Last week, we talked about Kazumi’s start as a model in Japan. This week, we find out more about her motivations and goals as well as her thoughts on modelling.
How do you find modeling in Japan?
I do enjoy it tremendously! Especially with my agency, I feel like we’re all a big family where I can be myself. However, I would say that I sometimes do feel like I have to conform to Japanese standards of “beauty”. I think as a society, we are too hung up on achieving a particular look that we neglect the beauty that exists in each and every one of us. For example, last summer, I was told by an agent to be careful of sun exposure because I got a little tan. As someone who comes from a mixed heritage background—my mother is Japanese and my father is Ethiopian-American—my skin is not naturally fair, which is what is considered “beautiful” here. Also, when I first started modeling here, I felt pressurized to lose weight and I would limit what I could eat. This went on for 5 months and looking back, it was a bad decision because I wasn’t getting enough nutrition in my diet, which led me to get sick very often, and I wasn’t happy. It’s things like this that make me feel that I need to change society’s perception of beauty and to do that, I think the best way is for me to inject new energy into the industry. I want my “exoticness” to be a breath of fresh air so that girls do not judge themselves against a one-size-fits-all standard of “beauty” and will realize their own inner beauty instead. Just as we don’t compare apples and oranges, I don’t think we should compare ourselves against others because we are all different and there is no standard of comparison for beauty.
Would you say that your ethnic background has helped you in your modeling career?
I think it can work both ways. My mother is Japanese and my father is Ethiopian-American and I’m really proud to have inherited my characteristic features from my parents. I think my background gives me my unique look. At the same time, I also find myself labelled as a “ハーフ (half)” or categorized to fit a certain mold that some Japanese people conceptualize for people of mixed ethnicity. I personally went through an identity crisis when the first agency I went to in Japan wouldn’t sign me. I thought, maybe if I became more “Japanese”, by dyeing my hair brown or changing my clothes, I would be signed. I’m past that now and I’ve come to embrace who I am and to accept myself as a unique individual. I personally reject the “ハーフ” label because it makes me sound as if I am only half a person. I think being of mixed ethnicity is more than just that. If I were to be labelled I would prefer to be labelled as a “double” or maybe even a “triple” since I come from the Japanese, Ethiopian, and American cultures.
What motivates you as a model?
My family and my friends. My mom is especially supportive of me and she encourages me to pursue modeling. I think most parents are reluctant to give their support when it comes to careers like modelling because it’s so difficult to make a living out of it. I’m thankful she supports me and I Skype with her every week to let her know how I’m doing. She’s more like a sister than a mom to me! I’m also grateful to my friends because they were the ones who helped me get through the hard times. I went through various phases of self-doubt and they were the ones who gave me strength to press on and to be proud of who I am. They encouraged me to break out of my shell and to stop hiding who I was so that I can be the change in this industry. I also draw motivation from my peers in the industry. I have this friend whom I met during the SEDA competition and she made it onto the Girls Award show alongside all the big-name models. I’m really proud of her and seeing her succeed makes me happy because she deserves it with all the effort she put in and it also makes me feel like I can succeed too as long as I work hard.
What are your goals as a model?
People tend to think that being a model is about the fame but that is not my goal. I just want to make people happy! I want to inspire girls everywhere to love themselves for who they are, recognize their own beauty and to live happily and be healthy. I’d like to bring some energy and personality into my work because I feel that’s what a model is about. As for this year, because I’m turning 20, I really want to mark my 20th year on this earth by achieving some success in my career. I want to walk in at least 2 fashion shows! Before I came to Japan, I told myself I wouldn’t be going home until I’ve achieved something significant and I have a feeling that 2014 will be the year I do something great! I’m looking forward to going home!
Any final thoughts?
“The only thing I can do best is being me.”
It’s a philosophy I live by and I really want to spread the message that we shouldn’t try to change ourselves in order for other people to love us. We have to love ourselves for who we are and naturally, other people will be drawn to love us.