Inside Elite Model Management on Chicago’s Near North Side, makeup artist Rachael Perrin dusts a smidgen of blush onto Stephanie Schwartz’s flawless face.
“Oh, my God!” says Schwartz, a 17-year-old high school student from Naperville. “I’m so excited!”
Schwartz recently signed with Elite, one of Chicago’s premier modeling agencies; on this day she’s being primped for her first “test shoot,” a photo session designed to jump-start her career as a fashion model.
With her fresh-faced good looks and long, lean frame, Schwartz seems a shoe-in. But here’s the reality: There’s not as much fashion photo work in Chicago as there used to be.
Instead, Chicago-area models often make their living doing less-than-glamorous shoots that can nevertheless be lucrative. Clients may include uniform catalogs and companies that advertise goods such as beer and diapers.
Models get booked mainly through Elite and Ford Models Chicago, the two top Chicago modeling agencies, but some commercial photographers also rely on a handful of other local agencies, including Shirley Hamilton, which has been in business since 1962.
Companies such as Active Endeavors, Jockey and Claire’s Accessories shoot their advertising in Chicago using local female models. Some local publications, including Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Social Brides magazine, use fashion models.
But there was a time when fashion photo assignments were more plentiful.
“In the mid- to late 1970s, fashion photography really blossomed,” says Fred Stein, a longtime Chicago commercial photographer.
Back then, the city was home to catalog giants such as Sears, Roebuck and Co., Montgomery Ward and Spiegel, companies that frequently booked models for photo shoots. Local retailers such as Marshall Field’s, Carson Pirie Scott, Wieboldt’s, Chas. A. Stevens, Lytton’s and Evans kept models busy.
Today, many of the retail businesses and catalog houses have gone out of business, been sold or moved out of town. That means Chicago modeling agencies have had to adjust accordingly.
“As talent agents, we’ve had to go after other clients outside of the area,” says Jan Berendsen, vice president of Elite in Chicago.
Translation: If you’re a working model in Chicago, you may have to travel. Models trek to Milwaukee to do shoots for Kohl’s and Bon-Ton Stores Inc. (which owns Carson’s), and to Madison, Wis., for shopbop.com, a Web-based clothing retailer owned by amazon.com. They go to Minneapolis for Target and Dallas for J.C. Penney. It’s also not uncommon for models to travel abroad — to France, Italy and Singapore, for example — in pursuit of a paycheck, Berendsen says.
Chicago model Yanis Kalnins said traveling for shoots is an “exciting” part of his job, a sometimes difficult job, he added. On a busy day, Kalnins said he juggles up to four talent auditions, sometimes facing fierce competition.
He said he also works as a server at a seafood restaurant to supplement his income.
A Chicago model for three years, Kalnins said he has appeared in commercials for Sargento Cheese and Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats. He said he has a print ad for Motorola coming out soon.
At 44 years old, Kalnins said he usually portrays a dad, businessman or lawyer.
“[My job is] glamorous to some,” said Kalnins, who lives in Lincoln Park. “I just look at it as a business. I’m not in it to be a movie star. I’m just in it to make a living.”
Jobs can pay well
For photo shoots, models earn about $175 to $200 an hour, with the agency getting a 20 percent commission, Berendsen says. They also may receive bonuses for appearing in specific advertisements. Elite has 30 to 40 Chicago-area female models who “make a good living” modeling. Some Chicago models take home six-figure incomes, Berendsen says.
Another source of modeling work in Chicago is runway events. They include formal and informal modeling for department stores such as Macy’s, Carson’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Susan Glick, vice president of women’s apparel for Merchandise Mart Inc., produces about a dozen fashion trade shows a year for the Mart and for other clients.
Then there’s Gen Art, a national, non-profit arts and entertainment organization that showcases emerging talent, including fashion designers. Gen Art Chicago produces five major fashion shows a year, says Amanda Nosal, Chicago’s Gen Art director.
Glamor and stress
Since Susannah Collins signed with Lily’s Talent Agency more than two years ago, she said she has been photographed for Comcast and Budweiser print ads and Nissan and vehix.com TV commercials. The 27-year-old said she enjoys modeling because it gives her a chance to step into different roles and vary her look. But there also are unattractive aspects to her job, she said.
“My friends tell me I have a glamorous life, but when you’re living out of your car and constantly getting dressed in your car, it can get stressful,” said Collins, who lives in the West Loop.
Collins advises aspiring models to not let critiques, rejection and criticism damper their spirits. “You really have to get a tough skin, not take it personally and just keep going,” Collins said. “Know that there are roles and jobs that are perfect for you.”
–RedEye’s Tracy Swartz contributed
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Do you have the look?
When it comes to what kind of look is popular for Chicago modeling jobs, it’s fairly conservative, says fashion stylist Patric Chauvez. Most models here are “very pretty, with not overly strong features,” he says.
On the other hand, runway models can have “more of a unique look that might be frightening to an advertiser,” says Amanda Nosal, Chicago’s Gen Art director.
Merchandise Mart’s Susan Glick says she looks for models who represent a “global picture. We are looking for lots of diversity on the runway.”
Lily Liu, president of Lily’s Talent Agency Inc. in the West Loop, said Chicago agents are hungry for conventionally pretty “girl-next-door-types, like Christie Brinkley.”
Do you have what it takes?
– Female fashion models in Chicago must be at least 13.
– Girls 17 and younger should be at least 5-foot-6 and must have parental consent. Women age 18 and older should be at least 5-foot-8.
– Legitimate modeling agencies do not charge upfront fees.
– Enrolling in acting or dance classes may help you feel more comfortable in front of a camera and could help you get work in commercials and films.
– If you don’t have the physical attributes to become a professional model, consider signing up with Real Talent Inc. in Chicago, which uses people to appear primarily in print ads for clients such as State Farm Insurance, Harris Bank and Abbott Laboratories. Pay rates may vary, but models are usually paid $250-$360 for a two- to eight-hour day.
— TRIBUNE
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For moreinformation
Elite ModelManagement: 58 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60610; 312-943-3226elitechicago.com.
Ford Models Chicago: 1017 W. Washington Blvd. Suite 2C,Chicago, IL 60607; 312-243-9400fordmodels.com.
Lily’s Talent Agency: 1017 W. Washington Blvd. Suite 4F, Chicago, IL 60607; 312-601-2345; lilystalent.com.
Shirley Hamilton Inc.: 333 E. Ontario St. Suite 302, Chicago, IL 60611; 312-787-4700shirleyhamilton.com.
Real Talent Inc.: 1759 N. Humboldt Blvd., Chicago, IL 60647; 866-549-1200realtalentinc.com.
