What It’s Really Like To Be A Runway Model At New York Fashion Week

The onset of Fashion Month sets the industry abuzz as insiders, from fashion editors to beauty influencers, flock to labels’ seasonal presentations. It is a high-stakes time for all involved, as the spectacles that takes place on the New York, Paris, London and Milan runways hold the key to the fashion trends and editorial content that lies ahead.

Yet this New York Fashion Week made headlines for another reason. The Model Alliance, a New York-based 501(c)3 non-profit seeking to advance worker’s rights within the fashion industry, drew attention to the legislatively stalled Fashion Workers Act. The bill highlights a need to protect the individuals that literally carry the industry forward—its models.

“Models that I really admire and look up to like Karen Elson have been very vocal supporters of The Model Alliance and Fashion Workers Act,” says model Peter Clarkson on a call with Forbes.com. Clarkson considers himself fortunate to be represented by an ethical agency with a protective manager he describes as a “fierce mama bear.” But with 17 years in the industry under his belt, he acknowledges that models can be vulnerable in the early days of their career.

So what is it really like working as a model during fashion week? Aside from the typical stresses of working in the industry, fashion weeks are something of a culminating moment. Clarkson describes a sense of being on-call for its entirety because even after castings and fittings have been confirmed, last-minute changes are frequent.

“One of the more stressful elements of fashion week is how last-minute everything comes together and how nothing is guaranteed,” Clarkson continues. He goes on to relay an experience in which he had been booked and confirmed multiple times for a runway only to be released by the Casting Director 36-hours before the show. “You can’t really count on anything until it officially happens.

“[Plus] there’s the added stress of trying your absolute hardest to be in the best shape of your life, have the most glowing skin of your life and make an incredible impression on everyone that you meet as you are running from casting to casting, fitting to fitting,” he says. “Looking and feeling my best during fashion month is key to solidifying clients for the next six months. You never know who is watching.”

At castings, he plans to wear something basic—he considers a black Calvin Klein tank top and a pair of vintage high-waisted 1970 wranglers that he had tailored his go-to. “I pair this with a black Cuban heel—the YSL Wyatt boot is my preferred pair—so my legs look extra long and walk is extra bossy,” he says.

As for the day of a show, he works out and has a light snack, and plans to arrive three hours ahead for hair and makeup. “Something like a green juice that is high nutrient value with a low risk for bloating to happen,” he says with a laugh.

“Backstage is usually really fun and high energy. You can feel the anticipation in the air and the models all seem grateful to be living in the experience,” Clarkson says. They rehearse their walks and lineup, get last-minute notes from the designer or producer and mentally note their “strong face for all the cameras” at the end of the runway. “I get so excited right before walking that it feels like a bit of a dream.

In reality, models’ intense preparation for Fashion Week often begins weeks (if not months) in advance. Physically, models must present their measurements and maintain them. For Clarkson, this means an increase in the intensity of his weight and core training and “making sure my daily step count is no less than 13,000.”

Skincare prep includes facials at Skin by Gill and Sunday Skincare, noting that he particularly enjoys the sculpting and lifting effects of lymphatic drainage massage. Clarkson is also diligent about his daily skincare, double-cleansing with an oil-based cleanser and the aloe and mandelic acid-containing Jordan Samuel Skin Matinee Gel Cleanser, $32.

Naturally fair, he religiously using sunscreens, naming the K-Beauty brand Beauty of Joseon as a favorite for the face, or the Solara Good Karma Dry Oil Mineral Sunscreen, $48, for the body. To add just a touch of UV-free color, he combines a product like Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Natural Face Drops, $29, or Salty Face Tanning Drops, $44, into the clean face and body Protéger Dermal Serum, $115—a product line he co-founded.

Moving beyond the physical, the emotional impact of needing to be “on” is a very real consideration as well. “The pressures of NYFW can be destabilizing,” he admits. He likes to work meditation into his schedule and spends plenty of time with his dog. In fact, he finds that focusing on charity efforts, such as with the non-profit organization that rescues animal test subjects from laboratories, Beagle Freedom Project, helps to keep him grounded. “Oh, and lots of phone calls to mom,” he adds.

“All this work for a total of a minute or less on the runway,” he reflects upon considering the extensiveness of the lifestyle he leads in support of his chosen profession. “But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

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