Addtion Elle Toronto Re-Launch & A Chat with Ashley Graham!
The new Addition Elle concept is Bright, Welcoming, Fun and Open! Women filled the aisles of the retail store last week to celebrate the Re-Launch of the Yonge Street, Toronto location. The store offered a discount to shoppers along with cocktails and one on one time with Ashley Graham, Addition Elle campaign model! She is even MORE gorgeous in person! But she’s so sweet, so we STILL love her. We have decided to share a bit of our conversation with Ashley! Read below…
Where do you find the confidence and strength to go out and model the way you do?
It’s people like you who tell me I’m beautiful everyday! But, I’ve been a model for 13 years. I was a plus size model since I was 12 years old. Growing up in the fashion industry, in the plus size industry has really built up my confidence. I’ve always been a very confident woman. I was always taught the first thing people see is your confidence, so I always kept that with me and I’ve learned to broadcast that. As a woman in the fashion industry, it can be tough as a model, not being able to walk the shows and not being offered to be in as many campaigns. It’s happening now and things are changing, but I am hopeful for the day when plus size models can be seen as just models by designers and photographers. You can call me a plus size model or fiercely curvy but at the end of the day I am a model.
What sort of advice would you give to the girl who wants to model but can’t find that confidence to make it?
Confidence is so key. One of the things I would do to boost my confidence is dance naked to Beyonce [music] in the mirror. After doing this your confidence will go through the roof! You’ll understand your curves and your angles better. You need to know every bit of yourself and you need to love it because if you don’t love it, nobody else will. Secondly, don’t take No for an answer. Go for your dreams! If you keep getting blocked, go at it another way. Maybe you were meant to be an actress, or a photographer or a makeup artist. Take what you love and try to get through every door. When you’re young, you have so many opportunities. Another thing that I always share with women is, TALK ABOUT IT! Share your goals with your friends, your mom and sisters. As women, we have to look at each other as a part of a community and raise each other up.
Check out More great styles from Addition Elle on our Facebook Page later this week!
