Supermodels open call: how to apply and what happens next

This is the open call modeling hopefuls in the Baltics ask about most. Every year Supermodels announces open calls, with dates and cities across Lithuania, from the big cities to smaller towns. New dates are posted on the agency's website and social media, and in our fashion calendar.

This year's open calls have already taken place and the next ones are not announced yet. You do not have to wait for them: between open calls you can apply online any day, and the agency gets in touch if it sees potential. Many Supermodels models started exactly that way.

The aim has not changed. Supermodels is a mother agency in Lithuania looking for people who can work not only at home but in Paris, Milan, London, New York and Asia. This guide covers what to know before you press "send": what the agency looks for, how to take your photos and measure yourself, what happens after you apply and what the first year with an agency looks like.

Who can apply to the Supermodels open call

Women and men who have the looks a model needs, want a career, are free to travel and are not tied to a contract with another model agency.

	Women	Men
Age	14–22	16–25
Height	At least 170 cm (5'7")	185–190 cm (6'1"–6'3")
Plus-size models	Welcome to apply
Contracts	No current contract with another model agency
Travel	Able to travel for work (under-18s with parental consent)

These numbers are for fashion models the agency prepares for international markets. If you are shorter, older or built differently, modeling is not closed to you: commercial, advertising, petite and mature modeling is a far bigger market than fashion. The types and their requirements are in how to become a model.

What the agency looks for beyond numbers

Measurements open the door; they do not decide. In a crowded industry looks and perfect numbers are not enough, so Supermodels looks for personalities: people proud of what makes them different, unafraid to stand out, with interests and talents of their own, who know what they want and will work for it.

What is judged	What it means
Type	A memorable face and features. The prettiest face is not always the most booked.
Proportions	Long legs, straight shoulders, neck, not only height.
Skin, hair, teeth	A natural, healthy look without make-up.
Movement	How you walk, stand and turn. It can be learned, but natural posture shows at once.
Potential	Which markets you suit: Paris, Milan, Asia or commercial work.
Character	Punctuality, languages, travelling alone, taking criticism.

How to take model polaroids for your application

The form asks for three photos, face, profile and full length, each up to 4 MB. In the industry these are called polaroids or digitals. An agency needs accurate pictures, not flattering ones.

What you need

• A phone, using the main (back) camera, not the selfie camera.
• A friend or family member to take the pictures.
• Daylight: by a large window or outdoors on an overcast day.
• A plain, light wall behind you.
• Plain fitted clothes: black jeans or leggings and a plain T-shirt; for the full-length shot women can wear a swimsuit and men swim shorts if comfortable.

The three shots

1. Face, front. The photographer stands about a metre away with the phone at eye level. Hair behind the ears or tied back, a relaxed face, a slight smile is fine.
2. Profile. Turn sideways and look straight ahead. Hair behind the shoulder so the neck and jaw show.
3. Full length. The photographer steps back 3–4 metres and holds the phone at waist height so your legs are not shortened. Stand straight, arms relaxed, feet together, barefoot or in plain shoes.

Do	Don't
Daylight by a window or outdoors	Flash, evening light, coloured lighting
A plain, light background	Your room, other people in the frame
No make-up, or very light	Heavy make-up, false lashes, fake tan
Plain fitted clothes	Loose knits, prints, big bags, sunglasses
Hair pulled back from the face	Hair covering the face or neck
No filters or retouching	Selfies, beauty filters, cropped shots

The most common mistake is sending your best social media photos. They tell an agency little: make-up, angles and filters hide exactly what it wants to see. The second is a full-length shot taken from above, which makes legs look shorter than they are.

How to measure yourself

The form asks for height, shoe size and three measurements in centimetres. Measure in the morning with a tailor's tape over thin underwear; the tape should lie flat, neither digging in nor slipping.

Measurement	How
Height	Barefoot, back against a wall, heels together. Lay a book flat on your head against the wall and mark it.
Bust or chest	Around the fullest part, tape level across the back.
Waist	Around the narrowest part, usually just above the navel. Do not pull your stomach in.
Hips	Around the fullest part of the seat, feet together.
Shoe size	European size; if unsure, measure your foot and convert.

Do not round up or down: you will be measured again at the agency. Our size guide converts inches and US or UK sizes to European ones.

How to apply online

1. Open supermodels.lt/registracija. The form is in Lithuanian; your browser can translate it.
2. Enter your date of birth, gender, height, shoe size and measurements.
3. Upload the three photos: face, profile, full length.
4. Agree to your details and photos being used to find you work, and to the terms and privacy policy.
5. If the form will not send, e-mail your details and photos to info@supermodels.lt.

Under-18s fill in the application with a parent.

Why an application may go unanswered

• the photos do not show how you look: make-up, filters, poor light or too far from the camera;
• the full-length shot is missing or taken from above;
• your measurements do not fit the fashion market, or the agency is looking for a different type right now;
• your age does not fit, or you already have a contract with another agency;
• a typo in your contact details.

"No", or silence, is not "never". Looks change quickly in the teens, so it is worth applying again after six months or a year with new photos.

What happens after you apply

1. Review. The agency team looks at your photos and measurements. An answer can take from a few days to a few weeks.
2. An invitation. Suitable candidates are invited to the office. Come without make-up, with clean hair and in fitted clothes; women should bring heels. Under-18s come with a parent.
3. The meeting. You are measured, photographed without make-up, asked to walk and to talk briefly about studies, languages and whether you can travel. More: how to prepare for a model casting.
4. A contract. If both sides want to work together, a contract is signed. Read it at home and ask every question first.

The first year with an agency

Signing is where the work begins. A mother agency develops a new face: it prepares them, creates the first pictures and introduces them to partner agencies abroad.

• Preparation. The walk, posing, skin and hair care, casting etiquette. Before fashion weeks Supermodels has run a free camp for its new models covering the runway walk, nutrition and fitness.
• Test shoots and a book. The first professional pictures are made with the agency.
• A composite card to leave with clients after castings: the composite card for models.
• A first contract abroad. Usually Milan, Paris or Asia for a few weeks or months. How to prepare: fashion capitals for models.
• Money. The agency advances travel, housing and tests, later deducted from earnings and shown on your statement.

Supermodels success stories

Erika Labanauskaitė walked into the Supermodels office in Kaunas at nineteen, just out of school, although careers usually begin at 15 or 16. Within two weeks she flew to Milan, which soon became her home; she went on to work in Paris, Japan, Germany, Spain, the UK, China, the US and Greece, and opened a Valentino show in Paris.

Agnė Končiūtė walked 58 shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris in a single season and was named among the world's top ten new faces. She also shot for Vogue Russia.

Both stories began with a simple open call, and Erika's shows that the age limit is not absolute: an exceptional look sometimes opens the door later.

For men

The men's market is smaller than the women's, but so is the competition. The agency looks for men aged 16–25, 185–190 cm tall, with an athletic but not overly muscular build, healthy skin, neat hair and ease in front of a camera.

For plus-size models

Supermodels also invites aspiring plus-size models to apply. Proportions, skin, an expressive face and confidence matter most here, and height requirements are more flexible. The photo rules are the same: daylight, fitted clothes, full length, no filters.

For parents: what to ask the agency

• who accompanies an under-18 model on trips, and how;
• where they will live abroad, and with whom;
• how work fits around school and exams;
• which costs are advanced and how they are repaid;
• how and when parents receive statements of work and earnings;
• how to end the contract if your child changes their mind.

A good agency answers these willingly and in writing.

Does it cost anything?

No. Applying, the open call and the meeting are free, and a model does not pay to be represented. The agency earns from the model's work. If anyone asks for money in the name of Supermodels for registration or "a place at the agency", it is not us. How to check any agency: how to choose a modeling agency.

Who Supermodels works with

Supermodels has worked since 2001 as a mother agency. Its partners include NEXT, Wilhelmina, Elite, Women, Why Not Models, Silent and MiLK. The full profile is in our agency catalogue.

How to prepare so the agency notices you

Many candidates lack not looks but confidence in front of a camera and a sense of what an agency wants. Our model training with the Supermodels team covers the walk, posing, digitals and the intro video, and an image consultation helps you know your strengths.

At castings you hear "no" more often than "yes", and that is normal. Some people find small rituals help before a public moment: breathing, music, a favourite scent. The Mind University shop has essences that the radionics tradition links with confidence (Charisma) and with tension and calm (NoStress). They are not medicines and no substitute for preparation.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Supermodels open call?

Supermodels announces open calls every year. This year's have taken place and the next ones are not announced yet; the agency will post them on its website and social media. Meanwhile you can apply online.

Do I have to wait for an open call?

No. You can apply on the agency's website at any time; the agency reviews applications and invites suitable candidates to meet.

How old do you need to be to apply?

Women 14 to 22, men 16 to 25. Under-18s apply and attend the meeting with a parent.

How tall do you need to be?

Women at least 170 cm (5'7"), men 185–190 cm (6'1"–6'3"). Height requirements are more flexible for plus-size models.

Do I need professional photos?

No. Three simple daylight photos of your face, profile and full length, without make-up or filters, are enough.

Is applying free?

Yes. Applying and the open call are free; the agency earns from a model's work.

How long until the agency replies?

From a few days to a few weeks. No answer means the agency is looking for a different type right now; you can apply again later.

Can I apply from outside Lithuania?

Yes. Applications are made online, and the agency contacts the candidates it would like to meet.

Do I need to speak English?

You can start without fluent English, but it helps a great deal when working abroad, so it is worth learning from the start.