It’s that time again – Elite Model Look, the most prestigious international modelling contest is holding open castings all over the UK now!

Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour, Gisele Bundchen, Julia Saner and Constance Jablonski were all discovered thanks to this contest which offers aspiring models in 60 countries across the world the opportunity to launch a successful modelling career with one of the top agencies in the world.

Last year’s winner, Madelaine Hooton, was encouraged to pursue modelling by her dad who saw her potential and wanted to support her while being keen to ensure she approached the industry safely. Their first point of call was to contact Model Advice for guidance on how to go about it.

Maddy came for a shoot at the MA studio in March 2011 and our team quickly identified her fashion potential. It came as no surprise when it was announced a few months later that she had won the Elite Model Look competition!

If you are planning to attend one of the open castings currently taking place in the UK and would like some free advice from our in-house model coach on how to make the perfect first impression, please get in touch on 020 7250 1404.

The next casting will be this Saturday, 12th May, at Metrocentre, Gateshead, Newcastle!

Alternatively if you can’t get to one of the castings in person you can register online at ELITE MODEL LOOK.

We would love to hear your stories from the castings so let us know how you get on!!

Vogue's June 2012 Cover

Coming as a huge relief to MA charity partner B-eat as well as model health campaigners worldwide, this initiative created by 19 Vogue editors from across the world lays out strict guidelines addressing pressing issues surrounding models health in the fashion industry.

Model Advice welcomes this news as we work closely with Beat, a charity founded to help combat eating disorders.

This is a big step for the fashion industry and fashion modelling, who have long been condemned for turning a blind eye, and in some cases supporting, model weight loss and eating disorders.

As fashions most influential publication, Vogue’s actions are incredibly commendable. We hope that other large publications and fashion houses take a leaf out of their book and help put an end to the relationship that fashion and eating disorders have had for a very long time.

Vogue editors have made the following six-point agreement:

1. We will not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder. We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image

2. We will ask agents not to knowingly send us underage girls and casting directors to check IDs when casting shoots, shows and campaigns.

3. We will help to structure mentoring programmes where more mature models are able to give advice and guidance to younger girls, and we will help to raise industry-wide awareness through education, as has been integral to the Council of Fashion Designers of America Health Initiative.

4. We will encourage producers to create healthy backstage working conditions, including healthy food options and a respect for privacy. We will encourage casting agents not to keep models unreasonably late.

5. We encourage designers to consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing, which limits the range of women who can be photographed in their clothes, and encourages the use of extremely thin models.

6. We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image.

The full list of Vogue editions and editors to have made the pact include the following: Emmanuelle Alt, France; Christiane Arp, Germany; Angelica Cheung, China; Kirstie Clements, Australia; Victoria Davydova, Russia; Seda Domanic, Turkey; Daniela Falcao, Brazil; Myung Hee Lee, Korea; Elena Makri, Greece; Paula Mateus, Portugal; Yolanda Sacristan, Spain; Alexandra Shulman, United Kingdom; Franca Sozzani, Italy; Karin Swerink, The Netherlands; Kelly Talamas, Mexico; Priya Tanna, India; Mitsuko Watanabe, Japan; Anna Wintour, United States; and Sky Wu, Taiwan.

So what is makes this competition so special and important….? The winner of this model search will walk away with:

• a contract with leading model agency Select Model Management (who have models such as Agyness Deyn on their books!)

• a brand new Smart car courtesy of Smart’s of Glasgow

• £250 voucher to spend at Official Jeweller to the event Swarovski

• luxury hair makeover from TONI&GUY including indulgent moisture treatment, cut and colour plus a label.m hair care goody bag

• get started makeup kit from official makeup partner bareMinerals

• also for her 12 month reign, the winner’s publicity will be handled by Scotland’s top fashion & celebrity management agency – Hartmann Media

PHEW! This opportunity is just too good to miss for Scotland’s aspiring models! So how do you apply?

Firstly you must be 15 years of age or over. You need to fill in the online registration form here:

http://www.scotlandsnewface.com/register.php

You need to fill in all your details and include 3 images of yourself. Here are the requirements for your images:

1. FRONT FACING HEADSHOT – relax, don’t smile or pout

2. SIDE PROFILE HEADSHOT – needs to show your jawline, hair needs to be swept away from face

3. FULL LENGTH SHOT – stand straight, shoulders back – wear either fitted black leggings/jeans or plain shorts/skirt and simple fitted t-shirt or vest top – the aim is to show your figure so no baggy clothes!

• The aim is to look as natural as possible

• NO MAKEUP (or hats, sunglasses etc)

• Hair should be as natural as possible but not covering your face – the judges want to see your bone structure and cheek bones

• No professional pictures – these need to be basic, natural ‘polaroid’ style images – definitely not computer edited or retouched

So apply now before it’s too late!!

We’d love to hear your stories about your experiences with competitions and modelling opportunities!

Previous winners:

Caitlin Jamieson (2011)             Terri McGlone (2010)                Christina Chalk (2009)

Franzi Mueller has definitely been the “one to watch”… With appearances across the world (31 shows, to be exact), AW12 saw her open shows for Calvin Klein in New York (on an exclusive), Antonio Marras in Milan and Erdem in London.  Other runway highlights include Christopher Kane, McQ Alexander McQueen, Acne and J.W Anderson in London; Marni, Prada and Versus in Milan; Celine, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Haider Ackermann in Paris. Impressive work from one of IMG’s breakout models this season.

Vanessa Axente opened the Prada show. Need we say anymore? An immediate buzz around this gorgeous 16 year old Hungarian model from Viva. Other opening highlights include Valentino and Celine, whilst runway appearances at Givenchy, YSL and Dior ensure Axente is sitting pretty for many editorial and campaign appearances over the AW12 season.

IMG continued to deliver this season with the stunning Mariane Fassarella. We adore her quirky look, her strong bone structure and perfectly clear skin easily make her one of this season’s strongest New Faces, a thought shared by Riccardo Tisci – Fassarella has just walked a Givenchy AW12 Exclusive in Milan.

At 25 years old, French model Marie Piovesan isn’t your typical  teenage newcomer, although that hasn’t tainted her appeal with the fashion heavyweights – recent seasons have seen designers embrace older, capable models. Signed to Marilyn’s NY division, AW12 saw Piovesan walk for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Proenza, Altuzarra, Alexander Wang during NYFW whilst her London debut included Christopher Kane, Giles Deacon and Jonathan Saunders. December 2011 saw an appearance in Interview magazine – her momentum doesn’t seem to be slowing down, expect huge things within the next 6 months.

Stella McCartney was so taken with Viva’s Karlina Caune she asked her to walk twice – both in London and Paris. You may have also spotted this beauty at Giambattista Valli, Mulberry, Christopher Kane, Kenzo, Viktor and Rolf, Ann Demeulmester and Sonia Rykiel (to name but a few)

There’s been a recent surge in Chinese models (no doubt reflecting the vitality of the much-discussed Asian economy – massively important for the luxury fashion market). Fusion’s Lina Zhang is one of the names leading this trend with AW12 highlights including Louis Vuitton, YSL, Celine, Lanvin, Dolce & Gabbana and  Ralph Lauren – the big money brands have spoken, China is on top. Expect big things from this breakout star, editorial and campaign appearances are inevitable.

It’s been a successful season over at IMG – Agata Urdko‘s stunning look was appreciated across the globe with an exclusive at Calvin Klein in New York, quick appearances in London for J.W Anderson and Antoni Berardi (amongst others) before her high-profile debuts at Alexander McQueen, Rochas and Louis Vuitton in Paris. Expect MASSIVE things for many of IMG’s new faces this season – they have a knack for delivering some of the most stunning, capable girls and AW12 has been no exception.

Top Character and Commercial agency UGLY MODELS has this year opened it’s books for the first time in a long time for new faces and talent. They have been holding open auditions since the new year and this Wednesday 18 April will see your final chance to present yourself at a casting before they close their books once more.

Their philosophy?

“Any beauty can be airbrushed but we want our look to have true character.”

UGLY represent like their ‘women fat and their men geeky, they like the extremely tall and the shockingly small. No one is too abstract for their books!’

Their sister agency RAGE MODELS focuses on ‘more traditional looking models so with both agencies they are able to fit the right face to the right fad. If you have luscious locks and fab-abs you’re still Ugly to them!’

If you have what it takes to be a part of UGLY then please call 07813 345590 and state you would like to book an audition and you will then be advised on available time slots. Please only CALL (not text) the mobile provided as they are extremely busy and would like to keep their phone lines clear.

WHAT TO EXPECT….

You don’t need to bring anything along besides yourself for the audition! The auditions are about YOU and YOUR look. Once you arrive you will fill out a form with your contact details, they will then put you in front of their UGLY camera. If you are successful, they will contact you on a later date to let you know. They DO NOT do re-auditions so if you have already been for a previous audition do not come again as they will not see you!

Their address is:

So GOOD LUCK to all those who are planning to audition!!

Don’t forget to let us know what your audition experience was like and whether you were successful!!

Model, El Said, has worked tirelessly in his pursuit of a modelling career since coming to see us here at Model Advice and building his portfolio. He approached a lot of top modelling agencies and despite his natural ease in front of the camera has struggled to find representation. He has continued to do some freelance modelling work to build up his experience and portfolio but was still keen to be signed to an agency.

He has worked closely with us in the last few weeks in preparation for some big auditions, in everything from image selection for his book to one-on-one role play scenarios with our model coach to prepare him so he can make the best first impression.

We are very excited to announce that today he was offered a contract with Eclipse Model Management!

FYODOR GOLAN

Fyodor Golan’s London Fashion Week catwalk saw the lights dramatically go out part-way through the show as a single model strutted up the catwalk – when she was halfway down the lights burst back to life to reveal this stunningly glittered model!

LOUISE GRAY

Scottish designer, Louise Gray, put the punk back into fashion with models sporting these amazing mohawks to crown the clash of colours and prints in her latest collection!

MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF

The most colourful show of the week was definitely Meadham Kirchhoff with models taking on an avatar-like fantastical feel! As a model you never quite know how eccentric your styling is going to be!

PAM HOGG

Pan Hogg called on stars such as Jamie Winstone to model her striking collection – though she was barely recognisable with her mono-brow and doll-like makeup!

ROBYN COLES

And last but certainly not least is Welsh milliner Robyn Coles who’s debut show saw models walking down the catwalk wearing nothing but hats! Models came in all different ages, shapes and sizes including 8 months pregnant former glamour model Sophia Cahill. The designer believes that the great thing about a hat is that you can be any shape or size to wear it.

But how far would you go to model…. leave your comments here!

Check out this brilliant video from Topshop, in which they chat to the beautiful people who showcase the fashion on the catwalk!

Donatella Versace sets a bad example

The big news in UK modelling today in the lead up to London Fashion Week is that the directors of some of the biggest modelling agencies in the UK – including Storm, Elite, Next, Premier Model Management, Oxygen and Union – have banned the use of sunbeds by their models.

The ‘No Sunbed Policy’ is an initiative that has been launched in support of Cancer Research UK’s ‘UV UGLY’ campaign designed to worn Britons of the health risks of using sunbeds.

Few people are aware that using a sunbed once a month or more (which most women would consider minimal use) can increase your risk of melanoma by 50%! And tan seekers under the age of 35 who use sunbeds are 75% more likely to develop malignant melanoma – an aggressive form of skin cancer.

This ban not only affects models already signed to these agencies but to ASPIRING MODELS hoping to be signed.

Sarah Doukas, the managing director of Storm Model Management, said: “Supporting this campaign makes perfect sense as the wellbeing of our models is of paramount importance and we take a serious approach to their health.

“We recommend that they choose safer options if they require a tan – spray tans are easy to apply and can last a week.”

Have you ever used a sunbed to liven up your tan – or are you considering using one in the lead up to summer to lose your winter palor? Tell us your experiences…

Book in for your skin test today and find out if you are at risk!

Week 9 in our Modelling Awareness Campaign continues our nutritional education as Yvonne Bishop-Weston discusses those terrifying Fats!

This straightforward series helps demystify foods – why they affect us the way they do, why we need what and how to keep a balanced, healthy diet.

To view this video and receive the rest in her series, as well as videos from celebrity makeup artists, personal branding advice and more, join the Modelling Awareness Campaign now FREE!

Also this week sees top tips on your personal branding tool kit from Alexia Leachman who some of you lucky people will get to meet in her FREE workshop she is running for us this week to celebrate LFW!

If you’ve not yet joined the campaign click and register now for FREE!