Figure out what kind of role model you want to be

The first step in getting started is to define the type of path you want to take.
Fashion is not a single industry: there are many categories, each with different required characteristics. Read about the main types to understand how to become a model today.

Main types of models in 2025

• Runway Models (Runway)
• Business models
• Models for advertising campaigns
• Editorial models
• Fitness models
• Glamorous models
• Alternative model
• Plus size models and models
• UGC model (User Generated Content) – relevant novelty, much in demand by brands

Understanding the right category will allow you to understand what requirements you need to meet and how to build your book.

Physical requirements: are they really necessary?

The fashion industry is undergoing a profound change: there is no longer a single aesthetic standard.
However, some parameters remain important depending on the category chosen.

For catwalk (fashion / high fashion)

They represent the elite in high fashion. It is not easy to reach the standards required to be in this category.

In addition to falling within certain size or height requirements, models for runways and fashion shows often do not fit into classic aesthetic standards of beauty.

These models travel the world to walk the runways with the most famous high fashion brands.

It is one of the highest paid categories in the industry.

These requirements are still similar to those of previous years:

• Women: 173-182 cm
• Men: 183-190 cm
• Slender, proportionate build
• Distinctive look and strong stage presence

For commercial

Also in and around fashion we find models for commercial and editorial work.

This often well-paid field is very diverse. Models can represent different roles: the ordinary woman found in commercials or the testimonial for a clothing brand.

Sizes and features change from job to job, based on brand preferences.

Here the situation is much more open:

• No minimum height required
• Natural, expressive, believable faces are sought
• Physicality also non-standard

For plus size

A must for any modern fashion job, curvy models represent a version of modeling that is different from the stereotypes we have been accustomed to from 1990s fashion.

They present more generous sizes and generally less rigid canons than high-fashion models.

They can work for both runway shows and photo shoots.

• Sizes 44+
• Harmonious proportions
• Poise and confidence

For fitness

Sculpted abs and statuesque physique. If you never skip a workout at the gym and have no problem eating healthy, this is the area for you.

Fitness models are increasingly popular, especially on social media, where they have thousands of followers ready to follow their advice on nutrition and training.

Fitness models today have di verse ways to find work, either through partnerships with brands or commercial work for brands in the industry.

Characteristics of fitness models:

• Body defined and toned
• Social presence often required
• Consistency in training

For alternative models

Alternative models are part of a movement that features models who do not conform to traditional beauty ideals. A famous example of this subculture is the Suicide Girls.

The alternatives represent a model concept with different characteristics. Often tattooing, piercing or other modifications made to the body are used as a form of artistic expression.

• Tattoos, piercings, unconventional looks
• Strong personality
• Ideal for streetwear brands, beauty, music

Glamour Models

Glamour is a genre that aims to enhance the sensuality of the female body.

If you feel comfortable with your body and showing off is not a taboo then you might consider taking this path.

Glamour models work with photographers to make calendars, workshops or personal projects that may also include artistic nudity.

The key point is this: find what makes you unique and enhance it.

The male model

Things are also changing in the men’s sector. The average age of the models is changing a lot; it is not so unusual to see “over” men on the catwalks, who are often highly valued because they are able to convey a certain kind of sex-appeal proper to the mature man.

In general, the physical characteristics required of boys are always related to height and size requirements, which may change depending on the type of work.

Facial features: find your uniqueness

Do you have a special feature that sets you apart?
A gap between your teeth, a prominent nose, freckles, a unique eye cut?

What you might perceive as a “flaw” can become your strength, just as happened to famous figures like Winnie Harlow or Ashley Graham who redefined contemporary standards.

What it takes to become a model: learning to pose

Once you’ve clarified your physical requirements and determined the kind of model(s) you’d like to di vent, it’s time to start getting into the swing of things by practicing one of the basic mantras: pose!

Posing does not come naturally to everyone, but it is a skill that can be trained.
Just as an actor studies lines, a model must train in the mirror, observe photographers and videos, take inspiration from editorials and runways.

Knowing how to pose in front of a lens may come more or less naturally, depending on aptitude, but it is an art that must be tried and tried again. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Just as actors rehearse their parts in front of the mirror before the clapperboard, you should practice the poses in the same way.

Start with the simplest steps, get familiar with your body, and gradually try more complex and interesting things.

If you are starting from scratch, read this guide on how to learn to pose.

Tips for getting started:

• Test basic poses in front of the mirror
• Study your facial expressions
• Look at the poses of models from major agencies
• Learn to control hands, neck and posture
• Also train with short videos: they help a lot

Making your first photo book

Once you’ve framed the type of model you want to be, it’s time to take your first steps and make your first photo book.

The photo book is the business card of every model.
A good book must show:

• Natural foreground (without heavy makeup)
• Full-length photo
• Shots in simple clothes (jeans + t-shirt)
• Two or three fashion or beauty shots
• Clean look, professional lighting, zero filters

The book should be made with an experienced photographer who can guide you through the poses and enhance you.

The book is the key step in becoming a professional. It should highlight your strengths and give an example of how you can move on set (and potentially during a job).

Therefore, it is most important that the photographer be able to interpret your style and direct you in the best possible way to put you in a position to shine!

If you are looking for a photographer for your first book, take a look at the services offered by our studio.

Building a professional portfolio

Once you have made your photo book and perhaps done a few free tests here and there, it is time to compose your portfolio.

The portfolio consists of a set of the best photographs in the repertoire. In a sense it is like a model resume.

One must carefully choose which photographs to include and which to leave aside unless specifically requested. But how do you build a portfolio?

It is good if the portfolio includes at least one of the following:

• A close-up of your face
• Of the full-length photos
• Some photos of some commercial work
• At least one photo of an editorial publication, if any

The professional portfolio today can be:

• In PDF
• Online at a site
• On platforms for models(ModelManagement, MM Italy, etc.).

Free tests, editorials and collaborations

Once you’ve made your photo book and have professional photos in hand, it’s time to add to your wealth of experience (and your portfolio) of collaborations with other professionals in the field.

Find good photographers in your area who are looking for models for their personal projects, and if the project is interesting, don’t pass up the opportunity to participate in one of their free tests.

Another great way to be able to collaborate with other photographers, stylists and designers is through de editorial publications.

Editorials usually bring together a team of professionals who often collaborate on a free basis to try to get their work published in trade journals.

With any luck you may see your face on the cover of some magazine!

Free trials are free collaborations with photographers, stylists and MUAs that serve to grow, improve and build professional content.

Editorials are photos intended for fashion magazines. They are not paid for in most cases, but are very useful for:

• Creating credibility
• Adding “publications” to the portfolio
• Increasing the chance of getting picked up by agencies

Choosing the right city

If you have read this far, you will have gotten an idea of how to become a model. Surely you can guess that it is a multifaceted path full of different challenges.

To facilitate the process and give you a better chance of achieving your dream, it is most important to be in a place where you breathe fashion.

Choosing the city in which to begin your journey is critical.

If you are not from a big city, it can probably be challenging for you to take the plunge and decide to relocate, but if you are convinced of your path, surely it is the best choice you can make.

Arriving in a city full of opportunities and being immersed in a stimulating environment will help you on your path to growth and present you with new challenges.

The most important cities to work as models are Milan, London, Paris and other European capitals. Then abroad there is definitely New York, Los Angeles, Dubai and many others.

Your geographical location matters a lot.
The main fashion cities are:

• Milan (the most important in Italy)
• Paris
• London
• New York
• Los Angeles
• Dubai

Moving to a city where fashion is lived every day increases possibilities, contacts and professional opportunities.

Signing with a fashion agency

Joining an agency can be a great advantage, although it is not mandatory.
Agency:

• It proposes you to the brands
• It protects you
• Manages casting
• Take care of your image
• It helps you grow professionally

Warning: never pay to be represented.
Real agencies make money only through percentages on jobs.

Learn how to use social media (crucial in 2025)

Today, social matters as much as the portfolio.
Instagram and TikTok are key tools, agencies control them, and brands demand them.

How to use them:

• Maintain a clean and consistent feed
• Publish professional photos
• Show personality
• Organic care and information
• Publish consistently

Many models in 2025 start their careers right from social thanks to the UGC phenomenon.

Conclusions

Becoming a model or model today is more accessible than ever, but it requires commitment, perseverance and a professional image.
Work on poses, build a quality book, participate in free tests, curate social, and consider representation by an agency.

With dedication and a strong portfolio, you can really turn this passion into a career.