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Fair enough....... in the '60s, many fashion photographers moved away from medium or full format film and got more mobile with a 35mm camera - David Bailey etc made names for themselves with this technique..... but you're going to have to compete with a lot of rivals. If you want your pictures in glossy magazines, they generally will only want full-frame, ultra-sharp images - those that stand out from the crowd. Don't forget that 'full-frame' means approximately 35mm in sensor size - it's not 'Medium Format'. A 'normal' APS-C DSLR can still work for 'street fashion', some outdoor work or with active (moving around) models, but magazines and advertising companies demand the best quality. Some might even say Medium Format (the Hasselblads etc), and you can't argue with that extra quality, but I think that's only essential for some really static images. I've no idea what the cost would be to hire one for a day..... but you can imagine it's a lot, and the job has to be worth the investment for that alone - so only the most successful and busy photographers (of fashion or products) can afford them.
How much does Medium Format cost? You could pick up a Medium Format film camera, like a Bronica or Hasselblad, for around 500 pounds. But the people that used them in the past had to be very well equipped and knowledgeable - it's film, so you'd be prone to under- and over-exposure if you're not an expert - so you'd need an extensive knowledge of lighting and metering.
For digital, Full Frame (or 'DX') is what you may need - I don't think anything bigger is necessary unless you've been commissioned to take the next set of pictures for a fashion catalogue - then you might get your investment money back.
If you're talking digital 'Medium Format', the prices start at 10,000 pounds for the Pentax 645 with a lens. I think you'd have to be already fairly well established in the business to invest that kind of money (and if you're thinking of a Hasselblad, you'll need almost 30,000 pounds (body only) - but, as I say, the full-frame (35mm equivalent) is more than enough.)
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