DO YOU ONLY USE MODELS WHEN CREATING COLLECTIONS?

To street cast or to go through a professional model agency? What do these stylists think?

Yes

“I would always recommend investing in professional models for a photoshoot. The images the team and I create represent me and my brand so I want to produce the best possible quality collection. For me, this means having the best models available. Of course, the hair is the most important part of the image, but a great face will draw you in and make your hairstyle look even better. If you go through a well-known model agency, you know that the models you select have been signed up to that agency because they are photogenic. This doesn’t necessarily mean ‘pretty’ but certain people look great on camera, and model agencies are experts at finding them. You want your images to make an impact, to be visually powerful and a professional model will help make this happen.

They will also take far less time and effort to direct. They are used to taking instructions and knowing what works for the camera. Models aren’t actors, but they do learn to inject the right emotion into their posture and expression. It also means there’s one less thing for you to have to worry about on a shoot, as you know an experienced model will know how to ‘work’ the camera, so you can focus on creating incredible hair, making your life and the photographer's much easier.

You will obviously pay more to use professional models, but, in my opinion, the time saved on the day, and the end results, justify this cost.”

MARTIN CREAN, MODE HAIR, CHIPPING CAMPDEN

No

“I love using models that we street cast because it offers you a fresh, new face. Sometimes you find that professional models from an agency can appear in other collections on the same cycle which has the possibility of impacting the uniqueness of your work. It can also be challenging to make genuine style changes to a professional’s hair because the condition has been compromised or they have other work booked in based on the current style of their hair. When we use street casting there's more diversity of models which makes it easier to give the shoot that ‘edge’ when looking outside of professional model options. This does depend on where you find your models, for example, in London people vary from Chelsea and Notting Hill, to Shoreditch and Soho. Although things are slowly changing within model agencies, it’s refreshing to see collections that don’t feature your typical beauty standards.

We pick our models because they already have a look we like. This includes hair, style, and attitude. More often than not, street cast models are open to different ideas as they have creative freedom and are willing to experiment. We build strong relationships with them and use them as our in-house models, making sure we look after their hair ourselves.

If you’re having to work within a strict budget, this is a great option to consider. We would always opt to select models that best represent our brand and effectively showcase our creative and technical skills.”

ERNIE MAZONAITE, HARE & BONE ART TEAM