The male modeling industry differs a bit from the female one, the criteria for a man to become a star is a bit different for a woman. Is this the same for children and do child modeling agencies take in both boys and girls?
Because of their smaller world and smaller clothing, the battle between boys and girls is much less prominent that the same battle in their teen and adult counterparts. Both boys and girls are required as part of the modeling industry? Think about it, if you see a family portrait there is always a boy and a girl in it. The same goes for toy advertising and often television commercials too. The use of both sexes in these jobs speaks to a bigger audience. A young girl might not want to play or buy a specific toy if there is only a boy in the picture and vice versa. In the child modeling world boy - girl battles are left for school play grounds.
Do child modeling agencies support both boys and girls?
Yes they do. There is a big market available for both boy and girl models. The fashion and design industry have taken a new direction and the creation of designer children's are getting more and more favored. Posh mums and high end dads would rather buy their children designer clothes than a child line that is mass produced in China. These designer ranges often require young children to model and present these clothes. Both girls and boys clothes are designed meaning there is a need for boys fashion too.
Other that clothing lines children are often used in advertising campaigns. A child be it boy or girl, speaks to other children and parents alike and a lot of children can be praised for increasing sales in the products they advertise.
Child modeling agencies takes care of both boys and girls as there is a place in the industry for both of them.
Are boy and girl careers managed differently?
Yes they sometimes are, though it differs more according to career paths than type of model. It all depends on what the child's specific career requirements and expectations are. Some mothers feel their boys will be great child models, but do not wish for them to make a full career out of being the subject of photographs, only an income to start planning for their futures. The same could also be true for girls. This is where the importance of child modeling agencies with talent managers comes in. A parent should discuss the child model's career path with the manager to ensure that the career is managed accordingly. A model that is only part of the industry for a short term career will be handled and trained differently than one with long term plans. This however all depends on the choice of the guardians and the advice provided by the child modeling agencies.
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