MODEL GROOMING: BODY

It may well be the most important aspect of model grooming. Having – and maintaining – a model’s physique is a subject often blighted by misinformation and controversy. How thin is too thin? Should you be striving for muscle tone or muscle definition? When it comes to toning up, do you gym it or go for something less high-impact?

The good news about being ‘model fit’ is that it’s a level playing field. Whether you’re naturally thin, or have to put in a couple of hours a week at the gym, everyone needs to do some form of exercise. Even the slimmest models need – and do – exercise, not as weight control, but to keep muscle tone at a premium.
Unworked muscles even on a slim body tend to show up on camera, especially so in sportswear / lingerie shoots. A well-toned body always looks better on camera regardless of its size or shape. Being fit also has the advantage of boosting stamina. Long hours, tough conditions and poses that would challenge a contortionist all take their toll. A good fitness routine, combining muscle toning with cardiovascular work is a win-win for most bodies.

To gym or not to gym

However, if you’re not someone for whom gym is a verb, there are alternatives that really work.

You may consider a pool as somewhere to soak up some sun, but swimming is a perfect means of working out if an hour on the treadmill fills you with horror. Swimming is excellent at building stamina and core strength, and forget the gym posers - the only person you’re competing against is yourself. There’s no excess pressure put on your joints, so injuries are put at a minimum.

However, if you consider yourself a fully-fledged gym bunny, there is still the matter of how much is too much? A lot of models are concerned with crossing the line from muscle tone to muscle definition. It’s a bit of an exercise myth that non-professional weight lifting can build muscles like Popeye. Unless you’re consistently lifting weights that are far too heavy for you (and your back will let you know if they are!), it’s impossible to build huge muscles from just doing a few reps each week.

Body and Mind

If you’re still worried about building bulk, one of the best ways to develop long, lean muscles (especially good for fashion and commercial modelling), is to try Pilates or Yoga.

Pilates often gets left in the shade by its older cousin, but if you’re the restless type and find yoga (even at its most active) a bit too much om and not enough sweat, Pilates could be just right for you.

Developed in the 1920’s, Pilates concentrates on developing the core muscles in your abdomen and back. Pilates works on core strength and realigning your neck, back and shoulders so your posture becomes text-book perfect. If done regularly over a period of time, even after a few weeks, you will notice your newly-worked core muscles will make you stand a little straighter. Your shoulders will be more evenly aligned, and you will find yourself becoming more flexible.

Done in both floor and standing exercises, Pilates can be challenging to start off with, but the benefits of evenly stretched and conditioned muscles will persuade you to carry on.

A much older practice, and beloved by celebrities, yoga has no problems in getting the word out about its numerous benefits. Generally viewed as a holistic form of exercise, yoga is a workout for the body and the mind. If you’re someone who could use some inner calm, this may be the option for you.

There are many different types of practice when it comes to yoga. Hatha, the most popular form in the West, combines a series of gentle breathing and stretching exercises with meditation. Ashtanga is a more active kind of yoga, where you move through a progression of postures. This type of yoga is designed to make you sweat, but if you’ve mastered the basics of yoga and really want a challenge, Bikram yoga is the toughest of all. Performed in a specially heated room, this offers a seriously intense workout. Favoured by Madonna, you won’t be surprised that Bikram is for the super-fit yoga addict only. If you want to start off, there are classes running throughout the country. You may be tempted to wing it with a workout DVD, but when learning the basics, working with a qualified instructor is best to ensure you’re getting the most out of it.

Yoga and Pilates remain a favourite with models simply because nothing else builds long, lean muscle quite like it. There is also the added bonus of building core strength which helps create a flawless posture. No matter what the season, or the designer, good posture is an essential for every model. If you think of yourself as a frame for whatever you’re being asked to wear, if the frame is unevenly supported, the clothes just won’t look their best.

Nutrition

Food and modelling have not always had the best relationship, but times have changed, and there’s no excuse for not being well-informed. Good nutrition (like exercise) is simple: get the basics right, and the rest falls into place.

The old idea that models survive on chewing gum and water is clearly ridiculous when you take a look at their schedules. Going from Milan, Paris and New York to London for Fashion Week and plane-hopping for editorials during the rest of the year isn’t suitable work for someone living on fresh air and little else. Common sense tells you it can’t be done. Like professional athletes, models need their bodies to be in peak condition to be able to perform at their best. Surviving on junk food, or at the other extreme, monitoring every mouthful, is not a suitable foundation to build a career on, and be extremely harmful.

The key to maintaining a model-perfect body isn’t an issue of control, it’s about balance. We all know the basics of a good diet: vegetables, fruit, plenty of fibre and a good mix of carbohydrates and protein. Aiming for 5-a-day is a good start, but considering other countries think 8-a-day is a minimum for your daily intake of fruit and veg, don’t feel bad about stocking up on the fresh stuff. Think creatively – a juice blended from vegetables and fruit still counts and can be an effective way of downing your greens if you’re out and about.

Good nutrition is about making consistent choices to eat well, rather than thinking about what’s lowest in calories. If you eat well 98% of the time, the occasional takeaway does absolutely no harm whatsoever. If you tell yourself that certain foods are off limits, those will be the foods you will end up craving. Enjoying the occasional self-indulgence is nothing to shy away from. Build it into your regular diet – schedule regular treats – once it’s on the menu, you will find that cravings take a nose-dive.

But if you find that eating healthily is a bit hit-and-miss, especially when you’re on the move, adding supplements to your diet may be a good idea. A decent multi-vitamin is a perfect all-rounder, filling any gaps in your diet. But if energy’s a problem, and you’re definitely getting in enough carbohydrates (especially rice and pasta), trying some co-enzyme Q10 is an excellent way of maintaining energy levels during the busy times.

The key to being model-perfect is acknowledging that you won’t be perfect all the time. You will miss work-outs, sometimes that bacon bap will take precedence over a bowl of cereal – it’s all part of being human. Once you’ve accepted that getting it right most of the time is better than striving for perfection, failing and embarking on a cycle of starvation and bingeing, the whole business of nutrition becomes that much easier. Being consistent, but realistic, will keep you happy, healthy and sane.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: ARIZONA MUSE

What’s in a name? In fashion, it seems a great deal.

Having previously worked under her real name of Zoe, Muse’s fortunes took a turn for the miraculous when she appeared in the September 2010 Prada show. It was a booking that in no small way transformed her career.

Born in New Mexico on September 18th 1990, the re-named Arizona is now being heralded as the face of a generation. It is somewhat surprising, but Muse’s early career was something of a slow-burner. Signing with Next Models in 2008, her first credits included a beauty editorial with Allure and an appearance in the S/S issue of French Revue de Modes.

Arizona’s modelling plans went on pause in 2009 when she discovered she was pregnant. Taking a year-long break, Muse gave birth to son Nikko and returned to modelling the following year. Her agency suggested a fresh start and together they decided on a name change, swopping Zoe for Arizona (chosen because Muse was living in Tucson).

The name-switch had an extraordinary effect on Arizona’s career. It made her memorable with clients, but it wasn’t just the name that started getting her noticed. Her unusual look – short, softly-bobbed hair and heavy eyebrows – made her a stand out in a sea of new faces, lending her look character and depth.

In September 2010, Arizona finally got the breakthrough she needed. Chosen by Prada, she not only modelled in their runway show in the opening and closing spots, but did so as an exclusive. The effect of the Prada booking was immediate, catapulting Muse into the spotlight.

Having already launched the careers of newcomers Samantha Gradoville, Joan Smalls and Barbara Palvin, Prada was taking a gamble on the relatively untested Arizona, but not only did they put her in the main show, but they also had her headline the Miu Miu show, making her the face of the brand for that season.

In addition to this storming debut, Muse got to open shows for Kenzo and Rochas, and also walked for designers such as Marc Jacobs, Herve Leger, Narciso Rodriguez and Proenza Schouler. But it was the Prada show that got everybody talking. An appearance at Prada has serious star-making potential. As an unknown, getting to open and close this prestigious show is unheard of. Prada’s success rate in selecting new model talent is exemplary – some of today’s best models, such as Sigrid Agren and Ali Stephens, got their break walking for Prada.

Unsurprisingly, Arizona’s runway debut got her featured as a Top 10 Newcomer in www.models.com and a face to watch by www.style.it. Arizona’s comeback had been, by any standard, a huge success. But if 2010 had marked her return to the fashion industry, four months into 2011, Arizona is already proving hard to ignore.

The year started with the news that Prada had selected Muse to be the face of their ad campaign, along with Mariacarla Boscono, Tatiana Cotliar and Kinga Rajzak. Bold, fun and a sartorial breath of fresh air, the Prada ad is the campaign of the season. Miuccia’s quirky symphony of no-nonsense stripes and baroque swirls has already become the defining look of Spring / Summer 2011: no rules, just fun.

The campaign bookings kept coming, with the announcement that Arizona was to replace Daria Werbowy as the face of YSL. Taking the campaigns for both beauty and fashion, Muse also filmed a campaign video directed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. Shot in Marrakech, the video is coolly hypnotic and a terrific example of how campaigns could develop in the future.

In print, Muse’s presence was also felt loud and clear. Taking the January cover of Italian Vogue with Freja Beha, Dubbed ‘2011 Allure’, the vintage-inspired cover was coupled with a couture shoot photographed by Steven Meisel.

On the runway, Muse made her couture debut at Paris, walking for Chanel, Elie Saab and Valentino. The fashion world doesn’t tend to be shy about proclaiming its likes and dislikes. Arizona’s inclusion in this most exclusive of worlds, sent a message that, Prada effect or not, 2011 was going to belong to Muse.

February saw Muse appear in a huge amount of prime editorial work, switching from classics done the Vogue Italia way in ‘So Pure, So Modern’ to angular, awkward joy for Chinese Vogue in ‘Spring Blues’. Also appearing for British and American Vogue, it was the latter magazine that finally cemented Muse’s reputation as fashion’s next big thing.

In the February issue of the magazine, editor-in-chief Anna Wintour dedicated the subject of her editor’s letter to Arizona. Comparing her to Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova, Wintour revered Muse as the model that would take the industry by storm, but the industry was catching on quick. Wintour’s letter made headlines around the world, and when it came to Fashion Week, Muse emerged as the major star of the season, appearing in 64 shows.

Walking for every major label including Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Prada, Valentino and Versace, this is a booking list that some models would take years to achieve, if they were lucky enough to reach that level in the first place. Anna Wintour’s championing of new talent isn’t just reserved for designers such as Thakoon. Wintour wants fashion to be the best it can be, and that includes giving credit – and opportunity – where it’s due.

Arizona was well on her way to becoming a success without the nod from Wintour, but for any doubters, she has more than proved that she is worthy of such accolades. There isn’t a lot of room (or patience) for mediocrity in the fashion world. Right now, in this economic climate, the fittest really do survive.

Muse’s ability to score bookings en masse was taken to another level in March, when she appeared for three major magazines. She worked with Raquel Zimmermann and Freja Beha in a street-punk themed shoot for American Vogue; a surrealist editorial (‘Audace Manifeste’) for French Vogue and couture elegance in black and white for Numero.

But further to this, Arizona also made the cover of British magazine ‘Dazed and Confused’. The magazine shot four separate cover tries and instead of selecting one, used them all, squeezing them onto one cover. Called ‘Birth of a Muse’, it was Arizona’s first solo cover (even if she was effectively sharing the limelight with herself).

April ’11 has seen Muse appear in two more editorials for Chinese Vogue, making her truly international in her appeal. What Arizona offers these clients is not just a memorable face. Her work this year highlights a model that is no novelty, but already equipped to excel. Muse’s range is extraordinary, but Google the YSL campaign video and you’ll see that her real gift is movement. Modelling on film is incredibly difficult. There are no kind angles, no spots where you can hide areas of weakness. Shot from every possible viewpoint, the YSL campaign film is almost merciless – but that is the point. Not every model could do it.

Muse’s ability to move well, whilst still modelling from head to toe, is remarkable and rare. Wintour’s comparison of Arizona to supermodel Linda Evangelista is accurate, but Arizona’s ability to create movement recalls models such as Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks – two models who transformed catwalk from perfunctory to performance. They may not have had campaign videos to worry about in the Nineties, but if they did, they would have seen Arizona as the one to beat. As fashion continues to work in tandem with technology, being able to master this new type of campaign will rapidly become a skill update for all new models.

What is unusual about the hype surrounding Arizona is that it’s justified. Her run of print work – an incredible 13 editorials so far this year – also picks up the strength Muse has when it comes to more traditional fashion media. Her already-impressive catalogue of work neatly illustrates why she’s such a catch for the fashion world. From her moving series of pioneer portraits for American Vogue, to her striking, Dali-esque shoot for French Vogue, Arizona is never the same woman twice. Her talent at transforming, taking her from Parisian couture to New York punk, is usually the calling-card of a model that’s been doing editorial for years. Muse’s relatively limited experience, prior to 2010, is what makes this comeback all the more incredible.

Arizona’s career trajectory, if the first few months of the year are any indication, will be nothing short of supersonic. It’s rare to see a model met with such fanfare –the excitement that Arizona has generated sets her apart as a phenomenon not seen since Kate Moss. There have been other fashion favourites since Moss – Bundchen, Stone, Pivovarova – to name a few, but Muse does appear to have that indefinable star quality. Match that with an almost-seasoned approach to editorial and runway, and this all makes for a model that seems destined to carve out a space for herself that is not so much top model, but supermodel.

Already revered in the mainstream press, and a hot topic in the blogosphere, the rising star of Arizona Muse seems an irresistible force as she gets ready to become the most prolific model of the year. It’s no mean achievement for a model that was barely known even by those in the fashion industry a year ago.

Muse’s story may read like pure inspiration, but it is her blend of skill across the board that will keep her from burning bright and fading out fast. As she begins to emerge as one of the year’s iconic faces, Arizona is set to become fashion’s latest – and most remarkable – Muse.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: ALINE WEBER

Born on 22nd March 1989 in Santa Catarina, Brazil, Aline comes from a country fiercely proud of its success in providing the fashion industry with some of its brightest stars. Aline’s start began in 2004 when she was featured as the Model of the Week by www.models.com. Aged 15, this was a huge honour for a model still considered a new face.

In 2005, she scored her first cover, appearing in the autumn special for British magazine ‘Dazed & Confused’. From 2006 to 2008, Weber built up a series of credits including a catwalk appearance for Comme des Garcons and editorials for Italian Elle and Brazilian Vogue. But, as with every success story, there came a moment when her career took her from ordinary model to industry player. For Aline, this moment was in February 2008. She did the rounds for the coveted runway spots in Fashion Week, and soon discovered that hers was the name everyone wanted. She got three opening spots – Daks, Requiem and Balenciaga – and appeared in a staggering roll-call of design talent including Burberry, Chloe, Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and YSL. Making a massive impact across all the major shows, Aline was featured as a Top 10 Newcomer by both www.models.com and http://www.style.com/.

June ’08 saw Aline take another step forward with two editorials for French Vogue, both shot by Patrick Demarchelier. ‘Le Chant des Sirenes’ saw Aline modelling with Lara Stone. French Vogue is known for its love of the avant-garde side of fashion, but where the magazine excels is in making creative decisions that are not high-fashion for high-fashion’s sake. It marries editorial excellence with images that make you stop in your tracks. A high-fashion image can be dreamy, exhilarating or provocative, but it has to be arresting. This is a lot to ask any model, but google the images and it’s clear that Aline and Lara work together in perfect synchronicity.

Aline’s winning streak at scoring blue-chip bookings was cemented by her signing for a D&G campaign, plus editorials for Harper’s Bazaar, Chinese Vogue and Italian Vogue. In September, Weber’s runway profile soared with the news she would be the closer for the Marc Jacobs show. To appear in a Marc Jacobs show is a stellar moment in any model’s CV. To appear as the headliner, or even the last girl standing, is an indication that your look most closely matches the designer’s vision for that season. For Spring 2009, Aline was the Jacobs’ girl.

2009 started with Aline making her debut for the French Vogue calendar and featuring on the cover of Brazilian Vogue. Aline’s reputation as a Vogue favourite, continued with editorials for Japanese Vogue in March and April. Weber’s potential to be that classic, bookable model hit a high note in August when she appeared for American Vogue’s now-famous editorial, ‘After Hours: Fashion’s Night Out’. Like their 2007 cover naming their picks for future top models, this spread was a mega-model gathering, with every model of note asked to take part. It was an impressive logistical feat, but the emerging photos were a snapshot of fashion’s best new and established faces. The editorial charted talent from across the globe, with Aline one of many representing Brazil.

Modelling took a temporary hiatus when Aline’s career took an unusual turn in December ’09. Asked to make a cameo appearance in Tom Ford’s film ‘A Single Man’, Weber got a small role in Ford’s directorial debut. Starring Colin Firth, the film demanded restraint from every performer: any jarring note would have picked up immediately, but Aline’s appearance as one of Colin’s students, was cool, calm and collected. Perfect for the film, and a perfect debut.

2010 took Aline’s career up another notch with the January cover for Spanish Vogue and an editorial for Russian Vogue. Appearing the next month in RTW shows for Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and Stella McCartney, Aline’s runway CV was shaping up to be one of the strongest among models working today.

Aline’s ability to work unfazed was put to the test in July when she got booked for her first couture season. It was the final hurdle in winning her fashion stripes. Proving yourself at couture level can take years: Aline’s steady accumulation of runway and editorial work more than proved her ability to take on fashion’s greatest challenge.

In August, Weber scored another major editorial, working again for French Vogue. ‘L’hiver avant l’hiver’ was a 65-page odyssey through the coming season’s fashion. These editions are especially important, as they set the sartorial standard for the next 6 months. Being asked to feature in these editorials is more than being a face that fits: it’s a sign that your look matches what’s being produced for the next season and can be very good news when you’re looking for that next booking.

Sure enough, Aline’s runway total for the S/S 2011 season reached a mammoth 46 shows. Her look was paired with every major designer from Chanel, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney. Six years after being nominated ‘Model of the Week’ by www.models.com, Aline has become a favourite with every notable designer; more in demand than ever, at a time when most models are considering their next move.

Modelling is, by its nature, brief, but with Aline’s latest move to Next Models, her career is far from losing momentum. Despite being from the same stable as models Isabeli Fontana and Gisele Bundchen, Aline is a model who is proud to be different. Weber’s fashion-perfect frame and trademark cheekbones have made her a high-fashion favourite, with her work in editorials securing her a reputation with the best magazines in the world.

Brazil has given us the ultimate fashion-meets-bombshell moments with Gisele Bundchen, and Victoria’s Secret superstars, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio. Aline’s career may be decidedly different from theirs, but it is no less impressive for it. She is a fashion girl through and through – her appeal spans Milan, New York and Paris, with multiple bookings from designers who adore Weber’s ability to transform at will.

Being exclusively high-fashion, and making it pay, is a tough business. The opportunities are few and far between, and the lucrative campaigns are especially rare. Aline’s continuing success since 2004 is evidence of a model who can handle the difficult, nuanced work required by magazines such as French Vogue, and headline shows for Balenciaga, D&G and Marc Jacobs. Aline’s accomplishments shouldn’t be underestimated. To not only get bookings, but those of the very highest quality, after six years in circulation, is an astonishing feat, and one that is seldom rivalled.

What Aline represents is the softer side of Brazil’s wealth of modelling talent. Weber may not be a big-bucks name like Gisele, but she has done sterling work in promoting Brazil’s ability to produce editorial talent. Brazil’s proven that it can supply models that smoulder and strut their way to the top, but to seriously compete at the highest levels of the fashion industry, Brazil needed a model that was an editorial thoroughbred.

This is what Aline delivers time after time: she has managed to stay relevant in an industry where the pace is dizzying. She is still one of the most requested and photographed faces, competing successfully among an ever-growing carousel of new faces. Fashion always needs the ‘money girls’, the models who turn selling sportswear and lingerie into an art form. But fashion’s tastes for editorial are complex and ever-changing: the model who meets them is far from ordinary.

In fashion, success rests on reputation. Aline’s extraordinary career has made her country one of the best-known producers of modelling talent in the world. From top-drawer glamour to cutting-edge editorial, Brazil has given fashion some of its most recognisable faces. In an industry where excellence is defined by the quality of work, rather than quantity, Aline’s incredible CV has taken her country’s reputation from sizzle to substance.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: STYLE

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that on entering the modelling industry, there’s only one rule to remember: fashion is a business. It’s creative, yes, and fun, but in the end, fashion boils down to pounds and pence, and the moment comes when you have to ask yourself: what am I worth?

Style: uncovered

Being a successful model is all about marketing. Starting out in a crowded industry is a daunting prospect, but knowing your own value and how to market that is half the battle won. If you take a look at some of today’s high-achievers, what they all have in common is a finely-tuned sense of personal style. Kate Moss is the most obvious example. Her knack of blending vintage and designer has made her a millionaire, but you don’t need to look much further to see that knowing your own style can get you results.

Freja Beha [pictured] may be versatile enough to go from H&M to Chanel, but her tomboy chic is in every editorial and campaign. Not so much so that is interferes with what the client wants (her look in the latest ads for Louis Vuitton renders her almost unrecognisable), but you look at any photo of Freja you get a very clear picture of the person she is. It’s the same with other top models: Raquel Zimmermann = bold, grown-up sensuality, Sasha Pivovarova = quirky, artsy femininity.

If you know who you are, selling yourself becomes that much easier. Think about your likes and dislikes – not just in fashion, but music, art, films, everything. Your tastes often dictate your style. A penchant for ballet pumps can often be traced back to repeated viewings of ‘Roman Holiday’.

When you’ve narrowed down what you do like – as well as the things you definitely don’t – think about how this has shaped you as a person. Our sense of style soaks up virtually every influence around us: you may be surprised at what, and who, has made a lasting impact.

Whether you’re a tomboy and proud of it, or the quintessential girl next door, this will have an effect on everything you do and the way you do it. From how you interact with clients, your strengths, your weaknesses – even the way you approach working the runway. The models that do particularly well at runway have a walk that’s not only distinctive but is as individual as a fingerprint. It works because they’re doing what feels right for them. They may tweak it for certain shows and designers, sassing it up for Dolce & Gabbana, or hitting the slow-burn for Prada, but a good walk is the bedrock of a model’s personal style. You can watch up-to-date runway footage on YouTube for technical pointers – but a catwalk style is ultimately a process of evolution: keep at it and your walk will eventually emerge.

Style: go-sees

For most models, this is where it all goes right – or horribly wrong. The best defence is a good strategy – and this means dressing the part. Most working models adopt a ‘go-see uniform’. As you get more experience, you will figure out what you need to take with you and what’s surplus to requirements, but as a starting point, your basic go-see kit should include these things:

- A spare set of underwear (nude, as this works best all colours) - Pair of heels (plain stilettos / platforms) - Smart phone or current A-Z if you’re feeling more traditional. - Water / snacks (especially if it’s a day of back-to-back go-sees. Passing out is never chic) - Small grooming kit (concealer / hair bands / grips / hairspray or wax)

When it comes to the actual go-see uniform, think clean and streamlined. The key to self-presentation for a go-see is to let the client see you without crazy colours or tons of accessories getting in the way. A white or neutral-coloured vest and a decent pair of jeans should be all you need. If a client wants something different to this, you will be told in advance.

With make-up, approach it from the client’s point of view. They want to see you, not your skill with a foundation brush. A light day moisturiser should be enough – with a touch of concealer here and there if your skin needs a little help. A light-diffusing concealer is ideal as this will photograph better. Clients often take a Polaroid shot as a type of visual note-taking. Prepping your skin the night before is a fantastic idea: a good skin scrub will give your skin a quick overhaul, but reserve any mask treatments for after go-sees: most masks are designed to draw out impurities. Don’t be tempted to try a new product the night before a go-see. When you’re stressed, your skin can behave in unpredictable ways: don’t give it an excuse to flare up and stick to products you know and trust.

Style: events

There are occasions when as a model you might be invited to an industry event. Whether the invite comes via your agency or a client, there’s definite subtext. An event like this isn’t just a party with great cocktails and fancy nibbles. It’s also an opportunity for you to get yourself noticed.

Scan any tabloid after the weekend, and celebs will give you a comprehensive lesson in how not to impress. Think of it not so much as a party but a job interview with heels and appetisers, because that’s potentially what it is.

Dressing for industry events can be a minefield: you want to glam it up; make an impact, but there’s a fine line between glamour and glo-worm. When in doubt, head back to your personal style.

Regardless of whether your fashion tastes run to the bohemian, or you’re more of a classicist, one tip is to ditch the black for one night and go with colour. Parties, especially where the stakes are high, are notorious for quashing people’s fashion instincts and have them scurrying back to black. Wearing colour will not only make you stand out in a crowd but it will project confidence, even if you’re feeling nervous. It’s a good way of faking inner-calm and serene self-confidence when you’re feeling anything but zen. Think of it as sartorial smoke and mirrors!

Style: getting personal

Knowing how to present yourself for go-sees or events is part of the process, but the key to being successful (and happy) while modelling is knowing to present yourself from the inside out. Modelling is all about self-projection. You don’t have to be the most vocal person in the room, but being able to put across your personality, whatever it is, goes an awful long way.

Thinking about your style – the way you walk on a runway, how you talk to clients, will give you an insight into the model you’re destined to be. There’s no point in trying to squeeze yourself into the glamazon mould if you’re more of a girl-next-door type. Think about how you interact with friends and family – what would they say your best qualities are? It sounds a scary prospect, but you could ask them – another person can often provide a fascinating insight – highlighting plus-points you never thought you had. Maybe your listening skills are the best thing about you – perfect for deciphering briefs from photographers and clients. Or perhaps it’s an ability to mix well with others – absolutely essential for the modelling business.

Your personality, more than any physical attribute, will inform the type of modelling career you will have. Going into the industry knowing not only your personal style, but your style of personality, will make the whole process that much easier. If you’re that girl-next-door type and you’re sent on a swimwear go-see more suited to glamazons, being turned down for the job won’t feel like a personal rejection but just a client making decisions about what’s best for their brand. That’s the secret to viewing rejection: it isn’t personal at all.

Modelling can be a very tough business, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t know what to expect. But if you start on firm foundations, you will have a clearer vision of where you want your career to go, and any journey’s quicker when you have the right map.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: GINTA LAPINA

Born in Latvia on the 30th June 1989, Ginta Lapina started her modelling career in 2005, signing with MC2 Management in New York. She secured her first editorial with Teen Vogue in December ’05, working with legendary photographer Arthur Elgort.

Ginta made her runway debut in 2007, walking for the Spring / Summer 2008 show for designer Benjamin Cho. After only 1 runway appearance, www.models.com featured Lapina as their model of the week. Usually models have to work much longer to get noticed, but Ginta proved to be exceptional right from the start.

Signing on with Women Management in 2008, Ginta’s runway credits got a major boost in 2009. Her quirky features made her an automatic stand-out, and in February she booked appearances for Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu, Proenza Schouler, Sportmax and YSL. In September, that number increased to include Alberta Ferretti, Balenciaga, Cacharel, Derek Lam, Donna Karan, Jason Wu, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Rodarte, Valentino and Versace. Lapina’s unusual looks – not quite full glamour, too delicate to be just quirky – made her an ideal choice for these labels. She suited the girlish quality of Alberta Ferretti and Cacharel, handling the Parisian high-fashion chic of Lanvin and the super-glamour of Versace. Her hard-to-define looks gave her an automatic advantage in runway, and this versatility had a snowball effect on the rest of Ginta’s career.

She scored an editorial with Italian Flair in November and a Numero spread with photographer Greg Kadel in December. The accolades kept coming, including a feature in America’s Marie Claire magazine, with Lapina being photographed alongside Donatella Versace. Fashion’s new favourite also started to reel in the big-money campaigns with Lapina becoming the new face for the label of the moment, Derek Lam.

Ginta got her first international Vogue credit in January 2010, with an editorial for Russian Vogue and in February enjoyed a stellar RTW season. In one year, she had almost doubled her bookings – designers were hooked on the Ginta effect, included Balmain, Isabel Marant, Jean Paul Gaultier, Moschino, Prada and Roberto Cavalli.

In March, Ginta was booked for a beauty editorial with Italian Vogue. Photographed by Solve Sundsbo, the brief was ultra modern punk pastels. Lapina slotted into this type of editorial remarkably easily. Some high-fashion shoots can risk looking flat and remote, but Ginta’s complex, layered performance was ideal for Italian Vogue, a magazine that prides itself on taking a uniquely cerebral approach to fashion.

Ginta was soon able to add another campaign to her CV, when it was announced that she would be appearing in the A/W advert for MaxMara diffusion label, Sportmax. In a season where simplicity ruled, this ad was defiantly complex. Ginta’s bleached hair and pale skin almost melt into the background, making the clothes the centre of attention. Styled to the nth degree, this ad stood out for taking a very different approach when measured against what was happening in the fashion world.

Sometimes choosing to go right when everyone else is heading left can leave you feeling a little exposed, but fashion lives for those out-of-step moments, the ones that end up propelling the industry forward in a way it never saw coming. In a season where classics dominated the fashion agenda, Sportmax’s campaign felt bold and fresh. The campaign’s success took Sportmax’s reputation from supporting act to a label in its own right.

Ginta’s campaign trail continued with a signing for the A/W Miu Miu ad. Becoming a Miu Miu girl alongside Lindsey Wixson and Siri Tollerod, was an excellent match for Ginta’s skillset. Ginta made a terrific Miu Miu model, absorbing the label’s 60’s-inspired look but keeping it contemporary, not costume. Miu Miu’s idiosyncratic brand identity has been ultra successful in wooing young Hollywood away from the traditional glitz and glamour, and a solid campaign goes a long way in that seduction. Labels are still willing to spend big on getting the right result from a campaign, and Ginta paired with Lindsey and Siri was an example of perfect casting.

Ginta’s runway career continued to blossom through 2010, with opening honours from Sportmax, Rue du Mail and Versace. Already a favourite with Donatella, Ginta’s role was to set the tone for the entire show and that’s no small ask. Versace is a deceptive label: playing the Versace vixen looks like simplicity itself – you strut, you pout. But keeping Versace on the right side of sexy is notoriously difficult. Get it wrong, and Versace goes from sexy to sleazy in a heart-beat. Ginta’s wealth of campaign experience gave her an automatic advantage in the importance of staying on-message, and nowhere is this more crucial than on the runway. The shots taken from the bottom of the runway last forever: strike a flat note and it’s preserved for years to come.

Applying these hard-won skills to editorial work, Ginta signed up for a multi-page layout with W, photographed by duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Called ‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’, the shoot was vintage Americana, paying homage to the work of painter Edward Hopper. This was no ordinary editorial, and its success relied on the model’s ability to convey emotion and intent. Ginta delivered and the resulting images were fashion meets art, the moment where the photographs go beyond selling dresses. Normally a feat reserved for French, American or Italian Vogue, the editorial was a triumph for W, and a resounding counter to those who say fashion has nothing of substance or depth to offer.

This year has already started off well for Lapina. Her Sportmax contract has been renewed for another season; her success in taking Sportmax’s value through the roof means she has become a must-have for diffusion labels. Also signed to represent Marc by Marc Jacobs for Spring / Summer 2011, Lapina’s profile is set to go beyond the realms of high fashion, taking her into that select group of models – Beha, Stone, Wixson, Kloss, Kershaw – who are the closest approximation to supermodels the fashion industry has.

The reason for their success is that they are one step removed from being glossy perfection, and those imperfections are what have made them famous. Lara Stone’s bombshell looks are off-set by that gap in her teeth; Lindsey Wixson’s trademark pout almost threatens to overwhelm her face and Karlie Kloss’ girl-next-door persona should rule her out from doing more grown-up shoots, but she is the current face of Oscar de la Renta.

Today’s best models – and Ginta is among them – are girls who, in theory, shouldn’t be gracing the cover of Italian Vogue, or walking in couture shows for Chanel and Valentino, but they are doing all of these things and more because what’s ‘wrong’ is what makes them so 'right' for the industry.

Ginta’s look may seem challenging – almost a throwback to the alien-esque beauties of the mid-Nineties. Her shoot for Italian Vogue was high-fashion heaven; blue-sky, no-holds-barred styling and lashings of attitude. But look closer, and the shoot isn’t just about the power of a good blusher. Ginta humanises the shoot by telling a story with her facial expressions and body language. Beauty modelling can be incredibly tricky to master, because there’s nowhere to hide. But Lapina lets herself be vulnerable, and it takes the shoot to another level – it’s not just another beauty spread.

The days of absolute perfection are long gone. There’s always room for heady glamour and sophistication, but the best work of recent years - the most memorable editorials, campaigns and runway shows - have been where perfection takes a back-seat to creativity. Where fashion has shifted in the past two years is in its willingness to look at the positives. Exclusivity and ‘it’ pieces have fallen by the wayside in favour of inclusion, inspiration and great design. It’s not about what’s missing, but exploring what works, what feels right. Ginta’s appeal lies in that game-changing face. The face that shouldn’t work has become the avant-garde look that has no limits, accounting for a CV that includes bookings from Derek Lam to Topshop.

Ginta’s curious mix of soft femininity, streetwise cool and high-fashion haughtiness works perfectly in an industry where the top players are meeting expectations by defying them. Her bleached-out, stylised beauty has inspired across the board from Italian Vogue to copycat makeovers on ‘America’s Next Top Model’, but as she joins the next generation shaping the fashion industry, Lapina succeeds where others follow because she is a true original.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: ELISA SEDNAOUI

Born in Italy to an Egyptian family, Elisa Sednaoui has become this season’s hot ticket. A muse to Karl Lagerfeld, god-daughter to Christian Louboutin – Elisa’s career is anything but tokenism.

With her parents’ divorce in 1994, Sednaoui moved to France and began modelling in 2006 at the age of 19. In April that year, she made the move to New York to actively pursue a full-time career in modelling.
The move proved worthwhile with a campaign for H&M in 2007, a campaign for Victoria’s Secret and a part in film ‘Neither Before Nor After’, working with director Sharunas Bartas.

In 2008, Elisa signed a fragrance contract with Diesel to become the face of their prolific ‘Fuel for Life’ campaign, photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth. In August she got the cover of French ‘L’Officiel’, and walked in shows in September for designers Diane Von Furstenberg, Tuleh, Betsey Johnson and Costume National.

2009 saw Elisa’s career step up a gear with a signing for John Frieda haircare, and an early runway season walking for Catherine Malandrino, Tuleh and Diane Von Furstenberg.

In April and May, she scored back-to-back editorials with Italian Marie Claire, Italian Flair and German Vogue. Elisa became the face of the Diesel label in 2010, also modelling for the S/S Hogan campaign.

Her first big break, however, came in March when she appeared in an editorial for Numero, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld. Named ‘Dangerous Couture’, the spread was a fetish-themed shoot, with Elisa’s trademark locks swept into a 20’s-style bob.

Any association with Chanel tends to act as stardust on a new model’s career, and Karl’s nod of approval took Sednaoui’s profile to the next level. In April, her personal style was the subject of a profile in French Elle, and in the same month, Italian Vogue featured her as a rising star.
The following month, Italian Vogue put its statement into effect by booking Elisa for her first editorial with the major publication, photographed by her cousin, Stephane Sednaoui.

Elisa’s link with Chanel went one stage further in May when she appeared in a short film directed by Lagerfeld, advertising the Chanel Cruise collection for Autumn 2010. Also featuring Karolina Kurkova, Heidi Mount, Abbey Lee and Jake Davies, the short played to every one of Elisa’s strengths. In head-to-toe Chanel, Sednaoui looked every inch the cool, arty girl that Lagerfeld ultimately designs for. Every one of Lagerfeld’s muses has been a woman of substance: ice princesses need not apply.

In July, she got her first editorial with American fashion magazine W, photographed by Terry Richardson. Featuring among many new faces, ‘Lunch Break’ was a mix of bawdiness and couture sensibility – in other words, trademark Richardson. Elisa’s blend of high-fashion awareness and mainstream sex-appeal made her a perfect model for Richardson’s shoot.
The end of 2010 saw Elisa become one of the faces of the Diane Von Furstenberg label, and a second editorial for Italian Vogue. Photographed by Miles Aldridge, ‘Like a Movie’ was perfect subject matter for film-fan Elisa. Aldridge’s work verges on the cinematic, and this spread was no exception.

Exploiting make-up and wardrobe to their fullest potential, the series of images were constructed to look like film stills, both referencing old Hollywood (including Bette Davis in ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’) and the work of art-photographer Cindy Sherman.
Working since the 70’s, Sherman made her name with haunting black and white ‘stills’ using herself as the model. The photographs do not directly reference any one film, but steer you towards films you think you may have seen, but can’t quite pin down. It is this uneasiness that makes the work so potent even 30 years on. Sherman’s now-famous series of film stills are both familiar and uncomfortable viewing – exactly the tone Aldridge and Sednaoui aimed for, and got.
Sednaoui rounded out the year with editorials in Dazed & Confused and L’Officiel and a spread in Russian Vogue, photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth.

This year, the buzz on Elisa has reached fever pitch. Already profiled in the broadsheets as the name to watch, she has scooped an editorial with Chinese Vogue, the cover of Italian Elle and now the Giorgio Armani S/S 2011 campaign. It is a major booking for any model, but Elisa’s status as a fashion IT girl was cemented by this signing in one fell swoop. Not only that, any doubts that her growth in the industry was due to her connections were now dispelled: there’s no room in campaigns of this calibre for models that are second-rate, even if they are a ‘name’. Armani demands, and expects, perfection.

Elisa’s success is made all the more remarkable simply because of the current fashion climate. You’d be forgiven for assuming that the bombshell had exited fashion’s vocabulary altogether. Traditional sex-appeal has been off the books for some time, with off-beat beauties such as Freja Beha, Lindsey Wixson and Jamie Bochert scooping all the campaigns and glory. Even with top models such as Lara Stone, the body may be textbook bombshell, but the gap in her front teeth places her squarely at the heart of high-fashion.

Where fashion has done bombshell recently, it’s been by nuance. Hungarian model Eniko Mihalik has cornered the market in chic sensuality. Her series of editorials may be in danger of searing the page, but the heat’s always tempered by that fashion edge.

Why Elisa has made such an impact in such a short space of time is not hard to figure out. She is tipped to be the face of 2011 because she provides that nostalgic hit of sexuality once part of the high-fashion experience of the Eighties and Nineties. Elisa does particularly well in editorial and campaign work. Her spread with Miles Aldridge for Italian Vogue is perhaps the most perfect summary of her talent so far: bold, complex and filmic. It’s no accident that Sednaoui has branched out into films: her movie-star face almost craves a bigger canvas.

Elisa’s leanings towards cinema are not the far-reach you might imagine. Many models have made that leap – some more successfully than others – but the reason they still feel compelled to do so is simple: modelling at its high-fashion core is all about story-telling. Any campaign, no matter how well styled or shot, needs a performance from the model to make it work. Most of the big labels have their own shorthand: Gucci = smouldering, conspicuous consumption. Marc Jacobs = razor-sharp intelligence applied to fashion’s back-catalogue. Recognising a brand’s identity is the easy part, but translating that label’s vision for the season? It requires a set of skills that are not dissimilar to the actor: for that moment you have to believe you are the carefree teenager in nothing but H&M, or the Cavalli glamour-puss with money to burn.

Without that commitment, the campaign loses its sparkle: even the most outrageous, creatively avant-garde ad needs an emotional charge to make the connection between campaign and consumer. Wanting to look like the model in the ad isn’t really the point: imagining yourself clutching that Versace bag is the all-important step towards buying. A model has to put herself in the label’s shoes but we have to put ourselves in her Manolos in order to complete the purchase chain. Fashion’s all about want: the most primal - and sometimes irresistible – urge there is. Factor sex into the equation and you’ve got yourself a monster hit of a campaign.

Elisa’s multi-page ad for the S/S 11 Giorgio Armani campaign is the perfect illustration of how fashion sells sex. Sophisticated but definitely smouldering, the images take the label to a relatively unexplored part of its identity. The well-documented friendly rivalry between label-founder Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani saw the former label take on high-fashion’s ultimate challenge: how to make clothes sexy but still make them trend-relevant. Dressing sexy before Versace meant cheap fabrics and a sense of the obvious. What Gianni, and now Donatella, have done is made ‘sexy’ fashionable. The formula is simple: good-quality fabrics, unexpected colour choices and a revealing of the body that’s tasteful, not tacky.

The divide was drawn between Armani and Versace when Armani took a decidedly different route to glamour and sex appeal. Armani has consistently produced achingly-glamorous silhouettes and given us some killer red-carpet moments thanks to his couture line, but where Versace chooses to reveal, Armani plays the modesty card. Between them, Armani and Versace have sent Italian fashion values through the roof and made Milan an international fashion capital, but there’s never been any danger of confusing the two labels.

What this latest campaign does is introduce us to the more overtly-sexy side of Armani. It’s still in the best possible taste, but by choosing Elisa as the girl to represent the season; it’s a darker, steamier side of Armani: refreshing as it is surprising. That’s what a good model can do – their own personal currency can seep into a campaign, giving the images an added layer of depth: in Elisa’s case, the quintessential Italian model for the quintessential Italian brand.

Already courting press attention with her appearance in the 2011 Pirelli calendar, Elisa has also experienced a breakthrough season on the A/W 2011 runways this year. Doing both calendars and catwalks is no longer unusual, but to be able to play up to your looks and still get taken seriously by the fashion crowd takes considerable skill. It used to be a feat reserved for the supermodels of the 80’s and 90’s: household names that still opened and closed major catwalk shows without having to compromise their ‘look’.

What Elisa does that’s different is to go to fashion’s extremes: the places where styling and make-up physically transform you, but can only take you so far: you do the rest. Her fetish-themed editorial for Numero and the role-swapping shoot for December’s Russian Vogue required models to go beyond their own image, even their own gender, to get an editorial that’s both thought-provoking and convincing. Again like acting, it doesn’t matter if all the technical elements are in place: without emotion, without heart, it just won’t work.

Elisa’s career choices haven’t always been what you would expect, and that’s exactly why the fashion world finds Elisa so intriguing. Never the same woman twice, Elisa Sednaoui is the ultimate 21st century bombshell.

HELEN TOPE