By Deborah Arthurs


Caught up: The model's heel becomes snagged in the hemline of her long dress, and she struggles to free herself so she can continue her walk up the runway


It's surely the moment that every model dreads. With all eyes - and lenses - scrutinising their every step, no girl wants to take a tumble.

So it was likely a mortifying moment for this model at yesterday's Amanda Wakeley show when her heel got tangled up in the long hemline of her dress, leaving her struggling to free it as she stumbled up the catwalk.

A sympathetic audience willed her on as she attempted to disentangle herself from the fabric, eventually managing and continuing her walk, only to trip again as she exited the runway.

Still struggling: Almost on safe ground, the model falls into difficulty yet again as she reaches the entrance to the backstage area as the other girls continue their walk


It's not the first Fashion Week slip up either. At Mark Fast's show on Monday, one model's heel repeatedly snagged on the long hem of her loose-knit dress. After stumbling several times, she finally released the offending heel and continued walking to the top of the catwalk - but tripped yet again, this time right in front of the bank of photographers.

No girl wants to have the spotlight thrown on her thanks to a blunder - even when as is frequently the case, it is the impractical clothes or shoes that are at fault.

Worse, a model agency insider tells us a high profile fall could be career-threatening.

'It's quite common for girls to be quietly dropped by their agents after tripping or falling during a show, the source told MailOnline.

Dreaded moments: Left, a model at the Mark Fast show repeatedly stumbled when her heel became caught up in the loose-knit dress she wore; right, a model trips at the Amaya Arzuaga show during Madrid fashion week


'As far as the designers are concerned the model's job is to make the clothes look fantastic. That's compromised when she starts stumbling down the catwalk like a drunk.

'If the girl' is a 'new face' it could terminate her career before she's even really got started. Walking is how new faces launch or raise their profile in order to land moneyed jobs like advertising campaigns.

'Tripping or falling on the catwalk draws attention to the girl for all the wrong reasons.

'If the model has an existing profile and clientele then she will probably survive a few stumbles - look at Naomi Campbell.'

Well handled: Naomi Campbell fell on the Vivienne Westwood catwalk in Paris back in 1993, but managed to handle the issue with grace


Indeed, Naomi Campbell's tumble on the Vivienne Westwood catwalk in 1993 showed that sometimes it's not the slip or fall that is the biggest issue: it's how the girl deals with it that matters.

'Naomi laughed it off, stood up and finished her walk with grace. The pictures went global - it was actually fantastic publicity.'

Nevertheless, Naomi's positive experience is a rare one, and the chilling truth is that girls without her standing may find they have blown their chances of working with big designers after tripping down the runway.

'There are a million reasons why a girl might trip - but even so, they all dread it equally. It can make them feel like they've failed,' our source said. 'It makes them look unprofessional.'

'I know girls who will do anything to avoid it, include asking for shoes a bone-crushing size too small to ensure there is no chance of their high heels coming loose half way down the catwalk.

'I came across one girl who carried sandpaper in her Gucci handbag and used it to rough up the bottom of her show shoes to give her extra grip.

'My advice to them if the unthinkable happens is to look unfazed. I did see a girl do a little curtsey once after a fall, which was cute. But I'm not sure I'd recommend that to all. You need to be quite a character to be able to pull that off.

'Just Smile graciously; laugh it off. The designer, and the photographers, will appreciate it.'


source:dailymail