Thanks for having me! My name is L.Shima. I am a full time and all-natural model and fashion designer based in the state of Florida in the USA. I am originally from Austin, TX, however. I am 21 years old. I shoot artistic and high-end urban fashion projects. My ethnicity is Japanese/Irish/Black. For a model, I am abnormally short and curvaceous. I embrace this and use those attributes to make myself more unique in this field.
I have been modeling for 2 years and really love the opportunity to express myself and create art as well as meet many interesting people. Although I am known for my looks, I hope to let people know that I am very normal and work hard to have a kind and down to earth personality. I like to interact with fans and am very thankful for my success.
What does fashion actually mean to you? What inspires your passion, excites & motivates you about modeling? Fashion is a way to express one’s emotions and creativity through sewing, threading, and designing material. I enjoy seeing others pursue modeling. It helps motivate me to keep moving forward in my career. I also love interacting with my fans and shooting material that I can look back onto and remember the day like it was yesterday.
What’s your story in modeling? When and how exactly you get started? What was it for: for the glamour, name & publicity, or anything else? I technically started as soon as I turned 18. I created a Model Mayhem profile and began networking. 2 years later, I decided to pursue modeling more heavily, and a few months later I quit my normal job and started modeling full-time.
I am always asked why I picked modeling, and I constantly answer that I am not sure. One day I wanted to give it a try, to see how it was like to be a model. It seemed fun. As I grew into my career my reasons and goals changed. I now model to show others the lifestyle of an independent model. Modeling is not about looks and body type, it is more of a business than anything else, and a lot of people do not understand that.
What do you think, Is it important to attended fashion modeling courses? Do they really help newbies to get a foothold in the Fashion Industry? Ha! Of course not. Education is always a tricky thing to figure out. I believe education is important in any career, but there are alternatives other than enrolling in some type of school. Now, of course, my opinion is completely different from others, and what worked for me, might not work for someone else. If a person interested in modeling asked me if they should go to school, I would simply tell them that it is their own decision. If you are interested, I can give you my story, but I will never tell you what to do with your life.
How you communicate with other netizens, especially your subscribers? Are you patient? polite? friendly? How often you reply to them? You should take a look at my Tumblr to get a better answer to this question. 🙂 I am patient, polite, charming, friendly, silly, and social when it comes to my fans or random people wanting to know about me and my life. On Facebook, I answer messages almost every day. Twitter, I will either favorite, reblog, or comment back based on how the conversation is exchanged. On Tumblr, I use to answer questions every day, now I only answer questions once a week. This is only so I do not flood my entire page with Q&A’s. I love talking with people, especially when it is directed towards my career. I want to be known as a human, not just a sexy picture on your computer screen!
Has modeling changed other aspects of your life? What does your career do for you? Of course, it has! If I wasn’t a model, I wouldn’t have traveled all over the United States alone and met all the amazing people. The biggest one is that I wouldn’t have a knowledgeable understanding of creating a business.
How you distinguish a good model from a bad one? And what according to you distinguishes a good photograph from a bad one? Any male or female can be a model. It doesn’t matter look, weight, height, or perfections. A great model knows how to handle themselves in almost any setting. They are professional, timely, and kind. The most important aspect of being a great model is having a talent for knowing fantastic art. You can be gorgeous and know how to pose properly, but who shoots you will always determine how awesome a model you really are so it comes down to good taste which unfortunately many models do not have. Also, good communication is key!
As far as photographs go, I can ramble on and on about bad images. Retouching is a major issue a lot of photographers suffer with, especially when it comes to retouching a model’s figure and skin and go overboard. A lot of photographers do not understand anatomy and make these comically bad retouched images that remove entire pieces of the body.
Tell us about your favorite models & designers? For any reason, why? Models: Adrianne Ho, Hattie Watson, Coco Baudelle, and Echo Nittolitto. Designers: Alexander Mcqueen, Mariano Fortuny, and Madeleine Vionnet. I love all of them because of their dedication to art and the craft of what they do. They also have defined a unique market for themselves!
What has been your best fashion look? What was your biggest fashion mistake? Ha! I never remember my best fashion look, because every day is a different day. One outfit on Tuesday may look superb, but if I try to wear the same outfit on Friday, I might not enjoy it as much. The same goes for my fashion mistakes. One mistake might be a treasure in the future!
Is there anything you dislike about modeling? I try not to be negative, but one thing I wish didn’t exist with modeling is all the inappropriate and/or rude people I have to deal with on a daily basis! Too many industry people need to calm down their egos!
What are some things you dislike or want to change about the fashion industry? I haven’t dipped my feet too deep into the fashion industry quite yet, but everything I hear is how competitive it is. I personally feel like everyone should be helpful in some sort of way.
How you prepare yourself for a modeling shoot? I make sure I eat a healthy meal beforehand and make sure I am more than prepared. I like having all of my materials ready, showered and clean, arriving however the photographer asks, and always making sure I leave the house on time.
What are your favorite types of outfits to model in? What are your least favorites? I love modeling in outfits I personally pick. It allows me to become a fashion stylist!
Tell us something about your city, your favorite hang out spots there? My city is Austin, TX although I don’t live there anymore. I love that city, and as much as I have traveled, I always hear mixed opinions about it. What I miss the most of Austin is the food. For a small city, there are countless little eateries around, and opened late! (which is always a plus for me.)
What do you like to do for fun & entertainment? I love sewing, playing with my pup, and playing Sims 3. Ha!
What is your perfect day? My perfect day: Wake up around 9 am with my boyfriend and puppy. Prepare breakfast with a fresh juice and enjoy The Weeknd playing in the background. Enjoy a show while devouring our meal. Then spend a great part of the day sewing.
After lunch, head over to the dog park and interact with others and their dogs. I will eventually come how and enjoy a nice dinner with my boyfriend while ending it with an awesome movie! I am pretty simple!!
Do you eat nutritiously? Tell us about the diet you follow on a regular basis? Is there any food which you avoid eating? I love food. I do not know who doesn’t. I try to eat healthy as much as possible, but some days are harder than others!
How often do you exercise or go to the gym, workout? I do not work out that often. I am trying to figure out my work out regimen.
Where do you generally like to shop? Do you shop online? If yes then tell us about your favorite shopping sites? HA! I do most of my shopping at local thrift stores. 🙂
Tell us about your favorites: Favorite Color: Black. Favorite Photographer: Andrew Zuckerman, Phil Hale, Karim Sadi, and Patrick Demarchelier. Favorite food: Pizza and anything Japanese. Favorite hobby: Sewing. Favorite book: Any type of fashion book.
How you access the internet? What device do you use? What according to you is a more comfortable, quick, and easy device for accessing the Internet? I usually use my laptop and my iPhone. The easiest and most comfortable technology to use for the internet is my computer. It makes typing so much simpler!
Where netizens can grab the latest news updates about you?
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/lshima
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lshima_model
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/lshima_model
Your ultimate message for netizens? Thank you for allowing me to be part of your site. Keep an eye out for any updated information about my life/career as well as some awesome content I share! 🙂