Looking at the Issues of Today’s Modeling Industry

(TX)-Victoria Reyna, a senior at Hebbronville High School, recently graced the cover of DVINO magazine, a product of The Laredo Morning Times. A large accomplishment for a young, small town girl.

Unfortunately, Americans do not often see Latinas on the front of fashion magazines. Yet, there exist women who are changing the antiquated mold of modeling.

For example, Sports Illustrated made history this year after featuring its first “plus-sized” Ford model, Ashley Graham, on the cover.

Elliot Sailors, also associated with the international Ford modeling agency, bended gender stereotypes after taking on an androgynous appearance and modeling menswear — A strategic move that prolonged her career. Unlike male models, women in this industry face unfair societal pressures to appear very young. Sailors, who is over 30, embraces a male identity, is often mistaken as a man (a beautiful one, undoubtedly), but now has more job opportunities sans said pressures.

On a more feminine note, Vogue recently presented Calvin Klein’s exclusive models, deemed “the faces of the future” that we’ll be seeing “everywhere.” Seven fresh-faced women. Not one person of color.

Women in the modeling world have made great strides in the name of feminism. Ashley Graham and Elliot Sailors are just two small examples. But the big question we should be asking ourselves is, where are the Latina models? Why are these women underrepresented, especially when undeniable talents such as local model, Victoria Reyna, are waiting to be discovered?

Reyna is young, 17, and her beauty is unquestionable. But what should be highlighted, is her effortless poise (such a whimsical coincidence that her last name sounds like “Queen” in Spanish).

In our midst is a young Latina who is hungry for success. Her goal: to become a Victoria Secret model.

“I like the runway, it’s an amazing feeling to go out there and show off your outfit and have little girls look up to you,” Reyna said.

Stefanie Charles, Editor of DVNO Magazine, found the perfect girl to model fun and elegant clothing.

“She fit the profile we look for: people beautiful inside and out. We try to find humble and sweet local talent,” Charles said.

During the shoot, Reyna harmoniously combined contradictory aspects of fierceness and softness. She exuded confidence and posed like a natural — an aptitude comparable to some of the greatest names out there, such as Lily-Rose Depp or Kate Moss.

“It’s hard to find a girl who’s comfortable in front of the camera and could take direction. She had fun the whole time,” Charles said.

Reyna has nearly 2,000 followers on Instagram, an online photo sharing application. She has received modeling offers from Instagram users around the country. Reynaperformed at the Laredo Beauty Runway show where she modeled teen clothing from AGACE. She also has experience modeling for a makeup company called Bombshell. Her portfolio is expanding. She hopes to find suitable representation from a dynamic modeling agency.

But are American designers ready to be more inclusive when selecting the faces we’ll be seeing on the runway?

As a matter of fact, they might be. The most recent New York Fashion Week event saw more minorities on the catwalk — 31.9 percent. This is slightly more than last year’s percentage.

“They don’t give Latina girls enough credit. There are a bunch of girls like us who can be so big, and I don’t understand why they don’t let it happen,” Reynacommented.

Fashion hubs like NYC and LA should make an effort to mirror DVNO.

“The majority of all the women in our magazine are Hispanic,” Charles said.

DVNO’s corporate office is located in New York. Let’s hope they acknowledgeReyna’s potential when they receive photos from her debut magazine shoot.

Perhaps it will be Victoria Reyna who makes a large, colorful splash in the cutting-edge industry of fashion.

“I’d do my best. I would not act shy and scared. I would be confident and face all my fears,” Reyna said.

Originally published in The Jim Hogg County Enterprise, Texas.