nHaus Magazine Fall 2022// Issue 01

Model: Karmen Brown Photography: Shoot With Bliss

Photography: Karmen Brown

Model: Tashari Morris

Designer: Cassidy Burell Photography: Lindley Battle Photography

Contributors

Karmen Brown

Katie Haberer

Kei Pittrell

Brandie Kendrick

Felice McWilliams

Kelly Cunningham

Linda Zimmermann

Tina Thomas-Perez

Maturing into Life as a Creative

Katie Haberer

For as long as I can remember, being creative has been a part of my soul. But how that translates into my daily life has evolved many, many times. And it’s taken me 28 years to understand that creativity is both a spiritual gift and that can be used to navigate almost any area in life. But just like any other spiritual gift, it must be used and sharpened in order for it to grow with you.

When I was growing up, I knew I loved the arts. I didn’t know what I would do “when I grew up,” but I prayed that being creative and letting that part of myself shine would be a part of it. I grew up as a dancer at Meredith Gravely School of Dance. I loved art, music, jewelry making, painting, writinganything that would let my imagination run wild.

But eventually, I found myself as an 18-year-old on early acceptance to Virginia Teach as a Mathematics Major. As I approached adulthood, I began to suppress the creative part of me; or at least the belief that it would get me anywhere in life. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do in life, only that being good at math would likely get me a good job.

I wanted nothing more than to get done with school and get started in “the real world.” Instead of using my college years to explore my creative side, I went through college as fast as I possibly could. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in 2.5 years.

As soon as I graduated, I got a call from a local High School offering me a job teaching Math. This is exactly why I majored in math; I knew there was a high demand for people with math skills. I was 20 years old when I accepted this job as a math teacher. While teaching did allow me to be creative in how I taught and how I connected to the people around me, the politics & standardized testing quickly became restricting on just how creative I could be.

And even though I felt like I knew everything about life at the time, as a few years passed… I realized that I knew nothing about navigating adult life and the complicated emotions and decisions that come with that. I felt very restricted and trapped, in almost every area of my life at the time.

And eventually, I was looking for an escape from adulthood without even realizing it. Influencer Marketing and Lifestyle Blogging was on the rise online. I started to see all kinds of people my age, somehow, making a living from just sharing their unique lifestyles online. Travel has always been a huge passion of mine. I looked at myself in the mirror and said “I’m going to become a Travel Blogger.” And I did it.

I created a blog called WineandWeekends.com. I started by writing about some trips that I had already taken myself. Then I started sharing fashion, cooking, and lifestyle inspiration…pretty much anything I thought people would read. I invested in better cameras, better computers, better clothing, etc. And eventually, I began seeing results with a heavy increase in social media followers.

I began blindly e-mailing hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and even tourism boards asking for free stays and experiences in exchange for photography and coverage on both my blog and social media accounts. And to my surprise, people said yes. I was ecstatic.

I began to push the envelope even more by emailing brands, boutiques, and everything in between offering to model their clothing, products, and brands on my trips. And again, people said yes. All of my dreams that I never let myself believe in were coming true. I was traveling the world, for free, wearing free clothes - and this went on for about a year.

whatIwoulddo“whenIgrewup,”butIprayedthatbeing creativeandlettingthatpartofmyselfshinewouldbeapartofit.”

Maturing into Life as a Creative

Eventually, I gathered the courage to bump it up a notch. I began asking for payment for my content. I started small, by asking for $200 for a weekend’s worth of coverage on my platforms. My plan was to slowly bump up the amount as time went on. I had no idea what to charge in reality. But my whole world changed when I made a typo. I sent an email to a small town in VA offering to do what I do. I thought I typed $300 as my fee. But in reality, I had typed $3,000. They replied and said that they couldn’t afford $3,000, but they’d do it for $2,000. My jaw hit the floor, and I quit my teaching job that week. I did this full-time for a year after that.

The fact that I made my dreams a reality is an accomplishment that I do hold very close to my heart. Opening the door to my creative side and allowing my love for creating and sharing the beauty of this world was one of the best things I ever did for myself in the long run. I write all of this and hope it is an inspiration to believe in yourself, and your power, and to go after what you truly love. However, the truth of my story doesn’t end there.

Eventually, I was sharing every second of my life on the internet. Appearing to be the perfect girl with the perfect life was my job. And eventually, it became too much. I had created this online persona and people had an expectation of who I was. Over time, I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. There was a happy, smiling, fake version of myself on the internet that everyone loved. But I wasn’t sure if I loved her anymore. I began isolating myself in real life. I became depressed and confused. I destroyed relationships with others because I wasn’t even confident in the relationship I had with myself. I didn’t actually know what I liked or wanted anymore. And as crazy as it might sound, COVID-19 saved my life.

When the pandemic hit and the world shut down, I wasn’t able to travel anymore. Everyone’s budget shrank because no one knew what was going to happen next. In many ways, I was terrified because I didn’t know how I was going to survive financially. But on the other hand, I was somewhat relieved because it gave me the break that I didn’t even know I needed until life forced me into it.

Fast forward a few months, I began a relationship with my now Husband. He has a miraculous life story of his own. But at this time, he owned a Food Truck called Nana Karen’s Cruisin’ Kitchen. We were able to relate to the fact that we both quit our “day jobs” to start our own businesses and be our own bosses. And he was also at a crossroads in his own life with the pandemic.

Long story short, we decided after only 2 months of dating to open a restaurant here in Danville called Nana Karen’s on Main. His knowledge of food, the restaurant industry, and accounting paired with my knowledge of social media marketing, creativity, and out-of-the-box thinking has been the perfect recipe for something beautiful from the beginning.

We’ve now been open for almost 2 years. I’d be lying if I said these 2 years have been easy, but they’ve always been worth it. Everything I had experienced up until this made me realize that I needed to focus on simply being myself and taking inventory of my emotions. I had to rebuild my relationship with myself and my own personality.

I am now able to work in a space that I love, with people that I love, building relationships in the community, all while being creative in every area of my life. I’ve even let myself slow down enough to get back to enjoying art for art’s sake. I paint, write, read, and create to express my emotions - good, bad, and ugly. I’ve grown enough in my creativity to use it to push myself forward, but also to slow myself down when needed. And most importantly for me, I now create for myself, no one else.

Maturing into Life as a Creative

In my experience, being a creative is associated with a heightened feeling of emotions, and that can feel like both a blessing and a curse. I’ve had to accept that being a creative means seeing the entire world with color. And that comes with a level of feeling misunderstood by the rest of the world that seems to be so black and white. We feel internally conflicted by what we feel and what we see. We have this internal craving to find more than meets the eye in this life, and if we can’t find it then we will create it. So in order to become productive members of society, we have to learn to harness it. Because that internal desire to create will drive everything that we do. We can either let it run wild and fill our life with chaos, or we can learn to manage our emotions and use the creative process as an outlet.

I can now say that I’m very proud of my journey. And I personally owe it all to God, for both giving me the spiritual gift of creativity and for helping me navigate life until I was mature enough to understand it. And the main thing I want anyone to get out of this article is simple, you’re not alone and your story isn’t over.

Model: Tashari Morris

Designer: Cassidy Burell

Lindley Battle Photography

A Reborn Creative

Kelly Cunningham

As a little girl I loved to dance. From the time

I was 4 years old until I graduated high school, I attended a dance class at-least once a week. I give credit to Danya Mehalko Zuniga who knew (and still knows) how to combine the technique of dance with having fun! Her classes were loud, full of laughter, and most of my childhood friends……THAT IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN!

What? You might ask; that is where myself as a creative was born!

At the age of 17 I left Danville, Va to attend the amazing Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va. As I walked into freshmen orientation barely 115lbs, I saw 15 females dancing with the marching band to a hip hop classic, I WAS IN HEAVEN! I looked at my mom and said ,”I want to do that!” My mom and my aunt found someone who directed me to the coordinator of this dance troop whom later I found out was called “Hot Ice”. The coordinator looked at me and said band camp had already started and I would be behind, I reassured her she would not be disappointed if she allowed me to try out! She told me I could try out but it would have to be tomorrow! I was required to come tomorrow with all technique and a choreographed routine! NO SWEAT! I spent all night along with my sister practicing and I can even remember the song I chose, “Love will make you lose Control” by Missy Elliott. Don’t judge me!

Needless to say I was granted the opportunity to join the team! I gained a sisterhood that is still alive today and that is where a creative was born!!

Who would’ve thought I could combine my love for fashion and dance together. That’s what my form of modeling is. I look at the runway as my dance floor and BABY…..I leave it all on the dance floor.

Returning home in 2009, something was missing. My enjoyment of life, that thing that you do that calms your nerves, that eases internal pain, so something had to give. From 2009 until 2015 I l battled with how can I continue to flourish in dance, in music, in fashion but do it my way while benefiting the community? And that is when Danville Fashion Week was born!!

I learned that I don’t have to be on the dance floor all the time. As long as I can teach and connect people with opportunities or different ways for them to keep dancing, IM OK!

Danville Fashion Week is a way for all Fashion individuals to connect and participate within an event that does indeed give back to the community ! I struggle with am I making a difference; and when I talk to models who have worked with me they reassure me without even knowing it! I am on a journey and I do not know where this journey is taking me!

What I do know is in my past, each new opportunity was a way for this creative to be reborn! How can this help you, realize that someone’s No leaves room to be someone else’s Yes and you always have a chance to become a reborn creative! Stay connected on this path with me as I take you on this ride with Danville Fashion Week and The Fashion Haus?

What’s The Fashion Haus? Read the next issue

The Art Community of Danville: “WE CREATE”

Felice McWilliams

As Danville morphs into a 21st-century city, popping up with new businesses in technology, food and entertainment, there is a buzz happening among our creative community.

Five round table talks have been held all over Danville, and it’s exciting!

This region has a wealth of creatives who are ready to be a recognizable force in our city, being supportive of each other's endeavors, events and organizations. Creatives are meeting, gathering, networking, organizing and discussing ways to reinvent a viable art culture and take ownership of it here in Danville.

By working together, supporting each other's efforts, educating and creating safe art spaces of all kinds, this community of creatives have proposed to be one of the changes needed that will enhance economic development and be the link that joins art and culture with commerce in our beautiful River City.

Meeting at various places like, Smokestack Theatre Company, The Fashion Haus, DMFAH, North Theater, and SCHOOLFIELD Restaurant. They even had a wine tasting at the Fashion Haus that was amazing!

Through this creative circle, there has been several “Art Lucks” , hosted by Kendall Ratliffe, Felice McWilliams and Sierra Jade at, 2 Witches. Creatives gathered with whatever projects they were working on, and came to create together

“WE CREATE” has been formed to nurture current and future members of the creative community. We gather to be around like minded people, to draw from each other’s energy, encourage, inform, cheer, help, promote, and to be supportive of each other as individuals and organizations associated with the arts. Meetings are held the 3rd Sunday of each month, with a new host and location.

For more information on how you can be a part of this creative circle, contact:

info@thehausoffashion.net

Photography: Felice McWilliams

Photography: Felice McWilliams

Model: Bronaza Fitzgerald

S&L Designs

The Fashion Haus

Photography:

Adams

From Textiles and Tobacco to Beyond……Endless Possibilities……

Bonnie Minor

The Danville/Pittsylvania County region is rich in so many areas.. Built on the facets of. farming,tobacco and textiles, she is a working community. Rich in history, religion,faith.

The recent years loss of the textile and tobacco industries has thrown a wrench in to this community that relied on both the employment and tax revenue to enrich their lives and the community as a whole.

There is hope,and with hope comes change. The voting public has spoken,and we have several city council members on board with seeing the possibilities that growth will bring.

I personally am a believer in if you can see it,you can make it happen.

First and foremost the city will need a solid tax base. Programs,upgrades and maintenance for basic services costs money. In order to attract families,jobs and growth,basic services need to be on point.

Photography: Kelly Cunningham

A strong community starts with a strong foundation. If that foundation is cracked, it is able to be compromised. We need to build on our strengths as a community. It is the role of local government to provide a safe environment for families to flourish and grow,by providing the basics needed to sustain us. It is our responsibility to be good stewards of these resources.

Support your neighborhood groups, support libraries. Spend time with your children,invest in their growth. Less electronics,more real life adventures. Parks,libraries, small clubs . More human interaction.

There are many many individuals who are developing and dreaming of a better life for themselves,and their loved ones. The dynamics are different. We have grandparents and family members raising children that aren’t theirs, single parents,fostering parents.

Our vision needs to be that we are raising the next generation. Life skills,fundamentals,character and integrity.

The possibilities are here. I know firsthand we can do this, TOGETHER.

Being born and raised into a community that was dependent on one industry, Bethlehem Steel, I felt firsthand the devastation and loss of losing all of those jobs,taxes and security. Jobs were eliminated,until finally the entire plant closed down,leaving the community shaken, broken and scared. Bethlehem has risen from those ashes ,flourishing. Danville can, I believe in all of us,and the mission that we all owe it to ourselves,and our future generations that every single person needs to strive and be the best they can,to succeed. If we don’t,we are selling ourselves and our children out. Support those bring their visions. Watch actions of your leaders ,not words. If they’re not getting it done, vote them out. Invest in your children,get those test scores up. It takes a village.Be the village.

Let’s be the city people flock to to live, not pick up and move away from.

Photography: Kelly Cunningham

Photography: Ralph Adams Photography

Photography: Ralph Adams Photography

What looks good on you- Confidence! Good Mental Health is ALWAYS in Style

Brandie Kendrick

Ihave never been a fashionista. Even at a young age, I knew that I would always choose comfort over fashion any day of the week. As I have grown older, I have found a small safe space where I can dress comfortably while also remaining stylish. I use the term “stylish” very loosely because I know many people that would not truthfully use that adjective to describe me. Thanks to the world of Pinterest and social media, I have learned so much about colors, textures, and design. I have come to terms with what items of clothing look great on me and what items I can never wear (insert the romper design here) Over the years I have often wondered why some people have this magical ability to look good in anything that they clothe themselves with. I have watched many different women rock all the various styles, yet some people are just different. I have spent many days trying to figure out what makes some people look different in the same outfit. It is for sure something internal. It got me thinking, ya know what looks good on anyone….. confidence. It doesn’t matter your size, shape, or color; if you have a smile, confidence, and good mental health you are going to look GOOD!

I’ve faked confidence, and I am sure if we were all honest, we could each say that at some point we have faked being confident. I have faked a smile more times than I have likely truly smiled throughout my life. I have hidden behind a layer of makeup and used my brightly colored hippie style to hide my hurt many times. In fact, I’ve been so fake for so long that finding my authentic self, has been an uphill battle. In 2021 I started to seek the active guidance of a therapist. This wasn’t my first rodeo; however, it was the first time as an adult that I was committed to finding the right person. This was the time I was truly committed to working on my mental health. I’ve spent years dieting, tanning, exercising, and buying all the right clothes just to feel comfortable in my own skin. NONE of those things worked. So, I decided that change and confidence must come from the inside out. For an entire year, I have met weekly with my therapist. It hasn’t been easy. In fact, it has been so much harder than I anticipated. However, I see and feel the difference. When I look in the mirror. I still see the stretch marks and dark circles under my eyes, but ya know what else I see? Confidence. I see beauty. I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for this body and mind that has gotten me through a whole lotta life. This girl has survived some things; both physically and mentally. So, when I see those glitter greys peeking through my dark black hair, or when I must tuck my post-mommy belly in my high-waisted jeans, I stop, and I thank GOD for a body that’s been so brave.

Anyone can slap on some fancy slacks, cute pumps and throw a Gucci crossbody around their neck; but it is all for nothing if you don’t feel confident. Confidence doesn’t rest in the numbers on a scale or in the number of calories you eat a day. It comes from the heart and mind. So, what is always in fashion? Good mental health. What will also look good on any body type? Confidence. The joy of a woman working on herself, not just physically but mentally is breathtaking. It is a thing of beauty to see a woman finding her true self! It’s time to take our body, mind, and soul to give it the work it deserves. Plastic surgery, expensive clothes, and big jewelry are all great and nice, but Girl… you got to love yourself first.

So don’t you ever forget; a smile looks good on you girl!!!

Photography: Ralph Adams Photography

When Racism Is Fashionable

Tina Thomas-Perez

My 1st true love was my Nana's closet and all of its contents. A lot of girls play(ed) dress up in their Mother's or Grandmother's things...hunny I played DRESSTTTT UPPPPPPP lol. Dior pumps and slingbacks, Gucci purses, Chanel suits, Hermes scarves, St John's gowns etc...it was my walk in toy box. She didn't wear the logo soaked pieces...I remember 1 time her, "sales girl" suggested that she try on a blouse that was covered seam to seam with the double G's and she said, "oh no...I will not spend all of this money to advertise for them". For her it wasn't about the label/brand it was for the quality and the craftsmanship. She justified her purchases by saying, "this purse will outlive the both of us" and she was right, I still have some of her now vintage pieces. With that being said, it was no surprise to anyone that knew me as a child that I ended up thriving in luxury retail...the crown jewel on my retail resume is, "Visual Merchandiser-Contemporary Department and Windows-Neiman Marcus". I graduated from my Nana's closet and hit the jackpot. I got paid well to work 40+ hours to play dress up but this time in one of the world's biggest luxury toy boxes. I worked with some of the actual designers from Etro, Escada, Cavalli etc, I hung on every word spoken by all of them. I attended NY Fashion week shows, events and after parties, movie premiers, music video shoots all because of my love for luxury brands.

In 2013 my love of all things "labeled" started to fade when Oprah Winfrey of all people was told that she couldn't see a purse because she couldn't afford it...the sales associate refused to take the $38,000 purse off of the shelf. Granted, an apology was eventually issued, but let's be clear, the associate wasn't sorry for what she said, she was only regretful because of who she said it to. A few months later, one of my favorite stores, "Barney's" settled a racial profiling/discrimination inquiry.

-GraceHorne

It wasn't for a large amount of money but it was enough for me to take inventory of how minority consumers are treated in the luxury retail world. It was then that I started to learn more about the stores and brands that I was giving my money to. Sadly, the more I learned the more my taste for all things designer soured (but I was still buying it ya'll). At this point I was saving up for a newer car so I picked up a part time job working at a Versace boutique...It was cool until it wasn't...the owners were a husband and wife duo...I interviewed with the husband and got hired on the spot, no call backs or 2nd interviews necessary...you couldn't tell me nothing...I started a week later. At 1st it was just me and what you would call a key holder I guess, she and I were around the same age, we had a lot in common and enjoyed working with each other. One day she got sick and had to leave early so she called one of the owners to cover for her because it was maybe my 2nd or 3rd shift and I didn't know enough about the setup to shut everything down. The wife got there and my co-worker left. The owner didn't say much to me, in fact she seemed somewhat uncomfortable around me, so I did my best to keep busy and stayed out of her way. 2 African American women walked in and I greeted them, the owner at this point is obviously uncomfortable...she told me 3 times to check on them...the store was all of about the size of standard living room and it was a straight shot, no hidden corners or blind/dead spots...just open floor and a bunch of gaudy silk shirts and sunglasses lol.

"Whenfashionhasthepowertospark dialoguesandignitechange,whenitpushes

disappointingreluctancetochangeis,in andofitself,anactofracism. Thefashion industryneedstoimproveitsresponse,not justorthegoodofthecompaniesandtheir millionsofworkers,butforthegoodof thoseofuswhoweartheirclothesevery day."

Anywho, I checked on the women each time the owner told me to and each time they understandably seemed more annoyed...the owner asked me to "check" on them again and this time I let her know that I could see them just fine and that they're just looking, then I asked her if she wanted me to update some mannequins...she cut me off, looked me square in my eyes and said, "We didn't hire you to change mannequins, we are experiencing a lot of shrink (theft), we hired you to watch the Blacks...go over there and don't leave them until they leave my store" GASP!!!!!! It's safe to assume that that was my last day...my last moment working in that store. I was floored, I was hurt, and I was angry because I spent so much time and even more money in an industry that uses/used its items to further separate and divide. Once I realized that these brands cared nothing about me or anyone that looks like me unless you're a celebrity promoting their brand I started finding ones that did. In most recent years I've stopped buying Gucci, Prada, Moncler and Burberry, because the 1st 3 mentioned released, "Black Face/Sambo" designs and Burberry released a hooded sweatshirt (a hoodie) and replaced the traditional string/drawstring with a very thin rope "fashioned" as a noose. At one time I'd see a new Gucci bag I'd literally swoon. Now, I see a bag with a bunch of Gs on it made by a company that thought nothing about making a sweater designed to look like one of the most iconic symbols of hate towards African American people.

Radio Who, Podcast What?

Linda Zimmermann

Playing radio, that's what we jokingly call it. Podcasting is the new radio, and the internet is your new favorite station. With almost two million active podcasts worldwide, one may think it is impossible to make any kind of splash in the pool of streaming content. I was one of them. I have been working in podcasting for over 13 years, in some way or another, and I have seen shows blast off, and others fade away. Creating a show with my husband and niece seemed like the logical next step, which is precisely what we did. Enter "The Real Housewives of Reality', a podcast that focuses mainly on The Real Housewives franchises and also other reality tv shows. We had no idea what was in store.

Creating a brand identity seen through the noise of all those millions of other shows seemed like a hefty task, but I was up for the challenge. Seeing how I do that for a living, owning a boutique marketing and public relations firm, it should have been easy. It was not.

I seriously underestimated the time and creative energy it would take to make this all happen. With the help of my co-hosts, I created social media content, hustled for exposure on other shows, and did anything else I could do to contribute to our inevitable success. As we watched our listenership grow week by week, it became clear that the hard work of all of us on the show was working. Before we knew it, one year had passed, and we received the email that would change the game. PodcastOne wanted us to know that they were interested in taking us on as branded content, and a significant payday would be included, but only once we grow further. And to help us do that, they picked us up and featured us on their second-tier platform LaunchPad One. We went from being just another podcast to being in the top 2% of all podcasts WORLDWIDE!! A true Cinderella story. However, we were not prepared for what was to come along with all our success. Haters.

Sure we may have a popular, NSFW, overly opinionated, and comedic podcast, but not everyone was ready to celebrate. For every good review or "fan" email we received, there were at least 4 negative ones to go along with it.

Listen, y'all, the trolls are working hard to keep you down. Saying things that make zero sense, calling names, and making false claims, are just a few things that some people started doing. Finding out that most of them were doing it to help lower our ranking because their favorite show on the same subject would lose a spot to our show didn't make it any easier to swallow. Words hurt; words matter; words mean something. As our position grew, so did the negativity. Was this a sign that we had made it?

Isn't that what they say? You have haters; you must be doing something right. We decided to stay playing the villain in someone else's story and keep doing all we could to give a quality product to the people who want to listen. The moral of the story is?

Maybe it is this. Creativity comes at a cost. Sometimes the price is time, sometimes it's money, and more than likely, the price is a piece of yourself. How do we, as creatives, people, and human beings, combat the negative that comes our way and not let it stop us from continuing? I think it is by staying the course. Never ceasing, never relenting, never stopping. That painting can become a collection, that poem a series, that chapter a novel, that script a play, that song an album, that podcast a sensation. No matter what, don't dull your shine. You owe yourself that much, at least. Have courage and be kind.

3

Podcasts to Listen to If You Want to Start Modeling

Karmen Brown

“What’s awesome is that we live in a digital era where there’s an endless sea of information at our fingertips. One of the best resources I discovered was podcasts.”

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a model? Is modeling something you’ve dreamt of, but you have no idea where to start or if you’re even capable? If so, don’t worry, I felt the exact same way! I decided to pursue modeling professionally in 2020, after being in a modeling troupe since my freshman year of college. I had no idea how to transition from modeling for fun to modeling in pursuit of a career. I had so many questions. What type of work should I be doing? What are the different types of modeling? Do I need an agency? How do I get one, if so? How do I find work and how do I seriously turn this into a long-term profession?

What’s awesome is that we live in a digital era where there’s an endless sea of information at our fingertips. One of the best resources I discovered was podcasts. Podcasts are great because of their versatility and convenience. You can listen to a podcast anywhere and at any time. Showering or getting ready for the day? Perfect time for another podcast episode. Cooking, cleaning, or commuting to work or school? All great moments to listen to an episode or two. You don’t have to stop everything you’re doing. You can easily implement podcasts into your daily routine.

When it comes to modeling and fashion-related podcasts, there’s a ton of them! They’re often created and hosted by models themselves, or occasionally other people who work in the industry and have expertise on the do’s and don'ts . Therefore, each podcast provides different perspectives on modeling, fashion, and entertainment that are all authentic and valuable. To get you started, I’ve put together a list of 3 podcasts that are chalked full of information. I wouldn’t be where I am today as a model without the help of these podcasts and their creators. From leads on how to find jobs and castings, to learning about digitals and how to prepare for them, even down to how to handle your money and file taxes as a model. Each of these podcasts are great to listen to if you're interested in starting your modeling journey or even if you’re already on it. There’s always something new to learn and ways you can work on your skills!

I can’t be the only one who always wondered what really happened to the winners of America's Next Top Model (ANTM)... even the other contestants who didn’t win. Well wonder no longer because in this podcast, ANTM cycle 24 winner, Kyla Coleman shares her encounters as a professional model after ANTM. Kyla speaks on all of the ups and downs that come with being a model. She also invites other people within the industry to come shed light on their own stories and the realities of working in these spaces. A couple of the guests are past ANTM contestants, so we also get to hear about what they’ve experienced since being on the show. Listening to this podcast can be one reliable way for someone to see how careers in modeling, fashion, and entertainment really are before jumping into them head first. It’s also a wonderful resource for understanding how to navigate the industry if you decide to take that leap.

If you’re looking for the what, where, and why of modeling, this podcast is a great place to start. Host Lola Chél, who is also a full-time professional model and model coach, kicks off this podcast by diving into what she refers to as “modeling foundations”. She talks about the different modeling niches and how to find yours, the importance of figuring out why you want to model, and how to determine your market as a model. She goes into detail about how all of these aspects are interconnected and work together to help you begin your modeling journey and stick with it. On top of that, Lola also brings on industry professionals as guests to describe their experiences and give modeling tips from their perspectives. If you want even more information, Lola has an entire school called “The Model University.” This is where she teaches courses and provides curriculums for beginner models or models who are struggling to get to the next level in their career. The Model University is where the Model Made podcast stems from and it acts as another tool for Lola’s students and followers. Lola also consistently posts videos with advice and tricks on her Instagram (@lolachel) and Tiktok (@lolachel_).

HowtoListen

The Model University

Have you ever said, “I’d love to model, but I’m too short!” Are you unsure that there’s a place for you in the industry? Well professional model, Andrea Ventura is here to prove you wrong by walking you through her journey as a 5’3” petite model. Throughout the episodes of “Standing Tall,” Andrea not only discusses the work she does as a petite model and how she got started, but she also advocates for diversity and representation within the modeling industry. She also invites a variety of industry professionals on the podcast to speak on their experiences and share their own thoughts on diversity and representation. Andrea utilizes her knowledge and that of others to provide tips and advice to listeners, along with creating a conversation about what is currently happening in the fashion industry. For more from Andrea, check out her Instagram (@andreaventura) and the blog posts on her website (Andrea Ventura).

HowtoListen

3 Podcasts to Listen to If You Want to Start Modeling

Whether you’re a complete newbie to modeling or have years of experience, these podcasts are great tools for learning about the industry and working on your craft.

They’re useful for figuring out if modeling is truly the avenue you want to go down, along with how you envision yourself doing so. They even naturally highlight the ways modeling can lead to other opportunities and careers or interests, such as acting, photography, creative direction, casting and more. I know there are plenty of other awesome podcasts out there to explore and utilize, but these are just a few I’ve personally discovered and found helpful. Now, it’s time to get to listening and researching others! If you have podcast suggestions or general resources that have helped you as a model or professional in the industry, I’d love to hear about them!

Resources

Chél, Lola. “The Model Made Podcast.” Podbean. Coleman, Kyla. “Not So Glamorous: The True Life of Models.” Studio71. Ventura, Andrea. “Standing Tall.”

Model: Tashari Morris

Designer: Cassidy Burell

Lindley Battle Photography