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Dispelling and Dismantling Myths: Checking in with Mama Cax

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking back at some of the moments, trends and community members who inspired us in 2016. Check #IGYearinReview for more.

A lot has happened since we featured Mama Cax (@mamacaxx) in #RunwayForAll, our series celebrating models who are redefining the industry, earlier this year. She’s visited the White House, started graduate studies and moved to France. “I’m taking part in a multi-country program in International Studies,” Mama says. “My ultimate goal is to work in the field of International Development while focusing on disability rights.” At the White House last September, Mama modeled in a fashion show that celebrated accessible design. “It was not only an honor to meet other trailblazers in the disability community but also great to see that the inclusion of disabled people is at the forefront of the Obama administration’s agenda,” she says. And Mama continues to share her adventures abroad with her fans: “I hope to continue to dispel beauty myths and dismantle the idea of what a disabled person can or cannot do.” #IGYearinReview

photography, RunwayForAll, Mama Cax, IGYearinReview, modeling, fashion, disability rights, instagram,

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The Unyielding Determination of Japanese Model GIMICO

#MyStory is a series that spotlights inspiring women in the Instagram community. Join the conversation by sharing your own story. To learn more about her career, follow @gimico_gimico on Instagram.

(This interview was conducted in Japanese.)

#MyStory is about imagination, agility and love.” —GIMICO (@gimico_gimico), an amputee model based in Tokyo, who lost her right leg to osteosarcoma in eighth grade.

“The best part about going into modeling is that I got to meet some of my favorite people. The tough part of it is that people tend to see me as a person who went through a difficult past, which isn’t how I think of myself. Now, I can’t recall my feelings at the time of surgery without a bit of guessing and exaggeration. I think it’s because of my past self, who made the unyielding decision to live. To this day, I respect and am grateful to that eighth-grade girl.

I always challenge myself to do things that only I can do. Although I wouldn’t take credit for it, I do feel that more opportunities are emerging for people with disabilities to come forward in public events. If you’re ever worried about your future, my advice would be to ask yourself: ‘Do I really belong here?’ If you feel that something is not right, there should be a different road that’s carved out for you.”

instagram, photography, mystory, amputee, gimico, modeling, japan, instagramjapan,

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Turning the Camera Around with Student and Model Jody Heakes

Who or what inspires you to feel #PerfectlyMe? This month, we’ve teamed up with @seventeen to celebrate people who are redefining body standards and inspiring confidence on Instagram. Use the hashtag to share your story.

Growing up, Jody Heakes (@jdoday) was frequently bullied about her weight. “I remember (now cringingly), in middle school dumbing myself down, pretending not to know things, because I’d decided that I would much rather be labeled as ‘the stupid girl’ than ‘the fat girl,’” says the 21-year-old. “Today, I pride myself on being a thoughtful and intelligent woman.” Jody was interested in photography, but it wasn’t until she graduated from high school that her mother encouraged her to model. “I was always behind the camera, never in front,” Jody says. “Switching roles and seeing photos of myself made me realize that I wasn’t as unattractive as I felt.” Her participation in the body-positive movement online feels like an extension of her studies at the University of Toronto — she’s a fourth-year student in history and equity studies. “I strongly believe that representation matters, and not only representation of different body types, but different ethnicities, ages and abilities,” Jody says. “Confidence comes with time. It has taken me over five years to reach the level of acceptance with myself that I have now. I can only imagine how much better I’ll feel five years from now.”

photography, PerfectlyMe, body image, confidence, modeling, Jody Heakes, instagram,

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Celebrating the ‘Perfectly’ Imperfect with Kelvin Davis II

Who or what inspires you to feel #PerfectlyMe? This month, we’ve teamed up with @seventeen to celebrate people who are redefining body standards and inspiring confidence on Instagram. Use the hashtag to share your story.

“I like to think of myself as perfectly imperfect,” says Kelvin Davis II, the founder of Notoriously Dapper (@notoriouslydapper), a body-positive menswear blog. “I find beauty in the daily struggle of accepting yourself and your body. I wanted to show that men of all shapes and sizes could be just as stylish as the mainstream body type that’s always celebrated in the media and society.” Kelvin works as a middle school art teacher and football coach in Columbia, South Carolina, and in 2015, he started modeling for Chubbies Shorts after winning a contest based on a public vote. “I have found that when you wear, eat or surround yourself with things that make you happy it’s a lot easier to be confident in your own skin,” Kelvin says. “Surround yourself with others that are positive, wear what makes you happy and ignore the haters.”

photography, PerfectlyMe, body image, confidence, Kelvin Davis II, Notoriously Dapper, modeling, instagram,

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Finding Common Ground with Kaia and Presley Gerber

To see more from Teen Vogue’s (@teenvogue) Young Hollywood Party, watch our Instagram story.

For Kaia Gerber (@kaiagerber) and Presley Gerber (@presleygerber) — siblings whose mother is legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford — modeling is on a very short list of things they have in common. “We are so not similar,” says Presley, who is 17. Well, there might be one more thing they share. “We have similar senses of humor,” says Kaia, who is 15. “But we are different because he is more laid back whereas I’m more of a go-getter.”

photography, teen vogue, Young Hollywood Party, Hollywood, Kaia Gerber, Presley Gerber, Cindy Crawford, modeling, instagram,

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Benjamin Ryan Melzer is Making Room on the #RunwayForAll

To learn more about Benjamin, follow @egoshooter on Instagram. This story is part of an ongoing series featuring models who are redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll.

“#RunwayForAll means we all have beauty in us,” says Benjamin Ryan Melzer (@egoshooter), who lives in Germany. “People told me I couldn’t model,” he says. “I’m not talented. I’m not tall enough. I’m not good at telling stories through pictures. Today, I’m proof they were wrong.” Benjamin was named Yvonne when he was born. During his transition from female to male, he asked his parents what they would have named him if he was born a boy. “My mother said Benjamin, and my father said Ryan,” he says. “So they chose my new name.” About a year and a half ago, Benjamin flew to London for his first photo shoot. “The moment I stood in front of the camera I wasn’t nervous anymore,” he says. “It felt like home for me.”

photography, fashion, runwayforall, models, modeling, benjamin melzer, instagram,

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Tschan Andrews is Making Room on the #RunwayForAll

To learn more about Tschan’s life, follow @4tschan on Instagram.

“#RunwayForAll is a reflection of the real world,” says Tschan Andrews (@4tschan), a model from London. “I am not just a black transgender woman. I am my experiences, the knowledge I have accumulated and the talent I have to offer.” Today, Tschan has job offers she would never have dreamed of as recently as two years ago, but she still believes there’s a long way to go for acceptance of transgendered people. “A high point for me is yet to come, but I have seen a way of thinking being changed before my very eyes,” she says. “If I won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, I would die – I have an acceptance speech ready and everything!”

photography, fashion, runwayforall, models, modeling, tschan andrews, instagram,

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Jillian Mercado is Making Room on the #RunwayForAll

To learn more about Jillian, follow @jilly_peppa on Instagram. Every day this week, we shared the story of a model who is redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll.

“#RunwayforAll means realizing that you have the ability to start a revolution,” says Jillian Mercado (@jilly_peppa), a creative director and model who is living with muscular dystrophy, a group of diseases that cause weakness and loss of muscle mass over time. “Growing up, I had a room full of magazines and collages and would spend hours at the library reading up on designers and dreaming about being a part of that world,” the Hispanic born-and-raised New Yorker says. “But when you realize that there isn’t a single person that looks like you, it’s very hard to aspire to actually make it a reality.” With self-determination like Jillian’s, it’s not impossible: she has modeled in global campaigns, with billboards in cities from Venice to Tokyo. “It was pretty historic to know that I broke that barrier of disability in mainstream fashion,” she says. “When you want something to be done, you might as well do it yourself. I’m basically being the role model that I was looking for when I was a young girl.”

photography, runwayforall, Jillian Mercado, muscular dystrophy, modeling, fashion, instagram,

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Londone Myers is Making Room on the #RunwayForAll

Every day this week, we’ll be sharing the story of a model who is redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll. To learn more about Londone’s life, follow @londonemyers on Instagram.

“#RunwayforAll means living in a world without color,” says Londone Myers (@londonemyers), who is from Georgia and lives in New York City. “Growing up, it was so hard to relate to the Cindy Crawfords and Christy Turlingtons,” she says. “It’s great to no longer see so many models of color with straightened hair. Can you imagine if white models were made to perm their hair to achieve a completely different texture for every single shoot? Finally society is embracing us for how we are naturally.” Londone has come a long way from her days of being bullied in school. “I was super insecure about my wide-set, mostly buck teeth,” she says. “@aggy_deyn and @lindseywixson taught me to just be myself. A model should be more of a force than a person.”

photography, runwayforall, Londone Myers, modeling, new york city, fashion, instagram,

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Clémentine Desseaux is Making Room on the #RunwayForAll

Every day this week, we’ll be sharing the story of a model who is redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll. To learn more about Clémentine, follow @bonjourclem on Instagram.

“#RunwayforAll is not so much about what we look like anymore but more about what we represent,” says Clémentine Desseaux (@bonjourclem), who grew up in France. “I was always way bigger and taller than everyone when I was growing up, and I had those freckles,” she says. “When I saw the first plus models out there, I started thinking about trying it out. At that point I had no idea it would take me to where I am now.” Three years ago, Clementine moved to New York with $2,000 to her name and never looked back. “My size and look were in the way of me feeling invincible when I was young,” she says. “I hope I was the last generation of women to think like that. Role model is the new top model.”

photography, runwayforall, Clémentine Desseaux, modeling, fashion, instagram,