JAYDE PIERCE – A MODEL WITH MODESTY SHARES HOW SHE FIRST GOT INTO THE INDUSTRY, BEFORE SHOOT TIPS AND SELF RESPECT.

Jayde Pierce is a commercial model, beauty blogger and freelance makeup artist from London. She first started modelling at 13 but shortly stopped after it started to affect her education. Booking a lot of castings meant missing lessons, and she figured it was best to focus on school first before anything else. Modelling was something she loved and knew she wanted to pursue for a long time, so when the opportunity came back around last year, she took it and started back up again.

We caught up with Jayde to find out how it all began:

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So you first started modelling at 13, tell us a bit about how that came about?

“I was actually approached by someone who worked for an agency and after discussing it, we took it from there. I was 13 at the time but even at that young age, being on set made me so happy – that was how I knew it was something I needed to pursue.”

Not long after that, you then had to stop modelling because of your education – what did you choose to study?

“So after standard schooling, I studied beauty therapy for two years – level 2 and level 3. It was so hard but for some reason, people have the assumption that it is easy. We had to learn every bone and muscle in the face and the body!

Although I enjoyed studying beauty therapy, it was never something I saw myself doing full-time – you know becoming a makeup artist or beauty therpist. My passion was in modelling.”

So fast forward to where you are now in your career, how do you describe having such a big fan base and following?

“It feels good to know all my hard work is paying off, but it’s really strange at the same time – I’m just a normal girl. Instagram and Twitter have helped me tremendously in taking my career to the next level, getting my name out there, with partnerships and even bookings.

I’ve gained over 18,000 followers on Instagram in the space of 6 months – I still find it hard to get my head around. I have gotten a lot of support from people all over the world, some even with fan pages and it is very humbling.”

You were one of the leads in Example’s ’10 Million People’ music video last year, can you tell us a bit about how that came about?

“Featuring in music video’s was something I did not know I would get into, but when the opportunity came I sure was not going to miss it! Someone had ran it by me, and I decided to go to the casting for it and I got it! It was good fun.”

Watch Example’s ’10 Million People’ music video:

(Keep scrolling to continue reading the interview)

Aside for the positive, there always is some form of negativity. How do you deal with negativity and crazy comments on social media?

“No matter what you do, there are always going to be people that try and bring you down, but personally I choose not to focus on that. I have more people that love and support me to focus on the hate. As far as comments go, I do get quite a few perverted and creepy ones – I normally just delete, ignore or block them.”

I love that, that’s the best way to deal with negativity. Do you have any boundaries set for what you can and cannot shoot?

“Yes, glamour! I do not ever want to be seen as a sexual object to people, there is more to me than my naked body. I’d rather people compliment me by saying that I am beautiful, then that they would have sex with me – which in my opinion isn’t a compliment.

I do not need to be naked to get where I want to be, I respect my body and so I won’t take off my clothes for any and every thing. If I am to shoot topless, I always want it to be done in a high fashion tasteful way, with my hands covering my chest and not sexual trashy glamour.”

So many young girls need to hear this, what you’re saying is so powerful. There are girls out there wanting to break into the industry, choose to throw their morals out the window because of just that – the idea that it will get them where they want them to be. In actuality, that is not the right way. You are a great role model in my opinion, is there anyone you look up to as your inspiration?

“Thank you. Yes, Tyra Banks – she is a huge inspiration of mine. I think she’s amazing and has worked so hard to get where she is.”

What do you think makes you stand out from all the rest?

“I think what makes me stand out is the fact that I know what I want, and I’m willing to work for it. So many people say they that want to be a model, but only a few really work for it.”

I could not agree with you more. So what is next for Jayde, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

“Hopefully a big well-known model looking to start my own makeup line, and happily married. I’m very determined to make it big. Thinking about my potential makes me excited, and I can’t wait to see what will happen in all the years to come.”

What do you want to be remembered by at the end of it all? Is there a legacy you want to leave behind?

“I want to be remembered as someone who empowered people to love themselves. I used to care so much about what people thought of me, but as I’ve got older, I’ve realised that we all shouldn’t. The key to success is believing in yourself and wanting to be great – not just good.

It is hard to know who to trust in this industry, but I have learnt to never let anyone get in the way of what you want to do, and what makes you happy. In our generation, looks seem to matter more than a person’s personality – I really want that to change because looks aren’t everything.”

Finally, do you have any before shoot-prep tips?