Vogue Challenge: Pt. 1

In celebration of the inclusive nature of the #VogueChallenge, I created the covers below using archive photos from some of my favorite photographers.

I was just a student in college when I first started Ella Kol. After being inspired by the gorgeous Korean/Australian fashion blogger, Nicole Warne, I was inspired to create my own blog to explore what fashion, personal style, and creativity mean to me. As a young girl growing up reading fashion magazines like Vogue with my mom, I always aspired to be a super model. My mom did some modeling herself back in her days but even then, she said it was so rare to find any Asian models in a major magazine. It was obvious to me, even as a little girl, that I was not up to the beauty standards glorified by the major magazines at the time. If there were Asians or other people of color were featured in an editorial, they were usually not the focal point of the campaign and rarely did I ever see an Asian person on the cover.

My journey into modeling really just started out from positing pictures of myself on my blog. I was slow to exploit Instagram as a platform and I was really shy and insecure about even telling people I had a blog where I posted pictures of MYSELF. It seemed vain and shallow, yet I didn’t think I would be ‘discovered’ by an agency at the time, so the only way I was going to model was to fake it till I made it. Slowly but surely, friends who also happen to be photographers themselves started reaching out to collaborate and take pictures. All of the photoshoots I styled myself and did my own hair and makeup. Because I was so used to taking pictures with a self timer, I was really comfortable in front of a camera and I was able to teach myself how to angle and pose.

Overall, I’ve been INCREDIBLY lucky. The photographers I’ve gotten the chance to collaborate with have always been so supportive and positive. Even when I didn’t know what I was doing, it didn’t matter because we figured it out together. Every photoshoot provides a window into a new world of creativity and I’m so happy to be apart of the journey.

Now, I think times are changing. Harpers Baazar featured Dr. Leana Wen among other incredible women to voice their thoughts on social and racial injustice. Kpop is now apart of mainstream culture on platforms like Twitter and TicTock. Beauty brands like Glossier are forming beauty communities based on inclusivity and celebrating diversity. I really believe that ANYONE can make a difference. There are so many ways to network, build communities, explore new brands, and support small businesses. Be your own muse! Foster your own creative spirit! Everyone has to start somewhere and you never know where your small beginnings will take you.

Photography credits:

First Cover: Photography by @meganclaireco

Second Cover: Photography by @connortookapicture

Third Cover: Photography by @paigesawaya

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to like, share, or leave a comment in the section down below. I would love to know your thoughts and if you have any suggestions on content you’d like to see, please let me know!

xx

Ella Kol