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Some cried with joy, others contemplated a long career. On social networks, many say they did not expect it. These teenagers have been selected for one of the paid modeling competitions, the New Fashion Generation. Organized by the agency Graine de mode, this competition, born in 2014, promises to the winners “a contract with major Parisian and foreign agencies”. Winner of the last edition, Agathe, 20, was ready to pay 35 euros to get closer to her goal: ” To become a star. “Many people told me that I had an atypical profile, that’s what encouraged me to participate”, explains the young woman.
Chosen from 3,000 candidates, this film degree student keeps her feet on the ground: “I intend to continue my studies in parallel. » For Maroa, the dilemma between studies and modeling did not arise. The young woman, originally from Aix-en-Provence, comes out empty-handed from the Egeri Tour competition, to which she applied in 2021 by paying 39 euros. “We do not promise candidates to make a career. It’s an experience to try your hand at modeling,” warns an employee who takes care of the selection.
A price just accessible for Maroa, student in foreign and regional languages, literatures and civilizations in Clermont-Ferrand: “Since I was a child, I have dreamed of becoming an actress… Modeling seemed like a more direct way to achieve this goal. » At 19, she hears about this competition on Instagram. Communication that bears fruit, since 5,000 to 8,000 young people take part in it each year. The only conditions: be between 14 and 29 years old, and measure 1.62 meters minimum for girls and 1.72 meters for boys, very far from fashion standards.
Conformism encouraged
The Aixoise, whose parents are nursing assistants and construction workers, sees Egeri Tour as an opportunity. This is the principle of these competitions: to open up to as many people as possible. “For a long time, it was all about Elite Model Look (founded in 1983). The multiplicity of paid contests is part of the trend of democratization of fashion. However, money acts as a new barrier in order to limit total democratization,” exposes Sarah Banon, professor of fashion theory at the French Fashion Institute (IFM).
However, regardless of the cost of registration, many young people are ready to embark on a modeling career. “Platforms like Instagram or TikTok can reinforce this desire and push them to put themselves forward. What is encouraged is also a conformism and an ideal of beauty”notes Vanessa Lalo, clinical psychologist specializing in digital practices.
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