modeling and dreamworldgirl zine
Written by Daphne Bryant
Growing up, I never really saw myself as a model. I am 5’1, skinny in all the wrong places,Black, clumsy, and wear glasses. When I saw pictures of models as a kid, those people never looked like me. It was discouraging and sort of really tragic, and it wasn’t until Covid hit in 2020 that I started to experiment with modeling and fashion in a way that was actually satisfying for me. Looking back I’m cringing at what I thought was cool (I’m looking at you Shein and high-waisted jeans), but at the time I was so confident and felt so free. I would film fit checks, edit myself in front of cool backgrounds, reach out to brands asking to model their clothes and started to view myself as beautiful.
Then I got to Emerson College, and it was there that I began to dip my toes into professional modeling (in a studio, with professional cameras, for publication, etc.,). It all started with photoshoots I did for the dance company I was a part of, EUDT. Then my friend would snap professional photos of me in the Boston Commons. Then I’d apply to model for a magazine, and they’d say yes, and I’d get my makeup done, and I’d pose, and the photos would come out and I’d feel like the baddest bitch in the world. I started to become really addicted to it, modeling that is. It just gave me the best adrenaline rush, and I loved being on set and connecting with other creatives.
The most surreal experience I’ve ever had modeling was for Atlas Magazine’s Fall 2023 issue. I’m actually blushing right now writing this and thinking about the feelings I was feeling when I was told I’d be the cover girl, the reactions I got when I dropped the photos on Instagram, and the real-life awe that coursed through me as people picked up, took pictures of and brought home magazines with my face on it. I just felt so sexy and liberated and awesome. Which is crazy, because during the shoot I was so nervous about wearing a wig, posing with a man and a woman, and being captured in just a bra. To actually have the final product come out so beautifully was both a relief and mind-boggling. Gracing Atlas’ cover is genuinely one of the coolest things to ever happen to me, and this is coming from a girl who never thought I’d ever be a model. I literally remember walking down Boylston St one day and overhearing people I had never met before talking about how good I looked in the shoot; how wild is that?
Anyway, I’m giving you all this background so you understand just how special, DIY and wholesome my modeling experience has been.It has given me so much confidence, and I knew that somehow, someway, I wanted to be able to give that to the models that worked with Dreamworldgirl Zine.
My goal is to make sure that everyone feels hot and awesome! There’s nothing like seeing yourself eating in an editorial shoot, so we have a lot of them, so that we can cast as many models as possible. When I started out, all of the models were friends or acquaintances of mine. Eventually I started to branch out of the Emerson bubble, and I think that’s when shit really started to take off. Since I started the zine in April we’ve gotten more and more people wanting to model for us. What can I say? Our shoots are cool as fuck! Plus, our entire staff and crew are women and non-binary individuals (we work with queer and trans men asw): for this reason the zine is truly a safe space, and I’ve intentionally designed it to be this way. A lot of people also have questions about the modeling process, and how it works, so here’s a little guide.
experience
This is the biggest thing we get asked about: do I have to have experience modeling in order to model for the zine? The answer is no, NOT AT ALL! Many of our models have never modeled before in their life, and we’ve only worked with a select few signed models, such as Ashley Maningas, Caroline McGinn and Darianka. One thing I really loved about my experience working with Emerson mags was that anyone could be a model! I wanted to bring that same energy into the zine, so we’ve hosted multiple open model calls and that makes it possible for anyone, regardless of experience, to be a part of our photo and videoshoots.
WHO CHOOSES THE MODELS?
It honestly depends! I’ve casted many of the shoots thus far, but every single shoot is different. For example, when Rachel Chu did her DAYS OF SUMM3R shoot in Hong Kong, she casted everyone. Same thing for Emma Cahill when she casted for the Issue 02 Theme Reveal shoot; all of the models were models that had applied in the past and had not yet gotten a chance to work with us. Now that I’ve hired Fashion Interns, those individuals are also tasked with looking at all of the applications and headshots and choosing their favorites, so they get experience with casting as well.Apart from the model calls, I’ve also scouted models online off of Tik Tok and Instagram, and I’ve had models reach out to me as well. Of course, I also love giving modeling opportunities to my friends and people I’ve met in my personal life.Basically: it’s very varied and there’s no set method to the madness, at least not yet(more on that later in the Database section).
height
Short queens, kings and royal baddies rejoice! We don’t give a fuck about height! When we ask for full body pictures in application forms, it’s so that we can try and cast models who have diverse body types, heights and features. Unless there’s a specific need for a certain height, we won’t ask for it directly and won’t consider it in our reviewing process.
INTIMACY/CONSENT
I’ve served as a sort of unofficial Intimacy Coordinator on the Dreamworldgirl shoots I’ve been a part of or helped organize, and going forward Emma (Boston, Co-EIC), Campbell (Boston, Photo Coordinator) and Chloe (LA, Photo Coordinator) will also pitch in to help ensure that everyone feels safe and is comfortable with the things they’re being asked to do. The most common thing we’re attuned to is touch: I immediately think of the GOOD, LUCK BABE and MVP shoot, which both featured sapphic pairings in which the models had to pose as romantic interests. Yes, it’s just acting, but everyone has boundaries and limits, and we refuse to push them. There was also a moment in the 7 DEADLY SINS shoot where a few of the models were asked to touch me while I was wearing see through lingerie, and that was a moment where we asked for consent on both ends. On a similar vein, sometimes models have rules about the kinds of clothing they’re wearing: we worked with one masculine-presenting model who I knew early on would not be comfortable wearing anything too“ girly” or“ feminine”, so my stylist made sure to accommodate that need, no questions asked. I sincerely hope all of the models that work with us know that they can always express when something is making them uncomfortable or if they have a concern.
pay
Right now most Dreamworldgirl Zine positions are unpaid/volunteer, and that includes models.
THE DATABASE
As you know, Dreamworldgirl Zine hosts a lot of model calls. This has been the primary way we’ve casted models, and we will continue to do these formal calls until April of 2025, when we plan to launch the“ Database” model. You see, when models apply to work with us, we keep all the information in our Google Drive. When we post a model call it means we’re looking for new, fresh faces, but we also have often pulled from models that applied from a shoot two months back, or that reached out to us about modeling a week ago. Having an actual database would just be so much easier and more organized. Essentially, in April we’d ask everyone interested in modeling for us in the summer season to apply to model for us, and we’d close that form after a week or so and only use that database to source models, until October, when we’d launch a new database all over again. I hope that made sense (lol)! I’m excited about implementing this next year, and I think it will lessen the amount of model rejections because the database will be this really fluid, ever-flowing collection of potential models.
