Ashley Graham recalls her mother saying curvy body would change someone's life one day
Ashley Graham became the first plus-size model along with Paloma Elsesser to grace the cover of Vogue Arabia. She looked stunning in a silver sequin dress which was paired with a striped blazer with frayed edges. She accessorized the look with a diamond choker and a pearl earring. While Ashley looked radiant as her confidence beamed through the pictures, she confessed that it wasn't always that easy.
She was first discovered by a man while shopping with her father at the age of 12. Even though she was not like the other models, her parents supported her and forked over $2000 for modeling training. "They did it because they wanted me to find passion in something, and sure enough, modeling became a lifestyle that turned into a career. 100% I would do it all over again from 12," she said, as reported by Daily Mail.
There were difficult times when many people told her that she won't make it in the industry. "'I wasn't taking care of myself, I had gained a lot of weight, and I had agents telling me that I wasn't going to make it because I was getting too big. My mom said, "You are not moving back to Nebraska, because your body is going to change someone's life," she recalled. Her mother, Linda Graham changed her perspective on how she saw herself in front of the mirror.
"She told me to transform the way I speak to the woman in the mirror with words of affirmation. I created my own. "I am bold. I am brilliant. I am beautiful. I am worthy of all. I love you." You don't believe it right away. But as you say it over and over and over, the woman in the mirror becomes an energetic light who can empower others," she said. Keeping mind the words her mother said, Ashley went on and now has become a successful name in the industry who has her own swimwear line.
Ashley is also conscious about what she says because she has two younger sisters at home who look up her just like many out there in the world. "Now, I look at my fans as my sisters. I think, "Is this something I would say and want my sister to repeat?"' she said. "Being kind to people has helped me because the fashion industry hasn't always been so kind. I have literally heard it all and had everything thrown at me. But when I arrive bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, people react in the same way."
Ashley has often clapped back at haters who tend to flood her Instagram with what a real model looks like. The model recently shut down trolls by posting a lengthy message on Instagram which read, "I know I'm being a little petty by posting these stupid photos of somebody who wrote 'real model and fat model' but I will let you know nothing defines what a real model or a fat model or fake model is. Your weight, your skin, your hair, your religious background, none of that determines whether you're a real model or not. So all those girls out there who have dreams and hopes keep fighting for them and don't let all the losers on Instagram stop…"