Death of the M.O.D.E.L: Adapt and Overcome by Dawn Montgomery

By: Dawn Montgomery

Let the story be told: My peers suggest that it is easier to do what everyone else around you may be doing to get ahead. My peers state that being a nice & humble woman will only get you a mountain of heartache in this industry. The modeling industry is not something that can be conquered overnight. Whether it is high fashion or urban modeling, you have to find your niche and really work hard to make a name for yourself. It really takes determination and perseverance to really endure the hardships that this industry brings.

The urban modeling industry is stereotyped as the home of countless TFPs, curvaceous women that are exploited, and the lowest paying unstable job in America. It is an industry that some women think it is easier to take the back door, when really you must do everything properly and in order. As a model you should set a standard and work hard to keep it. You have to keep a certain focus and use your personal industry positioning plan to direct your path. If you do not understand how this industry works then this is not the place for you.

Some model’s careers have died slowly due to these causes:

Materialistic desires

Overexposed body parts

Diva mentalities

Egotistical actions

Laziness towards their education of the industry

Deaths of the M.O.D.E.L are being executed now as we speak. Some are dying slowly. Some are dying quickly. There are a few that will be saved by their willingness to adapt and overcome the adversities that are faced in this industry. The many hurdles that I have personally jumped over come with an award-winning transforming piece of art that has cried, sweated, and yelled over countless opportunities missed. I am a simple woman that has grown to understand that her beauty is beyond what is seen on the outside, but what has been educated and nurtured on the inside.

What is inside of me is a heart that beats passion for what I have used to be visible and try to reach the masses of the uneducated. It is hard to master the art of modeling, but if you come into the industry with some knowledge of how things work then you have a higher chance of succeeding. Nothing is given to you. You have to have the necessary tools that are needed to succeed in this industry. Forget what everyone else is doing and focus on what you need to do individually and not fall victim to the dying breed. This may offend my industry connects, but there is a continuous need to stress the reality of this leeching industry.

Do not become another modeling statistic.

Focus on what you can bring new to the industry besides another young woman who thought they could model because of club photos, home portraits, and your lost desire to be wanted. Be a face and voice within your community. Use your career as a way to help bring light to a situation within your life or community. The Death of an M.O.D.E.L does not have to affect you directly, but the cause of death can help guide you to a better career path. If you are a model then prove it. We will see who will outlive the dying breed that walks among us now… Death of an M.O.D.E.L… Moment of SILENCE!

Atlanta’s Hottest Boutique Owner and Celebrity Stylist…

Boutique name- DYMOND WAYZ Accessories Heav’n

Where were you born? Riverside, California

Where do you live? Castleberry Hill- Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

When did you decide that this is what you want to do? My freshman Year of College I was 19 working for $8 an hour with Sisley(united colors of benneton), & I was hired @ Phipps Plaza but I was 2 be moving to the new perimeter location when it opened. This experience really was the birth of my Brand “Dymond Wayz”. I gained visual and store build out skills, I already had 4yrs experience in retail; because I landed my 1st job @ 15 with Macy’s @ the Beverly Center. I worked for Sisley for 9months & had my 1st $2,500 sale with a wealthy client, who basically purchased everything that I picked out. Funny thing about it the young mgr, I was cool with rang up my sale under her I’d # 2 get my commission, so when I confronted my mgr. she showed me that she was really not cool &, I even got written up about confronting her, oh but I got my commission. After that experience I realized maybe working for some1 else was not my destiny & I might want 2 consider working 4 myself, 6months later I made a trip 2 NyC & bought my 1st merchandise & returned to Cau in the Fall as an Entrepreneur Sophomore with Dymond Wayz, and I have been working for my self ever since.

Do you sew as well as style? Yes I’ve been hand sewing since I was 7, I learned on the machine when I got 2 College, it is not my favorite thing cause I’m a bit antsy & sewing you must have a lot of patience.

Do you do personal styling? Yes I do personal, wardrobe reconstruction, image mgt, personal shopping, product knowledge & Rolling Out Magazine dubbed me as “Atlanta Fashion Forecaster” in August 2007.

Are there any celebrities that you’ve worked with? I have worked with Mr. Bangladesh of Bangladesh Prod., Tiny(T.I.’s wife), Mz. Shanicka (107.9), Megan Rochelle, Nikki Turner, Redd Xmaz, 5 Mic’s, Don Cannon,Nikki Minaj, Muffy Cupcakeopia, & host of other celebrities I can’t remember off the top of my head.

Which Celebrities fit your boutique style, and that you would want to work with? I would like 2 work with more male artist like umh… Young Jeezy or Diamond & Princess of Crime Mob, for some strange reason in Atlanta, labels leave image as last on the budget & usually don’t outsource stylist. That job will be left to the artist mgr or the artist themselves, its sad to me because Image is so vital in a celebrities career it should be more like # 1 on the budget and all other components fall after Image, just my opinion based on my experience of working with celebrities.

Which celebrity could put on anything and look good? (male or female) Female of course Beyonce. Male I must say Diddy.

Would you rather style something around a pair of boots or open toe pumps? I’m a Cali girl all day break out them toes girl. (Giggles) Who would you rather see in a fitted mini dress…a size 7 with curves or a size 1 with no curves? I love all shapes & sizes, I can work with all silhouettes.

Do you have a favorite color or fabric that you like to work with? And why? Right now I’m in Love with Green, but 2mrrw it might be Blue, I love all colors like a Vibrant Miami Rainbow. I love natural fibers like cotton, linen, but my favorite is fur I am mesmerized by dyed furs Sabel, Mink, Chinchilla, vintage Leopard, I even love faux Suede & Mink. I can create such a great illusion when working with furs, I can use the annual, thanks 2 fashionista’s like Lil Kim (chinchilla bikini).

What is some advice for girls out there that want to model? I feel like if you are pursing a career where your face or body is the product 2 be sold, than you must love yourself unconditionally, inside & out. I believe with that foundation you will have a healthy mind, & you can manifest a successful career.

A past video/magazine experience on set…Good and Bad… OMG bad, I was styling for a new artist video & one of the extras was wearing a ring I purchased in Paris @ a flea market 5years prior, she comes up to me with maybe an hour left 2 shoot saying she can’t find my ring & she thinks she lost it @ the last set location. Instantly I’m thinking why are you just now telling me this? But I kept my composure & brought it to the casting company that hired me as the stylist. They said well if the ring does not surface @ wrap time than the extra will have to pay for it out of her day rate. I was still a bit frustrated because even though I would of been monetary compensated for the lost, my ring that had sentimental value would be gone 4ever. I knew it was time for me to project my ability to work under pressure, I worked with the extra and directors interns as a team & within an hour the extra found my ring. A good experience is seeing all the ppl that I style happy faces when they like my final decision for there wardrobe & seeing them walk around set with confidence knowing the look Swagged up by Kesh.

What helps you get creative (music,people,movies) MUSIC,MUSIC,MUSIC, everyday people(mainly my college girls & boys) All movies even Sci Fi stuff. My biggest creative moments come from Daydreaming, and reading Fashion Magazines that I subscribe to.

Any projects coming up that we should know about? Yesss I’m so excited to finally be at a point where I can give back, Clark Atlanta University Fashion Design & Merchandising Dept & Bauder College & myself will be hosting a workshop the 3rd week of April. The workshop is free and I will be interviewing & selecting 10 interns to work with 5 different avenues of my Brand Dymond Wayz, I plan to bring in a small panel of about 2 of my close friends so they can speak to the students & possibly select the candidates that Dymond Wayz does not select so this way at least 20 students out of about 400 will be selected to complete an hands on internship working with some1(me) they can relate to because there is not that much of an age gap & I was in there shoes less than 5years ago.

Any shout outs? Yesss Thank you Jami Z at The Carinae Agency for this great interview. Dymond Wayz Alwayz, Dymond Bar Music, and Thank you for every1 who has supported & believed in my Brand, especially GOD.

Website, myspace, links etc… www.dymondwayzonline.com www.myspace.com/dymondwayzaccessories www.blogspot.com/streetschic www.myspace.com/keshmonroe Youtube: dymond wayz commercial

Emails: kesh [dot] dymondwayz [at] yahoo [dot] com Keshmonroe [at] gmail [dot] com

Diva Style Beyonce { Brian Lichtenberg Interview }

Alot of people have been talking about Beyonce’s style in the new Diva video. Carinae caught up with the man behind the style vision for Diva, Brian Lichtenberg. Quickly rising on the celebrity scene in Hollywood, BL has styled for Katie Perry, Lil Wayne and Lady Gaga to name a few. Check out the interview below

JAMI // Where were you born? BL: Cocoa Beach, Florida JAMI // Where do you live? BL: Hollywood JAMI // When did you decide this is what you wanted to do? BL: In high school i got my first taste of fashion design but it wasnt until i was 20 that i made it my career JAMI // Are there any celebrities that you’ve worked with? -do you have a favorite experience? BL:yes tons, i love working with peaches, yelle, beyonce, and sam sparrow JAMI // Do you have a favorite color or fabric that you like to work with? And why? BL:green is my favorite color, i did a collection a couple seasons ago based on slime so i was able to use alot of green! JAMI // What helps you get creative (music,people,movies) BL:my childhood, everything i watched and consumed when i was a kid JAMI // How did you come in contact with Beyonce? BL:my friend Melina who has directed so many amazing videos for beyonce and many other musicians contacted me to custom make her something for her Diva video JAMI // What drew you to Muffy’s style? BL:my bestfriend Natalie sent me Dope Boi and i loved it, after that i researched her and also downloaded a couple more tracks i could find and loved them all. i could tell from her style and photos on her myspace that she would be down for my clothing, and im so glad she is: JAMI //Any projects coming up that we should know about? BL: i have a couple collabos with some LA based labels such as denim line Kill City, tshirts with Blood is the New Black, and also with Alex and Chloe. BRIAN LICHTENBERG

How to make $ Money $ as a Glamour Model

Models have a shelf life, and cashing in on your field before you retire is essential.
Let’s look at some of the facts…

Mag spreads for chump change/exposure.
Videos for chump change/exposure.
Personal appearances for chump change/exposure.

What’s a girl to do?

The paysite game for an “it” girl can set her up quite handsomely for years if she keep it professional and on point. Now I want you to do the math on this.

Say for the sake of argument a magazine readership has 1 million readers. We know mags don’t pay, and what they do pay isn’t enough to cover your expenses unless you’re a local product, which most often isn’t the case.
If a model is smart, her site link is plastered on her opening jaw dropper pic.
10% of that audience will check out the site.
10% of that will whip out the CC and join the site @ $20 a pop.
Buy a DVD at $10-$15 each.
Buy a special gift item for whatever the price.

You add that up, you’re doing quite well. Plus if you take into account of successfully making yourself a local celebrity, then guess what your full time job is? Modeling.
How do you make yourself a local celebrity?

For starters, NEVER be seen in public looking like a bum. You must always be on your game when it comes to your hair, nails, make up and gear. Even when you’re wearing a baseball cap and sweats, they have to be fresh.

Secondly, you have to advertise yourself. Do remember that once you enter the world of modeling, you are a brand, a product, a business. And the majority of successful businesses are that way due to advertising and quality product.
Stickers, posters, advertising in the right papers/mags, knowing who the right local people are in your area of business are and networking with them to host events, be a pitch girl, etc… Are keys to successfully pitching yourself.

Third and most importantly, don’t sell yourself as a cheap trick. In other words, keep your legs closed and your persona respectable and the “trade for services” route will still happen, but not as frequently as it would if you actually went through with it. This is where business sense comes in. If you don’t have it at the level of where men in the business don’t respect you enough to not ask for special services, this is where hiring an agent comes into play.

Lastly, the agent/manager. Where do they fit in? When you’re not being respected, or when your workload is getting too much for you to handle, then it’s time to hire one at no more than 20% of what they book you. Anything beyond that is someone pimping you.
Before you do hire one, check their reputation.
Do they sleep with their clients?
Do they treat them right?
Do they help garner the right assignments?
Do they have you and their other clients best interest at heart?
Do you compare favorably amongst their other clientele?

You can’t just dive into this without a plan.
You can’t just shoot to be shooting.
You can’t base your career off of being stagnant.

Free Photo Gallery by Picturesurf

America’s Next Top Model Auditions

They have made some changes ladies;

according to RULE #8 of the requirements,

 

You must be AT OR UNDER five feet and seven inches (5′7″) in height, although Producers reserve the

right to make case-by-case exceptions. Please note the change in this requirement from past cycles of the Series.

Open Calls
*Miami
Saturday, February 28th
10:00am to 3:00pm
Eden Roc, A Renaissance Beach Resort and Spa
4525 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33140
The Casting Director will be in attendance.

*San Francisco
Tuesday, March 3rd
10:00am to 3:00pm
The Westin San Francisco Market Street
50 Third Street
San Francisco, California 94103
The ANTM Casting Team will be in attendance.

South Bend, IN
Tuesday, March 3rd
4:00pm – 8:00pm
Martin’s Supermarket
7355 Heritage Square Dr.
in Mishawaka
Granger, IN 46530

Pittsburgh, PA
Friday, March 6th
12:00pm to 6:00pm
Mall at Robinson
Exit 1 off Route 60 @ Route 22/30

*Washington D.C.
Saturday, March 7th
The Casting Director will be in attendance.

Norfolk, VA
Saturday, March 7th
12:00pm to 3:00pm
The Gallery at Military Circle
800 N. Military Hwy
Norfolk, VA 23502

Jacksonville, FL
Saturday, March 7th
2:00pm to 6:00pm
Rosie True
1960 San Marco Blvd
Jacksonville, FL

St. Louis, MO
Saturday, March 7th
8:00AM
St. Louis College of Health Careers
1297 N Highway Drive
Fenton, MO 63026

Albany, NY
Sunday, March 8th
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Clifton Park Center
22 Clifton Country Road
Clifton Park, NY 12065

Lexington, KY
Sunday, March 8th
10:30am to 3:30pm
MOD Boutique
858 East High Street
Lexington, KY 40502

Oklahoma City, OK
Sunday, March 8th
12:00pm to 4:00pm
Remington Park
#1 Remington Place
Oklahoma City, OK

Denver, CO
Monday, March 9
5:00pm to 8:00pm
Vinyl
1082 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203

Shreveport, LA
Tuesday, March 10
10:00am to 7:00pm
The Strand Theatre
619 Louisiana Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71101

Harrisburg, PA
Thursday, March 12
4:00pm to 8:00pm
The Coliseum Entertainment Megaplex
410 St. John’s Church Road
Camp Hill, PA 17011

*New York
Saturday, March 14th
10:00am to 3:00pm
Park Central New York
870 Seventh Avenue at 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
The Casting Director will be in attendance.

*Dallas
Saturday, March 21st
The Casting Director will be in attendance.

*Chicago
Wednesday, March 25
The ANTM Casting Team will be in attendance.

*Los Angeles
Saturday, March 28th
The Casting Director will be in attendance.

Go to http://cwtv.com/thecw/topmodel-cycle13-Casting for more info and application and elegibility requirements.

A World with NO PHOTOSHOP

 

Imagine a world.

A world with no war.

A world with no disease.

Imagine a world… with NO PHOTOSHOP?!?

 

There was once a day where we didn’t worry about war on American soil. We didn’t worry about dying from having sex. We didn’t worry about hiring a model based on her portfolio, and having a completely different person show up. “The digital age” has changed that. Have you ever wondered why you have seen a model who takes amazing photos but you have never seen in a video, or even in person for that matter? Probably because a lot of models are unhireable for any job that can’t be photoshopped.

 

I remember a shoot with a model, a beautiful girl nonetheless but whose eyebrows were unkempt, had bad bikini-line razor bumps, a peach fuzz mustache, and was a bit bloated around the mid-section. I heard her tell another model she would have gotten her eyebrows done, but “they” could “fix” it later. When the photographer told her to suck in, she replied “Photoshop”. When did we become this generation of lazy, complacent, second-rate professionals?

 

Imagine if you actually had to have flawless skin to be a model. If there was no such thing as the “HEALING BRUSH TOOL” to smooth out acne, razor bumps, stretch marks, discoloration. If you actually had to eat right, drink water, take supplements, hire a dermatologist, cleanse, tone & moisturize properly to achieve perfect skin.

 

If you actually had to have a nice body to be a model. If there was no “LIQUIFY TOOL” to shrink your waistline down to 24″. If you actually had to go to the gym and hire a trainer, do crunches, sit-ups, squats, and lunges, limit your fat, sugar and carb intake, run, do pilates and yoga to give you the perfect waist to hip ratio.

 

If you actually had to have beautiful makeup to be a model. If there was no “fixing it later” in PHOTOSHOP. If you actually had to seek out and pay a talented makeup artist that could perfectly blend your eye shadow, manicure your eyebrows, apply your foundation flawlessly, contour your features, and choose a blush and lips to compliment your look.

 

If you actually had to take amazing photographs to be a model. If there was no “CUT & PASTE” to drop in scenery to the background of a picture. If you actually had to pose, work with the lighting, communicate with your photographer, the terrain, and the weather all while looking beautiful to have an outstanding overall photograph.

 

But you’re just a girl

You don’t understand

How it feels to live without photoshop

But if you tried, I bet you probably can…

 

LOL… OK, so I’m no Beyonce, and in real life, none of us are perfect, and we will never be. But why not strive to be the best YOU you can be? What ever happened to aiming for the moon so even if you miss you land among the stars? Do you know where you will be if you aim for the stars and miss?

 

Right back where you started.

 

Photoshop is like a spare tire. You should use it when you need it, but it was not meant to be a permanent addition to your vehicle. Anything worth having is worth working for, HARD.

I say to all “Industry professionals” Stop relying so much on photoshop and work harder in your careers.

Thanks to Crystal!!

 

Free Photo Gallery by Picturesurf

TALENT CALL – FEMALE R&B GROUP SEARCH ( CTE )

Talent Call-Female Music Group
TALENT CALL – FEMALE R&B GROUP SEARCH

WHO: Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee (CEO of CTE & Manager of Young Jeezy)
WHAT: Talent Call for Female Vocalist (Ages 18-25)
WHEN: Wednesday, November 19th :: 6pm – 9pm
WHERE: JOI Studios (2356 Park Central Blvd Decatur , Ga 30035)
WHY: To Find/Create the Next Female Collective That Will Dominate the R&B Music Genre

On Wednesday, November 19 Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee (Co-CEO of CTE/Def Jam – recording home for multi-platinum recording artist, Young Jeezy and President of Hush Management) will be spearheading a search for the next sensational female R&B group. A maximum of four (4) young ladies will be selected from all who audition to comprise a stunning new group with amazing vocals and sleek, sexy look reminiscent of classic groups like 702, SWV and Total. THIS IS NOT A REALITY SHOW!!! This is a serious talent call to find a new group that will be signed to CTE and represented by Hush Management.

The selection committee for this group will be comprised of various industry executives and talent including Shaun Harris (A&R – Universal/Motown), Nick Love (Proving Grounds LLC), Arnaz Smith (Producer – CTE), and more.

Females who are interested in auditioning for this group should meet the following requirements:
— Should currently live in or be willing to relocate to Atlanta
— Be willing and able to work professionally with other females (this is a GROUP search)
— Must be able to meet and rehearse at a regularly scheduled time consistently

*Solo vocalists AND pre-existing groups are encouraged to audition.
**Auditions will be photographed and videotaped. Please be prepared vocally and visually.

If you are a female that is serious about pursuing a career in the music business as an artist and are willing to work within a group, this is an excellent opportunity to see your dreams realized.

For Additional Information:
The G3 Agency : www.TheG3Agency.com : Info [at] TheG3Agency [dot] com
Teresa Williams – Dutchessceo [at] mac [dot] com