If her effortlessly cool street style doesn’t draw your eye, it may be her mass of untamed auburn curls that billow around her, or perhaps it’s the hint of a smile that’s just as present on her lips as it is in her eyes that gives her a permanent vibe of playfulness. Maybe it’s her Irish, Scottish, Chinese, and Jamaican heritage.
Should you be fortunate enough to interact with her, you’ll find that she’s every bit of cool as you thought she would be when you first noticed her. She is a ball of goofy grins and body gestures and has such an animated character, you can’t help but smile when you talk to her. Extremely down-to-earth and radiating an air of friendliness, it’s hard to accept that you are talking to an up-and-coming model.
The 5’9” Miami native is 19 years old and an ‘undeclared’ sophomore at the University of South Florida. Born to conservative Jamaican parents, Ashley was finally able to openly pursue her dream of modeling—which is quickly becoming a reality—after coming to college.
Lacking the support (and permission) from her parents, Ashley got her start in the modeling world by sneaking out of the house at 18 for casting calls and other modeling opportunities, as well as by reaching out to those already in the industry such as photographers and other models through Facebook and by establishing a presence of her own.
“[I] started from the bottom,” she says with a nonchalant shrug, “taking the bus, sweating, walking in the rain.”
And she has come a long way from her beginnings: with professional online print advertisements, Ashley was recently signed to Benz Models and Talent Agency, which does casting in the Tampa area for commercials, print ads, film, and more.
Her hard work continued as she worked two full time jobs in order to achieve the means of transportation required for the mobile nature of the industry—all while having an internship and taking three summer courses. Finally having a car of her own, the world is her oyster and she now has her sights set on being signed in Orlando, and then onward to her hometown of Miami.
But her world doesn’t revolve around just modeling. Determined to be well-rounded and knowledgeable, Ashley also studies photography and art history. In lieu of her new goal of getting a role on the Disney Channel, she’s actually enrolled in an Intro to Theatre course here at USF.
When asked what she does to relax, the normally talkative Ashley had to paused and think about it. “I don’t know if I ‘relax’” she says with air quotation marks as her freckled nose crinkles as her face scrunches up in thoughtfulness. Eventually, she reveals that during her downtime she’s always reading and learning more about her industry: past models and their careers, photographers, art history and how it influences the fashions of today, etc. This lends itself perfectly with her desire to be, what she calls, an “educated model.” As such, she’s hoping to major in a study that will apply to the industry—particularly the business side, which she says is an aspect that many other models have absolutely no knowledge about.
Her drive and determination to be a successful model is all-encompassing and she is continually dedicating herself to crafting her passions into a career. When she speaks to you about it, it is evident that beyond her unique look and pretty face is a woman with the discipline and intelligence to make it happen. This is extremely fitting, as her favorite quote is one from actor Will Smith:
“If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.”
Should you choose to doubt her, I’ll be right along with her saying “I told you so”. Ashley Parchment’s laughter may come easily but her ambition is serious, and soon you will be seeing the fruits of her labors when she is in the commercials you watch, the magazines you read, and in the ads of the stores where you shop.
If you would like to see some of Ashley Parchment’s work, here are the links:
https://www.facebook.com/ModelAshleyStone
http://issuu.com/lostfreedom/docs/january-2013 (Starting at page 100)
http://issuu.com/racingminds/docs/summer2013
And follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @ashleypapel.