Madison H.

Measurements

Waist-61cm/24"

Hips-74cm/29"5

Bust-74cm/29"

Height-5'5"

Hair/Eye Color- Black Hair/Hazel Eyes

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Madison, I'm 19 years old and I grew up born and raised on Long Island, New york. I am a hairstylist. I've been doing hair for 6 years now and I absolutely love it. I got the beautiful opportunity to do hair at Brooklyn fashion week. I've always wanted to take my modeling career more seriously. I've always been behind or infront of the camera. I've always loved taking pictures and being a part of the art of it all. I've met a handful of fashion designers and business owners and it's such an exhilarating experience getting to watch the creative minds behind it all. All of the thought, creativity and dedication that goes into all of it. Modeling and fashion is most definitely not just clothes and people, but it's art. It's love, passion, dedication, time and mindfulness. Brooklyn fashion week was what truly inspired me to really push myself into getting into this career. Meeting and talking to so many talented models, talking about why they do what they do and watching them perform was a brain altering experience and a privilege I am entirely grateful to have had.

Tell us about your modeling experience:

I haven't necessarily had much professional modeling experience, but I've always loved to be behind a camera and have always had a passion for art beyond the clothes and pictures. I have a lot of friends who are photographers, and we love to have fun with taking pictures. Telling stories with the pictures we take, making art out of it all. I've done small modeling gigs for friends with fashion brands but nothing bigger than that. 

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is to model for designers who tell stories through their pieces. Designers who use their talent to support a cause or to be a part of something bigger than themselves. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. I believe that art can be stronger than words, and clothes can become a movement if projected in the right way and I want to be a part of that all. I also want to own a hair salon one day. Doing hair is something that makes me feel fulfilled in the sense that some people come in to get their hair done under unfortunate circumstances. I mean hair holds so many memories. I love to see people being able to walk out feeling beautiful and feeling like they have a fresh start, a new era of themselves. I feel as though that ties into modeling in the sense that people get inspired by the looks and creativity they see, allowing them to want to express themselves more and become their own unique individual.

What does it mean to be your own kind of beautiful?

I think to be your own kind of beautiful is how you carry yourself. Beauty truly comes within. Beauty standards are completely unrealistic. I think there is so much more beauty beyond any beauty standard. I'm not saying just inside and out but all of the different types of people, ethnicities, and cultures. Being your own kind of beautiful is finding beauty in the chaos of it all. Being confident and secure in yourself, overcoming and going beyond all of those beauty stereotypes. I believe anybody can be a model if they hold the power of self love and authenticity. Being beautiful is being your unique self, your authentic self. Regardless of what anybody tells you.

How would you describe your fashion style?

I would describe my fashion style as eccentric. My style changes almost every single day and honestly if I could afford it Id have a new wardrobe constantly. I absolutely love fashion. I love all of the different materials and textures. Everyday is like playing dress up for me. I love changing my makeup, hair, shoes. Making my outfits into art.

Who or what inspires you?

I guess I don't have any specific inspirations. I enjoy jumping around the timelines and experimenting, For example Ill mix a 20s flapper with 90s grunge or maybe 70s hippie era with some 2016 tumblr. My style is all over the place although Cleopatra does inspire me incredibly. Shes a woman with an incredible amount of personality and elegance with how she presented herself and what she wore. An inspiration I play apart of consistently. 

What advice would you give someone who is just getting started in the modeling business?

For somebody who is starting modeling, the best advice I can give is be your authentic self. Life is far too short to constantly be paranoid of other peoples thoughts, opinions, critistim. This industry thrives off of people who are their confident authentic self, and granted some people might not like you for that its not for them to like. You are not for them to like. You do everything for yourself, and the true beauty of that is that the right people will come to you and see that beauty in you that you see in yourself and that authenticity you want for yourself.

What are some obstacles you have overcome and how have they changed you?

Throughout my teenage years I went through many hardships. I had a very strict family with certain beliefs and view of what they thought was "normal" and stuck to strict beauty standards. Tall, skinny, blond hair. I was bullied all throughout high school. I always stuck out like a sore thumb. I always felt incredibly out of place at school and at home. I felt a constant weight on my chest and constant shame hovering over my head. Once I graduated high school I started being more proactive and doing things that made me feel more grounded with myself. I got really into hiking. Every weekend I drive upstate to go mountain climbing and everytime I reach the top I just take everything in. There is so much beauty to this life that so many people take for granted because they are too caught up in the things that will never matter. Such as being stuck in their own insecurities and blatant ignorance. Over time I realized I wasn't the problem, and that the only reason people didn’t like me was because I made them uncomfortable in the sense of people are uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity. People don't like change, or people that are different because they are too caught up in their own beliefs and ignorance to see the true beauty in people. I’ve gained a lot of self security. Grounding myself and seeing beauty beyond all of the chaos.

What advice would you give someone who is struggling with their confidence?

As someone who has struggled with being confident for a very long time, I think the key to confidence is knowing yourself. Being secure in yourself, and having the security that at the end of the day everything you do is for the benefit of yourself. Your own life comes before anyone else's, the way other people perceive you simply does not matter if you are happy. I feel as though having experiences with things that are beyond you are so important. We are all so small in this universe, so what we do should matter to us and us only. Be grounded with yourself, secure with yourself. Know that everything you are and your being as a whole is more than enough. We are all human, we all perceive people differently. It's out of our control how people see us because they will have their own thoughts and opinions either way so at the end of that day nobody else's opinions matter. Be yourself, and the best version of yourself you want to be. That gives you confidence.