Chapter 5 #3
“I need to speak to you privately,” Remedy stated, checking her watch.
“I’ll leave you two to it,” I uttered, sidestepping whatever was happening between them. “Remedy, it was great to meet you. I love your shoes. Bree, I hope we get more time to speak later.”
As I walked off, I heard Remedy say, “Does she model?”
I smiled as I sashayed out of the room and to the other side of the lobby.
Entering the morning workshop, I heard Amber giving the opening welcome and saw Sherita, Gabriella, and Toni at a table near the back. Giving them hugs and then taking my seat, I prepared to learn how to grow my brand and my bank account.
Eight hours later, after the learning portion of the weekend had come to an end, we all went to our rooms to change and get ready for the cocktail party. When I linked back up with my friends, we did a mini-photoshoot before we went downstairs to the networking event.
“This is going to be a big deal,” Toni stated, fiddling with her bracelets nervously. “Some of the brands tonight could give us the opportunity to be commercial models. I heard Bowen is going to be here.”
Getting a modeling contract with Bowen would be a big deal.
They were the biggest plus size clothing line in the country.
They were based in Los Angeles but had stores in many big cities.
Known for their quality and attention to detail, the line spent the last five years becoming a powerhouse.
They hired social media influencers and fashionistas to promote their brand, but they only used established models in their campaigns and runway shows.
I nodded. “A Bowen campaign would add weight to our careers and open so many more doors.”
“I know,” Gabriella agreed softly. “I’m freaking out a little bit.”
“There is nothing to be worried about. We just need to go down there and be ourselves,” Sherita assured them.
Toni jostled her bracelets even louder. “I mean, you’re right, but I don’t understand how you’re so calm.” She looked up at me. “You look calm. Are you not nervous either?”
I glanced at myself in the plum-colored dress that I got from Charlotte’s boutique.
The way it showed off my body while completely covering it was elegantly sexy.
Depending on the accessories, I could wear the dress anywhere.
I felt confident in it. It was great for networking with colleagues and brands or pulling some fine-ass man at the bar.
“Look at us,” I told them, rallying the troops.
“What do we have to be nervous about? We have built our platforms from the ground up using our personalities, our sense of style, and our looks. We have what it takes to be successful in this industry, and being here proves that. We are all doing the damn thing, and we are all bad.” I lowered my voice and took a step closer to them.
“I’m going to give you some real talk. Whether we walk away with meetings or not, that doesn’t take away what we’ve already done and how far we’ve already come.
So, we’ll go out here and we’ll meet some people, collect some cards, make some connections, and we’ll have a good-ass time doing it.
” I pointed around the group. “Don’t forget that they have to sell us on them, too. It’s a two-way street.”
Sherita put her hands on her hips. “Who knew Nina was a motivational speaker?”
“I knew it,” Gabby confirmed with a nod.
“Well, damn, you’re right,” Toni pronounced.
“Let’s go down there and have a good time,” I said.
“You know who I want to talk to tonight?” Gabby wondered as we walked toward the elevator.
“That dry-ass speaker you were salivating over when he was boring the rest of us to death,” Sherita answered.
“Oop!” I laughed.
“Shut up! I was going to say Bowen,” Gabby giggled. “But the speaker was cute! Y’all didn’t think he was cute?”
We laughed the entire way to the cocktail party.
It was nothing but fun and games with my internet friends.
They weren’t extremely deep friendships, because we only talked about fashion and work, but they were meaningful.
And I was reflecting on that when I was stopped by a woman with a short bob and very sharp features.
“Excuse me,” the woman said, interrupting the conversation she was having with Skylar, Daisy, and Jess. “Would you happen to be Nina Ford?”
The three of them whipped their heads around in unison. They seemed confused that the woman had interrupted them to stop me.
“Yes…” I responded slowly.
She stepped toward me, boxing out the other women. “I’m Lori with RL Fashions, and I have an opportunity for you, if you’re interested in knowing more.”
Recalling my earlier encounter with Remedy Rose from RL Fashions, I was definitely intrigued. “I’d love to hear more!”
“Great. Do you have a card?” she requested as she pulled out her own.
I opened the bag I’d gotten from my mom and pulled out one of my business cards. “Yes,” I said, handing it to her.
“Remedy was very impressed with you,” she said before slipping my card into her clutch. “We’ll be in touch.”
She turned to the other ladies and smiled. “It was a pleasure meeting you,” she told them before walking away.
I’d only taken a step when Sky threw out a question. “You know the people at RL Fashions?”
I shook my head. “I just met them today.”
She and the other two gave me strained smiles.
“Oh, okay,” Sky replied finally. “I just… I was confused because I’d been talking to Lori for months and then you stroll by and—boom—an offer.” She forced a smile even though I could see sadness in her eyes. “Congratulations, Nina. Really.”
“Thank you. I don’t know the offer yet, so who knows what this will be, but I’m looking forward to finding out.”
Again, strained smiles.
“Okay, I need to mingle.” I took a step back and then turned on my heel.
It wasn’t just an excuse. I really did want to mingle.
But twenty minutes later, I was hiding out in the bathroom, making a call to Russ. He’d sent me a picture of the sunset on the beach in California. I smiled, biting my lip as I waited for him to answer.
“You know I love the sky,” I said as soon as he picked up the phone. “And I do wish I was there, too.”
“The blue in the sky right now is my favorite color.” He sounded sexy and relaxed. “I know you’re at a work event. But if you feel inclined to hop on a plane and spend the next twenty-four with me in LA, let me know.”
“Very, very tempting offer,” I giggled. “But, alas, I have to network.”
“Okay.” He sighed dramatically. “You would be in New York while I’m in California.”
“From the looks of the photo, it seems like you’re working hard over there.”
He chuckled. “Everybody deserves a break. I had a business dinner that got rescheduled for tomorrow, so I came to the beach to relax for a minute.”
“Well, one of us has to work, so I should get back to networking. But hurry your ass back to the East Coast.”
“Oh, you miss me?”
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me. “Goodbye, Russ.”
Amusement tinged his words. “I miss you, too. Ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.”
I laughed. “You always take it too far.”
“That’s you! But seriously, have a good time tonight and hit me up when you’re back home.”
“I will. I hope you have a good time, too.”
We ended the conversation, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I was just putting my phone in my bag when I heard three familiar voices.
“I’m tired of losing out on opportunities for diversity hires,” Jess complained. “This body positivity movement has gone too far, and taking opportunities from real models is a problem.”
“Nina is a real model,” Sky corrected her. “And my issue isn’t even that she’s a plus size model. My issue is the fact that Lori has ignored my requests to partner with them, and then when I finally have her in a conversation, she tunes me out and literally hands someone else the job.”
“Well, Nina didn’t get offered the job yet,” Daisy reasoned. “And maybe there is a plus size line they are launching. You’re a size two, Sky. You wouldn’t be a good fit for a plus size job.”
“You’re the size of a model. If they are doing a campaign to celebrate fatness, they went with the right person.” Jess laughed. “Oh, come on, you know that was funny! The industry started rewarding unhealthy, fat, and ugly, so we can joke about it.”
“I’m serious, Jess,” Sky responded, annoyance straining her words. “It’s not about anyone else. I just feel bummed out about not being offered the job.”
“You didn’t get offered the opportunity because brands are trying to include more fat people,” Jess said matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t get that shoe store opportunity, and then when they ran the ad, it was with some lard ass.
I lost that deal to a fatty. You lost a deal to a fatty.
I haven’t had any offers today—hell, I haven’t had any this year, from any fashion brands—and it’s because we’re losing out on opportunities because of this body positivity bullshit.
We need to bring modeling back to its roots. ”
I flushed the toilet and opened the stall door. “And what does that mean?” I asked on my way to the sink. I looked at all of them, and their shocked expressions, then my eyes lingered on Jess. “What does bring modeling back to its roots mean?”
“Oh my God,” Skylar reacted. “Nina, I’m so sorry.”
I shook my head. “I’m talking to her.” I pointed to Jess. “Stand on the bullshit you were saying and say it to my face.”
“I, um…” She shrugged. “I just meant we work hard to stay in shape for this career, and now we’re losing jobs to people who… aren’t in shape.”
I washed my hands. “I get deals and contracts because I’m qualified. But let me get this straight… you think being thin is the requirement and that fat models are stealing opportunities from thin models?”
“Yes!” Her voice carried with the force of her answer. She lifted her chin up defiantly. “This body positivity bullshit messed everything up for hard-working real models.”
“Hard-working real models,” I slowly repeated her statement back to her.
Grabbing a paper towel, I dried my hands and then cocked my head to the side.
“There are a lot of brands out here looking for models and making connections with the people they want.” I narrowed my eyes. “How many of them wanted you?”
Her face turned red, and she started sputtering.
Before she could string together a coherent sentence, I made the number zero with my hand.
“Exactly. None.” I walked toward her on my way to the bathroom exit.
“Brands that feature straight size models because they only sell straight size clothes saw you and still opted out. That ain’t got nothing to do with me or other plus models.
That’s all you, boo. When you’re ugly on the inside, that shit starts to seep through your pores. ”
“I’m not ugly,” she screeched at my back as I moved past her.
Grabbing the door handle with the paper towel, I glanced over my shoulder. “Neither am I.”
“You’re fat though.”
I smirked. “Yeah, I sure am. I’m a beautiful, fat, working model.”