Curvy Model Application: What Is a Curvy Model?

Becoming a model is the dream of many young girls, and TV shows like Germany’s Next Topmodel (GNTM) only fuel it. Applying as a curvy model has a few quirks.

But what are the requirements for a model, or "mannequin" as it used to be called? And what exactly is a plus size or curvy model?

Part of the traditional job profile of a model is being tall and very slim. You need to be at least 5'7". It's even better to be between 5'8" and 5'10". The ideal height is 5'9". Some agencies only take on girls from 5'9" up, so keep that in mind if you're planning a curvy model application. In contrast to the ultra-thin, rail-thin women who are colloquially called living coat hangers, curvy models are somewhat heavier and fuller. Plus-size models are booked from roughly a US size 10 up to a size 16. They have noticeably more womanly curves, are much fuller and sturdier, so-called Rubenesque women. Well-known curvy models include Ashley Graham in America and Angelina Kirsch in Germany.

Curvy model application

If you want to work as a model, you should first of all look better than average. This job is only about looks, appearance and outward beauty. The business is often very superficial. Women are reduced to their looks alone.
The best approach is to apply to a modeling agency that specializes in plus-size models. For a curvy model application, a comp card is important. It contains test shots and photos of you. It absolutely must include a full-body photo and a portrait. The better the quality of the photos, the greater your chances of being accepted. Most agencies are based in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago. Ideally the girl should have that certain something, a good figure, and move beautifully on the runway. If you've danced, you have an advantage. On top of that, the designer's collection has to be fitted exactly to the body, and designers are known to be very strict.

The curvy model application - The business of beauty

The Kraftwerk song "The Model" sums up the stereotype of the job.
It's definitely worth a try. If you absolutely want to become a model and you don't wear a size 0 or 2 (size zero) or a size 4, you can send in a curvy model application.
In the modeling world, plus sizes already start at around a US size 8. Even on GNTM in Germany, a contestant took part in 2020 as a curvy model representative. Plus-size models are on the rise, because the general population keeps getting heavier.
Even though very thin women usually advertise haute couture and high fashion, curvy models are now also in high demand on the market and quite successful in their field.