The Dark Side of Modeling
The Dark Side of Modeling
With its estimated annual revenue of $1.5 billion in the US and the global fashion industry valued at over $2.5 trillion, the industry offers significant financial potential.
Income-
The entire fashion industry is selling dreams- every glossy photospread and runway show is aspirational: BUY this product and your life can be as glamourous as the image you're seeing!
But the truth is stark. Editing, filters, and pain went into constructing those dazzling images. What you see is not realistic-it's manufactured to SELL things. The fashion industry is just capitalism in a gown. And in order to make money under the oppressive system of capitalism, someone has to be exploited.
On the top of the pyramid a tiny percent of top tier in charge rake in the dough. While at the bottom of the pyramid, the children in Thailand and Bangladesh work 16 hour days in an unventilated factory for a fraction of what that same labor would cost in a country with OSHA and employment laws.
Everything is not what it seems. The fashion world is a Wonderland of illusions and magic, but not the fun kind. In reality, the twisted, product is a mirage intended to get people to part with their cash. In real life, the making of these overpriced products has ugly, side effects.
See the pay structure of the modeling industry:
Obviously, the world’s top supermodels pull in much grander salaries. Forbes reported that the top three highest paid models included supermodel Gisele Bundchen, 29, who raked in $25 million last year, followed by “Project Runway” host Heidi Klum, 38, with $16 million in earnings, and Kate Moss, 36, with $9 million.
selling young girls the dream
Last year, professional “everyday” models employed by an agency made on average $42,560 a year, with an average hourly wage of $20.46, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, about 18 percent of models are self-employed or take free-lance freelance, part-time assignments, so the range can vary.
As of June 27, 2024, the average hourly pay for a model in the United States was $45.71, with a range of $10.10–$142.55. The majority of model wages fall between $14.90 and $72.12. However, salaries can vary depending on the type of modeling, experience level, and brand:
- Runway models
- Newcomers may only earn enough to cover basics,
- more experienced models can earn $500–$2,500 per show.
- Supermodels can make up to $20,000 per show.
- Vogue models
- As of June 27, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Vogue model was $31.37, with a range of $10.34–$67.07.
- Fashion models
- Beginner models may work for free to build their portfolios and gain experience.
- More experienced models can earn around $100 per hour.
- Nude models
- Glassdoor estimates that the median total pay for a nude model in the United States in 2024 is $58,245 per year, or $75,357 per year overall.
“New York Fashion Week Generates $600M/Yr in Income but We Get Paid in Clothes”
Generally, managers and agents deduct anywhere from 10 to 30 percent commission for each gig a model lands, which includes television commercials and print or online advertisements. An agency represents models, but since they are considered independent contractors, it exempts them from certain labor laws. This arrangement allows agencies to treat models as a number in their yearly profit and creates a haven for predators.
Variety spoke to more than a dozen models and people familiar with the inner machinations of the industry, several of whom say they were exploited financially and sexually while working. Though models fuel the $2.5 trillion fashion industry, they struggle to survive in its epicenter, New York. Unlike Hollywood talent agencies, which are licensed, regulated and place a 10 percent cap on commissions, modeling firms like NEXT and Wilhelmina are considered management companies and enjoy a unique carveout when it comes to the state’s labor laws. Among the industry’s most egregious practices, agencies typically wield “power of attorney” over their models and can legally accept payments on their behalf and deduct expenses like wildly inflated rent for substandard housing with zero obligation to detail their accounting.
“It’s just a fact that models are disposable to agencies, designers, photographers, brands,” adds Levine, who left the industry not long after. “It’s just a whole trafficking culture.” The modeling industry has no unions or policies, and nothing more than a recommended age limit.
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