2023-06-10 04:00:00
What if one day you were spotted on the street by a modeling agent? This is called street-casting. The street, but also the festivals are the favorite hunting grounds of those who are called “scouts”. A very lucrative profession, but also very padlocked… and you will see that some start very young!
It sometimes starts with anonymous passers-by in the streets of Brussels: faces, silhouettes, scrutinized by Véronique, who works for one of the most famous modeling agencies in Belgium.
“In winter, they all have their jackets, but in summer, there are fewer clothes, but sunglasses and that is sometimes a bit misleading“, she explains.”Anyway, I don’t know how to see if they are visibly photogenic. You have to test it later“.
In the trade, this is what is called “scouting”, scouting. Our journalist was able to follow Véronique Vermeire in this work. “We first look at the size… then the beauty, of course“, she explains.
But what is beauty for this model seeker? “It’s hard to say, we look at the shape of the face, the eyes, the nose, a beautiful mouth, it’s important“.
According to Véronique, it’s not so easy to find the rare pearl. Especially since Brussels would not be the best hunting ground. Are there therefore cities with more “potential” for models?
“Yes, especially in Flanders for example. The mixture of Dutch and Flemish makes them more slender, taller people“, details Véronique. “Afterwards, that’s not why in Liège or Namur, I’m not going to find any“.
At the agency, in the center of Brussels, it’s a photo session for the already well-established models. Sacha, a model, was spotted without looking for him. “I was doing my shopping and by chance, I was recruited by Véronique. It completely changed my life. I only work 3 or 4 days a month, which allows me to live off it now, because it’s between 1,000 and 2,000 euros per shoot.“, he explains.
From the youngest age
Only one or two people are selected in the field, each month by Véronique and Anaïs, is one of the lucky ones. The teenager is the youngest recruit of the very prestigious Dominique agency.
She was only 12 when she was spotted last year when she was at the Dour festival with her family. A concentration of teenagers very popular with modeling agencies.
The young girl must wait another two years to have the right to work in this agency for adults. In the meantime, she participates in a few photo shoots to build her portfolio. Only a few of her friends are in on the secret.
“It’s a dream to be able to be in an agency at that age, we can do Miss Belgium, and many other things later“, imagines Sofia, friend of Anaïs. “I’m not jealous but it would be really nice to be able to experience this once in your life“.
Back to the offices of the famous Brussels modeling agency. Although the 13-year-old cannot work yet, Véronique is careful not to lose sight of such a promising profile. “The right size is around 1m78. No more than 1m80, but around 1m70 is good too“, explains Véronique.
A quick retreat
But for Anaïs’ mother, the priority is elsewhere. “The first condition is to work well at school, it’s the basis no matter what she does followingwards. Because even if it can be productive followingwards, it only lasts for a while“.
Among the 750 models proposed by the agency, 10% are not yet 18 years old. Young people aged 15, 16, more and more often spotted on another hunting ground: social networks.
For several hours, the employees of the agency can spend their time scrolling through the profiles of young girls and young boys in search of the rare pearl. Only, they are rare those who manage to make a career in fashion. Especially since the retirement age can ring, very very quickly…
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