Life & Work with Lauren Patrick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Patrick.

Hi Lauren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Maryland which is where I spent most of my childhood until 2015 when I moved to start high school. I was scouted when I was around 16 years old by a local modeling agency in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, all my focus was put towards my academic and athletic performances. In my senior year of high school, I received an athletic and academic scholarship to play at an NCAA Division II college in North Carolina. Despite my love and devotion to the game, I had to make some tough decisions. In the end, I think that it all worked out the way it should’ve. This redirection in my life led me to new people, experiences, and places that I wouldn’t have gotten if not for those decisions being made. My lovely mother is the reason why I began modeling and to be completely honest I would have never imagined it. She created a new dream for me when my dream of playing soccer had ended.

I’m currently a senior in college working towards earning my bachelor’s degree in finance. The past four years, I’ve worked several part-time jobs while traveling for modeling and doing homework in between. Although modeling has opened a lot of new doors for me, getting my degree has always remained a priority. If I could offer any piece of advice to aspiring models, it would be to stay grounded, stay in college, and finish your education because modeling will still be there after you graduate.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Despite what you may see on social media, it has not always been easy. Life gets messy. It’s not always as beautiful as a picture or a post. As models, we are constantly being judged on a stage for our appearances and bodies. I do not know a single model that does not struggle with either body image or mental health issues. There’s this constant pressure to perform and people expect you to be perfect 24/7. Having to live up to that expectation is just unattainable. There are many misconceptions about modeling when it comes to what we do, what we eat, and how we’re treated. It can all seem glamourous on the outside but what people don’t see are the sleepless nights of dealing with rejection on top of personal life issues as well. You learn early on that you have to have thick skin and not take any of it personally. However, it can all weigh heavy at times. When I signed as a model, I didn’t realize how much time I would be spending by myself. Being a young model especially, it can be terrifying traveling alone to a city you’re unfamiliar with. You learn quickly that you have to sacrifice a lot in order to book jobs. In the industry, everything moves fast.

Growing up, I never saw models or actresses that looked like me, so it all didn’t seem possible at the time. Ever since I began modeling, I’ve wanted to open up more doors for Filipino American models and creatives. Representation in the industry should be the bare minimum. I’ve been told “no” by more agencies than I can count on my hands. They would say they wanted me to be an inch taller or wanted a 5’9 model instead. However, the excuses you get for being rejected shouldn’t be the reason you quit or become discouraged. Now I’ve gotten to see myself in storefronts across the nation at stores I used to shop at as a kid. I’ve also been on the face of magazines and campaigns overseas. It’s been surreal and I can’t express enough how grateful I am for the opportunities that I’ve had. There is only so much you can change about your appearance – height isn’t something that you can. Being yourself will always bring in more opportunities. I had no prior knowledge or modeling experience, so I was lucky enough to have people that took a chance on me. There were a lot of people in the beginning that believed in me before I believed in myself.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been working as a professional model for the past few years now. My mother’s agent is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and I am also signed to an agency in Chicago, Illinois. Over the years, I’ve worked for brands like Finishline, EastBay, Famous Footwear, Footlocker, DSW, Puma, Yulip Beauty, and more. In the future, I hope to venture more into acting and expand to different markets like Los Angeles, California and Miami, Florida.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
One of the most important qualities to me is being unapologetically yourself. Most of the time people feel the need to appease people or seek validation from others, but when you’re secure in yourself, you don’t have those issues. Seeking genuine conversations, relationships, and connections is what really matters. When you respect yourself and everyone around you, they respect you in return.

It’s also important to have some sense of humility in the world we live in today. You never know what people are dealing with, so extending a bit of grace and kindness is imperative. Check-in with each other. Make space for tough conversations. Remember to give your people their flowers while they’re still here.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.10mgmt.com/divisions/models-main/portfolios/lauren-patrick
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizabethpatrick/

Image Credits
1 – Bryan Huegen – IG: getrichordiebryan 2 – Finishline – No photographers specified 3 – Josh Smith – IG: capture614 4 – Sid Karimi – IG: sidkarimi 5 – Jesslynn Hess – IG: jesslynnhess 6 – Josh Smith 7 – Anna Cherryhomes – IG: cherryhomesphotos