Jaime

Agencies

Mother Agency (MA): Mode Models

Mexico City: Wanted & Bang Management

Colombia: The Wall

Answers to Q&A

Why did you want to become a model?

I wanted to become a model because it combined many of my passions: fashion, travel and creativity; however, I never really knew much about modeling until I was scouted for the first time when I was 14. Modeling is a complicated career because unlike any other career, when an international offer comes though you just get thrown into it, often with little to no experience. I remember accepting my first international contract without a clue what model debt was and going for an e-com casting, having no idea what e-com posing was. To this day I am still extremely grateful for other models that took me under their wing and explained much of the industry to me. My outlook on modeling has changed so much since then and what I love the most about it now is the freedom it brings to my daily life. 

What makes you special?

What makes me special is my resilience. Despite obstacles, and there have been many, I have always found a way to persevere. There are good days and bad days, many of which you have no control over; but, what you can control is how you react and I have a special ability to be optimistic even in times of uncertainty.  

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about advocating for gender equality. This began for me back in 2014 when I fundraised for a girls' school in India; however, I pursued it greater after surviving gender-based violence during a modelling contract in 2021. I was followed after my first agency meeting and a man attempted to take me. When I refused to go with him he tried to shoot me, but someone grabbed him from behind at the exact same time he pulled the trigger; forcing him to miss me on a point-blank shot. Since then, I published articles for Cosmopolitan on sexual harassment, volunteered as a crisis support worker & court support in the victim services unit at my local police station, volunteered to teach Canadian Women's History in rural Albertan schools, summitted the highest peak in Mexico (5636m) as a part of an awareness and fundraising campaign, hosted over 30 solo travel safety meet ups and basic self-defence classes, keynote spoke for Lethbridge YWCA’s Women of Distinction Ceremony, discussed gender-based violence with members of congress in Guatemala, won an International Diana Award and was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal.

If you could change one thing about the fashion industry, what would it be:

One thing I would change about the fashion industry is garment mutilation tax policies for importing clothing to photograph them. If you haven’t heard about this before, many countries require garments to be “mutilated” or cut a hole out of so that the client doesn't have to pay tax on importing them for the intention to sell and they will only be used for the photo shoot and thus cannot be sold. The environmentalist in me fumes every time I have to shoot a perfectly good winter coat with a huge chunk missing from the back because someone wants to avoid paying taxes. The fast fashion industry is already so harmful to the environment, I just don't understand why this practice has been continued for so long.

If you could give an aspiring model any advice, what would it be?

The advice I would give to an aspiring model is that there is no better time to follow your passion than the present. A lot of people, especially women and girls, believe that they can't model unless they are where they believe they need to be physically. Do not let limiting beliefs keep you from your dream - practice your runway, book that shoot and send out your digitals.