An Interview With Canadian Model, Olivia McEldon
Meet Canadian model, singer, and influencer who at an age of 20 is conquering the industry with her stunning looks. Being in the industry for over 2 years Olivia has gained confidence and has learned how to portray herself in front of the camera. Sharing her modeling journey so far, Olivia says,
“From when I started modeling 2 years ago to now, I have seen such growth in my work. I have become more adventurous with my poses and that has ultimately led me to more opportunities with these images. I have pushed myself to get outside of my comfort zone and embrace my body more, which I have thoroughly enjoyed.”
As we all know that now the modeling industry has become much more inclusive. So when asked Olivia what she adores the most about the industry, she told that now anyone can be a model irrespective of their size, gender, or skin tone. Elaborating more, she says,
“Before I started modeling you always had to be tall and slim. It was a very hard standard to uphold to be a model. Now all ethnicities, sizes, and genders can model and I think that is how it should be. Everyone is beautiful in their skin and I think we need to embrace that more”
Olivia is currently pursuing her degree in Business and Media studies at Trent in Peterborough, Ontario. Apart from modeling, she would love to have her own business. As she loves to have full control of her vision for a company. Therefore, wishes to run a side business with modeling.
“I hope to one day run my own little business on the side of another career I may have. The big goal is to get into modeling full-time. So I can travel and make money doing something I love and see myself doing that for my entire life.”
Sharing one of the most embarrassing moments from the shoot, Olivia mentioned her first lingerie/boudoir shoot. Adding to which she says,
“It is so scary at first and I can remember being so awkward at first but then getting more comfortable as it went on. I laugh about it now. As I am so much more confident now. I have just learned to embrace myself and my body for what it is
When asked what inspired her to pursue modeling, Olivia replied that her love for fashion and the idea of looking like a model fascinated her the most. She loves the modeling industry because she is paid for what she loves the most. The appreciation she receives from photographers and the entire team makes her feel more confident.
“I love fashion and being able to wear different outfits and pose in them. I love to have fun and be silly and be someone I am not in one sense but still being true to myself at the same time. What I mean is I love being able to dress up and get my hair and makeup done differently than how I normally look but I am still portrayed as my authentic self.”
While discussing more fashion, Olivia told that she loves to wear outfits that can express herself without her explaining. Her fashion style is more comfortable clothes. Also, she loves to go for fuzzy clothing and anything pink and sparkly.
“Pink is my color of choice and I love pairing my outfits with different shades of pink. My style can change depending on where I am going. My everyday style is very casual but if I am going out I will dress up. One of my favorite outfits to wear when going out is ripped jeans, black heeled boots, and a silk sparkly shirt. I love fashion as everyone has their unique style and things they wear that scream this is me.”
As mentioned above, Olivia is also a social media influencer. So she considers Instagram as her biggest and main form of social media for influencing. Instagram has allowed her to connect with people and provided her a lot of opportunities to work in the industry.
“I have gained a large following since I started my account a few years ago and I have gotten so much support. I love being able to support other models, artists, and influencers in their journeys and connect with like-minded people.”
We know that idea of beauty is shifting every day. Though it has become more inclusive than ever nowadays. On asking Olivia to describe the idea of beauty she had a wonderful answer for this.
To me, beauty is what qualities make someone unique from another person. Everyone is beautiful in their way and I think that is super special. I would say for myself that my eyes are pretty unique. They are hazel which changes from light gold to green depending on my mood, and what I am wearing. To me, I think someone who is confident in himself and who they are showing true beauty. We may not like something about ourselves or how we look but if you embrace yourself for who you are, true beauty shines from within.
All over the world, we see people being insecure about their bodies. They are not comfortable in their skin. But one should be confident and not bother themselves with what people think or say. Olivia in the past two years has gotten more comfortable in her skin. She said that being comfortable in your skin is hard to do when the media is constantly reminding you how to look and what is acceptable in society.
“I have learned to embrace my body and my imperfections and to love myself for who I am. I think when you are able to take control and not care what others think, that is when you have achieved confidence instead of comfort in yourself. It is super important to love your body for how it looks and not feel as though you have to change because you do not look the same as someone else. My advice is that when you are confident in yourself, others feel the energy you are exhibiting and put it upon themselves”
Olivia being an optimistic person would like to bring a positive change to society. She hopes that when people see her or hear her name they should think that she has made a positive impact on their life and our world. Olivia further explaining her desire to change the world positively says,
“I think we often choose hate over love in many scenarios where we could have approached a situation differently. For myself, I feel as though I am usually always a pretty positive person. I am always smiling, people know me for my smile. When I go to shoots it is hard to stop smiling when I need to be serious. I try to at least once a day makes someone feel special in some way. When you are able to do something meaningful for someone else you do not just change the world, you change their world and that is my goal.”
The article was originally in the August Edition of the World Model Hunt magazine.
