We were lucky to catch up with Slesha Patel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Slesha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

My first agency was incredibly small and new, and after almost a year with that agency, I was hoping to sign with a bigger, more established agency. I walked in a runway show in Kansas City, which was known to have the most competitive casting process. A lot of scouts from bigger agencies attend the show because of the caliber of the models. It was my third runway show, so I was nervous, excited, scared, and just hoping to not stand out negatively. After the show, I was standing with my family, and two agents from separate agencies approached me. That week, I had interviews with both. Relatively new to the industry and in my late teens, I didn’t know how to evaluate representation opportunities. I was open and honest with both agencies about my two offers, and after sharing the news with one of them, the scout got aggressive with me and borderline bullied me into signing with them. At the time, I thought they were simply more excited about me, and therefore, were “fighting” for me, but over a decade later I realized they did not have my best interests at heart and were simply being competitive with the other agency. I never went back to the other agency to let them know about my decision, so I essentially ghosted them. I spent the next 8 years signed with the agency that I felt “fought” for me, only to find out they were running scam after scam. I was repeatedly told I was one of the top 5 models at this agency, so I was booking enough that I was more blind to the scams. I also was new enough to the agency side of the industry that I didn’t know how to look out for scams. During the pandemic, I connected virtually with other models from the agency and realized what my agency was doing. I decided I’d give them the benefit of the doubt, and I asked them to help me sign in other markets. After numerous expenses later, they had not done anything to help move me forward, and I decided to move on. I knew that 8 years back, I had made the wrong decision and should have chosen the other agency. This industry has taught me to never be afraid to hear no from someone, so I decided to take a chance, and figuratively come crying back to the agency I didn’t choose initially. I applied through their website and added a small note reminding them they had met with me several years ago. Within an hour, I heard back and the agency said they wanted to meet with me the day after after my non-compete clause had finished. When I met with the agent, I had the opportunity to apologize in person. She mentioned she remembered me. She did say she had a model that looked a lot like me, but I had booked many jobs with her models recently, and she knew what I could contribute to the board, so she offered me a contract. I was blown away by her graciousness. I told her she could have been highly offended by me ghosting her years back. She could have been petty about how I chose the other agency over hers and used any time in the application/interview process to call me out, but she didn’t. I told her it spoke volumes to her character and what type of agency she is running. I finally felt like I was in the right place. In that initial meeting, we talked about signing in other markets since I was no longer based in Kansas City, and she gave me an honest answer about my age, height, and marketability. On the spot, she created a plan, which involved a low budget portfolio shoot and a clear timeline. This meeting was in December of 2021, and I am still just as overwhelmed by her kindness today as I was back then. Despite being one of the older and shorter models she represents in other markets, she has always taken chances on me and put her name behind me. Everything I have in this space is because of her, and I never let her forget how grateful I am.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been a full time model since December 2021. I have been agency signed since 2013, and have been in the modeling and acting spaces since I was a teen. I danced growing up, and I performed with my dance team at the Asha For Education charity gala when I was 16. When I came off stage, an agent was waiting for me backstage with a packet and a contract in hand for me, and she said, “I would love for you to come model for me. I really hope you’ll consider this path.” Once I made it back to the lobby of the auditorium, there was a photographer there who asked me if I was interested in being a part of a few projects he had coming up. I ended up doing those projects with him, and he offered to help me build my portfolio. He also helped me get signed to my first agency.
In 2015, I won “Overall Adult Female Model” in an international talent competition for modeling, acting, dancing, etc. and had the opportunity to go full time and pursue modeling seriously. I ended up choosing to instead do a full-time accelerated Master’s program in Health Administration that required me to be in Baltimore most days, but since winning that competition, taking modeling more seriously was always in the back of my mind.
I am currently signed in 16 states in the US and have been in featured in a number of publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and in many campaigns in the fashion and commercial worlds. I’m also signed as a fit production model to help brands with their sizing and as a parts model for my hands. I really started taking this career seriously in December of 2021 when I was 28. I’m also a petite model at 5’6″. A lot of agencies don’t take models my age or my height, so the odds have never been in my favor. I’m most proud of continually pushing the boundaries for what people think I can and can’t do.
There are not a lot of South Asians in the space, and often times, casting directors and brands don’t know to consider South Asian talent specifically. My primary goal has always been to improve South Asian representation, and I know that one cannot create impact alone. My newest venture has been supporting any and all South Asians interested in modeling to find their path in the space. I truly believe anyone can be a model, it’s just about being realistic with the categories you’re the best fit for, and then expanding into others where you have genuine interest. I also help brands with casting their projects, which has been incredibly rewarding.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I’ve seen there are a number of common misconceptions of the modeling industry from those aspiring to be in the industry and from those who are not affiliated with the industry. From the outside looking in, it looks like a very glamorous life with a lot of financial reward, where models are the center of attention and the most important members of the creative team. For most models, this is the farthest from the truth. I think because of these misconceptions, a lot of people want to be a model for the wrong reasons. A lot of people say that they want to be a model so they can take pretty pictures, and make a lot of money doing it. I do think everyone could and should do professional shoots where they feel the best version of themselves, but that doesn’t necessarily mean modeling is the right professional path for someone interested in being in front of the camera.
I’ve gotten some replies from non-creatives on social media about how next time, I should give certain feedback to the photographer or makeup/hair artist. However, it’s not the job of the models to give feedback on how they look. Every creative has a role on the team, and the model is not the creative director, and therefore has no say in how they look, what they wear, how they’re photographed, etc. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing. Each creative on the team is brought to do what they do best and for one shared goal– to help a brand or company share their story and explain something visually to their audience. As a model, it’s about what you visually represent more than anything. Once I realized the better I can get at delivering a strong number of usable shots with great variety and thinking from the perspective of the client, the better I became as a model. There’s a level of professionalism, etiquette, and energy required to be someone teams want to work with again and again. Once you’ve mastered these skills, alongside your craft, this is what allows someone to become a successful model. Then, it comes down to a little bit of luck to get opportunities to showcase what you can do. The best compliment a model can receive is not, “wow you look amazing.” It’s actually hearing that their images delivered positive results for a client.
I think most people are shocked to find out most of the time, models are the last on the team to be selected. They’re also the easiest to replace. If the date of the shoot is set, and the model they want can’t make it, the shoot will go on with a different model. Most castings are just days before the booking, and so models can’t plan out their schedule in advance. If you do a casting and don’t get selected, they will not let you know. This means models have many holds on their calendar and are on standby for any last minute changes to model selections. Nothing is guaranteed in this space- a casting doesn’t mean you will get the booking. Even if you get the booking, the client might change their mind and go in a different direction. Most of the time the clothing and accessories are not your size, and a model’s comfort is not the priority so a part of the job is just using what’s there and making it work. Additionally, models very rarely get to keep the clothes and products they are modeling, and often times, we never get to see the final content. Usually, the final content is not sent to you, and you may not come across it on websites and social media. Even once you do the shoot, your images might never be used. By now, if you’re reading this and are a non-creative, you might be thinking only a psychopath would want to do this job. The truth is, most busy models only work for about 5 years, and its a lot in part of how taxing all of the above is, not to mention one’s psyche of physically and emotionally being your own product. If you don’t have a true love for the craft and have a mission that continues to drive you, this will not be a forever job.
Ultimately, there are a lot of intangibles in this space. While some people see success quicker than others, some have incredibly long journeys without much reward, and there is a little bit of “je ne sais quoi” as to who will book more jobs. Even the best agents struggle to articulate exactly what it is about a model that will make them successful. For most models and aspiring models, the investment is far greater than the return, and getting consistent, well-paid shoots takes luck, skill, effort, dedication, and so much more.

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

A lot of my life decisions have been based on my mental health and protecting my peace. I thought for most of my life that I wanted to be a doctor. I started medical school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, and quickly realized it wasn’t what I wanted. I took baby steps to finding a better path for myself. I then went on to earn my Master’s of Health Administration at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Once graduating and working as a healthcare administrator for a year, I became an executive at an advanced contemporary fashion brand in NYC, which took me into the client side of fashion. A part of my job was to hire models, which led me back into my modeling career. I’ve been an agency signed model throughout all of these stages of my life, and I realized modeling has helped me through some of the toughest times in my life. It’s truly my release. In an industry that is so fast paced and often chaotic, it has provided me with structure, stability, family, and a home outside myself. It’s the industry that’s always pulled me in and made me feel everyone has a place, no matter who you are, what you look like, or how you identify. It challenges me in a way that no other path does. It keeps me working hard to improve my craft, take care of myself, and stay on my toes.
Working with different teams for most opportunities means I get to meet so many interesting people from all over the country. The community it’s given me have given me the people in my life that support me most.
I love that I get to be a tiny part of a huge movement. I always get so excited to see a South Asian in western world media, but I also realized being excited in the first place was also a problem. I wanted to see more South Asians being in the frame, so as a society we could build on our unconscious bias and be less and less surprised by South Asian representation. It’s a huge part of the reason I am now coaching dozens of aspiring South Asian models.     

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slemyname/

Image Credits
Images are labeled with my name and the photographer. Munglassy: https://www.instagram.com/munglassy/ Neal Lemon Lime: https://www.instagram.com/neal_lemonlime/