The New Normal for Models

10 May The New Normal for Models

The pandemic surely changed the fashion industry landscape. Since fashion and modeling are the least of the urgent concerns in these times of the pandemic, fashion models and allied workers are struggling with the precariousness of the global situation.

The jobs surely have dried up as fashion shows got canceled and shoots rescheduled to indefinite days, or months. In Manila, advertising agencies are beginning to make changes to save on costs. Since there are no active tv shows these days, the commercials have been greatly affected. Digital shoots have also been creatively repositioned. Most agencies now use stock photos and videos, rather than putting the employees at risk with the virus in physical shoot locations. Social distancing is really the new norm, and how.

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With these in mind, models and agencies have to think of novel ways to cope with the economic effects of the deadly pandemic. The so-called “new normal” will change things tremendously.

Fashion models are considered independent contractors or freelancers, and therefore not eligible for any government aid or help. That is why agencies must help these models and all the workers connected in fashion. It will be a concerted effort to bring in more jobs and opportunities for the fashion models, workers, agents and employees in the fashion industry . Definitely, it will be a slow transition to normalcy but gradually, out of sheer necessity and urgency, the fashion industry will pick up.

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These days, the only significant thing going for models is the digital platform. While there may be jobs that require physical set-ups, few and far-between they may be, virtual projects hold a lot of promise. Shoots for e-commerce will be huge as online shopping and spending will shift to the keyboards. Stock videos and photos will also be made as agencies and business owners are forced to exercise cost-efficiency and of course, best practices in safety protocols. Models will have to be creative also on Instagram as influencers, since businesses are willing to pay for those with a good number of followers.

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile from Pexels

All is not lost in the modeling and fashion industry. If there is one thing that this pandemic taught us, it is to put value on the matters that are important and essential, and to do away with the old ways that do not add benefit and significance. In the case of modeling and fashion, the innovative way is to do quick shoots for e-commerce, magazine editorials, stock photos and videos. Models can also harness the power of Instagram and other social media to sell products, without going out. Fashion shows and events may be a thing of the past for now, but who knows what the next year will bring?