The runway, the catwalk, whichever you call it, is a part of modeling that is much different than doing print or commercial. This is where a model is showing off a piece of clothing, accessory, shoes, etc. from a designer to an audience. It is usually private and very exclusive. This means that nothing but perfect is expected. If you have kids modeling that want to jump into this new world, then it is important to understand the expectations. This is a live show, there are no re-shoots, edits, photoshop or shortcuts. The live aspect can be scary, but if you work hard, try your best, and trust the process, your child could be a top notch runway model.Before we get into our list, just remember, as much of a cliche that it is, practice makes perfect. The more your child practices, the better they will be. That applies to all of our tips and advice as well as anything your child does in their lives.
Posture is extremely important when walking down the catwalk. If you have ever seen it on TV or on the internet, the models almost look like they are being pulled up to the ceiling by a string. They are long and tall naturally, but they also walk with such good posture, that it accentuates their natural length. The best way to practice is to imagine there is something pulling you from the top of your head towards the ceiling and walk forward never stopping. See how long you can go before breaking your posture, and try again.
While walking, our hips naturally sway left to right and our arms move forward and back. Keeping this natural look of walking is key to mastering the catwalk. Runway models cannot over shadow the clothing, which means their movements must be as natural as possible. It is important to ensure the hips and arms do not move too much which would create too much attention. On the other hand, if you work too hard at not swaying them, it will look unnatural. The balance is key.
Posing is an essential part of being a runway model. It is absolutely necessary to have a list of poses that you can go to while working the catwalk. Make sure to practice multiple types of poses so that you’ll always be ready, regardless of what you’re modeling. While you have kids modeling, you can be preparing the next set of poses to practice so they can always be on their toes and have a solid bank to choose from.
One thing you always notice from runway models is that they never break eye contact. As we’ve mentioned before, you cannot take any attention away from the items you are modeling. Practice picking a spot on the wall and staring at it for long periods of time. As you get better, then you can start doing it while walking towards that spot. This will improve your ability to walk straight while not breaking your stare.
Many times these shows have music, but even if it doesn’t, it is important to have rhythm. It will be much easier to demonstrate confidence if your walk has a bounce and a beat to it. You can do this by either matching the beat of the music you are walking to, or play music in your head and walk to that. This will also improve your skills greatly overall, and keep your pace steady.
The key to runway modeling is confidence. You have to be fearless in order to conquer the room and allow the clothing to shine. Once your child masters this skill, it will also improve their commercial and print abilities. The confidence will add to their talent and they’ll be booking left and right.
If your child is interested in becoming a model, be sure to check out Southern California’s premier agency, Bensimon Models & Talent!
