Last year I met a model at a fashionshow who, after seeing my outfits, asked me to arrange the styling for her own photoshoots. To return the favour she modelled for me as well, whenever i had a show or a shoot. I came in contact with her favourite photographer and she also asked me to do some stylingwork for her occasionally. At our photoshoot last saturday, where i delivered my own clothes so that i could use the pictures for my portfolio, i met a girl who was an outstanding make-up artist slash model. I asked her to model in my next show and she agreed.
This networking with people from the fashionindustrie is essential to get you to a higher level, and activities like arranging photoshoots, competing in fashionshows or even being a backstage dresser at something like a fashionweek guarantee encounters with people who also work in the field. The sole problem is that you have to attend one of these activities to get into contact with people and you don’t meet hundreds of them in one night; this way it takes very long before you have a consistent contactlist.
For every problem there is a solution, in this case it’s called http://www.modelmayhem.com/
This site is a platform for people who offer services or peolpe who are looking for services in the fashionindustrie. The site contains extensive profiles of models, photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and wardrobe stylists. It makes it easy for you, by specifying your criteria, to find for example a blond model who lives in or near Amsterdam. And since most of the people connected to this site are beginning artists, most of them will deliver their service for free (or you have to deliver them a favour in return).
The principle of this site is extremely convienent; you can come in contact with whoever you want. A loss for this site is that it is US-oriented; this way the search-criteria is specified on the US and most of the profiles are from American artists; not really people you can contact if you have a photoshoot next week. And as we all know US’ privacy policy is a strict one; therefore it’s pretty difficult to become a member (you have to undergo something like an interrogation to become one) and you’re not allowed to look at someones profile unless you are a member. For the rest it is a site that could come in handy some day and you should at least add to your in-case-list!
