At the age of 20, University of Maryland senior communication major Jordan Harvey from Los Angeles, Calif. has had the opportunity to do what most girls would call a dream; walk the runway wearing a top designer wardrobe and fabulous heels and not let the glam affect her down-to-earth personality.
“I never thought I would model just because I was always in athletics,” Harvey said. Harvey played tennis for her first two years at UMD. She started at the age of five, and stopped her junior year of college.
Bored of tennis and in need of money, Harvey signed up for 2010’s D.C. Fashion Week. They scanned through aspiring models, somewhat like the America’s Next Top Model process, Harvey said, and she was chosen.
During D.C. Fashion Week, Harvey said she had the opportunity to work with 10-15 designers. Some of these designers included Haydari and Renee Francis. According to dcfashionweek.org, there were 28 designers from 13 countries around the world. One can only imagine the interesting things Harvey has had the chance to wear.
After D.C. Fashion Week, Harvey got booked for Hilton Hollis New York and Tommy Hilfiger, and began working through word of mouth.
Harvey had the chance to be a part of and walk for the Glynn Jackson’s 2010 Golden Scissors Awards Hair Show in D.C. For those who may not know, Jackson does Lady Gaga’s ever-so-famous hairstyles. Harvey also walked the runway for Paradigm Boutique, a clothing store in Annapolis, Md. Harvey loved how the event was held in the actual store, runway and all.
When the option arose to go to New York with fellow models to score some agencies, Harvey decided to focus on school and pass up the offer. Instead, Harvey went to Paris in the summer of 2011 and was approached by Gerald Marie, former president of Elite Model Management.
“He came up to me and asked if I modeled, and I said not really.” Harvey felt she hadn’t done too much that semester, and of course, was being modest. “He then asked if I’d like to, and I was like, sure!” she said. Harvey didn’t actually know who he was until he gave her his card.
Within the next day, Harvey was meeting with him, the head of Nathalie Agency, and his coworkers. They did lunch, toured the agency for the day, and by the end of the week, Harvey was signed.
While in Paris, Harvey worked with photographer Chantelle Dossier. “He was a fantastic photographer,” Harvey said. “It was the best photo shoots I’ve ever done.”
Harvey also said Gerald Marie was very down to earth. If she ever needed anything or any help, Marie made everything pretty available to her. She was very grateful for this because fashion in Paris, she said, was scary.
In Europe, most modeling agencies shut down in August, so Harvey left Paris in July. During the rest of the summer she worked for Cameron Talent and Modeling Agency in California. She enjoyed this job because it allowed her to see the other side of the modeling world. Instead of being judged, she got to judge herself and see a lot of talent.
Harvey was originally planning to go back to Paris but after some soul searching, she decided to study abroad in Brazil; something she’s always wanted to do.
Though Harvey hasn’t done much modeling since, her contract with Nathalie Agency is for two years, so the possibility is always there. “Paris isn’t going anywhere,” Harvey said. “I don’t know what the next step is or if I want to go back, but I take it a little bit at a time.”
The hardest part of modeling, Harvey said, was the weight. “I’m not a size zero,” she said. Harvey described herself as having an athletic build, and some designer critiques are more concerned about image rather than feelings. But as much as people want to complain, Harvey said, “It comes with the territory.”
Harvey’s roommate senior psychology and criminal justice double major Lyndsey Keyte said about Harvey, “She has a lot of confidence in anything she wears, even if it’s different. And she pulls it off because she wears if confidently.”
Harvey didn’t let the size zero fashion world bring her down. She loves her body and was raised to take care of it by eating healthy. She likes things that accentuate her legs and loves wearing things no one else is wearing. Even though she is near six feet tall, she also loves wearing heels. “[Modeling] is playing dress up for a couple hours,” Harvey said.