What a crazy busy and hectic month it was for me and the world called Models of Diversity! After being part of the Curves in Couture show in November I stayed in contact with MoD founder Angel Sinclair, I love her for being who she is and what she does and is trying to do in the modelling industry. I was very honoured when she asked me to be a part of the Ideal Home Show and even more honoured when she called me three weeks ago and asked me to be the Spokesperson for the campaign!
The campaign means a lot to me as a disabled model, but also as a person..  Because of this campaign I now know that its not only the disabled models that are being discriminated in the world of fashion but also the models of colour, plussize, petit, mature and even to tall models.

I think we all agree that we need to see more diversity in the world of fashion and no I don’t want to ban the straightsize, size zero models but yes I do believe we should see a better representation of society.

Since I’ve been the spokesperson of the campaign I’ve had some amazing oppurtunities to speak about the campaign, who we are and what we do. I went on the US TV-show called “You are the Supermodel” to talk about body diversity and the campaign it was a big succes as straight on we got many emails from girls over the world that wanted to know more about the campaign!

As a disabled model I’ve been concentrating myself on getting more disability in media we have some in AMAZING, talented and very pretty models in the UK like Shannon Murray who did a campaign for Debenhams, Sophie Morgan recently featured in the Stella McCarthney London 2012 campaign.

and Kelly Knox winner of Britain’s Missing Top Model but for some reasons after one or two campaigns the british fashion world stopped using them.

I have got a feeling that disabled models are being used to shock and provocate instead of respecting them as part of a representation of the consumer.  And I see it as my responsibility to get the fashionworld to see that 10 per cent of their consumers have a disability, disability has a natural place in life so why shouldn’t it be part of their campaigns!? I love the fact that some brands have used disabled models in the past and its a good beginning but we need to see it on a more regular base. Its not about me becoming a topmodel, I would love it for me to be on the cover of a magazine or star in a big campaign but if its someone else get the job I’m happy to because I know I made the first baby steps to make it happen. And I can’t tell you enough how good that feels!

After the big succes of Curves in Couture last year for our plussize models, this is gonna be the year of the disabled models. With the amazing London 2012 platform we have this year we can show the world how diverse the UK is, and disability is fully accepted in every way shape or form. Angel and I have been talking with Big brands and labels about using disabled models, but also magazines including a huge fashion magazine we’ll keep u updated on that on our twitter www.twitter.com/MoDsofDiversity

Also we scouted two amazing new Models, the beautiful Shaholly Ayers from Hawaii who is a proffesional model in Hawaii but want to see if she’s can take her carreer to the next level.

and Grace Mandeville a 17 year old who has never modelled before but with a beautiful fresh unique look we can’t wait to testshoot her!

I know for sure these two girls are going to be big and we are very proud we can represent them through our campaign!
We also got great news from Kelly Knox the winner of Britain’s Missing Top Model she just did a lovely campaign from a shoppingcentre in Oslo, Norway and can be seen on billboards all over the city. The campaign is called Tenk Nytt and it means Think New. Kelly and disabled model from Norway Siv Toverod both look lovely in it.

Well Done Kelly!

Next month is going to be another crazy month I’m going to be attending as a special guest star / model at Bo Carter’s Shop Opening, do shoots all over the country with top photographers and of course the Rock the Runway show!

We’re still seeking experienced catwalk models for Rock the Runway on June 2nd in Brighton. Audition this Saturday 19th May – attendance is a must.

Confirmed press at the event so far:

South East Today TV
BBC Radio Sussex & Surrey -
ETC mag
Dish Network USA ,

Evening Argus
Stylist Mag
Metro
Source Mag
Absolute
So Brighton & Hove mag

Location: London, United Kingdom

Payment details: London expenses paid
Email info@modelsofdiversity.org

At this moment we are making the change, and I’m very thankfull to be part of it but we can’t do it without you all please do keep spreading the word, follow us on twitter and join our facebookgroup and don’t forget to sign our petition on http://www.change.org/petitions/conde-nast-media-group-we-need-to-see-more-diverse-models-in-the-fashion-magazines thank you!

I’ll keep you all updated on my crazy but fun adventure with MoD and hope to see you all soon,

Love from Holland, XO

Debs xxx

OK so we are young, free and ready to rock! But don’t let this young age fool you into thinking we are invincible! , how we live our lives and treat our body today will have such a massive impact on how it functions and looks in our later lives! So here are a few tips on how to keep us gorgeous now and will help us as we get older … but still keeping in all the fun!

Diet!

Another aspect which tends to be a massive part of our teens and twenties is alcohol. Alcohol can be absolutely fine in moderation but drunk to excess, can have major negative effect on our bodies! For example –

Tipsfor a good night’s sleep?

-Ok even I am a culprit of this one! Try avoiding using electrical gadgets such as laptops or phones and watching the television as the false light sends signals to the brain fooling it into thinking its day time making you more awake without realising!
-Avoid drinking anything high in caffeine or high in sugar such as tea, coffee or sugary sweets. Go for a milky drink or a herbal tea containing the herb Valeria, and if you are abit peckish opt for something light and easy to digest such as a banana!

Eat right!

Top up on calcium!

Women are more prone to osteoporosis than men, so it’s vital us ladies maintain our calcium intake to keep our bones healthy and strong. Dairy products such as low fat yoghurt, milk, and low fat cheese are good sources of calcium, it can also be found in plan-based products such as beans, kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

Cut back on alcohol and caffeine

I know it’s a treat to have a tipple! But more than two alcoholic drinks a day can put us at higher risk of osteoporosis. Consuming caffeine interferes with hormone levels and also increases the loss of calcium. We should try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day. Good alternatives to caffeine are herbal teas or green tea.

Make sure we are in full supply of iron!

Many of us don’t get enough iron in our diets, women also lose this important mineral during menstruation, this can leave you looking dull and tired. Good sources of iron are lean red meat, lentils, spinach, almonds and iron-fortified cereals; combining these iron-rich foods with vitamin C can increase its absorption so a glass of orange juice with your fortified breakfast cereal would be ideal!

Eat your good fats!

Yes that’s right! We need to get our ‘good fats’ in! Many of us confuse good fats with bad fats, but all fats are essential for all aspects of our health. Here are just a few potential plus points for keeping up our good fats:

• Improved brain power
• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer
• Prevent and reduce the symptoms of depression
• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer
• Ease arthritis, joint pain, and inflammatory skin conditions
• More vibrant and healthy,  hair, skin

Good fats can be found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Also rich in good fats are oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.

Exercise!

Exercise is important all through your life but as you get older it can aid you both mentally and physically healthy.

This doesn’t mean you have to exercise excessively, just thirty minutes a day will make all the difference! Here are some potential benefits to exercising:

• Aids balance so fewer falls
• Lower cholesterol – lessening the risk of heart attacks or strokes
• Strengthens bones reducing the risk of osteoporosis
• Minimise the affects of jet lag – Combats stress and lowers blood pressure
• Release endorphins – promoting growth. Hormones grow new brain cells, so cognitive thinking and memory can improve – Can help your vision get brighter
• Increase heart and lung efficiency enabling you to be more active

Managing stress!

Stress in our life is unavoidable, but we can all learn to understand and manage it, using different techniques and ways of thinking.

Stress can have enormous effects both mentally and physically, for example stress can cause:

• High blood pressure
• Fatigue
• Build up of cholesterol in the blood
• Loss of appetite
• Dizziness
• Depression… the list goes on!

But don’t panic, here are a few solutions that might help you reduce your stress levels.

Meditation

This simply means quieting the mind. You can do this however and whenever suit you best. With a quiet mind can come a sense of calmness and peace, helping to banish any stressful feelings. When we meditate our mind empties and we begin to focus on less.

Smile!

Believe it or not smiling can really help promote happiness and self contentment! When we smile it acts as a trigger to the mind and subsequently the body releases chemicals that induce pleasant emotions. The same feeling comes across when someone smiles at you, and you can store this good feeling in your memory. So go ahead and SMILE!

Make time for yourself

We all live very busy lives and it always seems impossible to find time for ourselves, but even just those thirty minutes in the afternoon or before you go to bed will make the difference. A hot bath, half an hour reading or just listening to music will give your body and mind time to relax and to reflect on the day. This helps promote a good night’s sleep!

After weeks of meticulous planning and preparation the calm before the storm has set in,  verything seems to be in place and taken care of. Instead of stressing over what I have left to do I am stressing because I seem to have a lack of things to do before the weekend begins.

the models

The Diversity show for Models of Diversity has quite literally taken over my life in the last few weeks, whilst part of me will be pleased when it’s over another part of me will be saddened when it is. Styling and fashion have become a bigger part of my life than I ever thought it would. I remember starting on my journey as a fashion retailer in Spain and putting my own debut show for my brand at Marbella’s Nikki Beach, I never thought it would lead me to this. Yet here I am working round the clock meeting new people and being constantly inspired by the talent I have had the privilege of meeting and working with.

Earls Court on behalf of Models of Diversity is my biggest event to date, starting off as 3 identical shows over the weekend of 17^th and 18^th March this project has grown beyond I believe anybody’s expectations.

My first initial brief was quite simple and its simplicity has allowed a coherent expansion into 4 shows allowing quality models and designers to set their place in the world of diverse fashion, to my knowledge a show as diverse and big as this has never been done and if it was not for Angel Sinclair then the dream for many of these beautiful and talented models could never be realised in, perspective I am but a tiny temporary cog in a much bigger machine.

the men

The preparation for this show has already broken barriers and whilst been undeniably frustrating   the coming together of designers, brands, stylists, make up artists, models and production has pushed boundaries and shown the true strength, tenacity and courage as well as sheer force of will and determination  in the completing of design, garments,
structure and organisation.

My biggest frustration when working on events is that from behind the scenes I do not get to see the results of the team effort until days or weeks after it is over, and my frustration could not be more prevalent in this case

As we draw closer to the date of the Diversity show at Earls court it comes time to start finalising everybody’s efforts and input and clarify the direction which we are heading.

Using a great list of designers who come from across the design spectrum we have collaborated and just about decided in the final looks. At this point it’s safe to say heated discussion, debates and agreements have been at the heart of the blood sweat and almost tears of the team we have but we are all now agreed and decided and happy to rock and roll. The Show will go on!!!!

We have our diverse models them from all backgrounds and all experiences gracing our runway proving that diversity is the standard which should be set across the fashion board and that a disability is not a setback but another asset to be worked with. To clarify we also have models of varying cultural backgrounds, these should be seen as an enhancement to the fashion industry as we continue in the campaign to ditch the stereo type. Let’s not forget love them or hate them two of the most famous runway models of our generation are Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks.

Debbie van der Putten

Lucy Moore

Anyway this goes to prove the point our stage will be making when we have high calibre models such as Debbie Van Der Putten, plus size model Lucy Moore, mixed race model Gabriella and amazing ethnic male models like Sal and Hassan gracing our show and showing off the talent of our fashion designers as well as our countries next set of high fashion models? And let’s not forget our mature models, If Cindy Crawford can have longevity in the fashion industry then why are more and more models reaching the age of 30 and thinking they are over the hill, This is not a reflection of true life, I know from my own experience one I reached 30 that I felt more fashion confident!

Hassan Reese

Salisu Abdulai

Our show has progressed in the main with great ease incorporating all these elements into one event which as a stylist is no easy task. We have however managed to keep our runway on trend for SS12 with bright pastels and subtle neons and added drama with makeup from the seasonal palette.

Yet again I find myself rushed off my feet, not for the first time after an email from MOD asking me to style their fashion show for their latest event at Earls Court. You may laugh but initially I declined, for no other reason than I simply would struggle to ‘fit’ in the time needed to put this project together. I did however put together a small brief to help guide them on their way to building up their show!!!

Now me being me I hate a missed opportunity so I fumbled round, made some adjustments to my schedule and got back in touch with Angel to tell her I was fully on board……the sense of relief in her voice coupled with excitement was like nothing I had heard before. I was just thinking I could do my thing here or there give my input and be there for the weekend!!!!! How silly of me to be so naive!!!

For the last couple of weeks I have been sat tight, probably to much of peoples frustration awaiting the final list of models from the two weekends of casting and taking note of designers Angel was sending my way to consider for the event, which at this point was as I understood 1 show three slots! I was thinking this was going to be simple, I get the model line up the designers, marry the two up according to my initial brief and hey presto job done……..

Working through ideas

After numerous phone calls I have been given more and more opportunity by Angel to pretty much do as I like (within family friendly parameters). Oh and to make the final slot on Sunday go with a bang!!! Hmmmm, time to put together another brief, and do a bit of restructuring work to the original brief but keeping well within the concept to accommodate how over the last 2 hours of communication had expanded from me putting together one show to putting together two shows and tweaking another!!!! And I can not help but get carried away with all the drama and excitement, plus I have an amazing team to work with. (As we are not using this model, I thought this image may be OK to use without giving too much away)

Hello my lovelies!!

OK, so..loads of exciting stuff happening lately for MOD, but I’ll briefly touch base on the success of our recent casting for our forthcoming ‘Diversity Show’, taking place at The Ideal Home Exhibition in Earls Court.

Time & dates for our catwalk shows are as follows:

• Saturday 17th March: 1.15pm
• Sunday 18th March: 11.45a/2.45pm.

On Saturday we held castings for both men & women to take part in ‘The Diversity Show’.. & what a turn-out we had!! I get excited at the thought of castings because I personally get to see every unique face that walks through the door & boy did we see some beauties!! Naturally there was a range of able, disabled, curvy, plus-size, young & mature potentials, some professional models, some with a little experience & those who were just starting out – either way, they were all equally nervous & I sensed a little tension in the air before they were chaperoned into the judges lair!!!

A hopeful meets the judges

Well, who wouldn’t be nervous with Leonie Sherif, Michael Cheetham & Anita Bellamy deciding your fate?! These guys certainly mean business & they know exactly what they’re looking for!! The bar was raised high & even I have yet to strut my stuff in front of the judges to see if I have what it takes to take part in the show-arrrrgghhhh!!

I’m dreading it, so hands up to all those who took part, successful or not..don’t be deterred because it’s not easy when you’re under-pressure!!

For those who aren’t aware, we will be adding another casting day to the diary, which will be this Saturday 25th for those of you who couldn’t make it last week..keep your eyes peeled for details of time & location on our Models of Diversity Group Page or my Facebook page ‘Natalie Gee’.

Another hopeful strikes a pose

Of course its fashion’s busiest time of the year as London Fashion Week has finally arrived! We’ve already seen great shows from Mark Fast, Vivienne Westwood, Louise Gray, Stella McCartney, displaying the most amazing inspirational designs.

The celebrities have been out in full force all competing for best dressed..some might I add have been more successful than others BUT, the big question is ‘Have you seen any models of diversity this year’?

Is fashion finally catching on to the fact that we want ‘real’ representations of ‘real’ people on the runway?? Unfortunately I haven’t seen much evidence of this..although I’ve noticed more black models than previous years, its nothing to write home about!

So, it’s up to us here at Mod to keep campaigning for what we believe in & one day, maybe just one day, we might just see one of our models walking down that famous runway!!

Angel with model Tyson

If you have any questions or issues you would like us to touch upon, or even if you’d like to share a story or opinion regarding our campaign, please feel free to email me at natalie@modelsofdiversity.org

A thought to bear in mind..

“God gives his hardest battles to his toughest soldiers”

Take care until next time…

Mz’Gee xx

Hi guys, welcome to the first of many blogs from Models of Diversity!

I go by the name of Natalie Gee..a new recruit into the Mod gang!!

I am thrilled to be part of such a influential campaign, as it is something I firmly believe in & hope to be able to give you all an insight into the latest news, castings & events regarding Models of Diversity throughout the fashion world!!

Firstly, a little bit about myself!!

I met Angel Sinclair back in November when I was hosting at her Curves in Couture Show..since then Angel has been a great inspiration & friend & has welcomed me with open arms into her world!! Since then I have had the opportunity to be involved with many different aspects of Mod, as well as giving modelling a go myself!! Like many young impressionable girls, I always wondered what it would be like to model but since I far resembled the ‘typical’ model image, I never dreamt of going for it!! But, here I am on the wrong side of 30, building up a portfolio to represent what ‘real’ women are!! This leads me to the events of today, where I found myself posing in minus degree temperatures in the middle of Piccadilly Circus with Angel Sinclair &  James Leon, feeling very privileged to be wearing designer Danielle Liane’s beautiful dresses!!

I had heaps of fun & managed to block out the hundreds of onlookers staring at me with puzzled faces probably wondering who I was & why I was stood in sub-zero temperatures wearing next to nothing!! All in the name of fashion I say!! I’m looking forward to seeing the final results!!

For those of you that aren’t aware..

Angel Sinclair, the founder of Models of Diversity and Sinclair Model Management, is a former model herself; she started the campaign after appearing on Gok’s Miss Naked Beauty in 2008. Angel was struck by the great variety of beautiful women participating in the event and how that contrasted with the narrow range we see in the fashion industry. That’s when she decided, with Sally Williams, her co-founder, to promote the use of models that reflects diversity in society, in terms of race, shape, age and ability.

As a small child, Danielle enjoyed sewing and arts & crafts, with her Mum there by her side to nurture her talents, buying her jewellery & knitting kits.

At 18 Danielle joined Claremont School Of Tailoring where she learned to sew and design clothes, bags & accessories for the home. During that time Danielle made dresses for friends, family & the odd music artist. In 2008 she started a beading course where she learned how make beaded jewellery with different techniques.

“I loved the course so much I joined the second level the following year. I sold my jewellery in car boot sales and Portobella Market during the summer months, hosting jewellery parties around the Christmas season”.
Danielle was introduced to Angel in 2011 where she took part in a charity fashion show called “Styled & Frocked”, showcasing her jewellery which has appeared in magazines such as Just as Beautiful, You’ve Got Swagga & Flava.

The Curves in Couture show was Danielle’s first high profile show, where her designs received coverage  in Vogue, The Daily Mail & other magazines including online.

“My main aim is to become a brand to designer to give pleasure to those who wear Danielle Liane & maybe to just make a slight difference in the world”.

So, without further ado, I look forward to sharing the latest with you again next week!!

If you have any questions or issues you would like us to touch upon, or even if you’d like to share a story or opinion regarding our campaign, please feel free to email me at natalie@modelsofdiversity.org

A thought to bear in mind..

“If you don’t chase your dreams, you’ll never catch them”

Take care until next time..

Mz’Gee xx

We’re looking for professional plus-size models. Are you 5’9″ or taller, UK dress size 14-18, look fit, healthy and in proportion?

Castings will occur in London & Leeds. The models MUST bring their portfolios AND a Z-Card/Comp Card/Model Card to leave with us. And they must bring a pair of HIGH heels (no wedgies, just pumps or stliettos), wear simple form fitting clothes, and only do very light hair & MU.

We’re accepting applications for the casting call from professional plus-size models who live in the UK.

Please do not apply unless you fit all of the following criteria: 5’9″ and up, UK dress size 14 – 18. You should look fit, healthy, and in proportion. You MUST have professional modelling experience.

Send 5 clear quality, professional images (must include full body shot and face shot) to
info@modelsofdiversity.org putting “plus show casting” in the subject line.

Say NO to size ZERO and become a HERO!