“ When moving to France I realized how much of unnecessary clothes and shoes I had and I ended up getting rid of so many that I wore once and were already falling apart or were out of trend. I eliminated the trendy and “fast fashion” items.”
- Valerie
@Valerie.Kinley
Tell us a little bit about yourself? How did you fall into modeling?
I fell into modeling from traveling Europe and meeting my European friend from Vienna whom was a Dior model and she told me I should be a model and I told her people have always said that to me. So she introduced me to an agency of hers and then I on my own started applying at agencies in Paris, France because I wanted to move there to study Fashion. So it aligned perfectly.
How do you tap into self-love and take time for yourself?
I take a lot of time alone when I’m not working and I rest. I spend time with God, go on walks alone listening to my favorite music. Go to church, gym time. I love just relaxing and spending time alone.
What advice would you give other women?
Drown out all the noise around you because there are always going to be people with their own opinion about life and what you should or should not be doing at a certain age yet they haven’t walked in your shoes and they don’t know the battles you’ve faced and the mountains it took for you to get where you are today. Keep your eyes on the prize and stay positive and know that when one door closes God will always open a new one and the right one that’s meant for you. They say the biggest critic is yourself but in this industry I don’t find that to be true, there are going to be a lot of people around you that will constantly be whispering things in your ear or trying to change who you are but if you know you are on the path you are supposed to be on and have the peace within yourself and know who you are than always check yourself and go back to center, drown out the noise around you and remember why you started.
What is your go-to Fall style this year?
My go to fall style this year is the matching fall sets! I love seeing the matching sets this year. Such as the set from LPC they have the Denim sets which I adore. The Essential Ruby Ruffle Denim skirt and matching jacket are the perfect look this fall. I’ve seen some very nice monotone sets this fall with the neutral jacket and pants and a touch of color. I would wear LPC's full denim collection. I absolutely love the denim dress with the pop of color on the sleeves and I’d take it out with the matching denim trench jacket.
As a model how do you overcome the standard of beauty pressure? What are your tips for feeling good from the inside out?
I overcome the standards of the beauty pressure as a model by knowing who I want to portray myself as and what my standard of beauty is and not what anyone else’s standards are. I know that being natural is important to me. I want people to see me as a natural beauty like back in the old days before it became so popular to change your appearance to be deemed as perfect or beautiful. For me it’s okay to be natural and not change my appearance to look like everyone else. I know that if I did that it would not help my confidence and it’s important to know yourself and I’m proud to tell people I’m all natural. But if you do feel more comfortable getting work done then by all means do it for yourself and not to impress people.
Are you traveling this year or have any adventures planned?
Yes, I will visit London and it’s possible I will be doing a movie in November on an island somewhere but I cannot say where yet and it’s not 100% for sure. Sometimes I don’t really even know where I’m going to travel till the week before so it’s always a nice surprise for me which I enjoy.
What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability to me means having something like fashion for example that you can recycle and reuse. It’s something that lasts forever and does not fall apart and go to the waste side after one use. It’s opposite of fast fashion. I am not a fan of fast fashion because I believe in quality and having pieces that you can have with you for many years. When moving to France I realized how much of unnecessary clothes and shoes I had and I ended up getting rid of so many that I wore once and were already falling apart or were out of trend. I eliminated the trendy and “fast fashion” items I noticed. Everything I had left with and took with me from America were all my classic items that I had already had for many years and I realized how I was not only waisting my money on unnecessary clothes but also creating a lot of waste. It’s quality over quantity.
WATCH THE CAMPAIGN VIDEO
Video and Photos By Dimitry Loiseau
Hair + Makeup: Claire Villard
