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Dan Jiani, a top car show model, says achieving success in the profession requires a lot of hard work. He Na reports.
It's - 2 C outside in a suburb of Beijing, and Dang Jiani is leaning against a black luxury car with a smile on her face.
She's wearing a short silk red dress, with her arms and legs exposed to the cold. Dang is here for a photo shoot to promote a new car. When the photographer stops to take a break, Dang quickly puts on warmer clothes and jumps to keep her legs and feet from freezing.
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Dang Jiani's outstanding appearance and work ethic have helped her win many awards at modeling competitions. Photos Provided to China Daily |
"It's part of my job, and I am already used to it. The dress is much better than a bikini, isn't it?" Dang jokes.
Dang is a model from Inner Mongolia who has been working in Beijing for several years.
Dang's parents are both tall, and she was already 1.75 m when she was only 14. Her father wanted her to play basketball or volleyball, but her mother preferred that she pursue a career in the arts.
Dang studied at an art school in Dalian, Liaoning province, and then took a college entrance examination for fashion design and modeling at Inner Mongolia University.
Her outstanding appearance and work ethic have helped Dang win many awards at modeling competitions; she was champion of the 2007 China International Automobile Model Contest.
Unlike most models, Dang isn't registered under a company. She is her own boss.
"The modeling industry is not a fantasy world, as so many girls expect. For each show or automobile fair the pay is also very limited. Also, the modeling company takes a large cut, so the money that goes into the model's pocket even less," Dang says.
Finding work
Many girls began their modeling careers while still in their teens. "Many people have a bias against us and the modeling profession. But actually, we are much more independent and mature than most girls our age," Dang says.
She says finding work can be tough because the competition is intense. Out of every 100 people who are interviewed, only one or two may get work.
"We often joke that the selection process is more difficult than civil servants' examination," Dang says. Now that Dang is established, she isn't worried about finding work. But when she got started, it was a much different story. For every 10 interviews, she would only get one or two replies.
"There were also periods when I went months without making any money but I managed to survive thanks to my parents' support. But for those from poor rural families, their situations are much worse," she says.
Not landing a job can be a big blow to a model's confidence, Dang says. Even those who find work don't receive basic salaries or benefits like health insurance. "The money is paid after each activity," Dang says.
The pay varies based on a model's experience, fame, awards and popularity on the Internet. So far, Dang has done pretty well.
But she hasn't forgotten the struggles from earlier in her career and is always looking for ways to save money, such as taking the shuttle home from the airport instead of a taxi.
Auto fairs
"To automobile models, the Beijing and Shanghai auto fairs are as holy as Peking University and Tsinghua University are in students' hearts. My first interview for the Beijing International Automobile Fair was in 2012 and it feels like it just happened yesterday," Dang says.
The interview process consists of several rounds. In the first round, models must walk a short distance in front of judges. "The lucky ones will be called back for the second round, which generally consists of a short self-introduction and a performance," she says.
There are two more rounds, and out of the thousands of models who try out, only a few will be selected to participate in the auto show. "I cried for a long time at home after I was selected," Dang says.
Dang modeled for BYD that year. Her exhibition hall was always crowded, and a photo of her from the show was popular online.
Dang's success helped her land a contract to model with Ford's automobiles at the Beijing and Shanghai automobile fairs next year.
Early flights
Dang only spends only about two months out of the year at her Beijing home. She spends the rest of her time traveling from one city to another for auto fairs.
"I'm often rushing from one city to the next, to make it to another auto fair. Automakers always book early flights for us, as the ticket price is cheap and they can also save money on hotel bills. I often leave at 4 or 5 am to catch my plane," she says.
"We usually rehearse for the show while the exhibition is being set up. Workers are busy moving things and there are drills buzzing in the background. The place often smells like glue ... the atmosphere is nothing like when the fair opens.
"After we finish a half-day practice, our shoes are often covered in a thick layer of white dust. We wear masks now, but when I was younger, I didn't know about the hazards of inhaling dust and formaldehyde. We called ourselves the 'manual air-purifiers,'" Dang jokes.
Revealing costumes
The news in January that female models may no longer be seen at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, scheduled for April, has triggered public outcry. Market industry sources say other car and trade shows in China may follow Shanghai's lead.
"The models don't decide which costumes they're going to wear for the shows. Some big automakers design high-end costumes in good taste to match the vehicles' design concept," Dang says.
"The models who wear costumes that are too revealing make up only a tiny proportion of all models. And the truth is, if automakers provide dresses that expose too much, we make minor changes to make them more conservative," she says.
Most of the models who wear revealing costumes work for free and do not have contracts with car companies, Dang says. They attract media attention, but many big automakers don't allow them to model next to their vehicles because they want to protect their image.
"Revealing costumes for car show models should be changed. It's not only the government and audiences who want this, the models also want to dress elegantly. But I strongly disagree with the decision not to include models at auto shows," Dang says. Models have become an integral part of auto fairs in recent years, she adds.
Staying fit
Staying in good shape is vital to a model's career. Dang says besides working out at a gym, she also plays badminton.
"I wear 10-cm high heels and stand still against the wall with a book on my head for an hour," she says. "My feet have been covered with Band-Aids for years."
For girls in their early 20s, snacking is a necessity. But Dang stays away from snacks because she wants to stay in the best shape possible.
"Modeling is a profession for young people. I studied fashion design in college, and I hope to earn some money before I leave the profession and establish a fashion brand under my name," she says.
"I don't want to be like those models who wait for days without any job opportunities ... The women who model are not anything like what people imagine. There are many good girls who hope to find their Mr Right and have ordinary lives.
"I hope people can better understand us."
Han Junhong and Zhang Xiaomin contributed to this story.
