Many young and upcoming models in the industry struggle to understand the difference between modelling styles, but it's actually really easy, you just need to understand the differences between them!
Have you entered pageants or other modelling competitions and you didn't place? But you really feel that you did great and stood out? Well.... Perhaps you walked the wrong style, see... if you walk catwalk at a pageant you will loose a lot of marks especially if the pageant has a high score for Ramp skills on the judging criteria!
Catwalk or Runway Modelling: (As seen on Fashion Shows)
This is when you Advertise clothing, Many girls watch Fashion TV and think wow Now I know how to walk at the local pageant, and then they get it all wrong! Fashion TV represents International Catwalk, you will see models walking fast, big strides and often no Smiling!! This is because they advertise the clothing, it's not about them as a person and that is why they often do the model's hair and make-up exactly the same, in order to put more emphasis on the clothing!
Catwalk is often done with more attitude than Pageantry. You walk lifting your knees slightly, one foot over the other one on a straight line! Be careful to not slide your feet sideways as you walk. Shoulders are to remain still in both Catwalk and Pageantry. In Catwalk you are merely the coat hanger, you need to make the clothes look amazing in order to boost sales! You will never introduce yourself with Catwalk/Fashion Shows that is done in proper runway etiquette.
When you do a fashion show with wedding gowns, designers might request you to smile as they want to advertise a happy bridal experience, you could even be asked to walk a pageant walk to look graceful and elegant, it's always important as a model to be able to adjust in such cases. You are a working model and you need to listen to different requests from producers and designers. In South Africa for instance shops want models to walk longer routines in Mall Fashion Shows as they want their outfits to be on stage longer, so they could request a slower walk or more turns or even freeze modelling during a fashion show! The industry is definitely different from international Fashion Shows, it's always best to ask exactly what is expected from you!
With Catwalk you can advertise accessories, like a handbag, scarf, remove a jacket etc which is not advisable in pageants, as with pageants you don't really advertise your outfit or any items.
Pageantry
The Pageant style is a more elegant walk and is much slower than the usual catwalk style. You also don't bounce as much (meaning you don't lift your knees to high as with catwalk) Don't shake your shoulders or turn fast, your walk is about showing that you are classy, you don't need to try to hard, just be confident and feminine with everything you do in pageantry.
Think of it this way..... In pageants you sell yourself as a person, they often want a humble hard working girl, who is classy, sophisticated, well spoken and has a passion for making a difference. Pageantry is about your personality and if you walk catwalk with all this attitude you will come across as arrogant and full of yourself, and perhaps you just didn't understand the difference between these modelling styles!
In pageants less is more, don't be too over the top, keep it classy, confident and simple! Show off your poise and elegance with your walk! Pageantry requires a big smile, good eye contact, good posture and good voice projection when speaking.
Join our academy for professional training in the different Catwalk and Pageant styles as well as all the turns that is appropriate for each style!
I hope my tips helped you, All the best with your next competition! I hope to see you At one of our events soon! View all our events on www.limpopobeautymodeling.co.za/events
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Lots of lovies
Katryn Barwise
CEO Limpopo Beauty Modeling Academy
Miss Humanity International'14