Supermodel Linda Evangelista once famously said that she wouldn't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day, but in these recessionary times some of Ireland's top models are having to accept just €150 per photoshoot.

Models like Michelle McGrath, Nadia Forde and Sarah Kavanagh earn between €150 and €250 for photocalls which typically run an hour in length – and have to pay a percentage of their fees to their agencies.

This is in stark contrast to the Forbes list of average modelling fees, which shows that an average international model can expect to make €152,000 per season. Top UK models such as Kate Moss earn a hefty €7m a year.

Topping the list of Irish earners is former Miss World Rosanna Davison, who commands €600 per photoshoot.

Top international fashion designer and president of Elite Ireland Juan Sebastian Castrillon is now urging Irish models to branch out. "While the modelling agencies in Dublin are without a doubt very good, the thing is that models need to get out of Ireland and find an international agency, and this should be their aim if they really want to make it," he said. "If they stay here, though Ireland is a great place to be starting off as a model, they'll never get where they want to go."

Castrillon also offered advice on how models should present themselves.

"Some Irish models use a lot of fake tan," he said. "The big model agencies will just say no to this. It is all about being natural now so these girls need to remember this if they want to make it as a star and a top model."

Castrillon said it was only once Irish models made it on the international scene that they could ex­pect to start making a small fortune.

"It is a lucrative career, and that will happen once a model starts becoming established across different places. However, this won't happen at all if the model is not extremely determined.

"They need to be hungry and keep on applying to agencies even if they are getting rejected. Models like Gisele Bundchen cost a lot of money for example, but she is that determined kind of model."

Assets model Georgia Salpa, whose agency charges €300 per hourly photoshoot, appears to have taken Catrillon's advice after applying to top London agency M&P Models.

The agency recently confirmed it offered the model, who appears almost daily in newspapers, a formal contract.

Top models, hourly rates

Rosanna Davison €600
Roz Purcell €500
Pippa O'Connor €400
Sarah McGovern €300
Georgia Salpa €300
Nadia Forde €250
Sarah Kavanagh €250
Lynn Kelly €250
Aoife Cogan €250
Michelle McGrath €150