By Gabby Neal
Oh so you’re short? No, you can’t model. You’re pregnant? You definitely can’t model. You’re bigger than a size 8? Nup you won’t be successful. You’re over the age of 25? Jeez…too old. You have boobs? A bum? Wow na uh, sorry – clothes won’t fit. You were on reality TV. Come on, really?
All bullshit.
These are the models doing what most are told they cannot do.
The Short Girls Making It Big
Anja Konstantinova and Mimi Elashiry. Two house hold names who both stand below 170cm and are defying the model mantra “you must be this tall to model”.
(Anja 163cm and mimi 167cm)
Anja and Mimi were scouted numerous times by various agents only to ultimately be rejected for their height. Rejection after rejection and look where they are now.
Anja has appeared in Vogue, Oyster, Marie Claire, walked for the likes of Ellery and fronted stores such as Stylestlaker and French Connection. Not bad huh?
And since rising to fame on Instagram (she has over 777k followers…) Mimi has now featured in both Glue Store and General Pants campaigns, walked the catwalk for David Jones, been appointed MTV’s style ambassador and has shown interest by Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret.
These are the short girls making it big.
The Old Duck Proving It’s Never Too Old To Model
Carmen Dell’Orefice definitely won the genetic lottery. I mean she’s 82 and look at her… Modelling since she was 13, she’s sticking it to everyone and anyone who ever said she was too old to model.
Landing her first (yes, I said first…her first of six) Vogue cover in 1947 when she was 15. She has continued to hold her own in front of the camera. Recently featuring on the cover of New York Magazine looking every bit the super model she is. She’s starred in campaigns for Rolex, featured in Vogue Italia and walked the runway for designers Galliano, Gautilier and more. I mean wow. What a career and she’s still going.
You go glen co co!
The Mums Who Model
Come on, lets face it. These supermodel mums are something else. They’ve all had a baby, got their post baby body back in action and faced the critics to walk the runway.
Adriana Lima, Gemma Ward, Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio are only a handful of the working model mums out there. But it’s nice to know that the stigma of a working mother is definitely on its way out and even more so in the fashion industry. With the wider growing acceptance for women of all shapes and sizes. Just recently, Dolce and Gabbana dedicated a whole runway show to the model mum, with all the models strutting the catwalk, holding their loved ones on display.
Granted, these ladies all had the help of some very special people in the process but they made it back to the runway, looking fabulous as ever.
Those With Boobs And Bums
Hellloooo Tahnee Atkinson and Steph Claire Smith. The girls proving that you can be a model with boobs and a bum.
These drop dead gorgeous Aussie bombshells are the epitome of the Aussie beach babe, and are making waves all over with their not so waif-thin frames. I’m not saying all models are waif thin, but it’s great to see girls who struggle with the same problems of having boobs and bum that a lot of other women out there do.
They’re helping women find clothes, swimwear and lingerie that flatter and accentuate all the right curves in all the right places.
Photographer Josie Clough under the name It’s Now Cool, has a knack for showing off the best assets these woman posses.
You Don’t Have To Be Waif-thin To Be Successful
Some of these girls have had more success in “plus size” modeling than half the girls who manage to get into the industry at all. Sporting the likes of covers of Vogue, Harpers and Sports Illustrated, it’s hard to deny their success.
They’re the girls empowering women all across the world that you don’t need to be thin to be a success Nor do you have to have the 32-34-36 measurements to land a vogue cover.
Tara Lynn, Robyn Lawley, Crystal Renn and Candice Huffine are the girls proving that sexy is sexy at any size.
The Reality TV Success Stories
It is a common mis-conception that those who participate in reality TV shows cannot be taken seriously, especially those who participate in the likes of ANTM
I’m sorry but have you heard of Montana Cox… Alice Burdeu…Cassie Van Den Dungen?
If you haven’t heard their names I’m sure you know their faces. They’re the successful Aussie contestants who made it into the international circuit. Walking show after show, landing Vogue after Vogue and starring in campaign after campaign.
Yes, they are only a select few of the hundreds that participated in the show, but it just goes to show, it can be done. And it can be done well!
Models Can Act too
Ok, so most models who try their hand at acting aren’t necessarily the best. But there are the exceptions.
Take Cara Delevingne, Emily Ratajkowski and Abbey Lee Kershaw.
While they have all managed to actually convince us that they can act. They’ve also managed to juggle both careers while doing so. Impressive huh??
Although Cara and Abbey have now put their modelling careers on hold to focus purely on their acting, featuring in films such as Paper Towns and Mad Max (as well as a long list yet to be released). Emily has continued to pursue both, previously appearing in the office box hit Gone Girl and the soon to be released film We Are Your Friends.
These girls once again proving that models can be actors too…ok, again, maybe only some.
Those Who Go Behind The Camera
They’ve spent hours in front of the lens so it’s no wonder they want to get behind it.
Working with some of the best photographers in the world, it’d be hard not to spark up an interest. To be fair, they’ve practically been given free photography lessons their whole modelling careers. Learning what to do and what not to do. So really… no wonder.
You’ve got the incredible supermodel Helena Christensen (a former victoria secret angel thankyou very much) who has since turned to photography, shooting for magazines like Vogue, ELLE and Nylon etc.
Then you’ve got the models slash photographers, Luci Taffs (check out #shotbyluci on instagram) and Suki Waterhouse. Both have always had a passion for photography and somehow find time for both.
It also helps that some of your best friends are models and can pose for you… cue Georgia May Jagger and Cara Delevingne.
