Letters From International Models

 

Insights, experiences and tips on the international modelling scene.

 

Dear StellaTribe!

While my first novel ‘Runway’ is safely in the hands of The Amazing Editor for the final check, I’ve decided it’s time to step out from behind the curtain of StellaMuse and join forces with some fellow Muses to share a slice of our world; that of the international modelling industry.

 From around the globe, the women who have written these letters are my colleagues, friends, supporters and guides, both on and off the runway. I have asked them to share some of their insights, experiences and tips on the international modelling scene; a world that is often so heavily glossed and glam’ed up we miss the reality. While I will share more of my story later, these ladies are here now to share theirs.

These letters have only been edited for reading flow, grammar and spelling. The ideas shared are entirely that of the person writing and are written with perfect honesty straight from the heart, with the intent to shed some light and share the love to educate the model youth of today.

Travel safe & enjoy!

With Love, Elise / S*M

Photographer: Nicole Bentley

 

 

REBECCA  –  Model

Welcome to the world of international modelling. As a starry eyed 17 year old I thought I knew it all, with my passport in hand and the attitude of my favourite quote;

“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”  –  Marilyn Monroe

I learned very quickly that along with my heels, street smarts, and a good agent, a current passport is to be treated like gold. In my years of the international modelling circuit here are a few tips:

 

1. Your passport is gold, keep it safe at all times.

2. Have some money changed so you have local currency on arrival.

3. Communicate at all times with your mother agent.

4. Write down all details of your agency, home address, contact numbers and taxi number.

 

I had an experience on my first day in Milan; I forgot my home address. (Yes sounds silly but this was before IPHONES!!!). I didn’t write it down and my agency had closed for the day. After three wrong train stops and me in full blown panic mode I luckily bumped into a fellow model who lived in my building. A god send at that time, and she became my new teacher on how to navigate Milan and speak basic Italian. She is still a dear friend to this day!

 

5. When arriving in your country get a local sim card so your agent and family can contact you. Because let’s be honest your parents are worried sick!

6. Take a good pair of flats with you as you will be going to ‘go sees’ everyday, sometimes up to 10-20 clients a day. Each situated all over the city means there is a lot of walking involved.

7. Get to know the public transport system and purchase a travel card, as it can get costly.

8. Get a thick skin, then go purchase another thick skin!

 

Remember this is an amazing privilege and experience so enjoy every second of it!!

xx Rebecca.

Photographer: Cheyne Tillier-Daly

 

PARRIS  – MODEL/BOOKER

Hi Beautiful,

Straight up, always have your mother agency’s number on hand with all the correct area codes for where you are travelling.  This will ease panic if things don’t go smoothly on arrival. Plus ensure you have a contact on the other side, either for your new agency, chaperone, friend etc. It’s best if they can organise a lift. After a long flight to a new city, waiting for a taxi or getting lost is not ideal.

1. When travelling do you best to NOT look like a model. This is for your safety, especially in Europe.  This is not meant to scare you.  However, trafficking and kidnapping still occur, while it should not stop you having a wonderful time and enjoying your experience. You should be aware and astute at all times. Hide your folio, never bring it out in an airport or train station.  For most it’s hard to not look like model, but just keep it simple; jeans, flats, a cardigan or coat. (It’s always cold and / or air conditioned in airports and stations so packing a scarf or shawl is also a good idea).

2. NEVER accept a lift from anyone you don’t know well, whether male or female.

3. Don’t wear expensive watches, lots of accessories/jewellery, belts, heels or anything flashy while in transit. Not only for unwanted attention or pick pockets but also it is much easier going through security without these items. If you are taxiing, motor biking or travelling between castings in some Asian countries you WILL loose these items.  Please understand that not all cultures are as privileged, your inviting trouble parading these items around and you may loose some bling.   (However, this could mean survival for a child or dinner for a family so there is no use getting angry with anyone else but yourself if this occurs.)

4. If you are travelling to countries such as Dubai, Africa, Egypt, Pakistan and Malaysia etc.  Please respect religion and culture.  I personally always wear something that covers my knees, a top with a high neckline and I carry a scarf for my head just in case.  This is not about adhering to rules weather you believe in them or not its about respect, plain and simple.

5. Make sure your passports are valid for some time.  You may intend on being away for three months and it may end up being a year. Take my advise, especially while travelling within Asia, waiting for another passport and going to consulates is a pain in the bum. Explaining to armed guards that I didn’t realise my Australian Passport had expired and why I cant use my British one to leave just because I didn’t enter on it? Keep your passport well up to date!

While we’re on the subject of Asia; if you are Australian and you have duel nationality, possibly use the other passport.  We have a bad reputation there for drugs and a model looking, white girl travelling will always encourage them to go through your intimates with gusto.

6. Pack light for gods sake! I promise you will buy bits and pieces over there! Plus the more travel you do, the more you will develop a sense of what is awesome to buy that you will treasure for life and what is just well… crap. Packing light reduces stress and makes airports and other facilities so much easier to breeze through.

Bring your appropriate clothing for castings (its a universal uniform.) No frills, no empire waists,  no A-line dresses,  chunky heels, baggy pants or dresses, keep the high fashion and personal style for events and personal time. Basically a skinny leg pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt or singlet, or a slim fitting dress that shows your body, plus an elegant pair of heels (NO STRIPPER HEELS! They make your legs look short.) You will feel like a Russian hooker stuck in a 90’s disco-tech.   However, in heels and a fitted dress at least they can see your body easily and can take digital’s without clothing interference.

Pack items to compliment your own style plus weather appropriate attire.  Make sure you research this too to avoid any nasty surprise.  I found out that Milan can get hotter than Perth in summertime and humid.  Plus winter in some counties is very bitter without a proper down jacket. Visit a trusted outdoor store.  Try and stock up on a waterproof/wind proof jacket.  Pending on where your going for level of warmth needed. A good pair of walking/casual shoes is recommended – you will be doing a lot if walking.

7. Organise your finances! Make sure you have access to money; either Visa, Mastercard, or a Visa debit etc.  Some cards have trouble internationally. You will need to contact your financial institution to clarify this prior to travelling.

Try to carry cash on you, many businesses still don’t accept cards on smaller purchases.  However, please don’t carry large amounts of cash and as daggy as it may feel carry a money/passport belt on your person.  You probably wont listen now… Once your handbag has been stolen by a cute gypsy child and your contents distributed to the clan you will think twice.  (Again be aware but don’t let fear ruin your experience.)

8. My most important rule: always have an airfare home. You never know when you may need it quickly and overseas becomes very far away when you feel stuck there and want to be home due to whatever circumstance.

9. In Italy you will get felt up on the train. Sorry there is no way around this.

10. Don’t be an ass, learn some of the local lingo.  Surprisingly enough to some the world doesn’t revolve around English or the western world. To make this mistake will quickly ostracise you and deny you acceptance in what is to be your local community for a few months … Which means no cute waiter at your local cafe will talk to you as they may think your American – meaning no free coffee !! Bad start. (If you are American, lie and say you Canadian. Especially in Italy France, China… in fact just do this everywhere.)

Buy and handbook and practice prior to arrival. Read the newspapers or any literature once at your destination.  This helps with pronunciation and recognition so much.

11. Now for the great debate of your folio: where should you carry it?  These days many of you will have a digital copy of your folio. If not, get one or as many high res copies of your best images as possible. When I was modelling full time if you lost your folio it was bad news, especially my travel folio.  Possibly thousands of dollars worth of my work. Gone. Irreplaceable. Please always make a back up and save it to a hard drive or disk or leave it on a parents/trusted siblings computer.

Some agencies suggest you send it on first (pending on how trustworthy the postal service is to your destination). Some say pack it in your luggage, some say carry on luggage.  I go with the latter as one particular Italian airline lost my bags after going through my hand luggage and saying I most definitely had to place my folio in my other luggage due to size. I was livid when upon arriving home to Australia. My bags were nowhere to be seen. Three weeks later I was told it was located in Dubai and they would send it to my home address. VERY LUCKY.

12. Many agencies will advise you in what to say if an airport asks you about working in their country.  If they haven’t, perhaps look at another agency.  Some places are really funny about Visas and your agency should have organised this prior to your arrival. If not, you have to wing it. My line is usually “I am here on holiday, I’m a part time model and simply bringing my folio to show friends and/or family”. Then big smile and batter your eyelashes.

13. Contact your telecommunications provider and enquire about international roaming.  This can be a nasty surprise at the end of your trip.  Sometimes it’s better to just get a pre-paid once you are there. As soon as you have this number let your parents or partner know plus both your new agency and mother agency.

The rest is just common sense I suppose:

14. Don’t be too strict on yourself.

15. Enjoy the travel and the opportunity, it may not come around again.

16. Obviously our reasons for work/ travel are different to most, and  not a food safari.  However, eat the pastry, enjoy the pasta. Just do it in moderation and keep up the exercise. Life is for living and trust me you will kick yourself at 30 + if you went to a particular region known for its cuisine and you denied yourself because of your worries about carb loading.

17. You have been given an opportunity that many young women only dream of.  Enjoy it use it as a travel experience, educate yourself, become worldly. Be smart, sassy, happy and safe.

18. Be flattered by the men/women but try not to fall for them. Don’t party too hard, I promise the things you remember will not be that one night dancing like a trooper in that club then missing my casting the next morning because I was hungover. It will be that time I took a weekend off after work, got on an early train and explored the provinces, went to markets and embraced a different culture.

Good Luck. You will be amazing!

Photographer: Nicole Bentley

 

ANIA – Model

Dear Ladies & Gentlemen

If I could give any young girl/guy advice on entering the realm of modeling it would be to never compromise who you are, what you stand for, and your beliefs. Having started modeling when I was 14 years old, I learnt from a young age that you are never seen for who you are, but only what you look like and what they (the industry) wants you to be. I am blessed to have a family who always supported my choice to say “no”, and this is the most important thing I can pass onto you. You always have the option to say “no”, to stand up for your soul, and your body. No one owns you and no one should control your mind or body.

We are given one life and we are given a choice on who we want to be and what example we want to set for future generations, whether it’s our own children or the children of the world. If we want the world to be a better place we all must make a choice to create that change. From the moment I entered the modelling industry all I was ever told was you have such incredible potential but this is what you have to change about yourself. This never changed no matter what I altered about myself no matter how hard I worked out to loose weight there would always be something else.

I was told to loose 20 pounds (9 kg’s) and I did, then I went back and they (agencies) said great now you need to do this and then this… It was an on-going list of “you have potential but you are still not good enough”. Then the ultimatum;  if you want us to sign you to our agency you have to get your nose done and your eyes tightened. When does it stop?

It’s important to know that you can say “no”, ask yourself in your one life on this planet whats important to you? What will you truly look back on with no regrets and complete happiness because you were able to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I am good enough and I don’t need to change, I need to live a happy and healthy life.” Will you be able to tell your children that you stood up for yourself and let no one compromise you? Or will you feel that there are parts of your life you are too ashamed to tell your friends, family and children because someone manipulated you into thinking you couldn’t say “no”? You can always say “no”, you can always fight back and you should never stop fighting for what you stand for. I know there are positive modeling experiences out there but for the most part unfortunately they are not. What saddens me more than anything is that girls think they can’t say “no”. You can say “no”.

I started modeling in Vancouver, Canada and the start was a positive experience for me as the industry in Vancouver, when I started, was very small and quite sheltered. I did commercial work and it was great. When I turned 20 I decided I really wanted to pursue modeling and so I went to LA and got a one bedroom apartment on my own. In order to model in the US you need to be an American, have a green card or be sponsored by an agency to stay and work in the US. My goal was to build my portfolio, network and get an agency to sponsor me within 6 months. I had lost more weight and was the smallest I’ve ever been. I made a list of every agency in the Los Angeles starting from the best most well known agencies, to the very lowest ones. I went to every single agency I could get to.

At this point in my life I was 5’8″ and weighed 103 pounds (47kg’s), to achieve this I only ate liquid, juice, soups, water and a lot of coffee to keep me going. I had no curves, no breasts and you could see my ribs and hip bones from every angle. My diet was not healthy or normal. I felt weak, light headed and I couldn’t do the things I loved most which was being active and outdoors, especially horseback riding which is what I grew up doing. My body had no strength and all I could do was take myself from agency to agency and still be told I wasn’t thin enough. At this point the only way to achieve the thinness they wanted was to stop eating all together. My dream had always been to walk runway but according to every reputable agency there was a lot I had to change about myself.

I was fortunate enough to make my decision quickly after 6 months. I had gone to the last reputable agency on my list, located on Robertson Street in the heart of West Hollywood. I showed them my portfolio and they were impressed.  I had done enough freelance work in LA to get some great photos. I was not paid for anything but wanted the photos so I could approach agencies. Some of my freelance experiences were great and I met wonderful people, and other experiences were not great but I fought back and I said “No”.

To give you an idea one particular experience was when I met with a photographer who thought I had “great potential”. Rule number one ladies; always meet in a public place where you feel comfortable. I met this photographer for lunch, he sat next to me and talked about how he could take my pictures and send them to all the right people.  I thought that I would soon be signed and modeling full time! This obviously sounded great but as things go in this industry if it sounds too good to be true it usually is. He then proceeds to put his hand under the table, covered by a tablecloth so that no one else can see what he is doing. He put his hand on my leg and started running it up my leg and up my dress, while he did this he asked me. “What are you willing to do for me in order to get your photos taken by me?”

I quickly grabbed his hand and pushed it away saying “I’m not willing to do anything.” He proceeded to say, “it doesn’t have to be sex but how about anal or a blow job,” and he continued to forcefully slide hiss hand up my leg. I abruptly stood up and without saying a word threw my drink in his face and sprintted out of the restaurant hearing him swearing at me as I left. I felt liberated and proud of myself for saying “No” and not selling my integrity and my body. But what saddens me is that I know there are girls who would have said “yes” and he would have taken some pictures and they would get nothing that he promised in return. Unfortunately, I have heard this from many women in the industry. They fall for an empty promise and sell themselves to only feel degraded, disappointed, and forever regretting their decision.

I always promised myself I would be proud of my decisions. That I will look back on my life and be proud of the choices I made and never be ashamed of myself. I want to be able to talk about my life to my friends, family and my future children, and not hide anything. To teach them that no amount of money or fame is worth compromising who you are, degrading your body and being seen as an object.

I lived a total of 8 months in LA but when I made my final choice it was only after a short 6 months. The changing moment,  where my soul broke free from the confinements of all the smoke and mirrors, when your soul reaches a fork in the road and you decide what kind of person you want to be; so came the ultimatum 6 months into my LA move. The agency said, “we will sponsor you under the condition that you agree to loose an additional inch and a half from your waist and get a nose job.” That was it, I finally had the opportunity to get signed and sponsored, everything I had thought I wanted. This is why I came to LA and here it was! Then something happened, I caught my reflection in the mirror they had in their office and I could see my soul looking back at me saying, “Ania, you are better than this, you have one life to do what you want, to love who you are and what you believe in, and what are you giving it up for? You are the girl who loves nothing more than to be in nature and with animals, you are a spirit. Connected with animals and the spiritual side of life,  what are you giving it all up for?” I looked at the agent, smiled, and said the most important word in the industry that set me free, “No”. I took my portfolio, I walked out and I felt like I found the women in me I had always been looking for, I embraced myself. I finally new what I wanted and who I wanted to be and nothing would make me change that.

I believe in happiness, pure and simple. I believe in choices and I believe in fighting back even when people say that it makes no difference. I can tell you, it makes a difference, because I fought back, I never lost my soul, I never lost sight of what I truly wanted in life, and that is to be able to have my own children who can pass on this same strength and message to the world and even to their children, and their children after that. If you can make a difference in one persons life it’s worth it, if you can help someone understand that they can say “No” and forge their own path, then it’s worth it.

You may be wondering why if I made my choice after 6 months why did I stay for 8 months? The answer is simple. I ended up finding a box in a parking lot with 3 puppies, 2 of which were dead, and one which was barely alive. I took the puppy which had just enough life to open her eyes and look at me and I promised her I would not leave LA without her, she had barely any fur and could not walk.  I took her to the vet and he told me that she wouldn’t survive the night as she was about 5 weeks old and should still be with her mother, and from what he could tell she had been abandoned without food or water for too long.  I told him to give me any supplements, nutrients and milk formulas he could so that I could at least try and save her, he told me it was a waste of my time and money but I wouldn’t hear it. I stayed 2 extra months to rehabilitate her, and get her shots and papers so that I could fly her back home to Vancouver with me. It took her 2 weeks to start eating and drinking on her own and I stayed up all night with her for the first 2 nights to makes sure she was ok. I hand fed her every 2 hours, milk formula and supplements, for 48hours and she survived.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. That people and animals come into our lives for a reason and I believe that I was meant to find her and save her life. I named her Piper and she is now 2 years old and living a wonderful healthy live in Vancouver, and she is a gift from the angels.

Modeling is a career that can be amazing or a nightmare, and so I understand that everyone needs to make their own experiences and their own choices which I respect as we are all different people. There are great models out there and there will be more in the future but if at any point you feel that your soul has to make a decision that will change who you are and compromise what you stand for and what you believe in always remember that it’s ok to say “no”. You are stronger if you say “no”, and the people who are truly important in your life will always support you and be there for you, and you will find people who will love you for exactly who you are and the choices you make. Even if you feel completely alone, know that you are not, and that there will always be those who you will find and they will find you too. When you least expect it, when you feel no one will ever catch you or help you up when you fall, they will find you and you’ll know the choices you made were worth it and that your heart and soul will forever thank you.

I have just had my 26th birthday on October 28. I now have a family business that I started with my two older brothers called Triarchy – a denim brand we created. We make men’s and women’s jeans and I model for our brand only. When I look at pictures of myself now I’m proud and happy. I am fit and healthy, and because of how I’ve chosen to live my life I have met people who are of the same heart and soul. I have met people who understand who I am and what I love, and that’s because I have embraced who I am and what I want in life.

You will find people who are meant to find you and who will love and appreciate you for who you are. Just remember that your choices will create your life and you have the ability to have a truly beautiful life.

Photographer: Arun Nevader

 

KIRA – Model

Your in Singapore, the city where people work hard, party hard and shop even harder! Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton (just to name a few) line every corner, it’s like the Starbucks of USA. A girls dream come true, so when the opportunity arose to debut my international modeling career, I was quick to accept.

From there on it all happened pretty quickly. I was sent a contract that outlined my expectations and what I could expect from them (the agency); where I would stay, how much it would cost and how much ‘pocket money’, as they like to call it, I would get. The flights were pretty expensive as was rent already the $$ were starting to add up!

First goal of the trip: try and make at least enough money to break even and maybe bring a little bit back for the piggy bank. As much as I tried to tell myself that it did not matter how many jobs I booked or how many clients thought I was amazing and just to be in it for the experience, there was a little inkling inside me that wanted to do amazingly. I wanted to book all the high end shows and come back with a mind blowing portfolio full of covers and editorials (as I believe every model wished for, although they may not be as quick to admit it). Boy did I get a shock!

Packing was easy, back then and even so now, a wardrobe full of black was pretty much model attire; a pair of comfy heels to pull out my best model strut, my Cons’ to get me through the miles of walking to castings, a little bit of make up, my portfolio and I was set.

Red eye flight left me feeling tired and looking worse for ware but there was no time to waste, as soon as I turned on my mobile I was ordered into my agency for a casting and to get the low down of the weeks to come. I was met at the agency with a look of disappointment as I had not made it in time and was informed that next time it’s important that I remember to “wear lip shine”. I was given the address of my model apartment, a list of eight castings for the day and sent on my way.

“HELP”, I screamed down the ear of another Aussie model who would attend all the same castings as me. Thank god I had her, she had been in this city before and knew all the ins and outs of getting around. I stuck to her like glue for the entirety of my trip.

Basically my daily diary looked like this: Up at 5 am to get ready for the day, first casting between 6-7 am and then consecutively for the rest of the day until about 7 pm that evening. If you were lucky you would manage to squeeze in a tiny bit of food between castings (I swear this has a lot to do with the physic of models) or as most of the other models would do, a puff of a cigarette and you were off again.

Most castings went like this: Arrive, meet client, if they liked you they would look at your book and actually pay attention and take one of your comp cards. If they weren’t so keen, they would flick through very quickly (pretending to be interested) and would not bother to take a card, (which is actually a good thing as it costs you money for these!) You would do a quick walk or strike a pose for the camera and then you were off again. Sometimes I would go in thinking I had nailed it, other times I had no idea. I do remember getting slightly jealous at the girls that got asked extra questions, were in for a little bit longer or even got to walk for a second time. Most of the girls would come out of a casting with the look of success on their faces and rant about how much the client loved them, but most the time it was just an act to cover their uncertainty, after all it’s a cut throat industry and we are all in it for the same reasons.

I booked a handful of jobs for Singapore Fashion Week, which was far from the dozens I was hoping, and expecting. My hopes hung on comments from my agent telling me that clients are going to love me and I’m going to do so well, it was good in a way to have something to hold onto when it was the end of the day, I was absolutely exhausted and my feet where killing me, but it also gave me a false sense of hope.

Fashion Week was over quick, the lead up to it is harder than the event itself, but it was a great eye opener. I think my timing must of been way off, coming over being told that brunettes ruled the runways to then being rejected for shows and castings because they were only booking blondes came as a bit of a surprise.

Couture bridal shows and bridal magazine shoots were pretty much the bread and butter of the trip. They are crazy about weddings in Singapore! The skinnier the better; I was informed at a casting by the client whilst waiting to go info my fitting to stop eating a healthy muesli bar as she did not want any of the models putting on weight (I stood at 180cm tall and 49kgs) I would also like to add that this is my natural weight, and even to this day after having two babies and being 5 years older, I am still under my BMI. I do not promote unhealthy lifestyle living and never have during the course of my career.

I remember being asked at a Gucci casting if I have ever WALKED before. I was mortified.  I have also been to a casting (was told prior that I basically had the job) where a friend accompanied me, on the way out the client said hello to my friend and to my absolute horror the next day she was confirmed for the show and I was dropped.

On nights off we would go and party, if you were a model entry was free and so were the drinks (and they flowed like Niagara Falls). I tried to sight see as much as possible but time was limited. I casted for all the big guns in the fashion industry, very rarely did I get a job and it hit hard. I recall all the other models bragging about walking for Chanel or being booked for Gucci, I soon discovered that these shows were actually in stores; the grunt was a little easier to bare.

My highlight of the trip was walking for Salvatore Ferragamo his collection was beautiful and the event was spectacular.

I cut my trip short, I was quick to realise that international modeling was not for me and the separation from family and friends was too much to handle.

So by now I guess you can tell it was not what I had imagined but I would not change a moment of it. As strange as it may sound I learnt a lot and it taught me to love myself from the inside out not the other way around.

I came home with a clear head, new goals and an appreciation for models who are working hard to make it in the industry.

My advice to other aspiring models would be to love yourself and never judge a book by its cover. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

 

 

KERSTI – Model 

Hey my little sisters & brothers, I’m so excited for you that you want to follow my footsteps!

I want you to know that you will always be protected if you listen to your heart and intuition; it will never lie, even when the people and voices around you can.

I learned a lot over the years and there are many lessons that I would want to share with you, so you can learn from my past and create a future for yourself that makes you happy and feel fulfilled.

Lesson 1! Always trust your gut feeling. If something doesn’t ‘feel’ right, you’re right it’s probably not! Or if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Never loose your sense of judgment and before you get too excited (yes I know, it happens too many times), always step back, take a breath, and do your research.

Lesson 2! Before you meet someone, do your research – if you can’t find anything on the Internet about this person, who claimed to be a professional (photographer, stylist, model scout etc), then get your guard up, because every professional in the industry will have a website, company or something else that can show you what they are all about. BUT, don’t trust websites alone, sometimes they can be fake too. It’s better to find actual work that this person has done or search in forums. If you can’t find anything, then please don’t rush in to meeting this person, you never know who you will meet. And if you are planning to meet then ask someone you trust to go with you. Stay true to your values, if you don’t feel like shooting nude pictures, then don’t, even when the photographer will say that he will make you famous!

Lesson 3! I always said “no” if I was asked/told to do something that didn’t feel comfortable or right for me. There are people who can make you feel really bad about it, but also there will be professionals who will support you and help you with everything. If during the shoot you feel fully supported, you feel protected and surrounded by professionals, and you feel okay with it, then it is okay – it always needs to be your decision. I have shot nude photos and felt really protected and respected. You can always make your own rules by asking a family member or friend to come with you. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. ALSO, always ask for a contract so you agree upfront where those pictures will go and how they will be used, read it carefully and make the changes if you’re not satisfied.

You don’t want those pictures to damage your future later in your career.

Lesson 4! Always be friendly and respectful with people. Friendly doesn’t mean that you will do everything that you have been asked, no – you will always speak and act in a friendly manner even when not satisfied with the situation. Being a professional means that you act like a professional because only then you can build a healthy and strong relationship in your industry. Attitude is more important than looks. At the end of the day it’s business, and the sooner you act like a professional the sooner you will see how people around you will respect you, and how every job you do will be much more fun and fulfilling. Also, people like polite attitudes, so you may have more work in the future if you stay respectful and friendly in every situation.

Lesson 5! Have fun! Learn new things, meet new people, travel, and embrace the experience; this is what I did! Sometimes we get too serious and forget how to enjoy the things we do. So whichever stage of your career you are at, never loose your sense of humour and never loose your sense of fun! You’re not a machine, you’re a beautiful, beautiful person, who has so much to offer and so much to experience, so have fun!

I wish you good luck and I know you will be a rockstar, one way or another! Stay true to your values and listen to your heart, have fun and treat people around you like you want them to treat you. And also, if you change your mind about modelling that’s okay too, we are here to do whatever we want to do and no one else can make decisions for us.

Love you,

Kersti.

 

 

 

StellaTribe! I trust this has shed some light on the international modelling industry for you.

If you have any questions for these wonderful Model Muses, please write, we are all here to help!

 

Be true to you, follow your heart, and make your dreams come true.

With Love, Elise/S*M