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Model (person)

arts Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A model is a person who uses their body to represent an idea.

Model Posing On Typical Studio Set
Model Posing On Typical Studio Set

They might show off new clothes in a fashion show. They could also serve as an artist's model. In that role, they pose to help a painter or sculptor. This helps the artist see the human figure clearly. Models do not usually share their own opinions while working. Instead, they focus on their image and reputation.

Astrid Andersen 01
Astrid Andersen 01

There are many different ways to work as a model. Fashion modeling is very common in magazines and on TV. Some people do fitness modeling to show strength. Others do glamour modeling or body-part modeling. For example, a model might use their foot to show how a shoe looks.

Artists also use models for figure drawing or painting. Sometimes models are professionals, but sometimes they are just friends. They provide the inspiration that an artist needs to create something new.

Modeling as a real job started a long time ago. In the 14th century, people used small dolls to show clothes to royal clients. In 1853, Charles Frederick Worth became the "father of haute couture." He asked his wife, Marie Vernet Worth, to model his designs. This created the first "house models." In Paris, these women were often called mannequins.

Jean Shrimpton (1965)
Jean Shrimpton (1965)

By the 1940s, the job changed with the rise of photography. Early supermodels like Lisa Fonssagrives became very famous. Fonssagrives even appeared on over 200 Vogue covers.

As the years went by, the modeling industry grew very fast. In 1946, Eileen and Gerard Ford started Ford Models in New York. This is one of the oldest agencies in the world. In the 1960s, agencies began to help models find work. In London, models like Twiggy became household names. Twiggy was only 16 when she became "The Face of '66."

Jean Shrimpton (1965)
Jean Shrimpton (1965)

In 1974, Beverly Johnson made history. She was the first Black woman to appear on the cover of U.S. Vogue.

2007 Beverly Johnson
2007 Beverly Johnson

Today, modeling is a global business with many rules. In the 1980s, some models became "million dollar faces." They signed huge deals with big beauty companies.

NaomiCampbell
NaomiCampbell

Agencies like Elite and Ford even had "model wars" to find the best talent. Some models travel all over the world for work. They appear in books, movies, and on the Internet. You might see them in a magazine or on a screen. Modeling connects art, business, and the way we see the world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:Model Posing On Typical Studio Set.jpg
Model Posing On Typical Studio Set.jpg
File:Astrid Andersen 01.jpg
Astrid Andersen 01.jpg
File:Jean Shrimpton (1965).jpg
Jean Shrimpton (1965).jpg
File:2007 Beverly Johnson.jpg
2007 Beverly Johnson.jpg
File:NaomiCampbell.jpg
NaomiCampbell.jpg
File:Kate moss.jpg
Kate moss.jpg
File:Carlson Twins.jpg
Carlson Twins.jpg
File:Gemma Ward.jpg
Gemma Ward.jpg
File:Ed Hardy Runway Models.jpg
Ed Hardy Runway Models.jpg
File:Miss Surrey 2008 Chloe Marshall.jpg
Miss Surrey 2008 Chloe Marshall.jpg
File:Camille Kostek in California, September 2017 3.png
Camille Kostek in California, September 2017 3.png
File:Tyra Banks 1995.jpg
Tyra Banks 1995.jpg

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