Model agency earning money: How much does a model earn and from when?
How can you earn money in a model agency? And when can you start? The possibilities are extremely diverse, depending on how far you make it as a model. Basically, at the beginning, it’s always first about building yourself up as a model before you can even start earning money. This includes, on the one hand, your personality, but also your appearance and, of course, your portfolio. Only when all these factors are right, and your agency can fully trust you, when they send you to their clients, then you can also start earning money.
We take a look at everything today! The different incomes in individual countries, the first jobs as a fitting model, from photo shoots to fashion shows and advertising campaigns.
Earning money as a model
We wanted to give you a quick overview today of the areas in which you can earn money as a model in a large agency, such as CM Models. It’s important to know that modeling offers you many possibilities and freedoms, but you must motivate yourself and above all show ambition every day. If you are on a shooting set with twelve people from the advertising agency and a photographer who isn’t very talkative, then you have to be the friendly person who brings energy to the set! With experience and enthusiasm, you carry out your job just like at a fashion show. No one should have to explain to you again what you need to do. Your task is to know exactly what you are doing! That’s why the preparation time as a model, which usually takes place during school, is so important for up-and-coming talents. Let’s take a look now at the different areas in which you can earn money as a model.
Pay and Income: How much does a model earn?
The fees and earnings vary greatly between cities. For example, between small towns or metropolitan areas, between clients, small and new startups versus the big international players, as well as between countries.
In France, you tend to earn more money than in Greece. All these different factors come together. Naturally, your experience and skills, as well as your appearance and a few other factors that you often can’t influence yourself, such as height, play a big role. When all of this comes together, the working days are also calculated, as well as the travel and stay, and of course also the subsequent usage. Alone the usage time is divided into different factors, for example, the territorial usage, meaning in which countries or cities something is broadcasted or placed. Just like the different media, starting from online media up to digital ads on social media platforms and of course the classic billboards, as well as TV advertising, or naturally also cinema spots.
Before one can get to the well-paid TV jobs, almost all models start with the classic fashion & advertising jobs, between Instagram and online shops.
- What does an advertising agency do? More on the topic: Advertising agency
Photo shoots for Instagram and online shops: Advertising
Eine der ersten Grundlagen, die du als Model lernen musst, ist das unterschiedliche Posieren für verschiedene Motive. Besonders für Mode Online Shops, ist es wichtig, dass auf jedem Motiv ein wenig neue Emotion, neuer Stand, neue Bewegung zu sehen ist. Genau diese Abläufe muss man als junges Model lernen. Deshalb lohnen sich insbesondere Fotoshootings für Onlineshops und Instagram, da man hier große Vielfalt beweisen muss. Denn meist werden direkt viele Kleidungsstücke ausprobiert und mehrere Strecken geschossen.
Ganz anders wird es später bei einem Kampagnen Shooting ablaufen, hier fokussiert man sich meist auf ein, oder zwei Kleidungsstücke und natürlich nur auf ein einziges Motiv. Sobald du also in diese Liga vorrückst, musst du sehr viel Übung und Erfahrung vorweisen, damit der Kunde definitiv davon ausgehen kann, dass das Foto sitzen wird. Insbesondere wenn große Produktions Teams dabei sind, 10 bis 15 Personen, die das Set vorbereiten, Catering, Equipment, Location und natürlich noch Vieles mehr. Dann hast du nur einen Tag Zeit, danach startet der Flieger. Es gibt also keine Möglichkeit irgendetwas nach zu produzieren. Deshalb musst du dich langsam von den ersten Online Shop Shootings hochkämpfen, bin hin zu den großen Kampagnen Shootings.
Showrooms und Modenschau: Mode präsentieren
A slightly smaller source of income are then Showrooms. Showrooms are small fashion shows. There you don’t have a public audience, but only the designer and a few buyers from various boutiques and fashion chains. These buyers look at the new pieces of the collection and then decide whether to include a few items in their range.
Showroom: Fitting Model
The pre-stage to the showroom is the job of the fitting model. Here, you stand in front of the designer to take measurements for cuts and individual pieces. If the designer would like to continue working with you, you might already be booked as a model for your first showroom.
In the showroom, as a model, you present clothing directly in front of the customer (buyer), so that they can get an impression of the cut, material, and fit. The designer, or the respective sales manager, then explains to the customer what particular emphasis was placed on in the collection, what the special features are, and any additional details. Meanwhile, as a model, you present the jeans or the top, turn around, and occasionally a customer might ask you, for example, how a certain fabric feels on the skin, or how a particular cut fits in terms of seating. This way, you can give a direct assessment of how the clothing feels when worn. Exactly this is what you can expect in a showroom!
Fashion show: Runway model
A size bigger is the fashion show. At a fashion show, you no longer have just the designer and the buyers, but also the public audience. This includes, for example, celebrities, but also influencers and fashion editors. Here, you no longer present individual pieces of clothing alone or with just one or two other models, but you are directly part of a large group of 15 to 20 models on site. You are all part of a presentation and showcase the new collections of the designer, which will most likely be available on the market in the upcoming season. At a fashion show or in a showroom, the focus is not on showcasing you as a model, but on the clothing and the designer. As a model, you take a backseat.
Sandra for Lena Hoschek @ Berlin Fashion Week
Not only on the runway, but also on the cover of one or another magazine, Sandra has already been seen. Here was her first: Dawanda Cover with Sandra Hunke. In addition, she works as a brand ambassador for one of the leading faucet manufacturers: Sandra Hunke x Hansa, thus combining style and fashion with craftsmanship and interior design. Such diverse is the job of a model.
Ad clips for Facebook and YouTube
If you’ve learned your first lessons and have experience with poses, expressions, and emotions, you can gradually take on more challenging projects. These include, for example, short advertising clips. Nowadays, these are often for social media platforms like Facebook or YouTube. The short ads showcase a new hair care product or a new smartphone. As a model, you present the respective product in five to ten seconds. These videos are then played as advertisements, for example. Such commercials are already significantly more demanding, because you no longer just need to look good, but you have to pay attention to many different factors. Firstly, there are video shoots with other people or models with whom you have to interact. Therefore, every emotional trigger has to be right. You have to harmonize with each other.
Some commercials also require a small speaking role. When a production company plans such an ad, of course they always want an experienced model, or their model agency to 100% confirm that they will perform the job with brilliance. Speaking roles are much more demanding, as here it’s not just appearance and emotions that decide, but also the language, emphasis, and many small details in facial expression. If you ever become good enough, you might also make it into the big commercials that are then shown in cinemas, on television, or on streaming portals.
Anne Backstage: About You Commercial
Scenes from the commercial for the new About You app.
Short clips for Instagram, Facebook & YouTube:
NEW ARRIVALS. Discover the most beautiful spring looks …► http://ow.ly/10anYS
Posted by ABOUT YOU on Sunday, 3 April 2016
Fashion Shootings – New Fashion Collection
Lookbook shootings are often something special, as you shoot the entire collection directly here. Lookbooks are also printed relatively frequently, so as a model you can also see a printed result. Lookbook shootings are very important for designers, as they show the entire collection to buyers. This means that the look of the shooting can make or break a project to some extent. Therefore, it is very important for fashion designers that the models for lookbook shootings are very experienced, or have an absolutely individual look, so that you can again rely less on experience.
Eugenia for Ship Sheip Look Book
Eugenia doesn’t just shoot look books, she was also in front of the camera for Buffalo London: Eugenia x Buffalo London.
Commercial for TV and cinema
One of the biggest earning opportunities for models comes from TV and cinema commercials, which are now also frequently played on streaming platforms. These commercials are often aired very frequently. The more you are seen, the more usage rights you can claim and the more you can earn. If then a commercial, for example, is broadcast in another country because the production costs were higher than the simple acquisition, you get additional buyouts. Naturally, TV commercials are extremely demanding, here the teams are no longer just 10 people but sometimes even 50 or 60 people who plan and execute such a TV commercial. In the end, you might be responsible with another model for ensuring that only the perfect image is created.
While helicopters take off next to you or some cars explode. Of course, not every commercial is that spectacular, but you can see what a big responsibility you have in such a project. Especially when you only have 8 hours for the shoot and the next day the entire production, the equipment, and the team are already broken up.
Don’t you believe it?
This is what a really big commercial film production looks like:
Quantum Jump Commercial: Highlight for Models
Sanja, Whoopy and Co. in the Opel Commercial: Quantum Jump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr9TN_rlcuw
Influencers and Social Media
If you have built up a growing community yourself, your model agency might eventually suggest you for influencer marketing jobs. Many clients of model agencies specifically ask for bloggers and influencers, as model agencies are interested in a very young target audience.
Influencer campaigns are very diverse. Starting with posting on Instagram, up to a short story via Instagram Stories about event attendees, or even simply placing products in YouTube videos. Influencer marketing is so diverse that more and more agencies are jumping on the bandwagon. We were among the first and have since helped numerous customers promote their brand online. For many models, the job of an influencer is relatively close, as it also involves photos, media presence and, of course, dealing with emotions, facial expressions, cameras and sometimes even the red carpet. Therefore, as a model, you should always think about how intensively you maintain your own social channels. Instagram in particular should receive a lot of attention from models, as it is relatively easy to build a community here. More and more customers look at the number of followers on individual social media channels. Therefore, our secret tip at the end, if you start your modeling career, start with Instagram from day one! After two or three years, this investment will pay off for you!
Episode clients are A&O for models
This was the typical income and work path of a model. You earn your bread in the same way, and through follow-up clients, you can dedicate your entire life to this job. Not only through follow-up clients, but also through recurring customers, as they are particularly what sets you apart because they were satisfied with the job. Satisfied customers mean a satisfied model agency, and thus the perfect entry point for you as a model.
Become a model: Tips & Guide
If you want to apply to our model agency, you will find all the information here.
Modeling in China BTS: Gaia from Paris talks about her experiences as a model in Beijng x Shanghai
Model Casting Barcelona 11.03.2025 - apply now! Date & registration
UFC Sport campaign in Seoul with Simon
Models.com x CM Models Management
Insider: Impressions from our model casting!
FAVELA Clothing - new campaign with Basile Lafrej and Dohoo Kang
