Anna Toomey: The life of a Fashion Model

Fashion Model: Anna Toomey Photography by Ray Sopzcuk 2011

Cover Model of Solis Magazine Issue#1
Fashion Model: Anna Toomey
Female
20 years old
Lackawanna, New York, US

Interview With Anna Toomey

Solis: Tell Us a little bit about yourself?Interview With Anna Toomey

Anna: I am a model, artist, and performer born and raised outside of Buffalo, New York but based throughout Western New York and southern Canada. I’m inspired by anything unusual, creative, strong, or involving extreme makeup and styling. I love to play a role in the creative process, whether or not I am the model. I also do a fair bit of art direction, makeup and wardrobe styling for my photo shoots. I grew up with artistic talents in drawing, and by my late teens I became a well-rounded Fine arts student. My experiences included four years of theater, seven years of music and painting, two years of graphic design or digital arts, film, and photography in my grade school career. After high school I started fashion and alternative modeling locally. About 6 months ago I found the art of Burlesque, and found I admired it. I was then asked to join a local burlesque group called the Hell’s Harlots. Besides photo shoots and burlesque, I also take part in runway and charity events. Most of the charity events I take part in support breast cancer research and transplant services throughout Western New York.

Solis: How did you first get into modeling?

Anna: I am sure you’ve all heard this story before: “I’ve been wanting to model since i was 13,” well, for me, that’s true.  I was watching TV with my mom when a Victoria Secrets runway show was on. One models heel came off, not the shoe itself, but the heel broke off. I was amazed as she kept walking like nothing happened. I was like whoa. I loved the music and the stage and all the people. I decided I wanted to be on the runway. I started watching America’s Next Top Model and loved it. When I brought up the idea of modeling, my family turned it down. “You’re not skinny, or pretty enough,” they said, but I was 130 pounds and 5’9 and I’ve been told I look unique. “You’re teeth are screwed up,” was another comment, but those can always be fixed. I temporarily gave up on modeling until I was 15. My cousin and friends got into photography and needed people to do projects, so I did one shoot and I was gone. I became addicted.  I asked to be involved so much that they got sick of me. I joined a modeling site but no one would work with me because I was underage, so once again I gave up. At 17 I hit rock bottom for other reasons and gained a lot of weight, ending up at 185 pounds for my 5’10 frame, and was diagnosed with severe depression. I joined a modeling site again, in hopes of being an alternative or pinup model with curves, but no one really wanted me. “You’re too fat to fit in our clothes” or “you’re a minor,” were common complaints, so I gave it a rest until I was 18. I tried really hard to lose the weight and after getting help with my depression, I started to bounce back. Over the course of a year I lost 40 pounds and started to book shoots like crazy. Here I am about three years later, addicted, shooting like crazy, doing runway, and this interview.

Solis: What inspires you as a model?

Anna: I’m not sure what inspires me, but at first it was who. I love Bettie Page, a pinup model from the 1930′s. A Curvy, black haired, sexy model who was just your southern girl from Tennessee, moved to New York City and became a sensation. Also my favorite was and still is the UK’s famous latex fashion model Ulorin Vex. I love her style and everything about her. As for what inspires me, I want go somewhere. If I could be a local Western New York celebrity that would be great, but modeling itself keeps me sane, in shape, and challenges me. Also, my mom travels across the state, she is my escort and loves it. If I up and quit I think she would be highly disappointed. Without modeling, let’s just say I would be just an average Wal-Mart employee with red hair.

Solis: What is your opinion on how the Fashion industry has changed in the last 5 years where, females with less exposure are just showing more skin to have doors open for them quicker?

Anna: Honestly, I think it is total crap. I hate how sex sells, but that’s how we are as humans. I feel sometimes that if I don’t show any skin every once in a while, people will become bored with me or feel I don’t have the potential to be sexy. I view using more skin to get ahead as cheating. You should get where you are by your talent in the industry, not by how much skin you show. Most of the models that use sex to get ahead of the game just make themselves look bad.

Solis: What are the dark sides to being in the fashion industry in your opinion?

Anna: The criticism. People are so hard on you. They will rip you apart until there is nothing left. Casting directors, fashion designers, photographers, other models, it doesn’t end. Another dark side is the money. Girls I meet say they want to be a model because they want to make money for looking pretty, but it doesn’t work that way. I believe any woman has the potential to model, but you need a backbone, ambition, networking skills, and to be able to pose to really make it work. Another dark side is that not everyone or everything is what it seems. There are bad people out there; I know I’ve met a few. Don’t expect to sign with an agency and become a big star. What you see in the media and on TV is not what modeling is really like.

Solis: Who your favorite fashion Designer in the industry today?

Anna: To be honest, I am a model, but I don’t keep up on fashion designers and the latest fashions out on the market today. I wear whatever looks good on me, is decently priced and fits my personality. As for brands, I like the alternative genre. I own a lot of Lip Service, Tripp NYC and Demonia or alternative clothing like those lines but I don’t have one specific favorite fashion designer.

Solis: What was the best project you’ve worked on so far?

Anna: Last August I was asked to do a calendar to benefit the troops. The calendar’s theme for the year was 1940′s pinups so we shot on two huge naval ships and a submarine in downtown buffalo. The calendar never made it to print because of funding, but it was so fun. There were six models all dolled up as pinups. It was 80-90 degrees outside that day and humid. There were so many people from the ground watching us on the boat, waving and yelling. I went off the ship and took some photos with disabled veterans that were visiting the naval park. Also a boat rode by the docked naval ship and all the passengers gathered to the one side of the boat to take photos, wave, blow kisses, and shout. I, of course, had to be a ham and pose for them. I was wearing a sailor top and shorts, glitter red shoes, and a sailor hat me and my mother made. I was allowed to bring my mom on the ship and we saw were the sailors slept, lived and where they stored all the missiles. I posed on a huge machine gun. It was a really cool museum and experience.

Solis: What do you fear the most about the fashion world?

Anna: I fear that I will never make it anywhere and always be rejected or overlooked for my measurements. I’m afraid the industry might warp my mind over time and I will become one of those models with a eating disorder because of all the rejection, but I doubt I am ever capable of being a size 0.

Solis: What are your future plans and where do you see you modeling Career going in the next couple years?

Anna: I plan to do more fashion and commercial photography. I hope to get more print work in the future that may be featured in some well-known local magazines. I would like to be signed with an agency in the area to further my modeling and take on more paid work. Also my Mother and I are talking about launching my own line of alternative clothing maybe in the fall of 2012 just for fun and so I have awesome clothes to wear for photo shoots.

Solis: In closing what inspiration can you give other inspiring fashion models looking to be in the industry?

Anna: It is tough, but if you want it, it just takes time. You have to move on past the rejections and develop that hard shell. If not, the words of others will crush you. Don’t go into modeling thinking you’re already supermodel because you’re on a site; you can’t just become a model over night. Sometimes, to be honest, I don’t even consider myself a model.  Be willing to work with different types of people, and strive for professionalism because you never know when a photographer from the past might recommend you to someone else, or give you insight on a casting call. Don’t let anyone talk you into doing a project you might regret one day. Check references if you have any doubts of a photographer. Soak all advice you receive in, but how you use it is up to you. As for posing and learning to pose, if you, like myself, are not perfectly toned, before you go in the shower take five to10 minutes posing in the mirror nude, by yourself. You will see how you look and what poses make your body look slimmer and what doesn’t work for you. Do a pose and close your eyes, think about how it feels. When you’re in front of the camera, there is no mirror, so you need to sense what your body looks and feels like to capture exactly what you did in that mirror. Most of all do what your desire and keep at it, don’t ever quit because of someone else’s words or feelings.

Photography by Steve SCG Photography
Photography by Jon elder 2011
Photography by Ray Sopzcuk 2011

Visit Anna Toomey Facebook fanpage at: http://www.facebook.com/modelingbyanatomy

To learn more about Anna Toomey Modeling Career, check out our Article “Turning Fashion into an Art form” in Solis Magazine Fashion Issue#1