Introduction to Modeling

This section introduces the topic of modeling and its impact on our lives. It acknowledges the allure and exclusivity of the fashion industry.

The Fascination with Modeling

• Many people have entertained the idea of becoming a model at some point in their lives.

• The fashion industry carries an intriguing aesthetic that captivates us.

• Learning how to become a model is a common interest, given the mystique surrounding the profession.

Exploring Facial Features Desired by Modeling Agencies

This section discusses the specific facial features that modeling agencies look for in models. It highlights the selectivity of the industry and its impact on consumers and beauty trends.

Understanding Model Criteria

• Becoming a model requires meeting specific criteria set by modeling agencies.

• Height is an important factor, with female models typically ranging from 5'9" to 5'11".

• Attractiveness plays a significant role, with agencies seeking faces within the top 10% of attractiveness.

• The chances of possessing all necessary criteria are relatively rare, making it a highly selective industry.

Impact on Consumers and Beauty Trends

• Observing fashion advertising can reveal upcoming trends in facial features sought by modeling agencies.

• Modeling management sites like IMG Models, Ford Models, and Elite Model Management provide insights into industry preferences.

• Attractiveness is a key factor in selecting models, as discussed in more detail on this channel.

• Various factors contribute to physical attractiveness, including averageness, sexual dimorphism, proportionality, facial robusticity (e.g., high cheekbones), symmetry, and youthfulness.

Factors Influencing Model Selection

This section explores additional factors that influence model selection, such as sub-trends in features and different agency niches.

Factors Influencing Model Selection

• Youthfulness is a common characteristic among models, although there are exceptions.

• Different agencies may have specific preferences for certain features, leading to various niche markets within the modeling industry.

• Meeting a baseline level of attractiveness is necessary to be considered for modeling opportunities.

Conclusion

This section concludes the discussion on modeling criteria and its impact on the industry and individuals.

Recap and Final Thoughts

• The modeling industry is highly selective, with only a small percentage of individuals meeting all the necessary criteria.

• Observing fashion advertising can provide insights into upcoming beauty trends.

• Understanding the factors that contribute to physical attractiveness helps comprehend model selection processes.

• Becoming a model requires meeting specific criteria but also offers opportunities within different agency niches.

New Section

This section discusses the modeling industry and its standards, as well as the impact of model selection on beauty standards in pop culture.

Modeling Industry Standards

• The modeling industry still adheres to certain physical attractiveness standards.

• Agencies like Anti-Agency in the UK aim to challenge traditional modeling standards.

• Models may have unique features but still need to fit into a level of similarity required by the industry.

• Classical beauty conventions such as symmetry, clear skin, and youthfulness are still important.

Impact on Beauty Standards

• Agency selections determine the faces we see in various media platforms.

• Modeling trends can influence mainstream culture and beauty standards.

• High fashion looks, like bleached brows, can trickle down to everyday fashion choices.

• Companies select models based on their potential customer's preferences for attractive faces.

New Section

This section explores how aesthetic criteria are considered when selecting models for specific products or brands.

Aesthetic Criteria for Model Selection

• The success of a product launch is influenced by the appearance of the model selected.

• Different products require different types of models with specific facial characteristics.

• For skincare products, models with average facial features that don't distract from the product are preferred.

• The focus should be on packaging and product aspects rather than solely on the model's appearance.

New Section

This section delves into the concept of attractiveness in model selection and its impact on brand representation.

Attractiveness in Model Selection

• Clients instinctively choose more attractive faces to represent their brands or products.

• Within the realm of attractive faces, there can be variations in extreme or less extreme features.

• Faces with extreme features may be chosen for editorial looks but not necessarily for product-focused shoots.

New Section

This section discusses the trend of "heroine chic" and the research behind the preference for facial leanness.

Heroine Chic Trend

• The resurgence of the heroine chic look, characterized by extreme facial leanness, has gained attention.

• Bella Hadid is an example of someone associated with this trend.

• Research by Michael Cunningham in 1986 explored the relationship between specific facial features and attractiveness scores.

• Neotenous features like large eyes, small noses, and large foreheads were found to be linked to female attractiveness.

New Section

This section continues discussing Michael Cunningham's research on neotenous and mature features in women.

Neotenous and Mature Features

• Cunningham's experiments aimed to establish a cause-effect relationship between specific facial features and attractiveness scores.

• Neotenous features were more closely linked to female attractiveness.

• The experiments also explored mature or ontogenous features in women but did not provide further details.

New Section

This section discusses the connection between feminine beauty and mature features, as well as the role of prominent cheekbones and lean cheeks in creating a hyper-attractive look in Western culture.

Link Between Feminine Beauty and Mature Features

• Cunningham's research found a link between feminine beauty and mature features, although not as strong as with neotenous (youthful) features. Large eyes are considered neotenous, while small eyes are considered mature.

• Other studies have also found a similar connection between attractiveness and maturity features, which may be considered masculine.

• Women with both mature and neonate (youthful) features are often rated high in leadership and dominance characteristics.

Prominent Cheekbones and Lean Cheeks

• Prominent cheekbones and lean or hollow cheeks convey nobility or maturity along with rounded cheeks, which are considered neotenous.

• The combination of these features creates a hyper-attractive top model look in Western culture.

• These features are not exclusive to one sex but work better with certain face shapes due to sexual dimorphism.

Importance of Mature Lean Faces in Modeling

• Modeling agencies prefer models with mature lean faces because they convey a commanding presence on the runway.

• These facial aesthetics correlate with being hired in the modeling industry.

• Beauty is not solely subjective; it can be explained based on certain aesthetic qualities.

New Section

This section explores how the fashion industry defines beauty beyond just models' faces. It also discusses the trend of extreme facial leanness and the increased acceptance of androgynous looks by modeling agencies.

Beauty Beyond Models' Faces

• The fashion industry does not solely rely on models as the standard for beauty.

• Different aesthetic qualities can be preferred over traditional model looks, including average-looking individuals.

Extreme Facial Leanness and Trends

• The trend of extreme facial leanness has been exacerbated by the discoverability effect, where modeling agencies can easily find models with robust or lean faces.

• Plastic surgery procedures like buckle fat extraction, cheek or chin implants, and fillers have also contributed to normalizing these extreme facial features.

• This trend is more common now due to algorithms pushing attractive faces to the top for increased engagement.

Androgyny in Modeling

• Modeling agencies have increasingly selected androgynous looks in recent years.

• The Pretty Boy aesthetic, characterized by a less sexually dimorphic male bone structure, is more universally accepted.

• Androgynous looks combine both masculine and feminine features, particularly in the eyes, jaw, and nose.

New Section

This section highlights the continued increase of androgyny in modeling and its appeal among younger demographics. It also discusses how fashion brands choose faces based on their target market.

Appeal of Androgyny Among Younger Demographics

• Androgynous looks are particularly engaging among younger demographics.

• Fashion brands choose faces that appeal to their target market's preferences.

Faces vs. Body Shape

• Curved plus-size models still possess strong dentofacial growth and leanness despite their body curvaceousness.

• The focus in modeling is primarily on facial aesthetics rather than body shape.

• Regular consumers can relate better to models with variable body shapes while maintaining a consistent face aesthetic.

Changing Notions of Beauty

• The idea of the body shape may change over time, but facial aesthetics remain relatively constant.

• Extreme facial leanness and the heroin chic trend are additional trends observed in the fashion industry.

The Increasing Presence of Androgynous Models

This section discusses the prevalence of androgynous models in the fashion industry, with a focus on their jaw lines, eyes, and overall bone structure. It also mentions that the demand for androgynous models is expected to continue increasing.

Characteristics of Androgynous Models

• Androgynous models have less protrusive brow ridges and softer jaw lines compared to traditional gender norms.

• The fashion industry is placing a significant emphasis on facial and bodily androgyny for both men's and women's looks.

• Female models are being selected based on characteristically masculinized bone structure, particularly around the jaw complex.

• Intimidating eyebrows with a lower relative position are becoming more common among female models.

Racial or Ethnic Ambiguity in Modeling

This section explores how modeling agencies are increasingly selecting models with racial or ethnic ambiguity. It highlights the case of China Shake as an example of someone with a unique and distinct appearance due to her Pakistani and Lithuanian heritage.

Benefits of Racial or Ethnic Ambiguity

• Models like China Shake, who possess multi-ethnic qualities, can be more approachable for a wider array of markets.

• Their ambiguous features allow them to transform or adapt into different looks based on client demands or desires.

• Having an ethnically ambiguous look enables models to target double the amount of client bases compared to those with a distinct ethnic appearance.

Importance of Clear Skin for Models

This section discusses the significance of clear skin for aspiring models. It explains that modeling agencies prefer working with individuals who have naturally clear skin without heavy makeup. While acne is not a disqualifier, there is a preference for models with clear skin to provide a seamless base for makeup artists and hairstylists.

Clear Skin as a Preference

• Modeling agencies prefer models with naturally clear skin and may skip over photos that show heavy makeup.

• Clear skin provides an easier canvas for makeup artists, hairstylists, and other professionals on set.

• Some agencies may specifically look for models with blemishes or acne to differentiate themselves or promote skincare or makeup products.

Impact on Consumers and Fashion Brands

This section explores how the trends in modeling can affect consumers of fashion brands. It mentions that certain high-end fashion brands prioritize artistic vision and aesthetics over practicality when creating their clothes. The selection of models with extreme facial features aligns with this artistic approach.

High Fashion vs. Commercial Modeling

• High-end fashion brands often prioritize making a statement or conveying artistic vision through their clothing.

• Models in high-end Couture modeling are chosen based on their ability to be considered works of art themselves.

• Practical and wearable collections offered by high-end fashion brands require different types of models, often associated with commercial modeling.

Conclusion and Future Trends

This section concludes the discussion by acknowledging that while unconventional faces are becoming more prevalent in the fashion industry, conventionally attractive models still exist. It also highlights the difficulty in predicting future trends in the industry.

Shifting Beauty Trends

• The aesthetic of faces on the runway is straying from normalcy to align with the artistic vision of clothing.

• Conventionally attractive models still make up a significant portion of high-fashion modeling.

• The future trend in modeling is uncertain, making it challenging to predict what will be popular in five to ten years.

The transcript does not provide a complete conclusion or answer the question of how these trends affect consumers.

New Section Understanding Your Facial Features

In this section, the speaker discusses the option of learning about one's own face from a research clinical perspective by having doctors and dentists perform an assessment. This can be done through the cruise website by ordering a report.

Exploring Your Facial Features

• If you are interested in understanding your facial features from a research clinical perspective, you can have doctors and dentists perform an assessment on your looks.

• Getting a second opinion before undergoing surgery or any kind of procedure is important to avoid complications. You can also seek an assessment out of pure curiosity, similar to how people use 23andMe for genetic information.

• To learn more about what professionals think about your face and how to improve your appearance step by step, you can order a report from the cruise website.

As always, I'll catch you all in the next one.