Today we’d like to introduce you to Tatum Forbis.
Hi Tatum, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I decided that I wanted to become a model around ten years old and began my journey at 12 years old. I took a break from pursuing my dream so I could go to public high school, after I graduated I continued to pursue modeling as a career. When I began modeling, I had many mentors and coaches. In June 2020, I attended Coco Rocha’s Model camp in New York. I studied her techniques and applied them to myself. My modeling abilities have improved so much since attending her camp. I have always been a freelance model, so after I graduated, I began reaching out to photographers local to the Austin area and have been building my portfolio since 2019. I am currently with a non exclusive agency but have yet to even attend a casting that they have directed me to. I’ve managed to attend a casting for Austin Fashion Week with the help from a photographer I’ve met in the area. I was booked for that show which was an amazing experience.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to becoming an established freelance model has not been easy in the slightest. I am 5’7 which is not up to the minimum requirements of most agencies. I also struggle in some aspects because I am on the Autism spectrum. I was diagnosed when I was 8, but I was not made aware of my diagnosis until I looked into some things I struggled with and finally asked my mom about it. Modeling is a very expressive art, and expressiveness has been one of my struggles with Autism. I tend to keep all emotions to myself and have a very blank expression naturally. This is something I’ve had to overcome with modeling.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve decided to put everything I have into my modeling career, so that is my only occupation at this time. Editorial work is my forte, but I love to do runway, as I have had extensive training in that aspect. Walking in Austin Fashion week is my proudest accomplishment to date.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The modeling industry is becoming more inclusive as time goes on, but the one thing that is still very strict is height. I believe within the next five years modeling agencies, designers, and the industry as a whole will become more accepting to average height models, the same way they have become more inclusive to plus size and mid-size models.
Contact Info:
- Email: tatum.brooke@icloud.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tatumbrooke_?r=nametag
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatum.forbis
Image Credits:
Kevin Deal, Lauren Parsons, last photo: Emily Poste
