Since the turn of the millennium, the media has been promoting the idea that supermodels are being replaced by actors as celebrities and modern-day icons. The coveted jobs of magazine covers and editorial spreads are now, more and more often, being given to movie stars and other celebrities.
"It's the right time for actresses who are in their mid-to-late 30s to be pulling down contracts, because in many cases they are the age of the consumers." - Neal Hamil, executive vice president of Ford Models
Not long ago, supermodels were everywhere that you looked. They were larger than life - appearing on multiple magazine covers, on all the top designer runways, in high-profile ad campaigns, and making millions of dollars yearly. These top supermodels are quickly being replaced by other, more offbeat models and, mostly, by actors.
"I don't think that people are that interested in models anymore. It's not a great moment for the modeling industry. It says a lot about our society and I think it's good." -Calvin Klein
There seems to be a constant flow of new nameless but recognizable girls emerging in the fashion industry. They are replacing the supermodels as the fashion icons of today and come as a rebellion from the "perfect" image of the latter-day Barbie-doll supermodel. The new models are quirky, fun, and different, in both looks and attitude. Many are not classically beautiful. None are household names.
"The supermodel is over. It's celebrities this year, and when fashion returns, it will be back to the models."
- Harold Mindel, Click Model Management.
So then who ultimately creates celebrity status? According to Michael Flutie, president of Company Model Mgmt, it's "the media, a director of a film, anyone who has direct contact with the consumer market. The longevity of a fashion model is limited. It's the commercial, the corporation behind the investment, that creates the longevity of a celebrity."
"Companies feel they are going to sell more with celebrities that people instantly recognize than with models." - Suzie Sugerman, an agent at NYC's Karin Models
The world of fashion is constantly in flux - fads and trends come and go not only in the clothing designs, but also in models and the media's version of what is a "celebrity". The celebrity status that the top models had in the day of the supermodel may never be duplicated, and the new celebrities who are rising in the ranks are creating their own eras and making their own, distinct mark in the industry.
Whatever happens in the world of high fashion modeling, it is never a bad thing when the media takes a break from promoting models as celebrities and pushes the celebrity super-star status of actors. It takes a lot of talent (and hard work) to be a top actor, and they certainly make healthier role models than fashion models.
So the next time you see Catherine Zeta-Jones or Julia Roberts on the cover of a magazine, remember - wouldn't you rather the next generation have role models that are pretty but not perfect and that have talent as well as ambition...
So then who ultimately creates celebrity status? According to Michael Flutie, president of Company Model Mgmt, it's "the media, a director of a film, anyone who has direct contact with the consumer market. The longevity of a fashion model is limited. It's the commercial, the corporation behind the investment, that creates the longevity of a celebrity."
Whatever happens in the world of high fashion modeling, it is never a bad thing when the media takes a break from promoting models as celebrities and pushes the celebrity super-star status of actors. It takes a lot of talent (and hard work) to be a top actor, and they certainly make healthier role models than fashion models.
Shan Swimwear
