meet Nina
pictured left
Nina Taylor is a native of Washington DC. In May 2006 she completed her bachelors degree in Psychology in Pittsburgh, PA, December of 2009 she went on to complete her Master's degree in Human Resource Development focusing on education and training. Full time, Nina has a career in medical education in the field of Oncology and Virology (Cancer, HIV and Hepatitis.) Nina is widely known as an accomplished Editorial and Beauty Plus Size model and was the 2011 cover girl for Full Figured Fashion Week in New York. She is also a beauty writer, host and keynote speaker. Nina's newest venture is the co-founder of NJC Modeling Agency a plus size boutique modeling agency in the Washington DC area. When did you start modeling? I started modeling about 4 years ago, I was on set working as a make up artist and the photographer wanted to test lights and asked me on set. He shot a few frames and told me I belong in front of the
camera not behind it. It wasn't something I ever thought I would be capable of doing, but once I started I grew to love it. How did you attain the confidence needed to start out? It was gradual, I just jumped in to modeling and I became comfortable with my body and my ability through every casting and photoshoot. Instead of people telling me I was good, I started to feel great about my work. What do you feel about the plus size industry? What do you feel is needed? I love the plus size industry, it is filled with talented and empowering women and men. Collectively we've made so much progress and the straight size industry has no choice but to take notice of the movement. I still feel that we need more body types represented, more designers and more curvy girls in the media.
meet Chearice Chearice’s very first show was a runway competition in Baltimore and she came in a modest eighth place. “I networked with some of the other models there and began to learn from them how to walk, turn, pose, and give confidence and attitude on the runway”, she says. Several months later, Chearice ran away with 2nd place in the Full Figured and Fabulous Runway Competition sponsored by DeVoe Signature Events.
pictured right
How did you attain the confidence needed to start out? I think starting out I just wanted to try something that I always wanted to do. So I wouldn’t have any regrets about it. As I learned more about modeling and got more experience doing fashion shows, my confidence grew leaps and bounds.
How do you feel about the plus size industry? What is needed? Chearice has graced the runway at Full Figured The plus size industry is really a family of men and Fashion Week in New York City for two years and women fighting for size acceptance. From that was recently featured on the cover of the January family came magazines, clothing lines and fashion 2012 issue of Skorch Magazine. Skorch is proud to weeks all catered to the plus size community. Now say that after seeing her on the cover, the designer we have more clothing retailers that have begun of Qristyl Frazier Designs, insisted on Chearice be- to market to the plus size community. We have ing a featured model in her new collection and in magazines like Skorch Magazine and Plus Model BET’s Rip the Runway. Magazine that are giving us a voice. You have Full Figured Fashion Week in New York City for the When did you start modeling? last four years and it’s just getting bigger and bigI started modeling in June 2005. I’ll never forget it. ger. Yet, there are still so many more barriers to I’d heard about a plus size runway competition to break and we’re just getting started! We deserve be held in Baltimore. So I participated and came fashionable clothing, to be featured on the cover in eighth place. I had no experience at the time, I of major magazines, to grace the runways in New didn’t really know what I was doing, but I felt like York, Paris, and Milan, to be looked at as simply with practice, I could be great at it. beautiful women.