We were lucky to catch up with Alia Miller recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Growing up with such a loving and artistic mom, I was always encouraged to express myself and try new things. Whether that be through make shift fashion shows in our living room, to learning dance routines all night long. Because of her encouragement, it led to my confidence growing at such a young age and continuing into my adult years. I’m not afraid to express myself and be who I am because of the confidence and encouragement my mom and family passed down to me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Hello hello everyone my name is Alia Miller, I am a self taught makeup and nail artist, freelance model, and fashionista here in the DFW area. In my free time, I enjoy practicing makeup and nail looks, working out, opening blind boxes, or spending time with my husband and our three cats.

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been a diva. I love makeup, I love clothes, I loved played dress up, and I loved doing play fashion shows. Makeup and fashion have always been an extension of me; a way that I can express myself you could say. I’ve practiced makeup for about 10 years now, and each year it seems like I continue to learn something new. That’s the beauty of makeup, it’s constantly evolving and there are endlessly possibilities. The same can be said about nail artistry. I’ve been practicing my own nails for about 5 years now, and it’s become one of my greatest passions. Each year, I become more and more proud of my abilities as they continue to grow.

I remember watching America’s Next Top Model when I was younger and remembering, “I want to take pretty pictures like that”. And I did just that. I’ve been a freelance model here in Dallas for around 9 years now. I’ve gotten to work with some pretty cool brands like Aura Bora Sparkling Water, Mattress Firm, Arvo Wine, and Hot Take Dough. I’ve also had the privilege of gracing the cover of Plano Magazine and Artelles Magazine, as well as being featured in Malvie Noir Magazine. Modeling has been a tremendous factor in my confidence over the years. When I’m in front of the camera, it allows me to feel a confidence I’ve never felt before. The freedom I have to express myself and almost become this character is really something special. I’ve gotten to work with some incredibly talented people along the way, people who believed in me and saw my potential.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding is just getting to express myself in fun ways like my fashion and makeup. There’s something so satisfying about putting together a bomb outfit from head to toe. An outfit that you know looks good, and also makes you feel even better. What’s even better is when you’re checking out at the grocery store and the cashier says, “oh my gosh I love your nails”, or “I love your makeup!”. It makes me feel so incredibly proud of my skills and how far they’ve come because it didn’t always start that way.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I’d say my overall mission is to become the best version of myself as possible. I’m constantly growing and evolving, and I want my passions to do the same. With makeup and nail artistry, the more you practice the better you become at it. There was a point in time a few years ago when I lost someone very dearly to me. Someone who impacted my life in a tremendous way, and contributed to my love for all things beauty and fashion. It really affected me, and led me to stray away from the things I enjoyed doing because this type of grief was something new for me. With time, I had to remind myself why I fell in love with makeup and fashion in the first place. It brought me back to playing dress up in my Nana’s closet, and putting on bright red lipstick on her bathroom counter. It was a way for me to express myself and showcase my abilities. The greatest part is, the possibilities are actually endless. There are constantly new makeup products being made, and new styles becoming the next greatest trend. I hope with time, my taste and abilities just continue to grow and evolve with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aliamillerr.wixsite.com/aliamiller
• Instagram: @aliamillerr
• Other: TikTok: @aliamillerr

Image Credits

Alyssa Tranbarger, Antonio Barnes, and Samantha Anguino