When it comes to the world of fashion, Singapore's business model is working very nicely, thank you.
Well, the strictly- all-business model working a look down the catwalk or in a photo shoot, that is.
While their counterparts in Europe and United States are seeing jobs and pay shrink by as much as half, models and agencies here say things are not so bad - for now.
A recent story from news agency Reuters calls this the time of the 'half-price model', with clients paying a daily rate of £1,500 (S$3,220) instead of the usual £3,000.
But five big local modelling agencies Urban spoke to - Mannequin, Upfront, Carrie, Diva and Looque - say business has not dropped drastically, despite the global downturn that gathered pace from last October.
Diva managing director Rowena Foo says it is business as usual - just like during the Asian financial crisis in 1997.
Over at Looque, general manager Chris Swee says there was a 20 per cent drop in business between end October and December last year, but attributes this to the 'low season' in the fashion calendar.
As the number of fashion events here tends to peak from March to May and from September to October, it would be fair to review the impact of the recession only after April, he says.
For some foreign faces, the Singapore market is offering a safe haven from the economic crunch.
This week's cover girl Nicole Linkletter (see other story), for example, has worked daily since arriving here early this month from the United States.
The winner of hit reality show America's Next Top Model Cycle 5 in 2005 says she chose Singapore over fashion capital Paris because she was told that 'Europe is dead, while everyone here is busy'.
Czech-born model Zuzana Marikova, 22, who has been here since early last month, has already done campaigns for local label alldressedup and Orchard Road mall Paragon and shot fashion spreads for local publications Female and Sutra, among other jobs.
Marikova, who was based in Barcelona in Spain for a month before arriving here, says: 'Over there, some editorials don't even pay now. I did three and my payment was that the pictures would add to my portfolio.
'Here, clients are still willing to pay.'
In an e-mail interview with Urban, Tokyo-based agent Mika Kanno says one of her models has seen his earnings plunge by two-thirds from 2007.
Kanno currently manages 37 models, including German male supermodel Marcus Schenkenberg, in cities such as Milan, Cape Town and Shanghai.
'He actually did a greater number of modelling jobs in the past year but there weren't as many big-budget campaigns or advertisements,' she says of an unnamed model.
Highlighting how, in Singapore, the show must go on, organisers of two big regular events on the calendar say they are not scaling back.
Representatives from Robinsons department store and local events company Mercury Marketing & Communications tell Urban that the number of models they are hiring for their upcoming shows will be proportionate to the scale of the event.
Mercury, which organised last year's Singapore Fashion Festival (SFF), will be hiring about 210 models for the five-day event in May.
It hired 380 for its 10-day showcase last year.
Robinsons, which will hold a series of shows next month at its Centrepoint outlet, will hire at least 16 models.
It hired 26 for its show last year at the SFF main tent at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza.
Says local show producer Daniel Boey, who is working on the Robinsons showcase: 'People still have to advertise. In fact, brands realise that it is during times like this that you do what it takes to stand out - or fade away.'
UPSIDE TO DOWNTURN
Clients could in fact stand to gain since the better job prospects here could draw better, more well-known faces, says Upfront's owner Watson Tan.
Already, Boey says he has been getting calls from foreign models whom he has previously hired, asking if they can work here.
It certainly also helps that Singapore's catwalk queens were never in the I- don't-get-out-of-bed-for-under-$10,000 bracket, as famously expressed by Linda Evangelista back when supermodels strutted the earth in the 1990s.
Over here, though, job rates remain the same.
Most models here command an average of $400 a show - small beer when compared to places like Hong Kong where the rate starts at $1,000 .
Head to Europe and the price spikes to at least 2,000 euros ($3,860).
Referring to an unnamed client who faxed over the Reuters article, Upfront's owner Tan says: 'If you want to pay my models $15,000, which top models in Europe command, of course I can give you a 50 per cent discount.
'Our rates here are so low that they cannot go down anymore.'
Models are also seeing returns in other forms.
Tan says he is 'taking advantage' of low property rents to provide his models with better accommodation.
A condominium apartment he recently rented for his models has facilities such as a jacuzzi, swimming pool and gym. Previously, the properties had fewer facilities, if at all.
Still, the model scene may face lean times soon.
Just ask top local girl Sheila Sim, 24, who has fronted camapaigns for major brands such as Poh Heng Jewellery, London-based Singaporean designer Ashley Isham and sportswear brand Fila.
While she continues to hold contracts with her regular clients, she says the number of new jobs has dropped by about 30 per cent.
She says: 'Luckily, I am financially sound so far, so I need not cut back on daily expenses. I have come to be more careful about how I spend, though.'
Agencies are also preparing themselves for belt-tightening.
Already, the likes of Mannequin, Upfront and Diva say clients are starting to ask for rates discounts of as much as 30 per cent.
Says Diva's Foo: 'Maybe in six months' time, we'll feel the effects, as events are arranged three to six months in advance.'
For now, she and the other industry players say they will be more selective about the models they bring in.
Says Boey: 'If you're a good model who maintains your looks and has a good working attitude, there is no need to fear.'
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
