They wear the world's most beautiful and expensive clothes yet their facesare the picture of blank boredom. Why do fashion models always look somiserable? "You don't smile. It is just not done," said model Ty Ogunkoyaas catwalk stars criss-crossed Paris for fashion week.
In his decade as a top model, the 26-year-old Nigerian-born Londoner has neveronce permitted himself a grin. "I have modelled for everyone, and no onehas ever asked me to smile," hetold AFP. "To be honest, it would feel weird if I did." "When I walk Ithink about something sad, like when my cat died," added Klara, a18-year-old Slovakian model. "It was run over by a bus."
But do models really need to be so glum? "Never forget it is the clothesthey are looking at and not you," Victoire Macon Dauxerre, a former modelfor Celine and Alexander McQueen, said she was told. In her book, "NeverThin Enough", she tells how she was warned to "never, ever smile".
'It's so not done'
Her modelling agency's catwalk coach taught her how to get the perfect "haughtykiller look" by slightly dropping her chin and lifting her eyes at the sametime. Rising young star Matthieu Villot told AFP the reason for theunspoken ban on smiling was clear. "They want to show the clothes and notour faces. If we smile we focus attention on our faces and not theclothes," said the 22-year-old medical student.
Ogunkoya said he had been never told not to smile but "my whole preconceptionof modelling was moody guys and girls going down the runway...it is so notdone they don't have to say." Fashion historian Lydia Kamitsis said it wasnot always so.
The vogue for expressionless models is actually very recent, she said, datingfrom the rise of the Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Commes des Garconin the early 1980s. "This was also the period of the supermodels (CindyCrawford, Imam and Elle Macpherson) who very much had their ownpersonalties, and it was a reaction against this," she said.
"In the 1960s, when collections were first presented as shows, modelsoften smiled,laughed and even danced to music.
Walking clothes hangers
"Now they are seen as walking clothes hangers. It's all about effacing theirpersonality... the clothes are it." Anthropologist Leyla Neri, the directorof fashion at the New SchoolParsons Paris, agreed. She dates the first appearance of moody, oftenscowling models to Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin in the 1960s.
It then sped up with the rise feminism and "women's need to be taken seriouslyin their professional lives, so you see women striking strong, unsmilingposes in Armani suits. "Men have never smiled on the catwalk because theynever have had to smile to please," Neri insisted.
"In the 1950s models smiled all the time, in fact they were kind ofliving dolls,"she added. "With emancipation and designers like Yves Saint Laurent you getmore a androgynous look, and women became more masculine andpowerful." Contemporarydesigners have an "even more minimalist vision", Neri argued.
"They want the most neutral faces and bodies possible to show their work. Theydo not see their models as an ideal of beauty any longer. That is somethingthat the public has not quite understood." Every few years, however,iconoclasts like French designer Jean Paul Gaultier send models outsmiling.
Indian creator Manish Arora also cheers things up by casting his bohemianfriends. And several models ended up beaming through British designer PaulSmith's last Paris menswear show."I didn't tell them to smile," he told AFP afterwards. "I have nothing againstsmiling. If the clothes make them happy, go for it," he said.
Villot, who took part in that show but didn't dare a smile, saidmodels are oftenafraid to look too happy in case they end up looking ridiculous. "Theserious face you can do every time, but if you smile you don't know how youare going to look."
Ogunkoya agreed. "It's easier to just walk and zone out. Smiling is definitelymore of a challenge." But would he smile if asked? "Why not? You get askedto do the most randomthings in this job." (AFP)
Photo: Kate Moss, London, British Vogue, 2008.
Credit: Mario Testino
FAQs
Smiling is a very personal expression, and it allows the personality of the model to show. But most fashion designers want their models to be “walking clothes hangers,” as close to being an unperson as possible. Hence, the neutral, impersonal expression.
Are models allowed to smile on the runway? ›
Catwalks have long been a smile-free zone – well, you can smile at the end when the designer pops up to present you with a bunch of flowers, but during the show, the smile is a no-no. In fashion editorials, too, smiles are like steak and chips on a model's plate: very rare.
Why do models not smile on ramps? ›
Making a cheerful face will take the audience's attention away from the clothes and move to the face. But the main job of models is to show clothes, so to grab the people's attention towards clothes the models don't smile while walking the ramp.
Why do celebrities not smile? ›
Resting B-Face
Yeah, this is the most common explanation celebrities give for not smiling in pictures. They just say that that's the expression their face naturally makes when they're not trying to smile. This is common for both male and female celebrities.
Do models have low self esteem? ›
Fashion models feel less happy and fulfilled than people in other careers, according to research. Researchers at City University in London found models are more likely to have low self-esteem, feel lonely and be suspicious of others.
Do you need nice teeth to be a model? ›
Models Need Great Teeth
A smile can leave a lasting impression and affect how people perceive you. Unfortunately, models with bad teeth may be judged more harshly because they are attempting to start a career in a looks-based field.
Why do models pout? ›
Duck face or duck lips is a photographic pose common on profile pictures in social networks. Lips are pressed together as in a pout and often with simultaneously sucked in cheeks. The pose is most often seen as an attempt to appear alluring, but it can be ironic or an attempt to hide self-conscious embarrassment.
Why do models put their arms up? ›
As Imogen has explained in detail and showed in some examples, the arms work nicely as a framing device to place the focus on your subject's face. When brought up and positioned around the head, she also points out the arms create the effect of leading lines, making sure that the focus is brought straight to the model.
How do I get my model to smile naturally? ›
How to Make Your Models Smile Naturally
- Create a Comfortable Environment for Them.
- Give Them Room for Imagination.
- Encourage Them.
- Surprise them with Unusual Instructions.
Why do plus size models not have double chins? Because the model has an hourglass shape. Although plus size is a broad term to describe a woman who is considered larger than standard sizing in most of today's clothing stores, plus size women can be people with pear shapes, apples shapes, inverted triangle, etc.
And according to content creators, photographers, and sociologists, perhaps the reason many women have stopped smiling as they're captured in what they hope will be their most, well, alluring, is less about how to be beautiful and more about how we can use our beauty to our advantage: as a shield, as a product, and ...
Is it attractive to not smile? ›
A note to single dudes: If you're looking to pick up a woman at a bar, whatever you do -- don't smile at her. Women are actually less sexually attracted to smiley, happy men, suggests a new University of British Columbia study, published online today in the journal Emotion.
Why do famous people not shower? ›
“Some celebrities do not want to wash their bodies every day with soap, as it strips natural oils from the skin. Some do not see it as necessary,” Dr. Elizabeth Mullans, a board-certified dermatologist at Uptown Dermatology, tells me.
What are 2 signs of low self-esteem? ›
Signs of low self-esteem include:
- saying negative things and being critical about yourself.
- joking about yourself in a negative way.
- focusing on your negatives and ignoring your achievements.
- blaming yourself when things go wrong.
- thinking other people are better than you.
- thinking you don't deserve to have fun.
Causes of low self-esteem can include:
- Disapproval from authority figures or parents.
- Emotionally distant parents.
- Sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.
- Contentious divorce between parents.
- Bullying with no parent protection.
- Academic difficulties.
- Guilt associated with religion.
- Social beauty standards.
Self-esteem was lowest among young adults but increased throughout adulthood, peaking at age 60, before it started to decline.
Are models not allowed to smile? ›
Any expression will distract from clothes
The prime purpose of a model is to showcase whatever he/she is wearing in the best possible way. Anything and everything that distracts from the outfit (including a smile) is a big no-no.
How do models keep their teeth white? ›
Porcelain Veneers
These are very popular amongst celebrities because of their incredible results. Veneers are thin, strong shells that are custom-made from dental porcelain to cover the front surface of your teeth. They can fix small cracks, chips, gaps, and discoloration all at once.
How do models get their teeth so white? ›
They are actually covered by thin sheets of resin or porcelain called veneers. These tiny scale-like items can be used to reshape teeth, make crooked teeth look straight, or make naturally off-white teeth look impeccably white.
Why do runway models look angry? ›
If we were to assess why models look so angry, we'd say it's because they have their faces poked at and their hair pulled all day in tiny rooms where they're expected to change in front of total strangers and dozens of photographers, some of them creepy.
When a model is on the runway, the focus is supposed to be on the clothes. If the model was smiling or making a variety of facial expressions, the viewers' eyes would be drawn to the models' faces, since it is a natural human instinct to want to connect with another human being.
Why are models so photogenic? ›
Most obvious statement of the year: Models are extremely photogenic. They spend the majority of their working hours in front of the lens, so they've naturally figured out exactly what it takes to look amazing on camera, whether it's for a professional photo shoot or just an iPhone selfie.
How do you know if your smile is attractive? ›
Ideally, your smile should reveal most of your teeth and form a gentle arc, sweeping back into the “buccal corridor,” the dark space between your teeth and the corners of your mouth. A little dark space is important to create contrast and make your teeth seem whiter.
What is the most attractive way to smile? ›
Here are five quick tips for a picture-perfect smile.
- Never Have Your Top and Bottom Teeth Touching Each Other. This is a tip that many people are unaware of, but it can make all the difference in your smile. ...
- No Joker Grinning! ...
- Wet Your Teeth Before You Smile. ...
- Keep the Camera Above Eye Level. ...
- Relax and Be Yourself!
Why do models dress so weird? It's Art: Some brands/ designers use the runway as an opportunity to showcase their unique creativity. They are looking to push the boundaries of what is considered “acceptable” or “beautiful” in order to show off their artistic genius.
Why are most runway models skinny? ›
When showing off their newest fashions, designers obviously want their outfits to look as beautiful as possible. In order for that to happen, the clothes need to drape and flow, which happens naturally when they are placed on a tall, skinny frame. That is why most mannequins come in such a small size.
What is the dark side of modeling? ›
The dark side of the modeling industry is about money, sexual harassment, lies and very creative bookkeeping, often leaving the working model on the outside looking in.
What is the point of ridiculous fashion shows? ›
Think of it as a fashion arms race where the goal is to make an impossibly chiselled model doing their best to stay straight faced look as silly as possible.
Do you have to be attractive to be a runway model? ›
Being a model isn't just about being “good looking” or “pretty.” There are a lot of beautiful people in the world. If you're serious about getting into modeling, it's important to have “a look.” There should be something unique about the way you look or the way you're built.
Do a lot of models have eating disorders? ›
Approximately 40% of models engage in disordered eating, although the experts believe this number to be much higher [1]. 62% of models polled by The Model Alliance reported being asked to have to lose weight or change their shape or size by their agency or someone else in the industry [2].
Anything above those numbers is overweight. Even though our society has come to think of models as the ideal size for women, a lot of them are actually underweight. The average model weighs 113 pounds, which is 23% less than the average woman.
What do runway models eat? ›
Foods to eat
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, asparagus, squash, carrots.
- Fruit: berries, apples, oranges, peaches, pears, plums.
- Proteins: poultry, seafood, lean cuts of meat, eggs.
- Whole grains: quinoa, brown rice, oats, couscous.
- Nuts: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, macadamia nuts.
