From becoming a more welcoming industry to every type of model to embracing sustainability and new possibilities through the newest technologies, read below to learn more about the modeling trends that will define the industry in the year 2025.
Modeling As A More Diverse And Inclusive Field Of Work
Many professional fields currently are experiencing a long-awaited rise in terms of inclusivity and diversity, including education, technology, and healthcare sectors. The entertainment industry is following this positive change as well, and that also includes work in modeling.
As the demand by audiences and advocating towards more diverse casting choices from casting directors for projects has significantly increased in recent years, offering job opportunities to a much wider cast of models and other industry professionals than ever before.
Consumers of fashion and other products are paying serious attention towards the diversity of their chosen brand or company image and campaigns. The criteria may include model race, age, gender, and more, as people are looking for something that may resonate with them and appear relatable.
The emphasis on inclusivity within the modeling industry is set to continue in 2025 as brands by now are fully aware of the demand for authentic and inclusive messaging through their product campaigns.
Models should look to apply for casting calls from brands who are already prioritizing the values of being diverse and inclusive. Matter of fact, as models are managing their own personal brand, they should also aim at being authentic, so the model seen in the campaign aligns with the message implied in the campaign.
Modeling Having Sustainability As One Of Its Core Values
Being sustainable is something plenty of industries are striving to be as of late. From the food and beverage industry to the construction and technology fields, everyone seemingly is trying to pitch in and meet the needs of the present period of time, all while preserving and avoiding compromising the world for future generations. At the heart of a sustainable approach to the chosen business model is balancing between environmental consciousness and economic viability.
But no one is aiming for sustainability quite like the fashion industry is trying to. For a good reason since over 60 percent of fabrics, including nylon and polyester, which are used in specifically fast fashion are non-biodegradable and make up 35 percent of the microplastics that are polluting Earth’s oceans. As the industry is shifting towards more sustainable business practices fast, brands are prioritizing reducing the waste that it previously was so infamous for, as well as conserving the resources used.
One of the ways fashion is shifting towards a more sustainable approach is by using recycled fibers, for example, polyester made from recycled plastic waste. Another, of course, is by using natural fibers. Such biodegradable materials used in the fashion industry’s sustainable approach may include organic cotton, linen, and hemp, as well as others that require fewer chemicals and other resources during the production process. Finally, new and bio-fabricated textiles are also becoming more and more common alternatives to the previously used, less ecologically friendly materials.
Reducing waste within the fashion industry is not limited to only choosing sustainable materials. The majority are already familiar with the concept of zero waste. First of all, it can be successfully applied to fashion through the prevention of waste during the manufacturing process. And after that – through reducing reliance on using new resources and instead focusing on utilizing existing materials to create new garments. Such existing materials can be second-hand clothing or discarded consumer products, which is another approach on its own as well, known as take-back programs. Waste within the fashion industry also gets reduced by using more sustainable packaging solutions, including biodegradable options, or minimizing its excess altogether.
Similarly to other industries, fashion is also adopting energy-efficient practices to reduce its carbon footprint. This may include using solar, wind, or other renewable energy sources in their manufacturing processes, as well as choosing technologies that reduce energy consumption during production or transportation.
As a result of this, consumers are also becoming more and more conscious about sustainable practices when choosing brands and products. Often fashion brands will choose to be transparent in their marketing by providing honest and clear information about product origins, materials used, and sustainability efforts. Another approach that is set to continue well in 2025 is educating consumers on why they should choose quality over quantity thus aiming to lead to more sustainable consuming habits.
As sustainability will remain one of the most important trends in 2025, modeling will be a key part of achieving those goals. As models are typing “modeling agencies near me”, they can aim to align themselves with forward-thinking brands that are at the forefront of sustainability initiatives within the industry and even beyond it, they can help to influence the attempts to raise awareness and shift towards more responsible consumption, including important practices such as waste reduction and ethical production.
Modeling Adjusting To Technological Advancements
The hot topic for most of the past year was Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. As various digital advancements are affecting and transforming each and every industry in one way or another, the wave of technology changes will keep leaving a mark on modeling in 2025.
As AI and CGI technologies are rapidly improving, virtual models are more often becoming the choice of brands for their marketing campaigns. One of the reasons for this is due to this digital imaginary being flexible in terms of not being constrained to the physical reality of our world thus being able to represent numerous types of people all at once. It gives brands the opportunity to conveniently promote their aforementioned goals of diversity and inclusivity.
Thankfully this approach does not mean human models will get shunned aside in the name of cost-effective flexibility through technologies. It is most likely we will more and more see CGI models blending together with actual humans, with these projects and campaigns focusing on augmented reality experiences for consumers, since interactive AR technologies are a trend for the modeling industry going forward itself.
As brands will incorporate AR in their marketing strategies to provide immersive experiences for consumers, models who have prior training or experience in performing within these environments and technologies could have an edge at casting decisions going into 2025 and beyond.