Fashion Models React To Economic Crisis

“Economic Crisis” has become word of mouth these days that even fashion models, who are supposedly the representation of indulgent living, can't help but share their stories of glamour crisis.


For 23-year old Ukranian model Anna Chyzh, it was dispiriting moment in the modeling industry as she complains to Reuter, “Half price! It's half-price everywhere, in Milan, even in New York."

Just like most models, Anna sends money home to support her family. In her case, she's supporting an interior designer mother who also has troubles finding work because of recession. The young model blabs out, “She says, Anna, you have to help me now. So we have to work for Mum, we cannot refuse any contracts now.”

Backstage at an ebullient haute couture show, models like Georgina Stojiljkovic have secret worries. The 19-year old Serbian model admits, “I'm having some doubt now because of this situation. We all do it for the money so if there is no more money, maybe I should go back and focus on my studies."

Even modeling agencies are feeling the chill. Premier Model Management for example, the London-based agency that represented Claudia Schiffer, director Aidan Jean-Marie tells that their clients now pay a daily rate of 1,500 pounds from their usual rate of 3,000 pounds ($4,200).

To work out the crisis, the agency adjust its mix of "commercial models," and “image models.” Image models are considered pricier than commercial models because while the latter has a constant low-key jobs like catalog shoots, image models appear on catwalks and magazine covers. "You need both sides to survive the downturn, but the balance shifts slightly toward the commercial models," says the director.

There's economic crisis in the fashion industry indeed. But for some fashion models, the issue is still something to be shrugged and smiled about.

Despite the doubt, Georgina Stojiljkovic still sees modeling as more profit-making profession than other jobs. She says, “There is still more money in this than almost any other job. I earn more than my parents – it's kind of sad, they went to school and have worked for years."

Pablo Ballay, a 23-year-old Argentinian male model, brings hope to his fellow models as he comments, “A lot of models here are from Argentina, and when you live in that kind of country you live in a continuous crisis. So you see how well people live here and you say, what, this is a crisis?"