We caught up with the brilliant and insightful JadeDaModel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, JadeDaModel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Personally, I don’t consider myself a big risk taker. I’m always worried about what if the consequences of failure can hurt tremendously, but this is something that I have overcome. In order to get to the next level, you have to move outside your comfort zone and take risk. I can say the first rist I took in modeling was deciding to travel. And I don’t mean just to the next state, but to the fashion, Mecca of the United States, New York City. This was the year after I graduated high school, and I was in my first year of college in a new city. I attended University on the other side of Tennessee. When I arrived to Chattanooga, there was a woman who owned her own modeling agency who had saw my Facebook. She inbox me that I would be great at modeling and I will be her very 1st+ size model. now, I just moved to a new city, where I didn’t know anybody, I am a first year college student, I had little to no modeling training whatsoever, but I decided to take her up on her offer.
In my mind, I thought we were just gonna be in Chattanooga taking pictures or doing runway classes. I didn’t realize that this woman had big dreams and big goals for her agency. within the first month of me joining this agency, I was told that we are going to New York City for a modeling, casting call, to network with different people in the industry, and do a full on fashion photo shoot in the streets of New York. The first thought that came in my mind is., “ is this woman crazy look at me who would accept somebody that looks like me in that city” at this point in time my confidence was not where it is today. I was so unsure of myself. But I threw a lot of coaching, she convinced me to join.
While we were traveling by van to New York City, I was anxious, and I was nervous. I was her only plus size model, and a van full of tall and very fashion forward female and male models. All I can think about is the rejection. The drive there was around 10 to 13 hours doing this time, I took the opportunity to get to know my fellow models. We share so many stories. I found out that they were insecure about a lot of things themselves, and they were also nervous, unsure, and also had a fear of rejection. We talked about ways to overcome the fears that we had about this industry. And then we started laughing and playing car games and just having a good time.
After all those hours in the van, we finally made it. We went straight to the heart of New York City, found someplace to park our van, and went straight up to the 14th floor of this amazing building. As soon as we get off the elevator, there were countless numbers of models, photographers, agents,’s, and just pure excitement and energy. I can honestly say that my nerves had completely went away, and I was finally living in the moment. Finally, realizing that I had an opportunity that other people would kill for. Just an opportunity to go to another state and have a chance to try is something that is very special and I should be very grateful for it. At that moment ,it didn’t matter if I got a call back or not, I was just grateful for the experience.
I received my name tag and my number they told us where to line up, and they called us one by one to do our model wall and state our name, and where we’re from and why modeling is important to us. I watched my fellow models do their walk, and say their speech, and then walk away, until finally, it was my turn. I felt the confidence flowing through my veins as I walked down there to the judges with my best walk that I have ever done at that particular time I stated who I was and why modeling was important to me I simply stated , big girls get style too, it’s time for the world to recognize it! Then I proceeded to walk off stage and go back in line. From that moment on, I feel accomplished that I have finally achieved something big at the beginning of my career. A few weeks later, I found out that the majority of us did not get the call back, but nobody was in tears or truly sad. We were happy that we had the opportunity to show who we were. Before myself, I was blessed to show people it’s not about the industry standard, it’s about the work that goes on that runway.
JadeDaModel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Well, hello everyone! My name is JadeDaModel, your favorite plus size model. The number one thing you must know about me is that I love the modeling industry. Anything that is fashion, high glam, an opportunity to show how FIERCE you are, JadeDaModel is there. I have been in this industry for a little over seven years. Over the span, I have walked in dozens of fashion shows across the United States, been in a couple of commercials, have been the brand ambassador for many companies in products, been featured in countless numbers of photo shoots, then the model coordinator for a few shows, and have been in multiple magazines. I cannot express this enough, it’s not about how many runways you book, it’s about the quality of your work that you put on that runway. No matter who booked me or how many times I am, I’m always trying to learn more about improving who I am in this industry.
I want you to know my modeling is very important to me. Growing up, I’ve always been seen as the oddball, or the fat kid, a nobody. I have always been in the shadows when it comes to being a part of society, and I really don’t think that was fair to me growing up. I’ve always had big dreams of being in the spotlight, and being on stage, and even entertaining people. But growing up, I always felt like people just wanted me to go away and to stay hidden.
When I finally stumbled upon pageants at a young age. I really did like it. I love dressing up for each different scene and working at stage for the judges. However, the competition part of it was too much on my self-esteem as a young child. So I chose to let it go and go back into the shadows. It wasn’t until I got in the high school that I really started to get into photography. I enjoy taking pictures of my classmates, the different afterschool activities that I was part of, even my friends and family. But the day I turn the camera around and decided to photograph myself everything changed. I was obsessed with taking the perfect pictures. I started to buy different magazines in the stores and I wanted to start following fashion trends and keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip. The fashion world looks like a bright light to me, because my life seems so dark. The more I took pictures, the more my confidence grew.
When I graduated high school, I said I wanted to pursue modeling seriously and that I did.
Modeling seriously save me when it came to depression. Feelings of emptiness, despair, hopelessness all vanishes when I get on the runway. People don’t expect somebody like me to walk with such confidence. It took some time, therapy sessions, and a lot of prayers for me to finally see that I am beautiful and wonderfully made and I should not be ashamed of who I am. Society has always looked down and plus size people. With my plus size modeling I want to show society that no matter how many curves you have, or lack thereof, you are still fierce, you are still beautiful, and you are still loved.
I want JadeDaModel to be my legacy to the world! I want to inspire so many women who are afraid to wear a certain outfit, to just wear that outfit and love every moment in it. For girls who are afraid to join the dance team because they may be a little bit bigger. It doesn’t matter your size if you have the talent to do those dance moves then what stopping you?
This is why I strive to learn more, train as much as I can, and become a better model, each and every day to prove if you put in the hard work, you will achieve your every desire, no matter what society tells you.
Currently I have over 10,000 followers on Instagram and it’s always going up! I love my followers and all the love that they give. I also love the people who follow me just to make fun of me. Thank you for being a motivating factor in my life to continue to push forward no matter what obstacle. Thanks for my Instagram, I am able to travel all across the US and spread the awesomeness of JadeDaModel!
Any advice for managing a team?
One thing that you should always remember is that the world is cruel. People will say and do mean things to you to bring you down for absolutely no reason. I try to be mindful in every action that I do whether these actions are in public or behind closed doors. . When you start building your Brand, you start maintaining a reputation. And your reputation will follow you until you die. It’s OK to be upset about with somebody says to you. But returning the same negative energy that somebody gives to you gets you nowhere. It ruins you, it lowers your value, and it brings down your worth! Being able to fly above the negativity and to keep going like nothing has happened is something that’s very hard to do and I’m still trying to learn how to do it to this day. Before I say, something that I could regret, I think about how much hard work I have already put into my brand and my image. Then I asked myself is it worth it to say these hurtful and mean things? And usually it’s never worth it. Keep silent and hurt the naysayers with your success and your hard work. I’ve been called fat and ugly so many times has so many people but yeah, I am consistently booked! It doesn’t matter about the negativity from others. It’s about the positivity that you put out until this world.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
One lesson that I had to learn is that you can’t make everybody happy. I do consider myself non-confrontational, and I do want peace and love among everybody. But in reality, everyone can’t be happy. The only happiness that I can control is my own. Working with so many people and so many brands and businesses, is easy to have conflicts of interest or different situations come up. We don’t want to rock the boat or make waves, but in order to grow as an artist, you have to make waves. Respectfully telling somebody no or saying, unfortunately I cannot help you at this time , are words that can save your sanity. I used to make myself sick with worry and stress, because I upset someone I didn’t mean to. I had to learn the hard way that if somebody cares about me, am I peace, excepting a limitation as a person, or as a model, or even as a friend, will come up. having healthy boundaries is a very key element and having a successful business.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: jadethemodel
- Facebook: jadethemodel
- Yelp: [email protected]
Image Credits
Damone Pledger
Photographers: KT IMAGES
Damone PLEDGER
Andre Robinson