Are you small but perfectly formed? If so, a career as a petite model could be for you. These days, you don’t have to be Amazonian to be a successful model. Top modelling agencies across the country are slowly starting to open their books to shorter models, often getting them lucrative gigs.
The modelling industry is embracing, albeit belatedly, the fact that people come in different shapes and forms. Granted, most catwalk models are still over 5 feet 10 inches, although there are exceptions. Look at runway queen Kate Moss, who is 5 feet 5 inches—she’s not done badly. Cara Delivigne is 5 feet 7 inches, Hailey Baldwin Bieber is 5 feet 6 inches, and Lily-Rose Depp is a mere 5 feet 2 inches. Plus, height is less of an issue in commercial work, which is often where the money is.
So what does “petite” actually mean? The fashion industry tends to define it as under 5 feet 7 inches for women and under 5 feet 11 inches for men. For comparison, the average Australian woman is 5 feet 3 inches; the average man is 5 feet 8 inches. Importantly, your body measurements should be in proportion to your height and, just as with taller models, personality and professionalism are key.
If you’re drop-dead gorgeous and keen to give the modelling world a try, it’s probably best to try to get an agent to back you. Yes, there are fewer agencies that represent petite models versus the standard, but the ones that do are increasing in number. Here are some of the best.
Based in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, WINK Models has been in business for over 14 years, and their range is impressive. Fashion, commercial, promotional events, and influencers—WINK reps them all. They’ve worked with brands such as Target, Samsung, and Sephora. In addition to repping petite models, they also have programs for curve, ethnic, mature, and real family models, so it’s safe to say that WINK embraces diversity.
Their height requirement is anything over 5 feet 5 inches for women. For men, it seems that 5 feet 11 inches is still the rule. However, like any good rule, it’s meant to be broken. If you look at their boards, you’ll see male models who are 5 feet 5 inches and even 5 feet 2 inches. The shortest female model on their books is Caz N, who stands at 5 feet tall.
How to apply: Fill out the online form and upload professionally taken photos (not just phone pictures). They want to see your body, face, and features, and you must be over 16 years old.
Created in 2006, Brooklyn Management is a boutique agency based in Melbourne. They promise “hands-on, personalised service” and seem to skew to the more commercial end of the market. That’s reflected in their impressive array of clients, which include New Balance, Levis, Kookai, Target, and KMart.
Brilliantly, they have no height or sizing requirements, but they’re also honest about it, noting on their website, “Although female models over 170 [cm] and male models over 180 tend to book the most work, we represent talent outside of this range.”
Their petite models, like 5 feet 4 inch Kav Baduge, 5 feet 3 inch Astrid Botha, and 5 feet 2 inch Crystal Wang, feature on their main board. But it’s not just petite ladies Brooklyn manages—the guys they represent include Berlin Wu, 5 feet 7 inches, and Jay Bruno and Owen Bunney, 5 feet 8 inches.
How to apply: Complete the online form, which includes uploading a headshot and full-body shot. Unlike some agencies, they don’t require professional photos, but they do encourage you to submit natural-looking phone pictures. You must be 15 or older to apply.
If boutique and bijou are your thing, then international model agency giant IMG is probably not for you. Established in 1987 by sports über-agent Mark McCormack, IMG has offices across the world and represents some of the biggest names in the industry. This is where Gigi Hadid and Chrissy Teigen started out.
IMG models regularly grace the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle, and many have huge celebrity status. Their Sydney board showcases some serious petite modelling talent, including Honor Munro (5 feet 6 inches), Inka Williams (5 feet 5 inches), and Jamie Nguyen (5 feet 5 inches). On the male side, Budjerah comes in at 5 feet 8 inches.
How to apply: First, contact the Sydney office by phone or email and ask if they are currently taking submissions. You can also get involved with the agency’s long-running Instagram scouting process at @weloveyourgenes.
Bella Management was founded in 2002 and has made a name for itself by repping diverse kinds of models. Primarily, that means curve (or plus-size) models, but the agency also features petite models on its boards. The agency has offices in both Sydney and Melbourne.
Bella’s boards feature all types of diversity—big, small, tall, and short. Founder Chelsea Bonner is a former plus-size model, so she knows about—and speaks about—representation. The only mention of measurements on their website is a plea to make sure they are correct. Petite models Bella represents include Bruna Lapinskas, 5 feet 3 inches tall, Angel Ntiamoah, 5 feet 4 inches, and Anna Nguyen, 5 feet 5 inches.
How to apply: Fill out the form on the website. They want two photos—one headshot and one full-length body shot. If you have questions, ring their Sydney office or their Melbourne office.
Check out our latest Model Castings!
