I'm a 19 year old guy from Southern California and currently living a God given dream: going to school and modeling when time allows, with Red Model Management in New York City. I got into the modeling industry kind of by accident. I was home in January 2008, talking with my mother who, like any good mother in Orange County, was reading up on the current fashion trends. While peering through the ads, she kept on pointing out how thin the male models were. I am a pretty thin guy, I don't try to be, it simply comes that way. Not thinking much about her observations, I packed up my stuff and headed back to school not knowing that two months later I would be signed with a top New York agency. So, in early February I get an email from my mother with a New York Times article, with a note:
This is you! You should look into this!How many times in our life have our mothers encouraged us to do something, knowing that we may not succeed? With the knowledge that my mom would want me to email RED, and that she would want her son to at least "attempt," in inquiring about modeling possibilities, this became one of those moments that changes one's life. Long story short, my mother's keen eye matched perfectly with my agent's, and I was signed to a two year contract. I have learned a lot from my short time in the industry thus far, and I am excited about how God will develop this as I head to Tokyo come summer. The lesson I can pass onto all readers is to always try to make the "big" step towards success, though you may fail, you will learn key attributes about yourself, which will help develop a stronger sense of self.
Stay tuned for updates later as I head off to Asia...
-Drew Kelly
