Get to know this exotic plus size beauty a little better:
Do you remember the first time you knew you wanted to be a model?
I was on a NYC bus, when a woman approached me and said ''you should be a plus size model''- I had no idea at the time that such thing even existed. So she gave me her card, she worked for MODE. I loved the idea of being comfortable in my own skin and showing that through the pictures. It might sound cliché, but that’s just how I really feel about myself... I've always had a great chemistry with the camera so I suppose that was a good combination.
Tell me about the steps you took in order to become a model….
Well, I guess it took me a good while to really understand what the plus size industry was about (not sure if I yet fully do!), get the right test images and really think of modeling as a job...it's always been all about fun, making friends and really just enjoying the whole idea behind been a really curvy girl (I am a pear shape at its best!) and exposing that very beautiful idea to the world - Yes! You can be curvy, BEAUTIFUL and confident!
Who or what inspires you to follow your dreams?
Confidence is always inspirational to me. I’ve had the opportunity to meet both the women who are not afraid of sharing who they are and do not allow their body shapes to limit them and the ones who, although claim to accept their curvy bodies, really aren't! They both have inspired me to be proud of the confidence I've always had about my body.
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Tell me about your appreciation for photography.
I've always adored photography and the power of pictures. I started taking pictures of random subjects with my old 35mm Russian Zenit camera at the age of 13, that love has always been part of my life. I guess this is my way of expressing my creative side. I think most of the photographers, and unfortunately there are not too many shooting plus size models, are amazing for creating beautiful ways of portraying the curves of a woman’s body.
Who is your favorite plus size model?
Hands down I think Crystal Renn is the most versatile model out there today!! I think she's beautiful and an unconventional beauty in more than one way. Her posing is daring and strong. I think she took plus size modeling to the next level; she made it all a lot more youthful, interesting and cool.
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How do you believe the plus industry has developed in the last 5 years?
I believe the positive change is that we have a much larger choice of clothing brands to shop from, a lot more online resources to find these companies, a few more modeling agencies catering towards the plus size idea as well. There was a period where we saw a bit more true plus size models working on the print ads and magazine editorials, but it did change, unfortunately.
I think the industry in general seems to be terrified of using real plus size girls in their ads, but they don’t have a problem padding the skinny ones (yes! it is true, they do hire skinny girls and ask them to wear padding so they look like they are size 16 or 18!). |
I hear a lot about how plus size shoppers are really ''skinny buyers'', they don’t want to see themselves up there, therefore they don’t really feel attracted to buying something when they see it on a bigger plus model. I just don’t feel that this is true of the majority of the women.
I would love to see higher end production on plus size clothing campaigns, where they'll do amazing photography/lighting, amazing hair/make up, beautiful clothes and setting on the main stream media. Thank God for the gutsy new designers and the photographers who aren’t afraid of trying and blazing the trails.... but unfortunately there is only but so much the smaller companies’ budget can afford. Stills it makes me thrilled to see places like Beautypluspower.com, Amaze Magazine and Curvychick.com making their mark in the industry... maybe slowly, but surely better changes will come. One can only be hopeful.
What is your advice to aspiring plus size models?
This is a hard one for me... most people who I met at the beginning told me I wouldn’t go anywhere at my height (I'm 5'8) or that pear shapes weren’t the popular types amongst clients (I'm Latina, I have big hips, what can I say!). Yes, there are standards for modeling, but mainly I believe it has to do with how well you photograph, which is a combo of chemistry with the camera, good face and body proportions. There are some boundaries I'll never be able to cross for not meeting the set standards, but I'm still doing something I truly enjoy, if I had listen to those people, I would have never done it at all.
I think at the end you have to give it a try, it's a costly investment and it has to be looked at as a business, you are the business- you have to prepared to pay for “tests”, hunt for agencies, pay for your comp cards, be available for the go sees, work out to keep toned and take good care of yourself.
…..never let anyone stop you from trying because at the end of the day you have to know that you did everything you could. Everyone's reason to try modeling is different if it's something you desire in your heart, give it a shot.
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