"Old School" vs "New School" in SL Modelling

I've been to Paris, London, Milan and New York these last two weeks. RL Modelling has always been an inspiration to me and I would really like to see that happen in SL as well.
Those of us who have never been to a RL Fashion Show cannot fully understand what I say in my blog.

Most of SL Models (not to say most part of them) haven't been to a RL Fashion Show. That worries me a lot, I must say. SL is a way to create, I know. We all can recreate ourselves in SL, be what we are not in RL. However, the main principles should remain the same.

I have been to several Shows in SL these last weeks, but honestly, weren't worth shooting, or because there were always the same "old " SL Models (which was the case of a very famous "Fashion week") ; or because there were no good conditions whatsoever for me to shoot a good shot (mostly because of SL issues) or even because there were so many "new" Models that the Show ... really wasn't good. There are some "runway vices" many of the new SL Models are picking up, I don't know where they got those "vices" from. No matter what, I won't be shooting more of that kind of Fashion Shows. I am there, I watch them , but I will not be publicizing them. There is no reason to publish a post about something that we didn't like to see, or if there are too many technical mistakes.

Now, let's see,: we all have been noticing for quite a while now, that there are so many SL Models that the job of becoming a Model is now ultra competitive in SL. Mostly, female SL Models pack up in a row just to be in a Contest or in a Casting. It's terrible to see.

It's a growing business in SL.

New Model Agencies have been popping up, they cast new Models and then... there is no work to do.

So, mostly, new Models in SL are being born in a "fake" environment: they must think that the idea is to get lots of SL Model Agency's tags; the more the better.

Well, let's say I'm an SL Model Agency CEO, I wouldn't hire a Model without checking carefully their profiles, their picks.

Too much Model Agencies in a SL Model Profile would make me NOT chose that Model. But, to have, let's say, three good Model Agencies, yes, that is good. Less Agencies but good ones!! I won't tell you which are good or not, just think that to enter certain Model Agencies , the SL Model has to be personally invited. It's not "open "to everybody nor to castings.

Next, let's take a look at some SL Models profiles.
If I take the Models's names off, you can tell which ones you would hire, if you were a Models Agency CEO, yourselves, just by looking at their profiles. It works like a portfolio. That's the first thing I do when I see a Model tag, in SL, I check that person's profile.

Some of them are "in store" Models, they prefer to wear the tag, outside their work, I really don't understand why. It's like being a dentist, being at the supermarket and wear a MD tag card on his lapel. What would be the use of that? Except maybe to show off his job? And why would that be necessary? Again, maybe because that person is insecure. The same thing happens in SL; a Model Tag must be worn in the shows, sure, but in a hair store or somewhere else in SL, why wear a Model tag, when people are not working?

Don't worry, cause everybody may check your profiles and see what you do!! No need to show off your jobs when you're not working. It's one of the most egotistic things I've seen Models do in SL.

I didn't see any RL Model in Paris or London Fashion Shows wearing a "Model Tag" or a "Model card" attached to their jackets. There is no need. We can guess that the person sitting next to you in a Madrid Fashion Show may be a Model , but it's just a guess. Maybe because the person is stylish, or has a particular quality that stands out. That would be the best reason to guess if a person is a Model.

Same in SL. No need to wear a Model Tag outside a runway. What for?

I'll check some SL Models profiles next time and remove the SL Model's name, not to be biased.
Then, think for yourselves. If you were a SL Model Agency CEO, would you hire that person? It's a good mental exercise to do.

Second Life is all about creation. What is the reason why you became a SL Model? The first reason? Think about that, because if the reason was to make good money, we all know that it's not going to happen in SL Modelling World. Why did you become a SL Model in the first place? Believe me or not, the reason why you became a SL Model is shown in your profile. We'll see about that, next time.

Swansong AVENUE Show

This was - how can I put it - a WOW Fashion Show!!!!
I was absolutely astonished by all the creativity that surrounded me!
As a Second Life Fashion Critique, my job is to look at SL Models and actually see what they do, how they move with the tools SL gives them and you can be sure, some of them do take it seriously!
This Show was an excellent example of that: the professionalism in the Fashion Industry inside Second Life!

If you didn't see this Show, my photos won't even give you the slightest idea, because there was the sim itself, the music that AVENUE CEO was streaming, the outfits, the Models' moves on the runway and all that can't be shown in a capture. You had to be there and live through this experience!

Absolutely GORGEOUS!! This is the reason why I get so sad and nasty sometimes! If some people can work like this in Second Life, why can't everybody in the Fashion Industry? Make it worth while.
Make it professional!

There are issues in a Show like this, obviously. One of them is lag, needlees to say. I did my best to shoot these SL Models the best way I could and I cannot be 100% sure that some of the mistakes (some) I saw was not caused by lag or the slow movements of my own camera.

But just take a look at this. You'll see what I mean. My raw photos can give you an idea of what I mean: a great group working together - the sim itself and what surrounded us, the Second Life Designers' creativity and AVENUE Model Agency - Models and Staff.

It was magical, it was elegant, it was fashionable, it was creative. The photos you'll see are not in the Show order; it's just a way for you to see what a professional group of people in SL can do.

This is Haruka Kish

Just look at the creativity of the designs itself and how Haruka showed the outfits. Clean and simple! Great!

This is Jarl Soderstrom
It's easier for a Model - real life or Second Life - when the designer helps with an amazing creativity. And with a SL Model like this, absolutely gorgeous!!

Magical, isn't it? And Jarl did great!!

Awesome!!

This is Mavi Beck

This was the only mistake I could see in Mavi, the poses could be more creative in this set, along with the Show. Next one, the hands could be up.

For some reason, in the last set, Mavi had a smile on. I don't understand why. Can accept lag, it was terrible actually.

This is Poptart Lilliehook
Great SL Model!! Clean, creative in the pose choice!! Very styled!!

This is Seashell Dench
Excellent work with posing, for each set, the poses were excellent and fitted the "subject" of the outfit! Very elegant and clean!

See how an "armpit pose" (which I hate to see in SL Models) was carefully chosen to be used with a certain type of design and outfit? What could be a disastrous choice, as a pose, was perfect here!

It was all magical!!

No words needed.

Again, poses carefully chosen, homework done. This is the difference from professional SL Models and those who aren't.

This is Shenandoah Saintlouis
I had problems with Shenndoah, seeing her right. Or her hair and lashes were poorly editted or something happened (lag was all around and Shenandoah was the only SL Model I saw with "hair and lashes" problems).

This is Summer Deadlight

Clean also, as a SL Model. She chose good poses, different ones. Very good!!

Again, magical!!

Excellent work with posing with the following outfit. Absolutely magical outfit and so difficult to pose with.

This is Takeshi Kiama

Magical again!! Takeshi did great!

This Fashion Show was so complete, so magical, so creative that it was hard (even for me) to look at the mistakes or details.
As an observer, I just wish that Fashion Industry in Second Life could be as professional as what I saw in Swansong Show with Avenue Models!

Pure magic, professionalism and group work!!! Simply AMAZING!!

SuperElite Wedding Show

It's hard to get to SuperElite Fashion Shows because once the sim reaches a certain limit of people, it's closed, so I had to be quick and leave soon, to make room for one more person to watch the show.

It's a way of reducing lag to SL Models and make it pleasant to those to watch. In real life, same thing happens; there is always a number of places to sit and no more people enter. Makes sense, right?

You will see a reduced number of photos I took, at least once per SuperElite Model, just for you to see what I mean, when I'm "nasty" in the things I say about SL Modeling.

If some people can do it in SL, it means everybody can! People just need to learn how to.
This show was over average, in fact! Excellent!

It doesn't mean that I didn't catch some mistakes. I could blame it on my SL viewer, or maybe not. Let's see.

This is Apollo Call
Apollo needs shaping and fast! The discrepancy in his avatar can be seen in this photo. The pose was very good and lost its male elegance because of his lack of styling.

This is Donald Feld
Excellent. Nothing to say!

This is Isabel Brocco
Isabel is a very elegant avatar, on the runway. Her only mistake was wearing heel sounds on, in one of the sets.

This is Liam Netizen
Very styled, good.

This is Livia Mastroianni
Livia took extra care in her poses. The result was perfect, not one hand inside a skirt. Never!

This is Lorelei Maggs
What can I say? The perfect Model! Lorelei Maggs is one of the best runway SL Models I've seen. She is absolutely elegant, stylish, perfect!

This is Mangnosio Lohner
He was excellent as well. Mangnosio has a style of his own, a kind of a kid's face that makes him unique.

This is Rena Mascot
Rena needs shaping. She is a short avatar for runway. In SL, Models can be taller. I wonder, why not be taller if that is what is required in real life Models? In SL, Models can do it.
Rena also had her heel sound on. It's a shame, because she did well. These little things can be avoided.

Here is a case when I ask myself, is it my SL viewer or is the Model's hair poorly editted? I didn't see any other hair badly editted in this show, I think it was not my viewer. Rena needs to pay more attention to these details.

This is Salvo Waydelich
Personal great style! What more to say? Great posing!

This is Sami Kutanaga
Another SL Model that did good.

I do have photos of the double poses, when male and female were together on the runway.
But I think I made my point.
Even camming closer, looking at these SL Models closely, because that's what I do in SL, as Fashion Critique, we all can tell the difference from other SL Models. There were mistakes, yes, but I guess Modeling is something that is always under improvement.

The result was a very elegant and styled Fashion Show, and I do think it was very professional, even looking from a real life perspective.

Lorelei Maggs was outstanding!! And guess what? She had the same tag than the other SuperElite Models.

Her work spoke for herself. Great SL Model!!

Well done!!