In this episode I will share my personal story about how my childhood dream came true in an unexpected way. Since I was very little I had always wanted to be noticed by my relatives through my creative talents. For as long as I can remember I have had a very rich inner world, which serves as a source and inspiration for my ideas for dresses, movies, scripts, characters, and stories. In time I understood my dream was to express myself in a creative way. This is why I work in multiple artistic fields, one of which is modelling.
My fashion career path started when my mother and I were out looking for a dress for my graduation prom. At the time, the fashion house we visited invited me to take part in a small catwalk show they were organising, alongside other graduates. I accepted with great delight and it is thanks to this event that I realised how much I enjoyed the stage and fashion as a whole. I believe this was reflected in my appearance, as a few days later I received a message on Instagram from Alia Models agency inviting me to a meeting. I felt very anxious and immediately thought of a million negative scenarios.
A few days later I decided to face my fears and insecurities and I set out to find what the agency can offer. The meeting went very well and I understood that nobody wanted to harm me but rather give me an opportunity to work as a professional model. Despite my initial distrust, which was influenced by the stereotypes around models in Bulgaria, I decided to give it a chance and find out if this was something I would like to do.
Initially I started booking minor engagements but I was very insecure, just as every person feels when they lack experience in a given field. It was in these moments that I realised how important the help of my agency was. It supported me with advice, catwalk practice and posing lessons. In addition, my booker gave me constant guidance on how to build my confidence and radiance. As expected, I could not always understand and comprehend the advice I was given due to prejudice, lack of experience and plain stubbornness.
After graduating from high school I continued my further education in the United Kingdom, where I studied for 4 years, one of which I spent in Italy. During this period I could rarely work as a model but I managed to do some small jobs during the summer so I had to generally put my passion for modelling on pause. My experience in studying abroad and familiarity with different cultures broadened my horizons, helped me learn new things and I got to know new people and traditions. All of the above helped me build my character and thanks to the decisions I made, be they bad or good, I learnt that one must not freeze in the face of fear on the road to fulfilling their dreams.
There will always be something to be afraid of or something that feels unfamiliar but only when we act can we really find out what makes us live our lives with full force and passion. However, once it is discovered, life can never be the same and it is as if it starts anew. 
This is what happened to me when I returned to Bulgaria and rediscovered modelling. I realised how much I had changed and I felt ready to accept all that life had to offer in terms of opportunities and be my authentic self.
In accordance with my inner perception, the world around me started to change and I booked more and bigger jobs. I got the opportunity to work for brands such as Carlsberg, Lild, Vivacom, Mare di Sofia, Serdika centre, Mazillo, La Sposa, N8 Molecule and many others. Additionally, I travelled to Milan and worked there as a model. Thanks to this experience I became acquainted with a vastly different world. Working abroad enables a model to witness how modelling agencies work on a global scale. Due to the fact that there is an abundance of work engagements in Milan, the work day of a model is filled with castings, which are attended by many other models from around the world. The work process taught me that all girls and boys, no matter where they come from, have the same passion for fashion. Stereotypes depicting models as overbearing, rude, uneducated and arrogant are a thing of the past. I came to believe this after I got to know many foreign models in Milan and reached the conclusion that we have more things in common than differences.
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Another significant moment in my modelling career was the opportunity to participate in a Just Cavalli fashion show as part of Samsung Fashion days, where the brand presented their new Spring-Summer ‘24 and Autumn-Winter ‘24 collections. The feeling of walking for a famous brand like Just Cavalli, in the heart of Sofia atop the fountains of NDK, was unforgettable and a great honour. Furthermore, the professionalism of the Italian team reminded me once again how important it is to perform at your best in order to achieve the highest results. It was at this event where I was introduced to Daniele Lombardo, the creative director of Just Cavalli, who is an inspiring person.
Meeting successful fashion icons and receiving positive feedback from clients are the two things that motivate me to continue my professional development. I recently started organising short online meetings with other models from our agency in order to share my experience and learn about their point of view. This helps unite our models’ team and gives everyone an opportunity to learn from one another. I am also currently writing blog articles for the agency's website and translating them into English. Alongside being a model I work as a teacher of English and Italian and a translator. This is how I achieve the perfect balance between creative and analytical work.
I would like to say a few words to every person reading this text:
If you have a dream do not be afraid to act. This is the only way you can find out that you can actually achieve it! Give yourself a chance to try.
I give thanks to God for always sending me to the right place at the right time.
A special thanks to Alia Models’ team for the support, the trust and the opportunities presented to me and especially to Kirilka Hristova, who stands firmly beside all of us. I thank my family, who are my mainstay in life.
If you would like to shine your light on the catwalk, make sure to fill in the application form here: https://aliamodels.com/beamodel
Author - Teodora Maude
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