By Harper’s Bazaar Singapore Team - published
Photo: Getty
America's next top model won't be predicted by a reality show this year. Instead, she'll be scientifically proven in a lab. Yahoo Style reports that academics have created a formula to predict which models will take the fashion world by storm.
Researchers at Indiana University crunched the numbers from a directory of 400 fashion models; they factored in data from last fall about hair color, eye color, height, measurements, dress size, shoe size, modeling agency and runways walked. After plugging in those numbers, they also took to Instagram, figuring out how many followers, likes and posts each model had.
And it turns out that Instagram is just as important as a modeling agency. The higher the number of likes, comments and posts, the more likely the model would be more successful during Fashion Week. (Success, in this case, meant number of runways walked.) Modeling agencies were still important, as was height; each additional inch in height doubled the model's chances of booking a show. Disappointingly, larger hip, dress and shoe sizes decreased a model's chance of success.
The researchers tested their predictions during the Fall 2015 season by narrowing down models considered "New Faces" in the directory. (That way, past experience wouldn't affect their chances of getting hired.) They predicted eight models from the list would be successful, and six turned out to be true during the March shows. Here are the six scientifically proven models who are on the rise:
1) SOFIA TESMENITSKAYA
A photo posted by Sofia Tesmenitskaya (@sofiatesmenitskaya) on Aug 14, 2015 at 6:09pm PDT
2) ARINA LEVCHENKO
A photo posted by Arina Levchenko (@levchenko_arina_) on Aug 23, 2015 at 9:27am PDT
3) RENATA SCHEFFER
A photo posted by Renata Scheffer ♓ (@renatascheffer) on Mar 12, 2015 at 10:08am PDT
4) SASHA ANTONOWSKAIA
best paradox at work: furs in summer and swimwear in winter ? #loveit #missmyfringe
A photo posted by sasha antonowskaia (@antonowska) on Aug 1, 2015 at 3:20am PDT
5) MELANIE CULLEY
A photo posted by melanie culley (@babesintoyland) on Feb 28, 2015 at 10:23am PST
6) PHILLIPA HEMPHREY
A photo posted by Phillipa Hemphrey (@phillipahemphrey97) on Sep 29, 2014 at 10:48am PDT