead of models on their covers.

Modelling Milestones Of The 2000’s & Present

In the late 2000s, the Brazilian trend fell out of favor on the runways about as quick as the heroin chic movement . Editorial clients were now favoring models with a china-doll or alien look to them, such as Gemma Ward and Lily Cole. During the 2000’s, Ford Models and NEXT Model Management were engaged in a modelling war legal battle, with each agency alleging that the other was stealing its models.

However, the biggest controversy of the 2000’s was the health of high-fashion models participating in fashion week. While the health of models had been a concern since the 1970’s, there were several high-profile news stories surrounding the deaths of young fashion models due to eating disorders and drug abuse. Meanwhile, American’s with their fatty diets were getting bigger and more obese. Yet, slowly, Americans as well as other nations began to slowly move forward to healthier foods, diets and lifestyles.

The British Fashion Council subsequently asked designers to sign a contract stating they would not use models under the age of sixteen. On March 3, 2012, Vogue banned models under the age of sixteen as well as models who appeared to have an eating disorder. Similarly, other countries placed bans on unhealthy, and underage models, including Spain, Italy, and Israel, which all enacted a minimum Body Mass Index (BMI) requirement.

In the U.S. in 2013, New York toughened its child labor law protections for models under the age of eighteen (18) by passing New York Senate Bill No. 5486, which gives underage models the same labor protections afforded to child actors. New key protections included the following: underage models are not to work before 5:00 pm or after 10:00 pm on school nights, nor were they to work later than 12:30 am on non-school nights; the models may not return to work less than twelve hours off after they leave modelling work duties; a pediatric nurse must be on site; models under sixteen must be accompanied by an adult chaperone; parents or legal guardians of underage models and must create a trust fund account into which employers will transfer a minimum of 15% of the child model’s gross earnings; and employers must set aside time and a dedicated space for educational instruction.

There you have it and you are now educated and up to date on how modeling got started and how it has become the industry it is today.