The idea that models are no longer in fashion may sound provocative, but in today’s advertising landscape, authenticity is proving more powerful than perfection. Across the fashion and beauty industries, brands are stepping away from the polished faces traditionally supplied by a model agency and instead turning the spotlight on their own employees. This shift reflects a broader cultural movement: consumers now want to see real people, real bodies, and real stories that mirror their own lives rather than idealized images shaped by marketing formulas.
As social media reshapes how we see ourselves and others, rigid gender roles and narrow beauty standards are giving way to more inclusive narratives. Shoppers are increasingly skeptical of campaigns built around flawless professional models, even those represented by top model agencies. When it comes to makeup or clothing, people want to relate. Seeing someone who looks, dresses, and lives like them makes it easier to believe that a product will work in their own everyday reality.
One of the clearest examples of this evolution came when brands began embracing plus-size and nontraditional models, challenging the long-standing norms of the modeling industry. Designers such as Diane von Furstenberg and Rebecca Minkoff publicly moved away from working exclusively with “impeccable” runway-ready figures, instead choosing women who better represented their actual customers. This wasn’t a rejection of modeling itself, but a redefinition of who gets to be a model.
The strategy may feel contemporary, yet its roots stretch back decades. As early as the 1960s, advertisers realized that consumers are more likely to buy when they can compare themselves directly to the person in the ad. When a shopper can honestly think, “She looks like me—if that sweater works for her, it could work for me,” the distance between inspiration and purchase shrinks dramatically. In this context, everyday employees become powerful brand ambassadors, often more persuasive than career models signed to a global model agency.
ModCloth is frequently cited as a pioneer of this approach. In 2015, the retailer launched a swimwear campaign featuring its own employees, showcasing a wide range of body types, skin tones, and personal styles. The decision was partly a response to industry controversy surrounding plus-size model representation, but it quickly became a commercial success. By placing their products on real women who worked for the brand, ModCloth transformed modeling into a relatable, confidence-building experience—and the results spoke for themselves, with swimwear sales jumping by more than 50 percent.
Today, ModCloth continues to feature staff members across advertising campaigns and Instagram feeds, giving customers a clearer sense of fit, styling, and versatility. Other brands, including Shopbop and Madewell, have adopted similar tactics, blending traditional models with in-house talent. This hybrid approach shows that modeling is no longer confined to agency rosters; it’s becoming a shared space where authenticity and professionalism coexist.
Beauty brands have followed suit. Sephora’s campaigns have famously highlighted sales associates from across different regions and backgrounds, uniting them through a shared passion for beauty rather than a uniform look. By doing so, the brand acknowledged a simple truth: the world is diverse, and successful marketing must reflect that diversity. For many consumers, seeing a familiar face—someone who actually works with the products every day—builds more trust than seeing a flawless image curated by a distant model agency.
Even editorial media has embraced this philosophy. Former editors at fashion magazines have noted that featuring their own teams helped readers understand products more realistically. When editors or employees demonstrate how to wear makeup or style clothing, the advice feels lived-in and practical, not aspirational to the point of detachment.
In the end, this shift doesn’t signal the death of models or modeling, nor does it render model agencies obsolete. Instead, it marks an expansion of who can represent a brand. Employees, customers, and traditional models now share the same stage, collectively reshaping fashion imagery into something more honest, inclusive, and effective. In a market driven by connection, relatability has become the new ideal—and that’s a trend that’s here to stay.
