As a child, Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford were the two most beautiful women in the world to me.  Their beauty and lives seemed so unattainable. Then in college, I answered a call for model scouts with an agency in Toronto. Have you ever wondered how the gorgeous and Canadian Coco Rocha became the gorgeous Coco Rocha? Or how Jessica Stam, the face of Aldo became the Jessica Stam, face of Aldo? Someone discovered them at one point or another and brought them to an agency. This person was a scout. As a scout, I go to certain locations or events to look for potential models- girls or boys. 


Certain modeling agencies have specific features they might be looking for so as a scout, I’m given guidelines as to what to look for. Model potentials need to be on the younger side. Models can start at the age of 13 years old; most likely they won’t be doing any catwalking but they are put into ‘development’ meaning that they are groomed and made into the glamazon model agencies desire. The most important feature to look for in a model is height. Weight, skin, teeth can all be overlooked then changed as they grow but height can’t. To be a catwalk model, 5’9’’ is the average height. Commercial models, used in photoshoots can be on the shorter side (around 5’7’’) since they are only seen in photos. 

Another feature  to consider in a model potential is the face. The cold, hard truth is: pretty girls and hot guys are a dime a dozen. When I was a newbie scout, I’d see a pretty blonde walk by and think- grab her! However, as I got used to the scouting process I realised that once you’d seen one pretty girl, you’d seen them all. If a model does commercial work, a pretty, symmetrical, simple face is fine. The best way to describe a catwalk model’s face is strong. The girls who work in editorial (think a Vogue photo shoot) have unusual, striking features. As a scout, what I really want in a girl though, is her body. A thin, willowy, tall frame with long limbs is perfect. Yikes- that sounded kind of bad, but you know what I mean! 

If you don’t have the height requirements to be a model but are passionate about modeling, there may still be some options. For instance, the Ben Barry Agency focuses on looking for “real people”; they have a roster of models of different ages and sizes. If you want to be a model, look to the agency that would be the best fit for you. When or if you do get signed to an agency, it isn’t the easy, glamorous ride you might think it would be. It’s work and a ton of rejection. The industry isn’t one for thin skinned folk. Laura is a student in Toronto and was scouted by an agency while at work. Laura is 5’9’’ and weighed around 130 pounds, her measurements were 36 bust, 27 waist, 37 hips. She was told to lose inches around her waist and hips to get to 36-26-36 and was initially taken aback by their brutal honesty. 

It may seem like scouts are very superficial, the truth is, we kind of are. I guess it's like saying goes, “don’t hate the playa, hate the game”. The modeling and fashion industry are not for the faint of heart. You can’t be sensitive when it comes to modeling, most bookers or agents will tell you straight that "you need to lose 10 pounds please and thank you!". 

Model potentials need to be wary about the agencies they choose and whether or not they even want to be a model. The best advice I can give is to do your research! For more information, I recommend reading Jeanne Beker’s Strutting It! : The Grit Behind the Glamour as well. 

I leave you now with a quote on beauty from the effervescent Miss Piggy, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.”