Rising Stars: Meet LaRae Day

Today we’d like to introduce you to LaRae Day.

Hi LaRae, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a small-town girl from the Rocky Mountains of Utah then living in a tiny town in Idaho, I entered a pageant taking place in a neighboring state. I had no runway experience whatsoever, and I had no money to enter whatsoever, but an angel sponsor who wished to remain anonymous paid my pageant fees in full. I grew up being teased by the neighborhood kids for my elaborately bold sense of style, constructed from my wardrobe of hand-me-down clothing from half the neighborhood + a cousin or two. I wore thick glasses, and rainbow braces, was half the size of my peers, and didn’t know how to manage my naturally curly hair, so I brushed it into a high frizz on the daily. The next thing I knew, I was walking as a high fashion model in my first New York Fashion Week the year following, winning a runner-up title in said pageant. As of now, I have walked for the following fashion weeks many times: New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, Miami Swim Week, Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week. Brand partners I have worked with include Prada Milano, Ralph Lauren, Sephora, and Victoria’s Secret Pink. As a fashion model, I have been published in Getty Images, Yahoo, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Elle Magazines.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A struggle I have had to navigate along the way is the hidden predatory toxicity of the entertainment industry today. I am so inspired by once-child celebrities who were targeted finally speaking up and sharing their stories. The way women and children as young as you can imagine are sexually harassed, exploited, bullied, and told to sleep their way to the top in the entertainment industry today is unbelievable. We combat this as an industry with transparency and the courage to speak up. I have learned that you don’t have to strip down past your comfort level or lower your standards to make it professionally in this industry, but there are those in power who would like you to think so. As a practicing LDS woman (previously nicknamed “Mormon”), I have always felt that I have had to work twice as hard in this regard because of my commitment to a strict religious morality standard.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
High Fashion Model, Runway Model, Beauty Model, Print Model, Editorial Model, International Model, Published Model, Promotional Model, Live Performer, Character Entertainer, Film Actress, Social Media Influencer, Digital Media Content Creator, Show Host, Social Media Strategist, Artist, Businesswoman, Life Coach, Influencer Coach, & Entrepreneur.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I once heard an Opera quote that made up my mind on this and has stuck with me since: “I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been ‘lucky.’”

I was forced to take responsibility for my life at a very young age as the eldest of eight biological siblings, all living under the same roof, and while I would consider many aspects of the need to become a parentified child, hidden neglect, and domestic abuse I experienced in childhood unlucky, I consider the resilience I gained from my upbringing incredibly lucky – being on my own from a young age and know it became the key to fully taking the reigns when it came to pursuing my dreams full-throttle and never expecting anyone to come save me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @larae.day

Image Credits
Adriana Escalante Olivia Leigh Chris Storey Weston Mosburg North Konrad Burrito Pics