Clothing manufacturers hire a fitting model to try on garments as they are made, allowing designers to observe the garments on real people and provide feedback on issues like comfort. While fitting jobs are less glamorous than walking runways or posing for fashion spreads, they are usually easier to book and less time-consuming than more high-profile modeling jobs. To become a fitting model, no special training is usually required, though candidates may need a portfolio and must usually conform to the body measurements required by specific jobs.
Clothing companies hire fitting models to ensure that nearly finished designs look good on real people. A fitting model usually reports to the workroom of a manufacturer and tries on one or more garments. The fitting model may be asked to stand still after putting on each garment so the designer can assess the fit. She may also be asked to walk around so the designer can observe any issues with movement, such as bunching. She may also be asked to comment on issues such as the comfort of a garment.
A fitting model’s job may lack the glamour and high pay associated with more high-profile modeling jobs. Clothing manufacturers require fitting models to test every new design across a range of sizes, but the number of available fitting jobs far outnumbers the number of available high-profile jobs at any given time. Fitting work, unlike high-profile modeling jobs, does not place a high value on specific conceptions of physical beauty, making it a field that is accessible to a wide range of people.
Another advantage of fitting work is that individual jobs typically last only two hours. This means that a fitting model may have a significant amount of free time or be able to pursue fit work as a side hustle. Full-time models, on the other hand, may have to spend a significant amount of time each week lining up fittings because jobs are usually booked on a one-time basis. Working with a fitting agency can help you avoid having to book jobs on your own.
In most cases, no formal training is required to work as a fitting model. Candidates may, however, require a portfolio that includes a resume as well as full-length photographs in order to book jobs. In addition, a model will usually only be booked for a job if her measurements match the job’s requirements.