We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Starre James. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Starre below.

Alright, Starre thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

If I could go back in time, I would not start my modeling career sooner. With the lack of stability in this industry, a back up plan is always needed. Focusing on school and experiencing everything it had to offer was important to me. I met some of my best friends in college and I’m grateful we are still figuring out life together. I needed those experiences in order to grow into the confident woman I am today. The old me would not be able to face the tough realities of this industry. It is imperative to know yourself before getting into this industry, I’ve seen a lot of people turn into someone they never wanted to be.

Starre, 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?

Hi!
My name is Starre James. I’m a Los Angeles native looking to create positive change in the industry. before I’d label myself as a just a model, but now I just say creative. This industry has always been a passion of mine, but I started taking things more seriously during Covid. It was probably the worst time for modeling, but there also wasn’t much else to do. Since starting, I have walked in almost every major US fashion week, including LA, New York and Miami. I have also starred in campaigns and commercials for a lot of amazing brands.

I always thought that if I was going to model, I was just going to model. The deeper I went into the industry, the more I realized it was important to have your hands in all sectors. Being in front of the camera sparked my curiosity about what goes on behind the camera, so I picked up photography and styling. I’ve also learned to embrace the tools of social media and began content creation. I had to face the harsh reality that follower count and content were taken into consideration by clients. Even thought my growth has been slow, I have definitely had my moments. My first viral video had over 2 million impressions in the first 48 hours, and the celebrity who was the topic of the video, found me and expressed their appreciation for the comedic aspects in the video. At that point the modeling industry was already weighing on my confidence a bit so that taught me a very valuable lesson to just be yourself no matter what. Post what reflects your personality. Whether it’s a casting or you’re making a video, someone will like you for you. No one can take what is meant for you.

I think I’ll probably still model until my hair is gray. My love for this industry is infinite, but so is my love for science. I graduated with a degree from University of California, Irvine before I embarked on this modeling journey and always wondered if I’d go back to it. This year, I did. I am currently developing an app centered around accessible medical care. Unfortunately, I can’t give too many details yet but I’m hopeful that the business will launch some time in 2025.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the best way to create a thriving ecosystem for artists is to give them the proper support that they need. It’s important to look at every creative for who they are and what they can do, not just their last name. I can only hope in the future that society understands the importance of creatives in this world. The art we produce is thought provoking and feeling inducing, which allows others to escape into a different reality. It is a pivotal part of society, and I wish that creatives were treated with respect in terms of workplace protections and pay. Elite models became the first and only agency to offer medical insurance to their models. The model alliance New York paved the way with workplace protections for models there due to the support of their community. Imagine what can be done for models everywhere with a little support.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Definitely. This is not something a lot of people think about, but DM‘s. If you really want to work with an agency or a client, you don’t have to wait for them to reach out to you or hope they get your email. You can simply DM them and create a conversation. If they want to work with you or feel like you are an asset, they will waste no time. It is just another way to be seen. I landed a modeling contract through sliding in the agency’s DM.

Another resource I wish I knew about before was beauty pass. The majority of signed models are struggling to make ends meet and this app offers free/ discounted beauty services and food. It has helped me out a lot, especially when traveling for work.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits

Kegan Lamb
QuirkLA- Melynda
Christiano Hermoso
Getty