The "ideal" runway model changes with the industry, as fashion trends change. The preferred size is determined by what size the couturiers are cutting their sample clothing. The runway model must fit into them. Using the 2006 summer season as an example, the ideal female runway model is 5 ft. and 10 inches, size 2 or even a size 0 (that translates to a 32 inch bust and a 24 inch waistline). So, runway models are a novelty by nature. How many women are naturally 5 ft. 10 inches, a size 2, and still looking elegant? This differs radically from the 80s when a size 6 was the norm and by the 90s with size 4.
Runway models are built a lot differently than beauty or print models. That's because with a studio photograph, you can work with lighting, make up and retouching to make the latter appear taller, slimmer or more beautiful. A runway model however has to look in real life how she would look in a photograph, because runway shows are live. Thus, runway models tend to be more exaggerated, taller and thinner to show off the clothes better. Most runway models are also quite young, from 16 to 22. When a girl is in that age bracket, her skin is flawless and tight and she doesn't look tired. She can do anything she wants and still looks great.
Protacio, fashion designer and mentor for many runway models, declared that nobody can teach a model how to walk. Gracefulness comes from within. It can be honed but not taught. The model has to watch, practice, gain confidence and develop her own style of runway walking. A runway walk is not the way any person would walk down the street. It's a performance, a seamless presentation. The runway model must have that fluidity in motion so that what you will notice is how beautiful the clothes on her and the overall presentation of the clothes.
A lot of girls start out too young and they're unsure of themselves. A year later, they become more confident with their bodies and it shows. In the local fashion scene, this adage is very true for runway renegades Charity Lagahid (Elite Model Look Philippines), Marjay Ramirez (Supermodel of the World Philippines)-- both are now jetting from Singapore to Hong Kong for their respective fashion weeks, Elvira Stehr (reigning runway diva) and the model-cum-beauty queens featured in these pages. It is interesting to note that these model-cum-beauty queens have mastered the art of wearing couture, particularly voluminous gowns in runway shows and still manage to look heavenly. As I said in my article last week, the distinctions between modeling and beauty pageants have blurred considerably.
The 'walk' also changes with the times. A few years ago, Armani started a more technical look without smiles or emotions and this evolved in the current trend of beautiful but fluid 'robots'. And why no smile? "Runway models don't smile because they are selling the clothes and not themselves," pointed out Protacio. However, the sexier hip-swaying sashay gained momentum as an alternative walk. Who knows, next year, it would be different?