I Tried To Become A Runway Model at 5’2”

a lot of young girls go up wanting to be just like them models generally are tall and thin you are not tall I am 5 foot 2 and I am supposed to walk one of the biggest runway shows in the world miss Ellie's the shortest person that we've ever had quite a day here at London Fashion Week expect chaos clothes are ripping off it's a madhouse really frustrated with this video [Music] as a girl who only shops for new clothes every three to five years the concept of runway shows is something I've never really understood I have lots of questions why in this an outfit that was modeled on a high-fashion runway did it actually yield more sales for the designer what is the practical purpose of a runway show if there are print ads in the internet also runway shows are super exclusive in terms of their model casting why do models have to be tall infinite but at the end of the day I can't help but admit but like lots of other girls have really fantasized about what it would be like to be a runway model to get ready for a fashion show and to have that moment on the catwalk over the past year I've taken some steps towards that dream last year I trained like a Victoria's Secret model and did a photoshoot also I tested a bit of my catwalk in the beauty pageant I did last summer this time I'm gonna take it to the next level it's no secret I'm very short I'm 5 foot 2 inches tall I actually love being short I have no problems with being short extra leg rub on an airplane is something I've never had to consider purchasing before also I'm a great little spoon the only issue I have is that apparently it's not good if you want to be a runway model so for this challenge I'm going to try and do the impossible I a 5 foot 2 inch tall woman I'm going to try and become a runway model for an actual runway show so today is day 1 of family preparation and this morning I was doing a little bit of research I've read a 20-17 McKenzie article that says that the fashion industry is worth two point four trillion dollars so today my goal is to understand a bit more about the industry and the history before I apply to become a runway model Cynthia Harvey Browne is a fashion expert and designer with over 20 years of experience she has created original designs for celebrities including Janet Jackson and Muhammed Ali today she's gonna break down what it is I'm really getting myself into you have to put yourself out there as a designer and one of the ways to do that is to produce a fashion show it's an opportunity for the press the industry to see your work and your wares and oftentimes buyers will attend these shows it also gives life to the designers collection that it can see the colors they can see the movement of the fabric and although people buy online people really need to touch and feel and see the history of showing clothes really started back in the mid 1800s there's a designer by the name of Charles Worth who was the first designer to show his designs on live models the first happened to be his wife he was also the first designer to put his label in the garment before that whether they were wealthy or poor women they stitched by hand most of their clothes things have changed over the years but that's where it started I always see every year these crazy cool pictures of interesting outfits people wearing an inflatable pool a lot of times the designers will do that for the press they want the attention it's a show it's a production so you have to give the audience the entertainment value that they're looking for so I am going to try and become a runway oh yeah how do I even begin it's not easy and you will find that it's hard for them to accept the fact that you are not tall as a model like an actress you're gonna get a lot of nose but that isn't something that should stop you or prevent you from going after it so I'm gonna be practicing today on my tippy tops which are my shoes were in the pattern I know I need to practice a runway walk in front of strangers this is just really embarrassing and I want to get this already go home you need to be able to walk in front of a bunch of people so what better way to do that than a public park [Music] I'm confident I can do this you go keep going what do you write my models table they have a face you know like a model face Garrett why are we over here in the dirt if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball and if you can walk through uneven terrain you can walk a runway you have to climb the tree Garrett you're great but I don't think you're a good runway coach runway models just have this extreme confidence and power about them I want to be able to walk in a room and feel that way because I don't know so the time right now especially as a woman walking into meetings I just want to feel comfortable in my confidence because right now I feel like if I walk in the room and I'm confident people will think oh michelle has an ego about herself or she's full of herself I need to not care about that and runway models seem to not care whose primary models need to just walk out there and be really a game I think I need that I really need that if I'm gonna have any chance of getting in a runway show I need to get my runway walk together savannah wicks is a professional runway model and multiple pageant titleholder today she's gonna kick my ass into gear and get my walk ready for the runway we met when I did the pageant series and you totally crushed it like that so specifically your walk I was blown away by because that was the hardest part for me and the most frustrating part for me I walked for Betsey Johnson Roberto Cavalli some Chanel modeling for runway is very much like if you were to do a play or a musical rather than a movie with photography you're able to have a photographer edit the photos you have all these lights very particularly set up to make you look a certain way and you have multiple shots with runway modeling you have one shot I already feel like height challenged and heels were the most challenging part of the pageant for me too a lot of the comments on the pageant video we're like she was great except what was she doing when she was walking down the runway I feel like this is a little bit of a redemption for me from that video which is we got this nice a runway walk is that fierceness I'd love to just see your walk where it is right now [Music] that was pretty salt Lynott I couldn't say I didn't think that whole time I do not look a good word breathing take it out do you can do like lunges yes look at her you're doing so good yes and that's what you do I just want you to be comfortable in them transition weight to one foot and then step out with the one that has little least weight on it so like if you're coming from this direction you move wait here yeah yeah all right okay I felt a little fear so when you make it down to the end of a runway walking back is so epic and turning bullying everything's like while you can yeah with your arms when you're walking brush your arm a little bit behind your butt like my favorite tip that Savannah taught me was angling the way my arms swung at my side I looked at my walk before and after and the difference was insane the touch on top would be facial expressions I'll see you play around a little bit giving them a little like eye movement nice yes I feel like I finally have a key understanding of how to do a runway walk I think I thought before that it was just be confident and strut and now I realize there are actual techniques to move your body differently to give that look so for about three months into the runway show experience it's been a little bit tough I have been working out and dieting a ton for this video and applying to lots of runway show then I actually been getting more responses than I thought I would the conversation always moves in a really positive direction until they find out how I am and then suddenly people are not interested in having me in their show that's been a difficult thing to deal with and something I wasn't anticipating to be such a big deal from my research I found out there are short models Kim Kardashian is 5:3 Priyanka Chopra is five five but they don't really classify necessarily as runway models so what exactly is it about a runway show that requires models to be tolerant models generally are tall and thin because there's a standard size that is used when samples are cut all designers have to create what they call a sample collection it's the first actual prototype of the clothes and that sample has to be a specific size so that when that sample is sent to New York for New York Fashion Week a model can wear that outfit the same is a model in Paris that is so interesting because I always assume that people in the fashion industry just wanted tall and thin women because that's what they thought was beautiful do you think that designers should have a responsibility to showcase more diversity in their shows I think they do and they know that and you're starting to see a little bit more of that you're seeing more women of color in the shows you're even seeing women that are shorter so I think it's just a matter of those that are persistent and not take no for an answer high fashion modeling is about the clothes and the clothes of the star meanwhile in pageants you're the star I went to a casting and unfortunately I had been working out too much and I had gotten more muscle in my legs in my butt because I had those differences I wasn't casted so you were to fit they said that to your face I've been told it on multiple occasions by multiple clients at first it was really hard for me to process but I just had to cope with the fact that is what the industry wants it's not about you thank you so much Connie this is amazing okay bye oh my god I'm walking in a runway show I'm gonna be the shortest person the runway show is cancelled they couldn't get the funding to make it happen so I like my videos it's usually pretty much like a review of the activity it's never like will this video actually get done you know what I mean I don't even know what to do we can't have a runway video with when I started working for Michelle a little while ago she was so determined to do a challenge accepted video where she was going to be a runway model and walk in fashion of the show she got turned down so many times that I think she kind of gave up the idea that she was ever going to be able to walk a runway so the other day I saw that one of my best friends who is a Norwegian designer she announced that she's going to show her new collection at London Fashion Week in February so for the last couple of days I have been working with her and Michelle is going to walk the show at London Fashion Week in February so Anakin just called me to tell me that Michelle will be walking on in Fashion Week we will be surprising Michelle with a video telling her the news Michelle I am so proud of you for everything you've accomplished I know how long you've been working on this video I know how important this video is not just for you but for all the women out there that it could affect it's happening it's finally happening and I'm so honored to be doing it right here with you hi Michele my name is Penelope and I am the founder and designer of Capasso I am so excited to tell you that you are going to walk in the capacitor fashion shop at fashion finest London Fashion Week we are so excited to have you and see you in the sky that's it you told what oh boy this video dead we're going to London for real here at the airport getting ready for our flight to London Bentley this moment feels kind of surreal finally being in the airport where anything else wanna - all the TSA workers who are during the shutdown thank you thank you for keeping us very very important segment snack time with G it's night time with me [Music] only pull the red tap once you're safely out the plane getting more inflation won't you the mouth I feel like I'm already like the newest tourist [Music] can't find anyone shorter than me who's walked the runway however last fall a robot walked the runway is this a joke this walked a runway before a short person did what is it where is definitely shorter than him oh the robot today is amazing I loved all this bling I love bling I'm pissed at this robot honestly it wasn't even wearing any clothes it was just there hi I am Fernando Festa in 2012 I started t pasa our design is always playful strong and feminine I love colors so I always try to bring colors into the collection when Anakin came to me and asked I was really excited and I thought Michelle it fit Cabasa really well we love diversity so we try to incorporate that in our models and then different sizes so we have the biggest size range of all the playful brands it's always been important to me to show different sizes because I've been bigger and felt a bit shame about that and I want to show the ones very my clothes that you don't have to be one size just be you I really like this outfit so it makes me feel very confident the shoes are the part that dress me up yay the hardest part might be walking in high heels and then just having the confidence to take the room and owning the outfit but I think Michelle loves stuff it's so it's gonna be a walk in the park for today we're going around London getting some pictures at some of the key sites in the new line for Cocozza I'm super excited about this a lot of models that are here for Fashion Week often do still photography for the designers as well [Music] [Music] it's the night before the stash I can't believe it I'm walking in London Fashion Week I've been sitting here getting everything ready for tomorrow and something hit me at the beginning of this challenge like nine months ago now I guess I got a trainer I was on a really strict diet I was working out sometimes multiple times a day to try and get that runway model body and to experience what it's like to be a runway model when I just kept getting rejected from everything and initially gave up on this video idea I stopped doing that because I thought the video was dead and then I'm suddenly and he really dig an exciting fashion show and I didn't really have time to diet or exercise or try to sculpt my body into a runway models body in such a short amount of time but for some reason I'm here the night before the show and I don't really care I am really at peace with my body and the way it is right now and I think that's why ultimately when reading this video I'm not gonna include any of the training or the diet I have this newfound confidence and I'm just gonna kind of ride that up tomorrow if I'm able to walk a runway in high heels with hundreds of people staring at me and cameras pointed at me and just own my confidence then I'm gonna see that as the success to this video it is the day of the fashion show we're walking over to the venue now to do a final fitting and get hair and makeup done robot got a robot to be it's already gotten so busy in here I always know when a model has walked in the room because there and even modeling for a year so do you feel like really comfortable on a runway you wanted to get the date let me do it ready Isola can't believe that I'm here you know because I was just rejected from so many because I was so short and now I'm like no short I am I don't know five two my name is Deborah and I'm the CEO of fashion Spanish we've been hosting shows for emerging designers in London for 10 years Michele is the shortest person that we've ever had we've never had anybody beyond probably five six singled out because apparently my walk is I'm good that's great [Music] six foot inhales then stands out which is fine but you know you can still bring the power so usually when you're a professional model hired by a fashion show on the day of the show you're brought into a pool of models and handpicked by designers to model for a variety of different shows sitting here chilling out and this guy comes over it's like we looked like the right size let's go and it was like I already knew I was only going to walk for a Plaza and I wasn't really supposed to be included in that pool two models let's try this now I'm a little bit nervous I just got placed into a butterfly show no idea what I'm wearing there were things just was being picked up by everyone out so I just went for a third designer and I was actually really excited about it because I love the clothes and the colors but I was too short compared being uh just like exchanged out with another person what's so cool to be considered I don't think it makes it right but I understand why all models have to be the same size I was honestly pleasantly surprised with the diversity of models in the fashion show in terms of skin tone and ethnicity there was even a model that had a prosthetic leg Kiara boardy is a professional model than top three finalists for miss Italy USA that compete that we thought Yanik like I'm going to be the shortest model ever to walk yes I'm really nervous I haven't done this before to me knows that you have to walk I've been saying this all week but honestly I'm just plain excited I've thought to myself why am I not more nervous I tripped at the beauty pageant what could happen here something that all of these challenges in this series in particular has taught me is confidence a year ago if I had done this challenge I would have been a complete nervous wreck this entire week and at this point I have been pushed through and over my fears time and time again but it's honestly where I feel comfortable now I have the choice should I be really nervous about only having 30 seconds to make it look amazing and I have to be perfect or whatever or I can choose to just have fun finally I'm able to do a challenge in this series where I can just enjoy it it's been quite a day here at London Fashion Week people coming in their droves to look at fashion here bloggers models photographers crucially though buyers and at the end of the day there's a lot at stake here for the past nine months so many people told me you're not allowed to be a runway model anyone should be able to walk around [Music] that was so and here am i I love I am really proud to say that I'm the shortest model to ever walk fashions finest at London Fashion Week this experience taught me a lot about confidence owning my power and being proud of Who I am I strongly encourage other designers to be more open to the idea of including more models of all shapes sizes and colors in their shows if medium to smaller size brands like pupusa are able to be inclusive in this capacity there is no excuse for larger brands to not do the same below I went to some non-traditional models that I think are incredible confident inspiring and deserve more attention so please be sure to check out their pages and give them a follow-up if you guys enjoyed this video this is merely a geared to make if you enjoyed it please give it a thumbs up comment below with what challenge I should take on next and as always subscribe here are some of my favorite posts from our hashtag I am ultra Instagram challenge over the past week if you want a chance at being heated in this capacity at the end of my very next video make a post on instagram using hashtag I am ultra and tell me a little bit about how you've overcome an obstacle or barrier in your life and how proud of yourself you are and don't forget to tag me so I can see it as well because you can do anything and I'll see you next time the International Terminal is so much nicer like doors in this big TV tower I feel very European why is this airport PF Changs nicer than any PF Changs I've ever been to in my life International Terminal got the money

Channel: Michelle Khare

Views: 6,402,444

Rating: 4.9478307 out of 5

Keywords: michelle khare, buzzfeed michelle, runway, model, model diet, model regimen, how to be a model, short model, short, for the first time, fashion, london fashion week, fashion week, new york fashion week, pageant, beauty, health, fitness, try, london, europe, travel, vlog, travel vlog, funny, youtube trending, trending, trends, google trends, clothing, fashion industry, textile, history, background, educational, inspirational, model body, aspirational, european, high heels, america's next top model, antm

Id: 2FZNKKtCH3w

Length: 25min 55sec (1555 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 31 2019