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Interview with Eira Rose — Amorphous, Pocket-sized Model

Eira Rose is a 25-year old model residing in Purvis, Mississippi.

How would you introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Eira Rose, born in Tampa, Florida, to a military family, and have lived all over the world. I’m a fashion designer and cosplayer; I dabble in writing, music, makeup, jewelry-making, and wig styling, and I enjoy reading and playing video games. I work as a full time dental assistant… and I model! Perhaps the most unusual thing about my success as a model is my size, as I’m only 150cm, which is aroun 4’11”.

When, how and why did you first get involved in the modeling industry?

I started actually modeling in February of 2014. Pretty much my whole life, I heard, “You’re too small for that” and “You’ll never make it because of your height”; but I woke up one day, determined to at least put myself out there: I wanted to model. I didn’t want to just look at the artistic, beautiful images… I wanted to be them.

Eira Rose as pin up girl for Coca ColaWhat are your personal and professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?

When it comes to the modeling industry, I’d like to see myself in more artistic formats in five years. I’m in love with fantasy, science fiction, and the absolute ethereal. I’d love to be paid to be in magazines that so often depict men and women who look simply untouchable. It doesn’t particularly interest me to be outright sexualized, which is a lot of the industry, and what a lot of people really enjoy doing. That’s just not who I am, or how I want to be depicted. In ten… well, ask me in five years.

How often are you modeling and what does it usually consist of?

Usually, I do fashion, glamour, and art photo shoots. I’m really big on Japanese street fashions, so I’ve recently done a cute space-themed coordinate “uchuu kei” shoot, a lolita shoot, and I have a gothic aristocrat shoot coming up in the cooler months. I’m also into alternative fashions, from punk and grunge to pin-up. Pin-up seems to be a favorite with local photographers, and I’m definitely not complaining! I’ve done a cosplay shoot recently too, and that was magnificent; I made the costume myself, so, for me, it was art, as I made the character, then became the character. I’ve done some runway, too. In July 2015, I walked for the Japanese lolita fashion label, “Baby, the Stars Shine Bright” at Mechacon in New Orleans. It was a lot of fun, and I managed not to fall even though the shoes were five and a half sizes too big! I’d do it again too, given the opportunity.

Please tell us about the best and/or worst experiences you’ve had so far in modeling.

Some of my best experiences come from working with groups, actually. A friend of mine, Doll, organized a Fourth of July pinup shoot this year, and there were at least six photographers shooting, and I believe eight models. We laughed and had a lot of fun working that day. It was so hot and crowded in the studio, but everyone left happy with the work we did and the people with which we interacted. I won’t discuss my worst experiences in too much detail. I’ve met some photographers that make me very uncomfortable, and some who seem to know the exact angle that highlights a model’s flaws.

Eira Rose wearing a green gawnHave you had anything funny, embarrassing or completely out of the ordinary happen during your modeling career?

One of my first shoots, the photographer thought it would be cute to have me put on a little boy’s shirt, and I’m talking real little, like 7-8 years old… and it fit, it was a little short, but it fit. It was kind of embarrassing, and kind of funny.

Is there anything you would change about the modeling industry if you could?

“Industry standards”. By no means is it anyone’s right to decide what’s beautiful or right. As a designer, I understand haute couture requiring height minimums and weight maximums- after all, the walk is about the clothing, not the people in them- but the standards are hurting people who are extremely beautiful, but weren’t born the right shape. A thousand times, I’ve wished my legs were longer and thinner, but genetics gave me hips, and martial arts gave me substantial thighs. I’ve wished I were taller, but that will never happen. And there are people killing themselves inside with these things, telling themselves they’re not good enough… all because of “industry standards”.

Do you practice any sports and what do you typically eat? Please elaborate on the importance of nutrition and exercise in your life.

I’ve never been good at sports, even though I was the most aggressive defender in my soccer division when I was in 6th grade; I can’t dance, and I love food. However, I love yoga, I walk daily, and I love to roller skate. I pretty much eat anything I want, but my “bad” foods are always in moderation, so I limit myself to one soda a day as a maximum, drinking predominately water, I don’t eat a lot of sweets or other junk food. I’ve found that eating excessive amounts of processed and empty calorie foods actually makes me sluggish, so maintaining a healthy diet isn’t even primarily about the way my body looks, but how it feels… it’s very important to me to make sure I feel great.

Eira Rose wearing a victorian era dressPlease share something people don’t know about you.

I don’t have a definitive gender identity. I’ve honestly been asked about it on several occasions, and I can never find an answer less vague than “nonbinary”. I’d love to describe it to you, but it’s not something anyone who doesn’t experience it can understand.

Would you change anything about yourself?

I did already mention that I’d like to be taller, but otherwise, I think I’d ditch my “jack of all trades, master of none” abilities to be a master of one or two of my favorite things.

Have you ever been fired from a job?

I worked, very briefly, at an AT&T satellite store called Extreme Wireless. About two months in, I was helping an elderly customer who wanted to add her tablet to her plan, but was on a fixed income and couldn’t afford to add it to her existing plan. So, I offered to change it, eliminating the unlimited calling and texting, since she didn’t use them often or even at all, and they weren’t required for the plan. Immediately, a coworker jumped on me, saying those plans had to have the texting, which I disagreed, and he insisted.

When I asked him why, he couldn’t give a real answer, and in the end the poor customer left more confused and let down than when she’d come in. He told me, “Don’t you ever question me in front of a customer again.” The next day, I was told by a manager that I was there to make the company money, not help people budget. I took my weekend off a week later, vowing to start looking for a new job after I got back from an event. The manager fired me Monday morning when I arrived because I was “just not a salesperson, and that I was too much customer service.” Sorry for not lying to old ladies. Oh, wait… no I’m not.

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Interview with MercedesLeigh — Student, Conservationist & Model

MercedesLeigh is a 24-year old model residing in Starkville, Mississippi.

How would you introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m from a small down in Wisconsin, go pack go! I’m obsessed with saving coral reefs and sea turtles. I’ve done scientific research in Texas, Belize, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Australia, and San Diego…where to next? I’m a student for life, and I hope my modeling can bring some conservation attention to the scene.

When, how and why did you first get involved in the modeling industry?

I first got involved with modeling in Newcastle, Australia, working as a brand ambassador. Later, when I lived in San Diego I had an Uber driver tell me about this awesome site called Model Mayhem that I would be great for. I loved the idea of expressing yourself without words.

MercedesLeigh modeling a flowered dressWhat are your personal and professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?

In five years I see myself modeling for conservation work, and maybe even doing wildlife shooting. I hope to have started a scientific research and conservation program to save marine organisms from corals to sea turtles and everything in between! I hope to be making a difference in this world.

How often are you modeling and what does it usually consist of?

Modeling can be anything from hours a week to nothing a week depending on photographers demands and seasonality. With school I’m always on the go and rarely have time to stop and smell the roses. But I still manage to sneak on some beach time here and there.

Do you practice any sports and what do you typically eat? Please elaborate on the importance of nutrition and exercise in your life.

I try to avoid processed foods, which in this day and age is impossible. I work out as often as possible which usually ends up being only a couple of days a week with work.

MercedesLeigh playing an uke on the roadPlease share something people don’t know about you.

I used to train dolphins and sea lions with the US Navy.

Would you change anything about yourself?

I would change my anxiety. Just to be able to relax and enjoy every moment we have.

If you had only 24 hours left to live, what would you do?

I’d make my family and best friends go on an awesome-sauce road trip down to the Florida coral reef marine preserves and try something that I was always fascinated by that they would never otherwise try. We would snorkel and scuba dive until the sun disappeared from the sky.

Visit MercedesLeigh’s website for more photos and information

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Interview with Sloan Unique — The Unique One

Sloan Unique is a 23-year old model residing in Hamilton, Mississippi.

How would you introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello, My name is Sloan Unique Walker, born and raised in Mississippi, and since I was able to walk, I’ve always been into fashion… it was something that I was very great at doing. People would always come up to me and ask me to help them find an outfit for a special occasion. I also won best dressed in high school, and all my life I got giraffe because of how long my legs were, until I decided to use my height and fashion sense and go for modeling, and it all made sense to me. After I had a boy and girl, I put modeling on hold and went to college, graduated, and got a degree in pre-nursing but I knew my heart wasn’t in it. So now I’ve decided to tackle modeling full force, and although I’ve been told no a lot, I’ve decided to collect all my no’s until I get a Yes!

When, how and why did you first get involved in the modeling industry?

I just recently started to take modeling seriously a year ago, when I started doing photoshoots and also runway shows. I started to take it seriously because that’s what made me happy, and I’m happy when I’m in front of a camera or on a runway. Before I always said I wanted to be a model but I didn’t know the steps to take to get there, and I just studied the great super models before me and also applying to castings.

Sloan Unique face closeup redWhat are your personal and professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?

Five to ten years I would love to be signed to a top agency, as well as become a Victoria’s Secret model. I want to move from MS to CA where there are more opportunities, since there are very slim opportunities where I live so I’m forever trying to brand myself using social media.

How often are you modeling and what does it usually consist of?

I usually model pretty often, and consider myself a fashion model, always doing photoshoots or runways locally. I’ve also done some background acting for TV shows, but when I’m not being a full time mom I’m focused on how I can be a better model and reach my goal.

Please tell us about the best and/or worst experiences you’ve had so far in modeling.

The best experience I had was doing a runway show for a designer that was featured in NYFW, where the designer was Kammies Kreations and I loved all her pieces… everything was so professional and well put together. Okay, the worst… Oh boy! I had a photoshoot with a photographer -for whom I won’t call the name-, but it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I was doing some photos to update my profile and he was so unprofessional. When I got there there was other people there that I didn’t even know including kids… I feel like if it’s my time and I’m paying you, there shouldn’t be other people and kids there. I wasn’t even comfortable in some of my outfits cause children were there. Well anyways, to make a long story short, he never edited my pics correctly and it took me 3 weeks to get all of my pictures. I asked for them and he ignored me and everything, it was just an overall bad experience that I learned from.

Have you had anything funny, embarrassing or completely out of the ordinary happen during your modeling career?

Nothing extraordinary hasn’t happened yet but I’m sure some pretty great extraordinary things are in my future.

Is there anything you would change about the modeling industry if you could?

Yes! I would create more opportunities for girls that don’t live in the big states or cities. I would place agencies in places like Mississippi or something, since I always have to travel just to audition for an agency or even runways shows. I feel like if you give people opportunities, they should be able to handle the rest.

Sloan Unique modeling underwearDo you practice any sports and what do you typically eat? Please elaborate on the importance of nutrition and exercise in your life.

The sport I love most is basketball, as it’s something I use to play in the yard after school and also from elementary to high school. I think it’s a fun sport that keeps you active. As far as nutrition, I’m not great at it but I try to watch what I eat most of the time; for example, I make sure I have a vegetable with each dinner and I try to bake or boil versus fry my food. Only bad habit I have is pizza. Pizza is life and I like a few slices here and there haha.

Please share something people don’t know about you.

Something people don’t know about me is that when I was younger I thought I wanted to be an OBGYN and deliver babies.

Would you change anything about yourself?

I wouldn’t change anything about myself. I’m a firm believer that everyone is beautiful in their own way whether they believe it or not. If everyone was the same, the world would be boring. Be you and embrace it.

What superpower do you wish you had? Why?

If I had a super power I would love to have the ability to end all poverty across the globe. I think sometimes we take things like that for granted especially throwing away food after dinner when there’s people in the world who don’t have anything. People and children die from hunger and we have plenty of it. Even enough to throw away. So my super power would be to fly over the world and supplying food to children and also adults who live in poverty.

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