As we progress into 2011, we at Talent Management have recognised that attitudes towards the ‘perfect’ male ideal have shifted among the fashion industry and our clientele.

Not only are we becoming more accustomed to plus-size female models, but a similar trend is beginning to emerge among the male model elite.

Looking back to the 90s, heroine chic ruled and super skinny male models dressed in slim-line suits were dominating the catwalk.

Since then, we’ve seen the male ideal go back and forth from the muscular ‘Calvin Klein underwear model’ look to the skinny jeans and slim tailored ‘Russell Brand’ look.

But now we’re starting to see the popularity of ‘real men’ growing, and it seems we’re not alone in this thought.

British male model, Paul Sculfor, who has modelled for Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace and Christian Dior, agrees.

Voted the most Elegant Man of the Year by Spanish GQ in 2010, Sculfor told Vogue.com: “When I went for my first casting with Donatella [Versace] she said to me ‘I want real men to do my campaigns.’

“I think music has a lot to do with which models are seen as in fashion. If you look at the Nineties, when skinny male models were really in, the music was Nirvana and Oasis – and models looked like the boys that were in those bands.

“Music’s changing and so is modelling. I think having really skinny guys keeps a lot of people out of the market. You want an image that will really sell clothes,” he said.

This is another shift in trends that we at Talent Management are happy to see and hope will grow not only within the industry, but among young men aspiring to the model ideal.