What is the right age to start hitting the catwalk? Samantha Robin talks to beauties and experts about living the model life.BRIGHT lights, photo shoots and strides along the catwalk are all in a day’s work for Baylee Mullen. The Padua College student has wanted to model since she was 10, so when the opportunity arose to do a modelling course in Melbourne she took it and was spotted and signed by a model agency.
Spending hours in hair and make-up before six-hour photo shoots has now become the norm for the Rye resident. With her hair and make-up done, Baylee could easily be mistaken for an adult. “Sometimes I look at the photos and think, ‘Is this me?’” she said.
Baylee is just 15. Many Australian catwalk events and magazines have a minimum age of 16 for models but there is divided opinion over how young is too young to be strutting your stuff on the catwalk.
Victorian Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary told the Weekly that parents needed to show great care when allowing children aged under 18 into the industry.
“There is always a chance that the child’s best interest won’t be served. Their images might be sexualised or they might be exploited and not paid fairly.”
Mr Geary said there was also the worry of modelling having a negative impact on a child’s self-esteem.
“If a child’s self-image is connected so obviously with their appearance, there is the chance their self-confidence will be affected in the long run. It is important that parents have the final say on any photo shoots and be there to support them through the entire process. I know there are parents out there who push children too hard in these industries and they need to understand children are vulnerable.”
Parents Gary and Michele Mullen are supportive of Baylee’s modelling dream, which they say she has the maturity to handle.
‘‘Baylee only does the jobs she wants to do and I always have the final say,’’ Mrs Mullens said. ‘‘She hasn’t done any lingerie or bikini shoots and I go everywhere with her.
‘‘I don’t think it is any different to children who are on musical talent shows. Jack Vidgen [who won the most recent season of Australia’s Got Talent] is only 14 and nobody is telling him not to pursue his music career,’’ she said.
‘‘We don’t want to hold her back if this is something she really wants to do. This is her opportunity. I can’t see any point in waiting till she is older [and] it is not causing any distress to anyone. As any parent would know, you can’t force a 15 year old to do anything.’’
Georgina Grant, 16, had never considered modelling until she was approached in the street by a talent scout.
Her big break came when she was 15 and was asked by modelling agency Giant to take part in its 2011 modelling competition. She came second and was snapped up by the agency.
Since then, The Peninsula School student has been to several castings and posed for free and paid jobs. The experience boosted her confidence and she is starting to pick up more work.
‘‘I think it will help that I have started from a young age,’’ she said.
Georgina wants to finish secondary school before seriously pursuing her modelling career but hopes she has what it takes to follow in the stilettos of models such as Miranda Kerr.
‘‘It is hard juggling school and modelling jobs. Sometimes, I have had to miss the odd day of school to do a job and I have had to knock back a lot of jobs that have clashed with school.’’
When she does go for a job there is always the chance she might be rejected. But Georgina doesn’t take the knockbacks to heart, saying it’s all part of the industry.
Her mother, Jacky Vleugel, said Georgina had never previously shown much interest in being in the spotlight. ‘‘She has always been a bit shy, but as soon as she steps on the catwalk something clicks and she just loves it.’’
Despite initial reservations, Mrs Vleugel is proud of what her daughter has already achieved. ‘‘I think 15 is probably a little bit too young to get into modelling but now she has that experience she is streaks ahead of other girls her age just coming into the industry,’’ she said. ‘‘There are a lot of gorgeous girls out there and not all of them will get jobs.’’
It is a sentiment echoed by professionals in the industry. Scene Models Melbourne manager Eugene Loane said modelling was not something anyone could try their hand at.
“Height is a big thing in terms of being able to fit the clothes and also for runway. Having defined bone structure is something people look for, along with good hair and good skin.’’
Mr Loane said the tight age restrictions in Australia made it more difficult for young models to be exploited.
“In my opinion, anything younger than 15 is far too young to be pushing a model but there are always exceptions to the rule, depending on the model’s maturity.’’
Mr Loane said Australia was ahead of other countries in promoting a healthy body image. But the head of Monash University’s obesity research unit John Dixon believes Australia still has a fair way to go in sending the right message to women of all ages.
“There is such a discrepancy between women in the real world and models,” Dr Dixon said. “As society has gotten bigger, models have gotten smaller and so the disparity between the two has become greater. Models are idealised, which can lead to concerns and expectations among the general public about their own self-image.”
Dr Dixon said there needed to be greater promotion of models in the healthy weight range — “rarely do you see an overweight or obese model. Models should reflect a more realistic body type”.
Seasoned model Heath Meldrum, 33, has spent the past decade building up his career and has plenty of advice for eager newcomers like Baylee and Georgina.
“It is good money, when you can get the work, but it is sporadic hours and the industry can be very up and down,’’ said the former peninsula bachelor of the year, who is married to model and television personality Brodie Harper.
Meldrum balances modelling work with his own personal training business.
He encouraged young models to finish school before they went into modelling full-time. ‘‘If something happens and you hurt yourself, that’s it for modelling. If you break your leg you won’t be able to do runway for six weeks.’’
Occasional perks include travel and keeping some of the clothes. But it’s not all palm trees and tropical islands.
“Most of the shoots are done out of season, so sometimes you are standing on a beach in the middle of winter, shivering, and you have to look happy and natural. I did an underwear shoot in Sydney where I had to put on a space blanket in between shooting.”
For Baylee, who spent two months in Indonesia modelling for magazines last year and has signed a contract with an agent in Los Angeles, just seeing herself in print is reward enough.
“When I saw the magazine for the first time it was an amazing feeling. I went in and bought a whole heap of copies.”
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