How to Become a Model for Abercrombie
When David Abercrombie founded his sporting and excursion goods enterprise in 1892, he might not have had trouble imagining his products being chosen by Teddy Roosevelt, Amelia Earhardt, Ernest Hemingway and John F. Kennedy. But, what about today's trendy movers and shakers? Probably not. Influenced by The Limited's acquisition of the Abercrombie brand in 1988, the 117-year-old company is now seen as the authority on fashion-forward sensuality. Some of its ad campaigns have been so racy they have drawn fire from the public--a fact that photographer Bruce Weber (also responsible for Calvin Klein and Polo Ralph Lauren's sexy ad images) accepts with pride. Weber knows an Abercrombie body and face when he spots one, so keep the goal of getting in front of his camera lens in your mind as you peruse the helpful tips on getting into the business outlined in this article.
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Instructions
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Assess your personality. You read that right. Good cheekbones are great, but clothing models need plenty of patience and stamina to survive the long hours a photographer needs to get just the right pose captured on film. Have the Abercrombie look and exhibit a calm personality and you'll be the model photographers will want to use frequently.
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Ask a professional photographer to shoot head and full-body photos for your model's composite. Commercial photographers can be expensive but you'll save a bundle if you book an appointment with a mall photographer. Bring with you Abercrombie ads and --if you own some--wardrobe items. If you have no branded clothing, match the style to the company's product as closely as possible. Have the images, in jpeg format, put on a disk.
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Create a model's composite. If you know your way around computer software, set up an eight and half inch by eleven inch landscape (horizontal) document. Import or embed at least five photos from the disk to the composite layout. Ask friends to pick the most flattering shot in the bunch, and make it the largest image on the page. Add vital data to the composite by dragging or inserting a text box into the layout and typing this information into the box: name, height, weight, shoe and clothing size. Add contact information such as a cell phone number.
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Assemble a portfolio of enlarged prints. Any type of presentation portfolio with removable acetate sleeves will do. This repository is the tool that sells clients, agents and others once they get past the composite. Include head shots showing you under different types of lighting. As your career grows, update the portfolio with tear sheets from publications in which you appear.
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Get an agent. As a rule of thumb, ignore agents making too many promises and those who ask for up-front money. Reputable modeling agencies don't charge pre-shoot fees to represent a model; they receive a 20 percent commission (on average) on per-booking earnings. Before you sign, let agents know that your goal is modeling for the Abercrombie brand. If an agent doesn't offer to try to get you in front of Weber's camera, you may want to look for representation elsewhere.
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Find out what sort of services each agent offers. Some compile model portfolios or updated composites for their clients as part of their fee structure. Others leave the job to you. Your location may determine the universe of agents available to you, but big agencies have branches in major cities so don't dismiss them. Understand that an agent won't be interested in a one-product model, so you must assure them that while being an Abercrombie model is your dream, you would be delighted to take other assignments.
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Prepare yourself for rejection. The glitz and glamor of being a professional model is almost always balanced by a huge amount of rejection. Going on auditions, sitting in a room with 40 other beauties--each one a head-turner--getting no callbacks after repeated modeling calls and other disappointments can't help but take a toll on one's self-esteem. Learning to live with rejection can be character building for some, but understand when you start that this is most often the factor that pushes models into retirement.
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Tips & Warnings
Drop in on an Abercrombie store and try on clothing to see how you look in different outfits. Use Abercrombie models as your standard reference for makeup and hair. Visit the Abercrombie website to see whether the firm still invites store associates to apply for modeling assignments. If they do, work your way into an ad by taking a sales gig at one of their retail stores or corporate headquarters.
Understand that there are no guarantees. If anyone guarantees to get you a job the moment you sign a contract, head for the door. Avoid modeling schools. Many are expensive schemes established to exploit a desire to be in the spotlight.
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Comments
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lorial
Nov 21, 2009
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