Today kicks off New York Fashion Week, an important time of year for models.
In these interviews, sociologist Ashley Mears talks about her research on modeling. Modeling, she explains, is a “winner take all” market; most live in very precarious economic circumstances. The value of her product — her body and her ability to use it — is something over which she has almost no control.
Accordingly, modeling requires an incredible amount of “emotion work,” the control of one’s feelings and presentation of emotions for the sake of an employer or customer.
For more from Dr. Mears, see our posts on the invisibility of labor in modeling, the ugly secret behind the model search, thinness in modeling (trigger warning), and contrasting aesthetics for high end and commercial models.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 14
Anonymous — February 9, 2012
I think you posted the same clip twice
Anonymous — February 9, 2012
I think you posted the same clip twice
Jenn — February 9, 2012
Second video is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN6Yvf3b8zI
Anon — February 9, 2012
I am not convinced that this project is anything more than me-search by a former model. There are MANY studies that are MUCH more interesting about emotional management. What does this add? Is the contribution in the economic aspect of the project?
S. S. — February 9, 2012
You know what is really "emotion work"? Teaching. Modeling has nothing on that.
Dannyalvord — February 9, 2012
I remember hearing her on NPR
Andrew S — February 9, 2012
My job as a self employed photographer has been working with "new" and "I just want to try it out" models, for the most part, shooting my own art work and just "Stuff" the models want or may like for their portfolio (or, more often, their Facebook wall).
The internet has changed the industry big time, but for the majority of models and photographers, the internet has not helped them make more money or money in a different way than has been status quo for decades.
However, I've never wanted to be a photographer who plays by the rules, since I figure there's a very small chance that I'd end up at the top of the heap, winning and taking all.
instead I've built a website that allows photographers and models to do just what I do: Produce work I *want* to produce, and find regular people who want to support my work financially (and no, it's not porn even though it's on the internet and people are paying for it).
I've been a huge success doing this for the past 4 and a half years full time. Yet even with hard facts and figures, showing people how they can make thousands of dollars from a single 2 or 3 hour photo shoot, its been extremely difficult getting people to give it a try.
That's it. That's my story. Not sure if it makes sense, but I figured I'd tell it since I thought about it after reading/watching this post.
Caroline — February 10, 2012
This reminds me of the rights group a bunch of models founded just before New York Fashion Week this year.
http://us.fashionmag.com/news-232688-Models-form-rights-group-ahead-of-New-York-Fashion-Week