Chloe Magazine

The moment I no longer feel excitement in finding an editorial of mine in a magazine is probably when I should stop modeling. 

I still remember my very first tear sheet. It was for Charlie & Lee back in Victoria over two years ago now. It was in a local Victoria magazine that I had to write into the publisher to get a copy of since it was so selectively distributed. I was ecstatic nonetheless. I’ve since done over a dozen magazines in Asia but there is something exciting about having my first editorial in a Canada-wide distributed magazine. I like knowing that my mom can go to the local Chapters and pick up a copy. Which she did in fact do and then proceeded to tell everyone in the adjoining Starbucks that I was her daughter - Thanks for the adorable support mom! 
 
Arriving on location for this shoot was amazing. I had seen pictures of Casa Loma online but was still not expecting the gorgeous building that emerged as I walked up the snow covered steps from the street. Imagine thiscovered in a layer of white snow. Stunning, non? My camera was not working at the time so I unfortunately did not take any pictures that day. But these images shot by the talented Anthony Guira are more than enough.

Updating the Portfolio

 Updating the portfolio with a more "North American" approach

Shooting in Toronto is definitely different than anywhere in Asia. The most skin I ever showed in any country in Asia was the equivalent of wearing a modest bathing suit. There was also a lot more smiling in photos – especially in Bangkok. Fashion shoots here tend to venture into a more scantily clad area as you'll see in the photos below.

People ask me if it is weird to find topless photos of myself on Facebookbut really, with the amount I'm covering myself, I’m showing less cleavage than the average girl’s profile picture. But while one is deemed socially acceptable, the other is met with skepticism. I admit that I’ve withheld from uploading certain pictures on to my Facebook page. Not because I’m ashamed of my body but because of  the social stigma that would come with them. Maybe there is a time and place for certain images, and maybe Facebook isn’t always it. 

In my last post I mentioned that the questions of wearing fur or having tattoos are common ones for models. There are two more that appear commonly in contracts and on casting sheets: Will you pose nude, or in lingerie? It is always up to the model to do what she is comfortable with. When people talk about modeling taking away the innocence of young girls, I can’t say they are incorrect, but I would lay the blame more on the social life of a model rather than jobs. A model can always say no. I have been lucky that I have not been put in any uncomfortable situations, but I’ve always had bookers that assured me that I could call them if I was ever unsure about something on set. I won’t deny there aren’t sketchy situations in the industry, I’ve heard the stories, but I have always managed to stay out of them - in a professional capacity at least. Maybe I can credit that to working mostly in Asia where, like I said, there is much more modesty.

But to those questions, I usually answer no to the first and yes to the latter. Not because I am against nudity, but because I am cautious about how I do it. I don’t mind posing ‘nude’ if I am still covered where it matters. The pictures in this post are from a simple test shoot where I didn’t mind at all shedding my top at the reassurance that I could cover myself. I felt comfortable in the situation and with the photographer, who I have since worked with again.

Photos from a recent rest shoot with Anthony James Giura

 

Photography- Anthony James photography
Model- Therese MacCallum, Elite Model Management Toronto
Makeup & Hair- Samantha Pickles

NAFA Fashion Show

 

When my agent emailed me informing me I was on hold for a show, she had two questions for me: do I wear fur? and do I have any tattoos? With a yes to the first and a no to the latter, I didn't think anything of it. 

When the details of the confirmed job came through I realized I had inadvertently agreed to model for the largest fur auction house in North America. While I'm not about to go picket on behalf of PETA anytime soon and I admit to owning a few rabbit fur accessories, I was not very pleased when I arrived on location and found myself in a warehouse full of fur pelts. A large area had been cleared for the stage and seating so I wasn't exactly amidst the furs except those that hung respectively on their hangers but it was the smell that got to me. I never got fully used to it in the five hours I was there, but oddly enough, I wasn't disgusted wearing the coats despite it. I suppose once the pelts are made into garments I no longer associate them as closely with the animals they used to be. 

Moving past the fur, the show itself was a hectic one but ended up being quite fun. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a runway, and this no pressure show was a great way to get some paid practice in before Toronto Fashion Week hits next month. 

The video below is quite long. I can be seen at 1:35, 9:35, 13:00, 16:54, 19:00 and the finale at 21:13. I walked a total of seven times - the most I have ever done in one show. 

Toronto FashionShow from NAFA on Vimeo.