Algorithm that predicts upcoming top model with 80% accuracy

A team of researchers from Indiana University has an answer to who will be next top model. The researchers said they have formulated an algorithm that can assess Instagram data from New York Fashion week and estimate who will be the upcoming top model with 80% accuracy.

Researchers said they have to predict many factors like the number of runways walked, number of Instagram followers, amount of posts per month, likes and comments on these posts, along with their association with modeling agencies to know the popularity level of the model.

They carried out an experiment in which they collected data for 431 female models from the Fashion Model Directory. In order to predict a model’s popularity, the data was later narrowed down to 15 models, who were listed as ‘New Faces’ on the Fashion Model Directory.

Of the eight models, six were accurately predicted and became the summer’s top models. The researchers predicted seven models to be among the least popular, six of them actually did.

Emilio Ferrera, a computer scientist, said, “We chose the fashion industry for this research because it represents a strong 'winner-take-all' mentality. This aspect of survival of the fittest, plus the large amount of statistical data on professional models, makes it a perfect subject for advancing research on 'the science of success”.