Modeling in · United States
Working as a model inLos Angeles.
Updated Oct 3, 2026
No fashion week — commercial, swim and lifestyle all year, on self-tape. What changes when you work as a model in Los Angeles — seasons, agencies, money — and what Odette keeps in order from your phone.
Los Angeles has no major fashion week: commercial, swim and lifestyle all year, with castings often on self-tape. Agencies take 20 to 25% and pay in 30 to 90 days, in dollars. The visa is the same as for New York.
Modeling in Los AngelesThe visaO-1B visa (extraordinary ability in the arts) — uscis.gov
The year in Los Angeles.
No season here: the market runs all year, and a self-tape casting has a deadline — placed on your calendar in advance.
The year 2026
12 months · what matters on this market
Jan
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings
Feb
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Mar
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Apr
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
May
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Jun
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Jul
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Aug
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Sep
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Oct
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Nov
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Dec
Commercial, advertising, e-commerce, swim — all year, self-tape castings · cont.
Seasons
The Los Angeles market.
What gets shot here, how the agencies work, at what rhythm the work arrives.
Advertising, commercial, e-commerce, swimwear, beauty, sport, lifestyle — close to film and West Coast brands. Rates are negotiated by usage more than by day.
Commercial and lifestyle agencies; many self-tape castings, sent from home. The work visa is the same as for New York.
No show season: the market runs all year, with peaks before summer (swim) and in the autumn. Jobs often involve a car, travel and per diem.
Money in Los Angeles.
Dollars, a buyout that often makes the amount, travel to split in writing, the same withholding as New York and terms that depend on the ad agency: five lines to know before the first self-tape.
In dollars; 20 to 25% commission
Often the main line: advertising, digital, term
Flights, hotel, per diem, car: who pays what must be written
As in New York: often 30% for non-residents
30 to 90 days, depending on the client and the ad agency
Commission, terms and dates as of September 2026 — a market moves, and a contract always wins over a page.
Three things she does here without being asked.
- 01A Los Angeles job almost always involves expenses: Odette notes who pays what and keeps every receipt linked to the job.
- 02Self-tape castings have a deadline: they appear on your calendar as castings, with their brief.
- 03Read the usage before the day rate: in advertising, the buyout makes the amount.
Agencies in Los Angeles.
Agencies with an office in Los Angeles, each opened on its own site in September 2026. Check its licence and its contract before you sign.
Next ManagementLos Angeles office on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills; women, men, talent, creators and artists.
Its site ↗
LA ModelsWomen’s, men’s and juniors divisions, with New Faces and Classic boards; office on Sunset Boulevard.
Its site ↗
PhotogenicsA Los Angeles agency with its office on Rose Avenue in Venice, and one in New York.
Its site ↗
State ManagementMain, development, curve and kids boards in Los Angeles, with New York and Chicago.
Its site ↗No agency on this list should charge you to sign. Odette does not place models; this list is informational and not a recommendation.
Frequently asked
Is there a fashion week in Los Angeles?
Nothing comparable to New York or Paris. The market is commercial and advertising, all year.
How do castings work?
Often self-tape: you film at home to a brief and send before a deadline. Odette puts them on your calendar as castings.
Who pays the flight and hotel?
It depends on the contract: the client, the agency, or you with reimbursement. Odette notes it on the job and keeps the receipts.
Keep the money straight in Los Angeles.
The two screens that answer the questions this page raises: what you are owed, and what the agency has actually paid.
Other cities, same rules
A career often plays out on two or three markets at once. Odette keeps each one’s currency, terms and contract.
