Looks like it's not only the fashion houses that are having a hard time, but the models as well. Designers are hiring fewer models to walk the runway as labels are cutting costs as they brace for the economic push. "Half price! It's half-price everywhere, in Milan, even in New York," stated Ukranian model Anna Chyzh. Even Aidan Jean-Marie, director at Premier Model Management in London, has revealed that clients who used to pay a daily rate of $4,200 are now coming in with a budget of $2,100. Agencies have adjusted their mix of "commercial" models and pricier "catwalk" models, citing, "You need both sides to survive the downturn, but the balance shifts slightly towards the commercial models," said Jean-Marie. I guess the salary cuts should even out all the discounting that's been going on, heh heh.
