"It's the Uber of..." has become a popular phrase in 2015 with more and more apps tapping into the convenient, easy-to-use business model of the beloved car service. Now, the Uber of models has arrived with Swipecast, a new booking app looking to revolutionize the fashion and modeling industry. Founded by Peter Fitzpatrick, who also owns Silent Models NY, Swipecast is a hybrid of Uber and Tinder for the fashion industry to book and hire models without using an agency as a middleman—meaning models can skip over the whole process of being scouted and signing entirely.
Swipecast allows models, casting directors, photographers and stylists—all of whom must be vetted before being approved—to create their own portfolio on the app through which they can, set up castings, chat, book jobs and secure payments. Casting directors or stylists can peruse through a lookbook of model portfolios on the app and then directly message those of interest to further discuss the job or set up a casting call. According to Business of Fashion, most modeling agencies charge 30 to 40% commission, but Swipecast is hoping to ensure models receive a larger paycheck by only charging 10% commission and leaving the remaining 90% of the total fee to the model. After the job is completed, both sides have the opportunity to rate one another via a star system similar to Uber's setup.
While the app has a way to go before becoming a serious threat to modeling agencies, it is ideal for up-and-coming industry talent who aren't represented by an agency—and who knows, it could just help discover fashion's next It girl.
Swipecast is now available to download for freehere.
