Common Misconceptions About Modeling

The first would be height, while height is a requirement for some aspects of modeling it is not a requirement for all. Height is primarily a factor in the world of runway and some high fashion. However, runway accounts for only 3% of the modeling population. So what about the other 97% of the industry? There are many models that are under 5'7" (runway requirement for women) and 6'0" (runway cutoff for men) that are working regularly.

I know you know the name and you've seen the face...everywhere. Kate Moss is 5'6 1/2" and one of the most successful models of all time. She has appeared on over 300 magazine covers. Moss has had campaigns with major Italian, French, American, and British designers including Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Calvin Klein, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel, Missoni, Longchamp, David Yurman, Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Burberry, Stella McCartney, Rimmel, Agent Provocateur, Virgin Mobile, Belstaff, Beymen, Dior, Nikon, and Bvlgari. Just to name a few.

She made her first appearance in the British women's Sunday Times Rich List in 2007, where she was estimated to be worth £45 million. She ranked as the 99th richest woman in Britain, and the 1794th richest person in the United Kingdom, with a net worth of 40 million euros.

In July 2007, earning an estimated total of $9 million in the past 12 months, Forbes magazine named her second on the list of the World's 15 top-earning supermodels.

Kate Moss is currently represented by Storm Model Management, D'management Group, Marylin Agency, and IMG Models.

Devon Aoki (5'5") has modeled for the fashion houses Lancome, Chanel, and Versace. Aoki has also done ad campaigns for Chanel Ready to Wear, Chanel Couture by Karl Lagerfeld, Versace by Steven Meisel, YSL by Juergen Teller, Alessandro Del Aqua, Hugo Boss, Moschino, Ungaro, Fendi, Junko Shimada by Bettina Kimenda and Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons.

In September 2007, it was announced she was designing jeans line for Levi's, although the line was only available in Asia.

Aoki recently made a return to the runway, walking for the Chanel Pre-Fall 2008 show in London. She is signed to 1/One Management New York (owned by her mother), d-Management Milan, and City Paris.

Isobella Jade for instance is almost 5'4" and she is a working model in New York City. She has done work for Apple Stores as well as Mac Life Magazine. She has modeled for handbag designer Jacquelyn LaCroix, Marshalls, Bon Magazine, Luna Magazine (Milan, Italy), and Sephora Stores.

Evangeline Lilly (5'5") from the hit show LOST was represented by FORD Models.

Eva Longoria (5'2") has modeling contracts with BEBE, Microsoft, L'Oreal, and Hanes.

Another point to mention is Tyra Banks, for the 13th season of America's Next Top Model the entire selected cast will be models under 5'7". So anyone who says short models don't stack up is sorely mistaken.

So you aren't a waif, neither is 95% of the human race. There is a demand for fashion in all shapes and sizes, and models as well. Beauty does not and cannot exist within the confines of a select few dimensions.

Crystal Renn is a U.S. size 12. She has worked repeatedly with notable fashion photographer Steven Meisel and is the only plus-size model to appear on a Harper's Bazaar cover, and appearing in four international Vogue editions, Crystal has enjoyed lucrative contracts with many high-profile plus-size clothing manufacturers such as Lane Bryant, Evans and Torrid, and has also appeared on the runway for Vena Cava, Heatherette, and most notably for Jean-Paul Gaultier in his Spring/Summer prêt-à-porter 2006 collection in Paris, garnering favorable and extensive media interest. Renn is also notable for appearing in back-to-back campaigns in 2007 wearing regular-sized (i.e. not specifically plus-size) clothing for Spanish retailer Mango; her photos appearing amid those of smaller models and without notation regarding her larger size, a rare occurrence in conventional apparel advertising.

During an on-camera interview at an Australian industry function, FORD model agent Gary Dakin further noted that her total income would now be "close to 7 figures".

Kate Dillon began her career as a size 6 with Elite NYC, but after overcoming health issues (anorexia) eventually relaunched her career as a U.S. size 14 plus-size model. Dillon enjoyed a fast rise to fame via the covers and editorials of MODE Magazine, and has since notched up scores of advertising campaigns for top plus-size clothing retailers in the world. Dillon has appeared in several language editions of Vogue magazine, and has been photographed for high fashion magazines and campaigns by such photographers as Patrick Demarchelier, Helmut Newton, Francesco Scavullo, Albert Watson and Mario Testino, and has appeared in advertising for clients well outside of the usual plus-size %u0153uvre such as Gucci, Isabella Rossellini's 'Manifesto' perfume, and Nine West. Dillon was a featured guest during season 3 of the popular US network show America's Next Top Model, talking to contestants about body image and self-esteem.

Maggie Brown got her big break when, in November 2006, she won "Tyra's Thick and Sexy Top Model Contest" on The Tyra Banks Show. Her title included modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models, a $1000 gift card from Lane Bryant, and photo shoot for an editorial in Bombshell Magazine coming to print in 2008. Since, she has been featured on various covers of magazines such as the December 2006 issue of Bombshell magazine and the August 2007 issue of Plus Model Magazine. She has also gone on to win "Igigi Model of the month"- August 2007. Maggie has also appeared on various television broadcasts which include: AM Northwest, "Tyra Banks Show", "Entertainment Tonight, and "The Insider". Her latest venture in television is set to air in January of 2008 on Lifetime Television, where she appears as a recurring model for the reality make-over show "How to look good naked" hosted by Carson Kressley. In addition, Maggie has modeled for or been featured in: Walmart, Mervyn's, Macy's, Torrid's online catalog, ElegantPlus, PlusModel magazine, igigi, and AmaZe magazine.

Maggie Yumi Brown is currently signed with Wilhelmina Models in LA, NYC, and MIAMI as well as Q6 Models and Artists Management in Portland, Oregon.

Whitney Thompson is the first plus-size model to win the reality-based TV show America's Next Top Model. She is currently signed with Elite Model Management. Whitney appeared on the June 2008 issue of In Touch Weekly, an ad with Metrostyle, the cover of Jacksonville Magazine (August 2005 & 2008), Seventeen Magazine (July 2008), Silhouette Catalog, Fashion Bug, Smile Stylist, Supermodels Unlimited (September/October 2008) and Yahoo Style. She did presentations for JCPenney and Saks Fifth Avenue at New York Fashion Week 2008. She has also walked for House of Dereon on the Tyra Banks Show, as well as Little in the Middle, Fashion Forward and the Third Annual Elle Boutique and Diana Warner Fashion Show. She is currently a spokesperson for Smile-Stylist and Right Fit. and she has recently been voted by MSN as one of the most influential women of 2008 and has been featured in their "The Year in Beauty" article.

Barbara Brickner has become one of the most internationally familiar faces in plus-size modeling over her 10+ year career. Featuring constantly in MODE Magazine and producing many of its most enduring images, she went on to become the preferred model of many plus-size designers; most notably for Italian company Elena Miro for several years, appearing by herself in their iconic calendar created in 2000. Also in 2000, Brickner launched a line of plus-size maternity clothing named BB Maternity, sold through U.S. department stores.

Natalie Laughlin was the first plus-size model to have an advertisement feature on a billboard in New York's Times Square, an honor repeated four times by client Liz Claiborne. Laughlin was also the first plus-size model to appear in the U.S. edition of Glamour magazine.

Toccara Jones was on the third cycle of America's Next Top Model, where she won "Covergirl of the Week" four times. She was recently voted as one of the most memorable contestants by AOL Entertainment. Since ANTM, Jones signed with Wilhelmina Models as a plus-size model. She has been on the covers of Be, The Next Level Magazine (November 2005), Black Men magazine, Black Hair magazine, Braids magazine, and King magazine (February/March 2006, March/April 2006, and April 2008). She appeared in the December 2008 issue of Ebony magazine. Jones has modeled for Ashley Stewart, Avon, Torrid, New York and Company, Target, Essence magazine, Vibe magazine and Smooth magazine. Her runway shows include Hot 97's Third Annual Full Frontal Hip hop Fashion Show, Luxe & Romance Fall 2005, BET Presents: Rip The Runway 2, Elle Girl presents Dare To Be You: Wal-Mart Meets America's Next Top Models 2005 and Alice & Olivia Fall 2006. Jones was also selected to be part of the 2007 Rocawear "I Will Not Lose" campaign representing the Rocawear plus-size line for full-figured females.
She was photographed by Steven Meisel for the July, all black issue of Vogue Italia and had a 14 page spread in the magazine. This makes her the first black plus-size model to appear in the pages of a Vogue issue, and the third America's Next Top model contestant.

There isn't a person in the world that could say the women above don't embody beauty to the fullest degree. You can't pigeonhole beauty into a dress size.