We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matthew Jerman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

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

One day in June, my mum drove me to London for a test shoot and the feedback I had received was nice and encouraged me to dive deeper into it. At the time, my mum paid a large sum of money for a portfolio and a place within their agency, however it was later realised to be a scam, but it didn’t stop me from starting my journey. Although the outcome wasn’t the best, I am grateful for my mum taking me to London. My parents have always taught me to believe in myself, to work hard and to always stay focussed and determined, which I believe has allowed me to have a great journey within the industry.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name’s Matt, I’m 26, and I’m from London. I started modelling in 2019, and I had no idea where to start or what I was doing. The reason why I started was because the idea was suggested to me and I took the risk and decided to do it. Modelling made me regain confidence within myself and allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. To me, it’s a way of expressing myself freely through clothing and allows others to appreciate it.

Between 2019 and 2023, I focused mainly on fashion by posting on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. In December 2019, I had created my online portfolio which showcased my entire work, however I didn’t release this till February 2020 due to the self-doubt I had within myself. Although I do know what I bring to the table, there are times when I can feel like I’m not doing my best. What sets me apart I would is say is my versatility, the energy/vibe I have and the way I carry myself. I am so outgoing, bubbly and love to experiment with new things and to think outside the box.

In 2024, I managed to branch out of fashion and stepped into my skincare bag by working with Dove and their new campaign. The dream with modelling is to be signed to an agency so I can turn a hobby into a full-time career. Although my journey has been a rollercoaster, I’m proud to say that I have worked with brands such as SikSilk, Supply & Demand whilst being featured on JD Sports website.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wouldn’t say there are resources I wish I knew about but more about the pros & cons or even the little tips. When I started, I thought that you had to purchase items for brands in order to have a collab, however, this wasn’t the case. I have realised that new starters are most likely to be scammed as they aren’t aware of the dos and don’ts of being a content creator. For anyone starting modelling, PurplePort is your friend, where you can apply to shoots that are being advertised.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience by networking with different creatives. When I started, I had a friend that was well into her influencing journey, so she was able to give me some tips. I also believe that certain engagement groups are effective as you are able to engage with posts from individuals within the industry, which then allows you to obtain personal relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mtj.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blxckmxtt_/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/blxckmxtt

Image Credits

Alek-Zander Chullan-Hoyte (@shotbyalek)
Neil Brett (@r6tog)