YOUR VIEW: MODELS HAVE IT EASY… YAY OR NAY!

Hey everyone! It’s Ib🤩. It’s been longgggggggggg. Hope you enjoyed my last post. I was going to post on Monday but stuff happened so I couldn’t, hope you guys didn’t miss me too much? I know you did, but it’s okay cause I’m here now!

Today, we are diving into the model’s world. I decided to do this because I’ve met people that are always like “She’s a model? Blehhh all she has to do is walk back and forth a runway” or “He’s a model? It’s easy for him cause he has the height and stuff”. I know these guys are blessed with the height and stature but it does take a lot of work to maintain it. Plus, it’s actually not easy to walk back and forth a runway or pose for a shoot. Last year, I was part of the backstage guys for a fashion show my church was organising and I was honestly impressed by the amount of work the models put into their practice. Mind you, I also worked really hard! My backstage buddy and I really really worked hard. SHOUT OUT TO SOSO! (IG: esohe.xo). You think it’s easy coming every Saturday to watch models walk? No! That aside, models actually work really hard so I thought I’d do this for them, to just appreciate their efforts in looking flawlessly beautiful.

Now, introducing our blog guests 👏🏽👏🏽

Aren’t they all just extremely ravishing? 🤩 Note: S.S- Sarah Song and S.I- Sylvia Ibe, for those that might get confused. You should be able to tell the rest from their names yeah?

Now, to the Q/A

1. How has modelling been for you so far?

D: Modeling has been stressful,but yet benefiting to me as a young black man.

I: Well I wouldn’t say I’ve even reached halfway of my modelling journey but so far it has been a great experience.

S.S: It has been adventurous for me, dealing with the movements and meeting new people each time I have a shoot and yes very exciting too!

2. How is your experience so far in modelling?

A: It’s been dull not going lie.

S.I: My experience has been good so far although I have had some ups and down along the way but all in all it’s been good.

H: It has been great working with some very great people but also very difficult to get your hands over their work.

3. Is modelling like a profession or something you just do for fun?

S.I: It’s something I do for the fun, however that doesn’t stop me from being professional in my work.

S.S: Well, for now it’s a profession because I enjoy doing it as well as I get paid for every shoot.

I: I’m gradually taking it as a profession for myself that’s why I attended a modelling school to become certified.

4. When did you start modelling?

H: I started 2013 then I stopped. Then I was fully back in 2017.

I: I started modelling last year April (when I started attending modelling school).

D: I started modeling five years ago.

5. Are there certain foods you don’t eat or certain things you deprive yourself of?

S.S: Not at alllll infact I’m a foodie (lol) the focus of my  modelling agency is my face not my body, plus there isn’t any discrimination against any size.

S.I: Yes there are a lot actually, models are expected to maintain a certain size and as such there are a lot of foods we have to avoid especially fatty foods.

I: Not necessarily, I basically eat what I normally like eating but I’m constantly conscious of the foods I eat just so I stay fit.

6. How often do you exercise?

D: I exercise 5-6 times a week.

H: 3 times in a week.

A: Thrice to 4 times a week

7. Do you get paid or you just do free shoots?

D: I get paid.

S.I: I get paid, although there was a point at the start of my career where I had to do a lot of free shoots.

S.S: I get paid for the shoots done.

8. Your first time on the runway, how did you feel?

I: Oh my daysss🤭 I don’t even think I can explain how I felt but I can just say,It was magical✨

A: The feeling was really electric there’s really nothing like it.

D: I was extremely nervous,my face was uncomfortable,but I got the hang of it after the first time coming out on the runway that day.

9. Have you ever modelled clothes you weren’t comfortable with?

S.I: Yes I have, that’s what makes me a model and being professional at it is what gives you a voice cause there are a whole lot of us out there.

I: Yes of course! But I’ve learnt to show the the beauty in whatever I’m wearing, comfortable or not.

H: Yes I have (but as a model you need to understand that you are a living mannequin).

10. I bet there are peculiar or funny experiences you’ve had, care to share?

I: Ahh yes oh
When I walked for my first show I didn’t have time to practice with them cause I had to attend school classes so on the day of the show I noticed the runway had multiple rows to walk on but I just ignored it so when it was my turn to walk on the runway I walked on the wrong row while coming back and it led me into a whole different room and it was so funny and embarrassing but thankfully no one in the audience noticed😂.

11. What is still your biggest challenge in modelling?

S.I: My biggest challenge will be my body size, maintaining it is sometimes difficult especially in the world today where we have a lot of fatty food and snacks lol.

D: My biggest challenge is expanding my modeling expertise internationally.

S.S: Having really clear skin based on the face. I would do makeup for about 2 or more times in a week depending on how many times I’m being booked. My skin could break out at anytime.

12. What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

S.I: My best advice will be no matter the criticisms never loose focus.

D: The best advice I can give is that ,people are gonna criticize you and theres nothing you can do about that ,but to take that and be motivated to be the best self you can ever be ,at least that’s what I do.

H: To me I take criticism as a challenge not as insult, so I always use it to grow.

13. Would you agree that as a model, you’re part of a culture that can make people feel so bad about themselves that some develop eating disorders?

S.I: I don’t think we are part of such culture, i personally believe everyone is entitled to feel good about his or herself regardless.

I: Of course not, like I said before, I don’t necessarily deprive myself from eating the things I like as a model. So I don’t see why others should ever feel bad about  themselves or ever develop eating disorders.

D: Yes I definitely agree , especially for the female models ,they intimidate so many young girls ,that these young girls tend to doubt themselves and their place in the world.

14. We read about models who are forced to look a certain way or lose weight. Have agencies or designers asked that of you?

S.S: Like I’ve previously mentioned my agency doesn’t discriminate any size since that’s not the main focus.

A: No I haven’t but sometimes they need you to look a certain way for shoot and may want to style you different.

H: Yes as a model sometimes your body does not suit the market, so sometimes agencies give advice for you to go down or change your look. Which will definitely be of good to you.

15. What are your goals as a model?

S.S: To grow and expand more than I have now.

A: To be on bill boards one day working for a top designer.

16. How is a typical day of modelling like?

I: Honestly it’s not as easy as most people think it is, but I’m always having fun while doing it because it’s my passion.

S.I: A typical day of modeling will require going for castings, (this will determine if you are getting picked)after which you go for fittings (here you get to try out the designers outfits before the show) and finally walking the show.

D: A typical day of modeling; is basically a whole day of work ,if it’s a shoot you’re doing ,you will be trying out so many outfits ,and you have to shoot a lot of photos and that can be draining ,then for a fashion show ,you’ll come in super early and you’ll practice your walk ,do your make up and wait for the show to start ,and you’re not allowed to take anything apart from water.

17. Has age ever been a challenge for you?

I: Definitely! It’s still a challenge till today, some agencies have an age range for models they want to sign and work with and most times I don’t measure up to their requirements. Same goes to castings and other auditions.

H: Age has never been a challenge for me because modeling is about what you can bring to the table.

18. What’s next for you?

A: Right now I’m working on my body and my skin.

H: Becoming one of the best modeling agency in Nigeria.

S.S: For now I’m still figuring that out.

19. For someone that wants to start modelling, what do you find are the biggest stumbling blocks and what are the best ways you’ve found to overcome them?

D: I for one think ,in Nigeria ,the modeling agencies aren’t as good as the ones in Italy ,Spain ,America etc . The ones here are bias and it’s harder to get in here ,for someone starting I feel it’s best you work on your catwalk , poses ,workout a bit ,do face exercise to have a nice jawline,take professional shoots,your wardrobe needs to change ,and just try to be everywhere fashion is ,so you can gather knowledge on how the industry works ,and if you still need deeper mentoring ,you can look me up and I’ll help out anyway I can.

S.I: For someone who wants to start modeling, please note that there are a whole lot of scammers out there and you don’t want to become a victim so I will advice you get a model mentor and also do a proper research before taking any move.

H: Rejection is compulsory. I will always tell my self that I’m better than the national market. International awaits me.

20. What surprising lessons have you learnt along the way?

I: There’s a lot more to modelling that people are yet to know, most people think modelling is all about being pretty most of the time and taking bomb pictures but actually modelling is much more to that. It takes a lot of courage, strength, determination, practice,sacrifice and lastly patience.

A: That agencies only want you for key features about your body they aren’t looking for the most attractive.

S.S: How to be calm and not react to every situation meaning maintaining decorum at all times.

21. Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

S.I: I currently do not have though I’m always influenced by every young lady out there making waves.

D: As funny as it sound ,it’s the people ,girls ,my friends that inspired me to do what I’m doing now ,I think they were the ones that kind of shaped the modeling part inside of me.

I: There a lot of people in the modelling industry that inspire but I’ll just share my top 10
1. Mayowa Nicholas
2. Gigi Hadid
3. Nyagua
4. Winnie Harlow
5. Adut Akech
6. Kendall Jenner
7. Imaan Hammam
8. Naomi Campbell
9. Halima
10. Me(because I give myself inspiration on a daily basis).

H: I admire my mom, Funke akindele Bello and Tyra banks. Funke akindele Bello always uses this quote “A little drop of water make a mighty ocean, you need to keep going when you get one that means another is coming”. And also Tyra banks ( you can do more, push hard).

22. How do you solve common problems like marketing, networking, scheduling and reducing overwhelmness?

D: My Instagram right now does the job for me I guess

S.I: Solving this problems will entail having a lot more confidence in yourself because to be honest all these marketing, networking and the rest will require a lot of courage to overcome.

H: I always promote my self on Instagram, which is a great social media networking for models and also reaching out to photographers and designers for collaboration.

S.S: It took a while for me to balance it up since I’m still a student, but I asked other models who have been in the agency and I was put through on how to go about it.

23. What would you have done differently if you knew then what you know now?

A: Nothing to be honest.

H: I would have started my own model agency.

S.S: I would have taken care of my skin ,since that’s the basic requirement . A clearer skin please!

24. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

S.I: Never stop doing what you do no matter how difficult it gets cause people are watching regardless.

H: “Your face is not right for us as a model”. Why? It brought me out from the dark.

25. What does it take to be a model?

S.I: Body, height, face, good attitude and patience.

I: I don’t think there is any materialistic feature you need to become a model so to me
It’s takes passion, determination, consistency, hard work, prayer and patience to become a successful model.

A: You have eat right, keep your skin acne free and try as much as possible to keep yourself from injuries.

S.S: Poise,Decorum,Self confidence, don’t forget a clear skin!

D: It takes consistency,hard work  and sacrifices.

H: It takes a lot to be a model, not just looking pretty, not just knowing how to walk or how to speak but how good your personality is and how different you can be out of 10 thousand.

So, we have come to the end of today’s edition. I hope you enjoyed it! I definitely did. If you want to get to know the guests better, their handles are down below.

S.I: Instagram @ tallsylvia
Twitter @zylvia_ng YouTube: @tallsylvia

I: Instagram: @idara_peniel

A: Instagram: @I.dontslay
Twitter: @ayotheraccoon

S.S: Ig: @thenameisosariemen
Twitter: @thenameisosii
YouTube: @Osariemen Song

D: Ig: @darkprince_m

H: Instagram: @Okohholyfield