Strangers among their own: How instagram models take over the world
"Oh, you're a model? So what's your agency? Instagram?" - surely you have seen this meme more than once, especially if you are interested in a fashion agenda. However, the more time passes, the less joke seems to be a joke: instagram models have already proven that they can be no less, or even more successful, than their colleagues, whose careers are run by agencies in and out. But what is more here - emancipation or objectification? With what a new phenomenon means, you still have to figure it out.
When teenage blogs about fashion — such as those that were supervised by Tavi Gevinson or Jane Aldridge — appeared in the beginning and in the middle of the “nil”, the conversation about the democratization of the industry began. It would seem that social networks should continue this trend, relegating the fashion world to the hands of enthusiasts. It happened only in part: those who are already “in the black”, that is, those who are ready to demonstrate luxurious life and material wealth, are in the most advantageous position. So, the most popular and highly paid instagram models — among them Cofia Richie, Hayley Baldwin and the Hadid sisters — become primarily the offspring of wealthy families. Many of them are formally under the care of agencies, but it is important who plays the first violin in the history of their success - and these, of course, are the girls themselves, their fortunes and instagrams, and not the managers from IMG or Select.
Kylie Jenner, the twenty-year-old heiress of the star TV family, gained fame also thanks to the snapcatch and instagram (7th line in the most popular rating) and in less than three years earned $ 900 million, being on the cover of the new Forbes release. In all sorts of lists, Kylie appears as a "reality star" and "businesswoman", but her success in the field of instagram modeling is hard to underestimate: according to expert estimates, an advertising post in her account can cost about 400 thousand dollars.
Russian models cannot even dream of such prices, but they have enough work. In addition to the endless offers of free manicure or a new coat "for the mark," girls receive invitations to shoot for publications and advertisements that help make a living. Dasha Khaitmetova graduated from the DI Mendeleev Russian University of Chemical Technology and, in parallel with modeling, is engaged in organic synthesis and works in a military aviation institute: "I used to work in another place and my salary, like other scientific workers, was in the area 8 thousand rubles a month. At that time I was especially actively working as a model and earning a lot more than at the main job. It turned out about 6 thousand for a two-hour shooting two or three times a week. Now, at another institute, I am glad that I can do more Straps devote his favorite occupation. "
“I love random photos!” Said Katya Valera, a model from St. Petersburg. “I remember giving my girlfriend a T-shirt, where there was a selection of my random foolish photos. But when I have a desire to make a beautiful selfie, I get up at the window and make seventy pieces.” She just graduated from St. Petersburg Polytech with a degree in small business management and, in parallel with modeling, beats handpoke tattoos. The latter approach reflects the global trend: before posting anything in a “professional” account, the owner usually chooses from several dozen shots, just like in the case of a photoset for a magazine. The manner of making a bunch of photos of the same OOTD ("outfit of the day" - "outfit of the day") from different angles has long been the object of internal jokes.
Popular instagram can include a variety of subjects, but none of them is complete without photos of the models themselves. In this case, it is not only about selfies, but about whole instagram-genres, whose effectiveness has long been proven in practice. These are not only the bows mentioned above, but also, for example, photographs of everyday life, shortening the distance between the model and its audience. The genre "just out of the shower" with an obligatory towel on the head is devoted to articles and memes, and photos with the participation of animals and children statistically collect the most feedback. Backstage from the shooting is also hardly dictated solely by personal initiative: when working with large brands, the number and nature of such photos can be spelled out in the contract.
Despite the fact that the largest number of subscribers still collect the conventionally beautiful girls, in instagram one can see models of the most varied build, length of hair, color, religion and views. Instagram gave the girls a voice: dissimilarity to the standard, but proximity to the audience becomes the key to popularity. "Many of my girlfriends were helped to look exactly like them and unlike the girls from the covers on the covers of instagram girls. I could love my stretch marks when I saw how other girls are not shy - and they look awesome," Katya Valera says.
When social networks become a separate media and platform for promotion, the intermediary between customers and models, which the agency used to be, becomes not so necessary. Due to this, the model can make decisions regarding the appearance itself: to shave or not to shave legs, to recover or lose weight, to dye hair or to do tattoos. Brands and customers can only agree or not.
The Instagram model (if she doesn’t have iron management in her mother’s face, like Kylie and Kim’s), it’s much easier to cheat than brands often use. Therefore, neither Katya nor Dasha in the future deny the possibility of cooperation with model agencies.
It is also interesting how the other side sees the situation. Director of Model Agency Performance Yevgeny Dubovoy believes that the definition of "influenza" is closer to him: "I think the concept of“ instagram-model ”is a bit wrong. Influences are already formed bloggers, it girls, public figures, with their vast audience (subscribers, often from 15 thousand), important for the advertiser. " He believes that comparing instagram models and simple models is not entirely correct: "It is difficult to compare influenzaers with ordinary models from which brands buy only working hours and rights to use the image." For bloggers, an advertiser can immediately sell his product through instagram and completely free himself from creating an advertising campaign, putting all this on the shoulders of the influencer. Katya Prokhorova, Andy Ford Models booker, agrees with him: “The instamodels are getting more and more, but it’s difficult to call them full participants in the industry. Often these are girls who, due to certain factors, such as height, for example, did not get into agencies, and therefore fully comply with the requirements of the modeling industry. "
The fact that instagram becomes an important platform for ordinary models is a fact. "We offer full and free assistance to our models in promoting instagram, starting with processing, ending with positioning and promotion. Models need only pay for the promotion program," admits Oakova. “You don’t need to go far for the results of your instagram: just look at the composers of the New York and Milan agencies, where almost every such presentation card contains an account of the model with the number of subscriptions. Brands pay much attention to the number of subscribers of the model and will give preference to that which followers more. "
Prokhorov says that models today need to understand that their publications can affect getting a job: "Now a great emphasis is placed on positioning the model. Brand is important not only for a beautiful face, but also for an interesting personality. I often come across a request for an account of a model. For many foreign agencies are required in the contract is instagram, so we immediately recommend that girls start it. "
