Modelling on the brink?

Wilbert Rukato, the association’s spokesperson, said there are several pageants which are meaningless and detrimental to the growth of the sector.

“Modelling is not free for all. Modelling is associated with glitz and glamour which means it is an elitist type of art.

“That is where most of the beauty contest organisers have failed because they want to see large numbers attending the pageants and beauty contests.

“The situation has been worsened by the organisers who hire musicians to perform at modelling contests or beauty pageants.

“That is so wrong. Modelling on its own should bring the right people who pay whatever amount to watch the models strut their stuff,” Rukato said.

Already in Zimbabwe there are at least seven pageants among them Miss Carnival, Miss Global, Miss Heritage, Miss Teen Zimbabwe, Miss Universities, Zimbabwe’s Next Top Model, Miss Curvy Africa and the Miss Zimbabwe.

Only a decade ago there were three international pageants, that is the Miss Zimbabwe, Miss Universe and the Africa Sun formerly the Zimbabwe Sun Hotels-organised Zimbabwe Supermodel.

Oddly enough, these three pageants put Zimbabwe on the international runways and were well organised with huge sponsorship from private companies.

According to Rukato, the three top contests were not only about the prizes, but also built careers for the winning models.

“If you look at the current situation you will notice more than half of the previous title holders of these several pageants did not last beyond their reigns. Why? The reason is simple.

“They got hefty prizes for winning especially with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority organised pageants where the winners walked away with cash and top of the range cars.

“This does not promote modelling and not is a long-term investment. If you groom models who will strut their stuff at international catwalks in Milan, Paris, New York or London they will be able to eke out a living,” he said.

Previous title holders of either the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe or Miss Zimbabwe never pursued modelling as a career. If anything most of them got married while the lucky ones were given contracts to work for the ZTA.

Rukato said the best way to do it was to groom models who will adhere to international standards and the starting point was to scout for models.

“Where pageant organisers are getting it wrong is that they place adverts in the Press and whoever comes for auditions will be shortlisted as a finalist.

“They then go into camp for a week staying in a five-star hotel. Now how can you groom someone for the international catwalk for just week? That is not possible,” Rukato said.

He noted that some of the best models to emerge from Zimbabwe did not come from the so-called pageants.

“Models like Greatmore Chatya who plied her trade in South Africa was once a model with Size 4 Modelling Agency, Brita Masalethulini was groomed by Silhouette Modelling Agency while Malaika Mushandu was a product of Zim Gossip Models.

“As Size 4 Modelling agency if I approach the corporate world and advertising agencies to promote our models they always ask if we are different from the models that they see in these pageants. This is where the sector has failed because there are no advertising agencies willing to pay for our models because they are used to making shortcuts and are not prepared to pay as much as we would want our models to get.

“In other words, we have killed the sector by having too many pageants which serve no purpose. Instead of developing a viable modelling sector we have actually killed it. The so-called pageants only empower one or two girls and the rest suffer.

“For instance, Bongani Dhlakama, the outgoing Miss Zimbabwe, had a hard time during her reign and yet if you look at an international model like Naomi Campbell she is nearing 40, but she is still one of the most sought-after models,” he said.

Rukato said his association resolved not to get involved in organising the pageants due to lack of professionalism.

“We have seen that the organisers of these pageants do not want to consult us and for that reason we are not involved or supporting any the pageants,” he said.