How to be “Authentic”
In Conversation with Jesse Simon- co-founder of Other Peoples Children (OPC)
Can you talk about authenticity? How do encourage models or your other artists to stay authentic in an industry like fashion, where things can sometimes feel super fake? How do YOU stay authentic in the middle of it all?
There is one quick way to lose your authenticity. That is: to forget why you are doing something.
I always ask myself, “Why did you start this in the first place? Is it to make others happy, or yourself?” The problem begins when you make small compromises. You do small things you don’t care for. Slowly, day by day, you make a 180-degree turn. A decade down the line, you look back… How far away you have come from your dreams, without even knowing it?
Look at it this way. Modeling is paid marketing for yourself. Modeling is the gas money. You are the car. Where do we want to go with this? Because the truth is, there is an expiration date for everyone. Along the way, there are moments. First, a modeling moment. Next, maybe a directing moment. Later, maybe a writing moment. Modeling is just fuel to get somewhere else.
The truth is: in today’s industry, only a small percentage of people can survive on modeling full-time. Unlike a decade or two ago, our attention spans have become very short when it comes to models. Everyone wants ‘new’ faces in fashion. No one wants to look that in the face. Social media paints it to look very different.
Another big shift is, bigger jobs go to celebrities. When I was at Ford NY, actors did not want to model. But now, actors, musicians, writers - everyone models! It is easy marketing for their next movie, book, or album. So that's how we see it at OPC too. That's why OPC is not a "Model Agency." It's a roster of creatives. Musicians. Writers. Directors. Artists.
So, how does a talent agency stay authentic? First off, there is a lot of misunderstanding about authenticity.
For example, just before I left Ford Models, they did a rebranding. They started saying things like: “Be the change.” I was like, “Ok, cool. So now you’re changing from a modeling agency to… Gandhi?” Then they put up these fashion runway models on their site. How they care about orphaned children and all that… it’s too much!
Yes, there are positives when influencers speak about global issues. Awareness gets spread. But the way they do it is funny. I love people who are like, “I am trying to make you aware of something.” It’s like, “Um, thanks…? But we are already very aware of those things!
“Some aspects of life are just for you to enjoy. Everything isn’t meant to be shown to the world. It’s important to be careful.”
From awareness, how do we translate that into real action? That to me is a way more authentic approach.
According to me, the answer is very individual. It is the conversations we have. It is lifting up the good people around you because good people will spread more good in the world.
For example, a friend of mine started a hair and makeup agency. He is Palestinian, gay - he was a kid from the outskirts of Chicago, with a family that owned a liquor store. Now he is successful in the industry.
Do I come out and say, “Look at me! Gay rights!” What do I know about that? I’m just a mumbler from Missouri (laughs). But I helped him out somewhere along his journey - because he’s a great guy. I’m not taking credit for anyone else’s success. It is just an example of authentically helping someone out without talking about it all the time. Authenticity isn’t about giving minorities a chance. That is tokenism. Authenticity is in the small choices you make every day.
Another problem is, in the name of authenticity, people give away too much of themselves. Don’t get me wrong - I am not repressed in sharing things. As you can see, I am really really open! But at the same time, I always make sure my people aren’t compromising their integrity. Some aspects of life are just for you to enjoy. Everything isn’t meant to be shown to the world. It’s important to be careful. There are many people who will take your narrative and weaponize it. They will use it against you.
What is scary about our time now is that there are many greedy people and many desperate people. When you are in either state, it is easier to get duped. In both states, you so badly want things to be true. So you don’t see clearly.
There is a book I am reading called “The Fifth Agreement.” The fifth agreement is: "Be skeptical, but learn to listen." When you listen and something inside you says, “Hmm, not for me,"- don’t do it. Simple. Other times, it feels really right. So you do it. That is authenticity. It’s being true to yourself.
