Not Your Typical Models Anymore!

Gone are the days of the frail, pale, thin models who barely eat food to land the catwalk gig they have always wanted with  their adorned designers. We will begin to see models of all races, shapes, sizes, skin shades, or multiple skin shades in magazines and on the covers, in commercials and on the runways. The fashion industry will begin to highlight the differences and showcase the differences as beauty.

We have already seen the plus size models making a mark on the fashion industry. We are seeing ads with plus size models, commercials and even curvy mannequins! That was only the beginning. We will continue to see the plus size model industry grow to runway. Yes I said it! Plus size models will be on the worlds stage whether people like it or not and the companies that jump on board first will reap the rewards.

Cheers to the many photographers who have taken beautiful raw natural pictures of people that were not the "typical models."  Cheers to all of the people who never fit the "model" mold, yet still had the dream of becoming a model and continued to take pictures. All of those nameless people were the front runners of this amazing change we will see in the coming years. Consumers have expressed long enough that the model industry needed to have a make over, well the overhaul has begun.

 April 3,2015 Time.com published an article written by Laura Stampler which informs us that  France is becoming another country in a growing list, that is banning ultra thin models with a low BMI (Body Mass Index).  They are cleaning up the modeling industry.Check out the article

France Just Banned Ultra Thin Models

Welcome people to the new face of fashion! Below are a few of the qualities we will begin to see on a large scale.

 Alessandro Manfredini is a handsome man. But he is much older that what we are used to seeing as a model. Yet his sex appeal jumps off the page and I am sure many men and women will buy whatever he is selling! We will see older male models doing just as good as their younger counterparts

With the baby boomer generation being middle aged we will also see beautifully aged women modeling. Companies will realize that they need to directly target this generation and we will see older women modeling in high fashion magazines.













Gigi Cunningham

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Madeline Stuart

Above are two girls who love modeling. They both have down- syndrome yet that is not stopping them from breaking into the fashion industry. We will begin to see models with what we would call disabilities in the industry... It doesn't sound right calling it disabilities or special needs, these girls are doing more than many people who are fully capable!!!

                                    Thando Hopa                                          Diandra Forest                    

                                                 Shaun Ross The first male albino model

Albinism has usually been approached with mysticism or a kind of taboo. Now the fashion industry will showcase this trait as a high fashion aspect. Gracing the magazines and ads with their beauty.  

Gingers and Freckles!!! I have always loved red hair and I have always loved freckles. Together is a match made in fashion heaven! We will see models flaunt their red hair and or freckles in main steam fashion.

 Chantelle Winnie

Curtis McDaniel

Vitiligo is another attribute that has been shunned in American Society. I have never seen anyone with this trait modeling fashions. Yet soon we will see very interesting ads promoting products and or services that not only promote the company but the model as well.

                               

It was very hard and still is hard for some to accept the plus size models. Yet there is no signs of the industry slowing down. There are all types of women in this world and it would be best to premier them, being that they are buying the products! Next stop for the plus sized industry. RUNWAY!

This next one is something very near and dear to me. This year 2015,  Maria Borges was the first chocolate model to walk down the Victoria Secret runway with her natural hair.Without  weave or extensions. Natural haired Black women are still very much shunned in many parts of corporate America, business and modeling. We are finally seeing ads and commercials with natural haired women but walking down the Victoria Secrets Annual runway show on National television showcases more than a natural haired model. It gave the natural haired kinky-curly women sex-appeal on a worldly scale.  We will continue to see natural haired black women published in ads and all aspects of fashion. 

                                      .....But what will they do with their hair??!!!

                               

                   I can help! I wrote a book that shows step by step how to style natural hair 31+ different ways...(shameless plug.... But not really.. HA!) Who knows maybe I will start styling some of these natural haired models for huge photo shoots!

Download 31 Flavours of Natural Hair

Love it or don't love it at all we are going to see huge changes in the fashion industry.No longer will the model be an empty vessel only used to wear clothes. Models will begin to be the focal point showcasing their personalities, abilities and intellect. So, those of you that know you are beautiful but don't feel you have the height, skin color, body or any of the former modeling standards, this a call for action, start taking pictures because you might have exactly what these new up and coming designers want!

Love Bambu