Milan

Milan, Italy, is one of the top fashion cities in the world. A relatively inexpensive city with a wonderful culture, amazing food, and warm people, Milan is a popular destination for models on their first business trip. The city is a great breakthrough market for new faces looking to gain experience in the industry and hoping to work internationally. A successful stint in Milan has helped to launch many models careers on an international level. However, the city is filled with hundreds of models and is one of the most competitive modelling markets in the world. New faces to long time veterans of the industry travel to the market for work and some models return as many as three to four times before they have found success or their “big break.”

Market criteria

Agencies in Milan are always on the hunt for new faces. A model can have only a couple test shoots and if an agency thinks they will work, they can be sent to go on contract to Milan.

For fashion, editorial and runway work, models must be tall (e.g. 177+cm [5’10”]) and slim. 
For commercial work, agencies and clients in Milan love classic beauties. Think models with beautiful eyes, full lips, and chiseled cheekbones.

Although Milan has a lot of different types of jobs, it isn’t a market that models go to in order to earn money – especially in the current economic crisis facing Italy. Milan is a good market for new faces to get acquainted with the industry, get exposure, do fashion week, and build a portfolio.​

Money can be made in Milan but it takes at least a few months to start seeing some progress. Although the city itself isn’t expensive to live in, model expenses ten to run quite high. Success in Milan as a model also depends largely on luck as well as a good agency pushing the model to clients. Sometimes a model starts working right away, but sometimes it takes them months or even years before they start booking lucrative jobs. Milan can be worth it for a model to try at least a couple times throughout their career.

Age
Agencies in Milan like to scout new faces and models who are 18 years old or younger (but you have to be at least 16 to work legally in Europe). It’s a market that grooms models by helping them define their look and build their portfolio to prepare them to work internationally.

Agencies will take on older models who are in their 20s, but need to be commercial in order to find success in Milan. Most of the editorial shoots will be for younger models. If older models are not commercial, they need to have very strong portfolios and years of experience in order to be able to compete for the bigger jobs and campaigns.

Seasons
The best season to go to work in Milan, if you’re planning to do runway, is the the beginning of February and beginning of September. Other good times to go to Milan are during the warmer months (May-July) as well as during the fall (September-November).

Fashion Weeks:
Spring/Summer – Mid-end of September (e.g. 18-23rd)
Fall/Winter – End of February (e.g. 20-26th)

Transportation
Public Transportation – Like many parts of Europe, the public transportation in Milano is very good, reliable, and is the preferred method of getting around the city. The public transportation in Milan is very affordable. A standard issue ticket starts at €1.50 and is valid for 90 minutes for unlimited rides on all public transport services. There is also the option of purchasing a pass at one of the metro stations that costs only €30 per month. This gives you access to taking the metro, tram, as well as the buses all around Milan.

Driving/Taxis – Driving and taxi’s are the least recommended method of transportation in Milano. The roads are often congested, parking is difficult to find, and it’s very expensive.

Bicycle/BikeMi – BikeMi is a great and very affordable way to get around Milano. To use the BikeMi services, you can register on their website online and will have to use your credit card. Once your transaction has been approved, you’ll be sent a user name and password to use at any one of the BikeMi stations. There are over 100 stations scattered around the city and you can drop the bike off at one that’s nearest you. The cost for using the BikeMi service is very affordable. The rate for renting out a bike is €2.50 per day and the first 30 minutes are free. After that, each additional cost is €0.50 cents per half hour. There are also passes available for €6.00 per week.

What to wear
 If you have a casting for Prada and you’re wearing cut offs and flip flops, it’s not going to work. Don’t underestimate the power that a pair of good fitting jeans or a well tailored blouse can have. You don’t need to buy expensive clothes in order to have style but you need to put in an effort. You are your own product and you need to market yourself to the client appropriately. Dress chick and cool! Read more tips on our “Model Style” page!

​On a casting
​When you come to the agency for a first time, bring something special from your country as a gift. The simple gesture of sharing something from your home will be greatly appreciated – think souvenir key rings, chocolate bars, and other treats only available in your country!

When going to casting, you should always showcase your personality to clients. For the most part, Italians are very warm people who love other people who share the same zest for life as them. At castings, remember to be charming and sweet and you’ll start to get a positive reputation in the industry and hopefully bookings will follow.

Forget the competition! Being such a huge market, the competition in Milan is incredibly high. There are many beautiful models from all across the world who will be up for the same jobs as you. But it’s important for you to do your best and to ignore the competition. Yes there might be some models who might have longer legs than you or a stronger portfolio but they’re not you. If you’re confident, stay focused on yourself, and show some personality, clients will see that and remember you over the others.

Know the designers you might be working with! If you have a casting for the likes of Giorgio Armani or Versace, take the time to learn the history about the fashion house, who is currently the head designer, what looks or styles they’re famous for etc. It’s important to know who you’re working!

Learn how to walk! When you’re in Milan and you plan to do fashion week, learn how to walk. Castings during fashion week are hectic where a few hundred models can attend the same casting the same day. These are known as, “cattle calls.” You will want to do your absolute best to stand out amongst the other models and your confidence in your walk is very important. Take cues from catwalk queens like Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, and Karlie Kloss for inspiration.

STAY AWAY FROM Promoters / PRs! They will be waiting for you at castings, around the agency and will invite you to parties, clubs,etc. They will be acting like your friends, but in reality they are being payrolled by clubs and clients who enjoy the company of model girls. The promoters get paid per model that they sit at the model table. They sometimes take home over 5000 Euros per night just by bringing young unknowing girls to the clubs. Needless to say that these clients may try to take advantage of you, especially because they feel that they are entitled to certain things because they have paid for you to be there. Problem is, you’re not an escort and you’re not getting paid; the promoter does. Besides the obvious dangers of hanging out with promoters, your modeling career will take a dive because you will be tired the next day from the partying, the alcohol will make your face puffy and your eyes will have dark circles.

​If you really want to go out than hang out with your bookers, photographers, but people from the industry and not from the nightlife business! 

On the job
Milan is an important market so you have to stay focused and do your best! 

Types of Jobs
Editorials: There is a huge list of magazines that models can expect to shoot for when working in Milan. Usually the most common reason why models choose to go to Milan to begin with is to work on their portfolio. With the large amount of editorials and talented photographers in the market, models can expect to leave with at least a couple new tear sheets and tests in their book.
(As all models know the rates for editorials are never high, even if they’re for a very good magazine.

Lookbooks are quite common in Milan and many designers who shoot campaigns will shoot look books as well. From local designers to the luxury brands to online shopping websites, there’s a wide range of clients for many models.

Campaigns: There are a large amount of campaigns to be shot in Milano. From campaigns for local designers to larger fashion houses to fragrance & eye wear, there are many different types of clients to shoot for.The rate for campaigns in Milan vary. Campaigns for local brands can go between €3000-10,000 and upwards of €20,000-30,000 for international campaigns for the larger fashion houses. 

Runway: Milan is home to some of the world’s largest and most prestigious fashion houses. The castings for the shows are usually by request only. Milan Fashion Week has two separate fashion weeks for menswear and for women’s ready to wear.

The rates for shows in Milan vary depending on the designers. Most shows tend to not pay very much unless you’re walking for the likes of Gucci or Versace. On average though a runway show can pay anywhere between €400-1000. Some designers might offer “trade” – giving the model a garment from the designer’s collection as an exchange for walking in their show.

Few lucky models get an exclusive; when a designer hires a model for a show and that model is only allowed to walk for that one designer. Exclusives can pay upwards of €20,000. Although they pay very well, exclusives are rare and don’t happen often. A couple famous designers renowned for their exclusive bookings are Calvin Klein and Prada. 

Showrooms & Fittings: Milan is famous for their showroom and fitting jobs! They offer a stable salary and the job is easy! If a big brand chooses you to be their fitting model you can earn 20.000 -30.000 EUR in 2-3 months and you can find yourself living in Milan For more info, just ask our amazing Bibi who is working for Gucci, Prada, Calvin Klein and many other famous brand!  

Make sure you are always nice with the people you are working with because the market is small! Always smile and be on time! 

Note: Italians love to use hand gestures in everyday conversation. Italian hand gestures originate as far back as the 14th century where Italy was under foreign occupation by countries like Austria and Spain. They used gestures as a method to communicate amongst themselves so they couldn’t be understood. Although to some people might find them amusing, it’s a huge part of Italian culture. Take the time to watch how Italians converse with one another and be aware of your own gestures as well.