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Sandra Lai-Chun Cheung originally worked as a designer with a focus on men's fashion, including at the shirt manufacturer Seidensticker.
On her Instagram account, however, she has long been dealing with the topic of sustainable fashion consumption.
When she came across the agency Fair Model, an agency for sustainable models, she liked the idea of identifying as a model with the product that is being advertised.
Since then, Cheung has also been working as a model, as a so-called fair model.
For decades, modeling was considered the dream job of young women.
Today, millennials prefer to become influencers instead and gain admiration for their looks but also for their personality.
At the same time, companies that want to communicate their sustainable image on social media are increasingly turning to influencers.
Authenticity now seems to be worth more than outward appearances.
Because in the end it is all about conveying credibility.
You literally do not buy the product to be advertised from a model who was only recently the figurehead for a fast fashion giant if it advertises Hess Natur only months later.
Anna Voelske has often received this kind of feedback from companies in her previous job as a fashion photographer.
A business idea arose from this last year: Models who cultivate an ecologically conscious lifestyle are brought together with sustainable brands or companies through their agency Fair Model.
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ICONIST:
Ms. Voelske, how do you become a sustainable model?
Anna Voelske:
In addition to the sedcard, each of our models first applies with a
letter of
motivation.
This is important to see how serious the applicant really is.
In addition, our models have to sign a code not to give their face to companies that do not operate sustainably.
When in doubt, we always look at the brand together and decide whether the company's image is compatible with our principles for sustainable consumption.
If that weren't the case, the model would have to decide whether or not to remain a fair model.
In most cases, however, the question does not even arise, because our models already reject certain customers based on a basic belief.
ICONIST:
How strict are these criteria that the customer,
i.e.
the company or the brand, must meet?
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Voelske:
Most of the companies that approach us are clear that they act sustainably.
Should it ever be unclear, we would look at the supply chains or the internal goals of where sustainability should go in the next five years.
You can learn a lot about how resources are managed or production conditions are handled.
And of course we also speak to each customer personally.
When in doubt, you quickly discover how important sustainability is to the company.
In fact, we have never been in a situation where we would have been unsure about a company or where we should have checked the company principles more strictly.
ICONIST:
Are there no-gos that would prevent a model from being accepted in the first place?
Voelske:
It would be problematic if the model had previously worked for several companies that are not at all sustainable.
The other day, for example, I had an applicant who had already modeled for Kik.
Of course, I wonder where this change is coming from.
But of course everyone can develop further.
If you can justify that well and make an impression during the sedcard shoot and the personal conversation, your model past would not stand in the way.
It's actually hard to fake an alternative lifestyle - but why should you?
After all, there are enough other model agencies that would otherwise be contact points.
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ICONIST:
Many of the "classic" influencers also deal with the topic of sustainability on their account.
How do they differ from your models?
Voelske:
Authenticity in sustainability is always a double-edged sword.
I think our models have particularly internalized this lifestyle.
An example: Often the customer asks several models to get to know them, which are then to be flown in.
Many of our models would refuse to fly in just for a short conversation - and instead suggest a zoom meeting or, if in doubt, take the train.
The appearance on the set also corresponds to this holistic picture.
The models will probably not appear there dressed in fast fashion or with plastic cups in hand.
Overall, the picture is consistent.
And it usually doesn't look any different with customers, there is organic catering, everyone involved has a similar mindset.
ICONIST:
Do you have a specific example in which that worked particularly well?
Voelske:
With our customer Shiftphones, it was roughly the case that the model itself had a product from the manufacturer and was also convinced of its function.
If we had a customer from the nutrition sector, the campaign would focus on where the model shops, what is important to him or her, and where it is difficult for him or her to live sustainably.
Our models themselves deal with such topics in their everyday lives.
Or they talk about their favorite labels, their personal style.
So it deals with topics that relate to your personality, but which are also related to the company you are advertising.
Each of our models can be interviewed and then has something to say - that is not always the case with influencers, just like with conventional models.
Miriam, 22, works as a sustainable model and studies cultural studies and philosophy on the side
Source: Tom Bem
ICONIST:
Still, it certainly can't hurt if the model also has a certain reach on social media?
Voelske:
It is different.
Of course, it is an advantage if the models are active themselves and have fun marketing themselves or living the topic of sustainability on Instagram or on their blog.
In the end, of course, companies often want to benefit from the model's reach.
Still, I realized that it wasn't as important as I originally thought.
Models are often chosen who are completely unknown, also because some companies are bothered by the fact that the person is in principle "occupied" or that the personality is too much in the foreground.
From a certain reach, a lot of impressions and brands are represented on the Instagram channel of an influencer - at some point this dilutes the credibility.
Accordingly, some of the companies attach importance to using the model exclusively for their own brand.
It should be communicated: We pay attention to who our model is, that it has its own personality - but that it has not yet become a brand itself.
ICONIST:
So you could say that the appearance of the “fair models” is of secondary importance?
Voelske:
Like many model agencies, we run a mix of different types - from global players to impressive faces.
Nevertheless, of course, we also have to pay attention to the appearance, such as the dimensions, for practical reasons alone, so that the things also fit in fashion shoots.
But we don't see things as strictly as classic model agencies because the story behind the person is much more important.