This story was written by Moore Lione from GHANA.
As a model I have had to deal with a lot of rejection and feelings of shame. Earlier this year I had a runway fashion show to do. It was a three day fashion show but I had five days to rehearse and do a dress fitting with the designers.
After four days of rehearsal and dress fitting, guess how many designers I had to ‘walk’ for? None. Not even one. Reasons: my butt was too big, my breasts were too big. None of the designers wanted to put their designs on me.
I felt so ashamed, even though my friends said ‘you don't need this, you are a beautiful woman.’ I understand that they were coming from a place of care and love, but I had a passion for fashion.
I almost gave up but the event was very big, and I knew that walking that runway would put me on the international modeling stage. I really wanted that. So I decided to come for the last day of rehearsal.
I almost gave up...
We waited for the designers the whole day; we were informed they will be coming in straight from the airport. But about 7pm in the night, the designers still hadn’t arrived. We were asked to go home and rest for the next event. Those of us who did not get any designers to walk for we were asked to come and watch the show if we wanted to. But I did not want to watch from the sidelines. I wanted to walk.
As we were about to leave, one of the organizers announced the arrival of the last group of designers. At this point I thought to myself, ‘let me try my luck’.
Well, even I did not believe what happened: the designers could not get enough of me. One designer even had artificial breasts and buttocks for the models. I had not been booked by any designer until that point was because my ‘body type was just not right’ for the runway. Look at me now, I thought.
This particular designer let me wear four designs for him. He said, ‘I came to Africa so I make clothes for the African body’. Some of the designers who previously told us we couldn’t walk the runway wearing their designs showed up on the morning of the fashion show having changed their minds.
At the end of the first day of the fashion show, I had more designers than I could handle. I guess what they say is true, ‘Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it’!
Some of the girls who would not talk to me earlier now wanted to take pictures with me. LOL.
The moral of this story in my life is this: never be discouraged.
The moral of this story in my life is this: never be discouraged. Dream, and dream big. Then wake up and make it happen for yourself, and don't forget: never let anyone make you feel ashamed of your body.
We are simply #SharingNotShaming
This story was part of Safety First for Girls (SAFIGIs) #SharingNotShaming campaign.