If the Clothes Fit: Child Fit Models
Michelle Mokalla is always on the lookout for new talent, but the kind of talent she finds is different from what you might expect. As the Director of Fit Modeling for Marla Dell Talent in San Francisco, Michelle often helps children’s clothing designers find children that will help them test the products they create.
How does fit modeling affect the clothes kids wear?
Typically, child fit models are hired to test newly-designed clothing items. They try on sample clothing during the development phase of production so that the designers and merchandisers can see how an item fits, how the fabric hangs, what a garment looks like when worn.
According to Michelle, manufacturers, when they can afford it, prefer live fit models because mannequins cannot comment on whether a shirt is too tight around the arms or a pair of pants is comfortable to run, jump, or play in, for example.
In other words, this fitting process helps clothing manufacturers make clothing that fits children’s bodies and activities. They can use their observations and the child’s feedback on how it feels when wearing and moving in a clothing item to make changes to their designs before it is mass produced and available to you and your kids.
Finding the right fit
It takes a certain kind of child to be a fit model. First of all, the child’s measurements must fall within a clothing manufacturer’s specific design requirements for whichever size (or sizes) they want to fit. These size requirements will vary from brand to brand, but reflect the brand’s target wearers. In her role at Marla Dell Talent, Michelle will:
“…look for children who meet a given manufacturer’s requirements and then introduce them to each other. Because fit modeling also requires a child to be able to focus, take direction, and share what they think, manufacturers will then meet with the child for a mini-audition.”
These auditions are also an opportunity for the designers to re-check the child’s measurements, see how they interact with their parents and the design staff, and to check for technical items like the child’s posture, the slope of their shoulders and their body proportions.
Creating positive experiences for children who fit model
Fit modeling, particularly as it relates to children, is sometimes criticized because of the potential that such scrutiny and comments have to hurt feelings and self-esteem. While many manufacturing companies make efforts to prepare staff who interact with children to be sensitive with them and to abide by a class-room style level of respect and behavior, Michelle makes the point that:
“Children hear everything. I would just caution people who work with child fit models to be careful about what and how things are said around them. Laughing and sarcasm, even if you think it’s innocent, can be misunderstood and hurtful.”
A positive fit modeling experience, though, can result in a long-term relationship between kids and designers. A manufacturer may try to find a child whose measurements are at the small end of their clothing size range and then work with the same child until they grow “out of size” for the clothing line.
As well, a child’s involvement in fit modeling gives them an up-close look at the world of fashion design. This behind-the-scenes involvement, as well as an opportunity to see a garment in a store and know that it fits well because of them, can be exciting and lead to interest in design as a possible career option.
Resources:
- For more information on working as a fit model see Marla Dell Talent Fit Modeling page
- For more information on working with fit models from a manufacturer’s perspective, see The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing
by Kathleen Fasanella
Post script: this post provides an outside-in view of the role that fit models play in fashion design. I would be interested in hearing from technical designers and parents about your experiences with child fit modeling.
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