The modeling industry in Ukraine

Modeling business is a “pink” dream of many girls. Naturally, every girl wants to be a cover girl of a glossy magazine and to walk down a European runway under the lights of cameras. However, nobody really knows what’s happening behind the scenes of a beautiful fairytale, except for the very models…
The modeling industry in Ukraine has been rapidly developing over the last 10 years. Every more or less developed city has at least several modeling agencies, welcoming “new blood”.
If you are a pretty girl, aged from 13 to 20, there must have been quite a few agencies, offering you cooperation, guaranteeing high fees and fulfillment of your creative potential. It’s often the first deluding thing. Representatives of these agencies (bookers) give no peace to girls in social networks. Even chubby, short, and unattractive girls get messages from managers. However, it doesn’t mean that you’ll conclude a contract shortly. First, they’ll offer you to finish a modeling school, promising further cooperation. The important thing here is adequate self-evaluation. The minimum height of a runway model is 176cm, while the required measurements in terms of figure lie in the range of 90-65-90. So why should a girl, who has no chance at all, spend several months, studying at a modeling school? In Ukraine the agencies, that pay tuition fees for their future models, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In order to get an idea of modeling business and to have some basic courses in runway walk, cosmetology, dietology, etiquette, and posing, you’ll have to pay around 1500-2500 UAH for 2-3 months.
An intelligent person is unlikely to learn something entirely new in a modeling school. Most often teachers here speak in generalities, resorting to commonly-known facts. Only runway walk and posing practical trainings are worth visiting. However, are these heavy expenses really justified? For example, only 3 girls out of 17 in a group of modeling school came into signing a contract. Modeling school is a source of main income for many agencies.
Model agency description often resembles pre-election campaigns of presidential candidates. “Our agency will make you a real star!” “Yachts, journeys, and million contracts are waiting for you!” Such slogans make us smiling. Here is the second trap for girls, as only few of them become “stars”. Modeling career in Ukraine doesn’t bring much money to the girls involved.

Nowadays, there is a big outflow of Ukrainian models abroad. The reason is that, before, there were less models and they were better-paid. Now the situation has changed. Designers usually do not book models, hiring them for 1-2 seasons, and then choose new ones.
Moreover, today it’s really easy to get in touch with model agencies via Internet and to choose girls directly. Even for some small agencies, it has become quite an easy task to find a beautiful Ukrainian girl.
In most cases, modeling is just a hobby that sometimes enhances your self-esteem. In Lviv for a fashion show a model earn 150 UAH on average. The same amount of money goes to her agency.
You can read more of this article in our April 2015 issue of ModelsMania