If you ask any aspiring high fashion model what their goals are in their career, 99 times out of a 100 her answer will be that they want to be a successful runway model. Although a model can have hundreds of jobs for magazines and advertisements, they haven't truly reached the top of her game until she is a regular face on the catwalks of New York, Paris or Milan. So what does it take to be a knockout runway model?
The first thing that you must do is look at the facts. Unfortunately, even though you may have the most beautiful face in the world, if you don't have the body type to be on the runway, there is little to no chance of success. Runway models aren't made, they're born.
The minimum height requirement for female catwalk models is 5'9, and for males it‘s 5'11. Also, models are generally expected to fit into sample size clothes, which are typically made a size 2 or even a size 0. Although there are occasionally exceptions to the rules, these usually only apply if a model already has an exceptional print career.
If you tick all of these boxes, you may have a chance at runway modeling. There are, however, many different things that you have to realize before you get out there on the runway. The most important of which is that that you are essentially a clothes-horse for the designer. Remember that, and make your performance about the clothes, not about you.
Make sure you hold your body in a way that flatters the clothes. The easiest way to do this is to stand as straight as possible. If wearing a dress, it sometimes helps if you lean back slightly in order to let the material flow behind you. Let your arms hang naturally and let them swing only as much as your body naturally makes them. Keep your hands relaxed and no curled fingers as this will look strange from the viewpoint of the people watching the show.
Runway Models Don't Clomp or Prance
The most important point refers back to the clothes-horse example. Concentrate on the clothes part, not the horse part. In other words, clomping or prancing up and down the runway are a definite no. You should take slightly longer strides than you would if walking normally, but do not lift the knees too much.
Finally, remember to practice. It might feel silly walking up and down your hallway, but there's no such thing as too much practice. It is also a smart decision to find some recordings of fashion shows, and watch how the models hold themselves. If you want to do something well, you might as well learn from the best.
So if you posses the genetics, and you think you have the nerve, hold your head high and see if you have what it takes to strut your stuff on the catwalk.
Copyright 2008 Damien O'Riley
