From the runway to the catwalk, the minute you say the word 'fashion' you can see in your mind glamorous models sashaying on the ramp one behind the other, and you can hear the shutterbug go "click click click!"
Now just imagine being a part of all this... better still, being one of those girls wearing those designer creations and having all those shutterbugs go "click click click!" at.
Well we caught up with a young & up-and-coming model by the name of Cara Ann Grater, who has grazed the runway on numerous occasions, to talk about the life & times of a young model trying to make it in such a challenging industry. Take the time to read about what she had to say:
Cara Ann: “I was about 16 years old when I started modelling. So for me it was hard to adjust to the challenges like having your hair in a certain way, girls being catty about their looks, including the bitchy remarks etc. All this was new to me because...Well, to be honest, I’m quite the tomboy. So I wasn’t really used to being around such girly girls and so forth. But I got adjusted really fast & even ended up making friends with the other models.
Also, like a lot of girls, I am also very shy, so to for me to have gotten comfortable in skimpy clothing was totally new. It was an “all eyes on me” situation & man let me tell you, my nerves would be off the charts every time it was time to perform. But all in all, I love it now & I look forward to doing show after show”
Now everyone knows that models, particularly runway models, are adjudged for being ‘too skinny’ & having horrible eating habits. But Cara Ann is different... Trust us... She’s different. Having grown up in a house where her bro’s were very athletic & muscular, Cara Ann talked to us about the misconceptions of the average models eating habits
Cara Ann: “I love food! Don’t even get me started! I think it’s because I have a brother that’s a body builder so you could say that I grew up influenced by the way he eats haha. I don’t eat salads nor am I on some healthy diet, I just eat. I think you shouldn’t listen to what people have to say about you or who you are or what you should be like.
NEVER let anyone tell you that you can't do it; don't let them tell you that you're not beautiful enough, that you're not thin enough, or that you aren't capable of doing it. YOU CAN!!
If you’re skinny then good for you, if you’re not then so what? Everyone’s going to get judged anyway. So as a model , or even as a person who’s not a model, you’ve got to be happy in your own skin & just be confident in what you do.”
With her conservative upbringing, Cara Ann is mindful of the way models are portrayed to the world & the effect it has on their personal lives. But even with all that in mind, it doesn’t stop her from experiencing the highs of being a catwalk queen.
Cara Ann: “It’s an absolute rush! I mean, I grew up in a very Christian home so I have parents that obviously don’t approve of me “selling my body”, but I love it. It’s such a rush having the audience cheer for you, taking pics & just remembering your face after the event is over with. It’s nerve wrecking before the event starts but once I’m out there, man oh man it’s just such adrenaline.
With that said, like everything else, modelling also has it lows. Like when they don’t pay you in time or don't pay you at all, that can get messy but the biggest one is probably the fact that your parents don’t always support you. I have a good supporting cast at home, my siblings are behind me 110% but with my folks, I guess it’s just one of those things hey. Which is unfortunate because it makes you sort of feel like you’re leading a double life, which is not what I want to do but it is what I end up doing you know? I just won’t go into detail about that because my parents might read this hahaha”
Cara Ann has been photographed by some of SA’s most elite photography companies such as “Twilight Photography”
, which is a prestigious clothing company focussing on high end fashion. But even with all her success, she stays true to who she is at all times.
Cara Ann: “I am very grateful for what I do but I always maintain one thing & that is to always be humble. In life you will have success, you will have failures but in the midst of it all, you have to stay humble. As a person, you have to keep working hard, I mean I’m still studying as well so it’s not like modelling is all I have. There’s nothing worse than a beautiful person who doesn’t have the brains to back it up.
So if you ask me, I’d urge everyone who’s thinking of going the modelling route, male or female, to make sure that they have an established background to back it up, because at the end of it all, your looks will fade. But who you are as a person, sticks with you forever”
Good to see that there are models out there who are more than what meets the eye.
For more on Cara Ann Grater you can find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/caraanngrater
Or view her pictures at www.karellesc.co.za
Or search her on model base, as Cara puts it “It’s like Facebook for models”
Until next time. Take care of yourself and each other
Well we caught up with a young & up-and-coming model by the name of Cara Ann Grater, who has grazed the runway on numerous occasions, to talk about the life & times of a young model trying to make it in such a challenging industry. Take the time to read about what she had to say:
Also, like a lot of girls, I am also very shy, so to for me to have gotten comfortable in skimpy clothing was totally new. It was an “all eyes on me” situation & man let me tell you, my nerves would be off the charts every time it was time to perform. But all in all, I love it now & I look forward to doing show after show”
Now everyone knows that models, particularly runway models, are adjudged for being ‘too skinny’ & having horrible eating habits. But Cara Ann is different... Trust us... She’s different. Having grown up in a house where her bro’s were very athletic & muscular, Cara Ann talked to us about the misconceptions of the average models eating habits
Cara Ann: “I love food! Don’t even get me started! I think it’s because I have a brother that’s a body builder so you could say that I grew up influenced by the way he eats haha. I don’t eat salads nor am I on some healthy diet, I just eat. I think you shouldn’t listen to what people have to say about you or who you are or what you should be like.
NEVER let anyone tell you that you can't do it; don't let them tell you that you're not beautiful enough, that you're not thin enough, or that you aren't capable of doing it. YOU CAN!!
If you’re skinny then good for you, if you’re not then so what? Everyone’s going to get judged anyway. So as a model , or even as a person who’s not a model, you’ve got to be happy in your own skin & just be confident in what you do.”With her conservative upbringing, Cara Ann is mindful of the way models are portrayed to the world & the effect it has on their personal lives. But even with all that in mind, it doesn’t stop her from experiencing the highs of being a catwalk queen.
Cara Ann: “It’s an absolute rush! I mean, I grew up in a very Christian home so I have parents that obviously don’t approve of me “selling my body”, but I love it. It’s such a rush having the audience cheer for you, taking pics & just remembering your face after the event is over with. It’s nerve wrecking before the event starts but once I’m out there, man oh man it’s just such adrenaline.
With that said, like everything else, modelling also has it lows. Like when they don’t pay you in time or don't pay you at all, that can get messy but the biggest one is probably the fact that your parents don’t always support you. I have a good supporting cast at home, my siblings are behind me 110% but with my folks, I guess it’s just one of those things hey. Which is unfortunate because it makes you sort of feel like you’re leading a double life, which is not what I want to do but it is what I end up doing you know? I just won’t go into detail about that because my parents might read this hahaha”
Cara Ann has been photographed by some of SA’s most elite photography companies such as “Twilight Photography”
& has appeared on many runways around the country. She’s also the face of Karelle Style Consultants
, which is a prestigious clothing company focussing on high end fashion. But even with all her success, she stays true to who she is at all times.So if you ask me, I’d urge everyone who’s thinking of going the modelling route, male or female, to make sure that they have an established background to back it up, because at the end of it all, your looks will fade. But who you are as a person, sticks with you forever”
Good to see that there are models out there who are more than what meets the eye.
Or view her pictures at www.karellesc.co.za
Or search her on model base, as Cara puts it “It’s like Facebook for models”
Until next time. Take care of yourself and each other
