Different Types Of Male Models In The Industry

by Pooja T. Executive

Modelling! Fashion! The glamorous stunning lifestyle of the models makes most of us want to have a career just like them. It’s not just the women who live the dream, the men do too. Some guys out there, are already on the path of becoming models and some of them are just getting started. To the ones who are about to get into modelling or the ones who are thinking about it, what do you know about modelling?

Well modelling is not just any random job you can go and apply for. Before, modelling was just based on the looks, which is not the case any more. Modelling in today’s time is based on the personality, presentation, the individual and the looks of course. Social Media has had a major hand in building a major emphasis on personality and growing side by side with smaller menswear brands that give importance to looks and not on the strict model measurement criteria.

With the constantly changing fashion industry, male models were tied to a specific kind of work type. The changing industry keeps asking more with a number of clothing brands offering a wider range of menswear. Categories like commercial, catwalk, fitness still lurk around but there are more that have been added.
What do you know about them? Not much? Well that’s what we’re here for! In this post, we are going take a look at the different types of categories that exist in modelling industry featuring men.

1) Fashion / Editorial Model –

The main objective is less about commerciality and more about entertainment. The Editorial is the category where it gives the model a chance to make a statement. You get your shoots done for magazines and online titles. Although there’s a criteria to qualify for a male editorial model. Having proper looks, being close to what refers as a standard size (about a 32” waist, 15.5” neck, 40-42” jacket).
It’s more about the attitude that the individual brings to the fashion editor and art director’s vision for the shoot. If you’re looking to work as an editorial model, you can find it only in major cities where the payroll differs from 200 pounds to a 1000 pounds per day, depending on the company. Although it doesn’t mean that every prestigious publication will pay higher salary.

2) Catwalk / Runway Model –

Catwalk models are those who try out the clothes made by designers for each season’s run of shows in London, Paris, Milan and New York. Now to pass as a catwalk model, you need to be tall around 6’ and 6’3”. Catwalks gets you best photographical outputs and are more about the disseminating images on the social media and not convincing a buyer to invest.
To all the men seeking catwalk work, be ready to go to about roughly 10 castings per day. The assessments for your suitability for certain projects will be based on this, with different cities for several days on the bounce without a pay check. Catwalk is a great introduction to the industry which gives you a chance to make an image for yourself. But it’s more about measurements, hard labour and less money.

3) Commercial Model –

Thinking about having modelling as a long-term career? It’s in the commercial world where you can start thinking about it. Male models are expected to cover a wide catalogue of non-catwalk projects for a specific brand. With work in trade shows and TV shows, commercial work includes catalogues, print and online.

The physical criteria are not that strict. The work profile is less high-profile and a height over 5’10 is accepted. Win an opportunity for working in a major advertising campaign for an international brand and you’re on a plane to the big time. Male models mostly cross into the celebrity boundaries through ads as they get paid for their appearance and also picking up endorsement deals.

4) Plus Size Model –

Nowadays, savvy fashion brands are looking for something bigger. They are accepting the fact that most guys are not model size. This category is considered to be more on the esoteric side of modeling. The demand for plus-size male models have gone up a level lately. The models that fall in this category are comparatively heavier than the standard models with larger dimensions and may not have a tall or muscular build.
The likes of Zach Miko, Ben Whit and Alex Frankel have emerged in this sector and have tie ups with special agencies like the U.K.’s Bridge Models.

5) Fitness Model –

In this category, the models can represent themselves. They are mainly self selected as a fitness models may not conform to the standards of the fashion industry of height or good appearances. The models build will be the outcome of nearly full-time dedication to exercise and diet. The body type is expected to be proportional be it lithe and athletic to Thor like figure.
The non-modeling fitness folks mainly do it for gaining mass, strength and functionality. Fitness models have special regimes and special types of training to build for aesthetics. It also gives you a more healthy makeover, including good hair and probably a tanned skin.
So, these were the categories in the male modelling industry. If you’re a beginner or planning for a modelling career, study all the categories and see which one suits you or which one you’d like to work as. Hope this post was helpful and you got the information you were looking for.

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Thank You for reading.