For L.A. Model, Moving to New York Has Its Pluses
For Vanessa Marshall, a recent 50-pound weight loss proved nearly disastrous to her modeling career.
The 30-year-old Los Angeles resident had been enjoying a busy career as a plus-size model. She appeared in ads for Sears, Robinsons-May and J.C. Penney and did runway shows for Nordstrom and Macy’s.
But when Marshall slimmed down from a size 16W to 12W, her bookings diminished too. West Coast fashionistas advised her that she was too small for many jobs.
“Losing the weight was the worst thing that ever happened to me,” Marshall said half-jokingly.
Marshall said she got into plus-size modeling because of its emotional rewards.
“It was a relief to be appreciated for who I was, at the size I was, because in this culture we are so marginalized,” Marshall said. “The culture’s message has been, ‘Slim down at any cost.’ And when I was growing up, I indirectly picked up--though not from my family--that it wasn’t OK for me to be myself.”
Fortunately, Marshall, whose mother is actress Joan Van Ark, had other sources of income to keep her going when her modeling jobs dried up. She earns more than $100,000 annually from voice-overs and acting. She also does stand-up comedy. Yet she doesn’t want to give up plus-size modeling, so she asked supermodel Emme for help.
Emme told Marshall that she shouldn’t despair just yet. Though there isn’t much work for size 12W (“W” connotes full-figure) models on the West Coast, there’s far more available in New York, Emme said.
In fact, two other plus-size supermodels, Kate Dillon, who was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” and Angellika, the first plus-size model to be voted into the Modeling Hall of Fame, are size 12W-14Ws. They are constantly booked.
Would Marshall consider a move to New York to reignite her plus-size career? If she relocated, Emme said, she could contact agents at Wilhelmina’s and Ford’s plus-size divisions about representation. Marshall said she’d consider this.
Additionally, Emme said, demand for plus-size models is rapidly increasing. This will translate into more work for models throughout the plus-size range.
Sales of women’s plus-size apparel totaled $26 billion last year, “making it the fastest-growing segment in the industry,” according to a WWDGlobal report from Women’s Wear Daily.
Designers such as Ellen Tracy, Jones New York, Tamotsu, Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan, among others, are offering plus-size apparel. Department stores such as Saks and Neiman Marcus also have introduced plus-size departments.
“It’s a wild industry, and they haven’t even touched the potential yet,” said Ellen Mullman, sales manager for Tamotsu in New York.
Gary Dakin, an agent for Ford’s plus-size division in New York, agreed: “I think people are starting to realize how much money there is to be made in this market and how beautiful these models are.”
With planning and persistence, Marshall may be able to revive her plus-size modeling career, Emme said. Here are some additional tips for her to consider:
* Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Emme urged Marshall to maintain a healthy, natural weight, whether it puts her in a svelte 12W or the more popular plus-size 14W, because dramatic size fluctuations can result in job losses.
“It drives clients crazy when girls go up and down in size,” Emme said. “And it’s the worst thing you can do to your body.”
Susan Bishop, one of the nation’s leading plus-size fit models, agreed that “size reliability” can earn a model repeat bookings from clients and even referrals to other jobs.
To attract new clients, Marshall should be sure she has the “Five Ps”: prettiness, poise, proportion, personality and perseverance, said Catherine Schuller, a Ford plus-size model and the fashion retail editor of Mode magazine.
Agents and clients look for other traits in aspiring plus-size models, too, such as charisma, friendliness and a great smile, said Sandy Urna, chief merchandiser of PlusBoutique.com in Chicago. Beautiful hair, a great complexion, an original look and high energy are additional draws, said Michele Weston of Modestyle.com in New York.
A healthy lifestyle is important as well. “You need to take care of yourself because the stamina needed is unreal,” Weston said.
* Explore new modeling opportunities: Marshall should look into East Coast “print opportunities,” including newspapers, magazines, brochures and books, as well as posters and billboards.
Pay for this work can be up to $5,000 a day, and for supermodels, as much as $15,000 a day.
She also can approach department stores, national chains, specialty shops and direct-mail merchandisers about catalog and runway work. If Marshall is serious about her modeling career, she might consider overseas work as well. Countries such as Germany, Italy and Sweden feature plus-size models far more frequently in their print publications than does the United States, Emme said.
Marshall can send photos of herself to Mode, the 600,000-circulation fashion and beauty magazine for full-figure women.
She also may enter the plus-size model search competition sponsored by Mode and Wilhelmina Models. It is open to models who make less than $50,000 annually in the trade, as well as to newcomers, said Kristi McCormick at Wilhelmina. A toll-free hotline [(800) 543-7663] and Web site (https://www.modemag.com) offer additional information about the contest.
Lastly, Marshall’s extensive acting background makes her a natural for “lifestyle modeling”--emulating “real people” in commercials, editorial work and advertising campaigns.
* Update her portfolio: While Marshall plots her next career move, she should update her modeling portfolio and “comp card”--her modeling calling card that features her best tear sheets and test shots. To do this, she must hire a photographer, hairstylist and makeup artist to help her produce a series of photos showing her in a variety of outfits (casual, sporty, formal) and in several poses (a “beauty shot” of her face, a fashion full-length body shot).
“Nothing looks worse to a client than a tired ‘relic’ from the past in your portfolio or on your composite,” noted Schuller in her self-published manual, “Catherine Schuller’s Ultimate Plus-Size Modeling Guide.”
Most of all, Marshall should be aware that “steady work is rare, part time is the rule,” Schuller said. Steely determination is sometimes the difference between success and failure in the plus-size modeling market. It may take 20 or 30 “go-sees” before Marshall lands another job.
“Many models don’t work because they’re not persistent enough,” Emme said. She suggested that, should Marshall choose to remain in Southern California, she may wish to concentrate on her other careers: voice-over, stand-up and acting.
“I think you’re in a great transition,” Emme said. “And maybe this isn’t the right time in your life to pursue [plus-size modeling]--but that’s not what you want to hear.
“Remember that, if you decide to go to New York, you can always pick [the modeling] up again. It’ll be there waiting for you.”
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Time for a Change
* Name: Vanessa Marshall, 30
* Occupation: Performer, plus-size model
* Desired occupation: More successful plus-size model
* Quote: “It’s not about money. It’s about having my body endorsed for its beauty the way it is. That’s what’s very important to me about [plus-size modeling].”
Meet the Coach
Emme is the first plus-size model to become a celebrity and supermodel. She has twice been named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” and was chosen by Ladies Home Journal as one of the “100 Most Important Women in America.” Emme is a spokeswoman for Revlon and has launched her own clothing line, the Emme Collection.
