Interview with Texas based fashion model Julian Wade Shaffer

Julian  Shaffer is by far one of my favorite models and perhaps for none of the reasons one would think a model should be catapulted into the favorite category.  I love his tenacity and his spirit.  Julian's greatest feature is his willingness to continue to grow and to rise above.  

Although my reasons for liking this model have much more to do with his spirt, it is obvious that Julian is not lacking in the looks department.  Julian is a well mannered natural talent and is aggressively growing his craft daily.  Shooting with him makes life memorable and worthwhile.  He is eager to continue to learn and produce.  I surmise that Julian will be soon making his marks across the catwalks of  New York and launching international campaigns. Julian hails from North America, Plano, Texas.  For booking inquiries contact Taylor Kelsaw Management. 
@Taylorkelsawmgmt

What is your name? Julian, Wade , Shaffer

What is your date of birth? September 19, 1998

What industry are you employed in? I’m in the people industry. I love people, meeting and talking to different people understanding and appreciating different cultures is very important to me. I love being a fashion model because it gives me the opportunity to do that.

What is your professional title? Fashion Model

How long have you been employed in your profession? 3 years

What are you passionate about?.  Music and Art as far as careers go. As well as a model I love to paint and write. As far as the world goes I come from a very mixed background so I am very very passionate about fighting and combating racism and injustice at any level especially socially and economically.

In what ways do you express yourself the most? Painting and modeling and talking …

What is your definition of success? Happiness easily. Experience too. I don’t care how much money you got if you’re not where you want to be then you failed.

What is the most difficult thing you have had to overcome in life? Oh that’s a big question. I couldn’t tell you. Actually, that’s a lie the hardest thing I had to overcome was success believe it or not. I don’t come from an excellent background so when things I love came true it was hard to accept. I’m used to a lot of horrible feelings so when things are truly amazing it’s hard to accept.

How did that difficult experience shape who you are today? It made me open to the idea that the past doesn’t define me. I’m not my past I’m what I choose to grow into.

What are some of your most memorable accomplishments? Staying clean up to this point, getting signed with Taylor Kelsaw, graduating high school was a big one too.

What makes you happy, what fulfills you? I’m not sure how to answer that. I’m only 20 years old and I don’t think i’ve found true happiness in something yet.

How has art and creativity shape who you are? It’s made surprisingly honest. It’s hard to lie when you’re creating anything. Creating what lives inside my head has definitely brought me closer to me for better or for worse.

When did you first show signs of creativity? I’d have to say really after my parents split. I kept to myself and drew a bunch. Always in a book or a drawing.

What would you call your creative super power? I wouldn’t say I have one. Maybe posing haha.

If you were not working in the creative field what would you do? What I do as my side job, bartending. But if I didn’t have access to music or art from others I’d be dead.

What is culture to you? Culture is a series of traditions and shared beliefs that inspire feelings to a group. YOu have ethnic cultures, musical cultures, sexual cultures etc.

How important is culture to you? Incredibly. Culture is what makes us unique and separates us from a machine.

What are your thoughts on diversity and unification? Unification through the acceptance of difference is important but I think cultural unification is more important. Nobody should be forced to get along with other people who show consistent and dehumanizing behaviours. I think that is actually worse than segregating cultures because it makes one feel and looked as weak.

How does music influence you? Music saved my life. Music is the most powerful force on Earth it changes my mood with one change. Music for me is an explanation and a description of different cultures.

What is your favorite genre? Punk rock/hip-hop/jazz

Which music artist do you listen to right now? Lil Wayne is playing right now haha. Mona Lisa off Carter V. My favorite artists right now are The Exploited, Lil Wayne, Dropkick Murphys, Clash, the Cure, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Leftover Crack, Kid Cudi,

Who is one music artist you think we need to hear? I think everyone needs to listen to the Sex Pistols haha. They’re rule breakers you know? Not in the way that kids are now haha.

What is your favorite color and what does that color represent or mean to you? Black. Easy. Black is completely overwhelming in every type of artwork. You can’t ever use too much cause it’s over powering, like me haha.

Name three people who have influenced your life the most. My mom, my brother, and my best friend Christian

How were these three people so influential? My mom taught me perseverance, my brother taught me kindness, and Christian taught me toughness.

Out of our core values- love, culture, distinction, expression, creativity , artistry, and influence which are the most important to you and why? Creativity, distinction and expression. Nobody should ever be marginalized and be disrespected. I think that creativity, expression, and distinction is how we rise above that and communicate our self worth in a powerful way.

Out of  our core values that you have chosen to be important, why do the those core values resonate with you? Because i’ve always felt like I wasn’t good enough and i spent a lot of time in trouble so I’ve had to use those three values a lot to help myself get out of bad places.

What are some of your very own core values? Respect, non-conformity, and toughness.

What are 3 things you would encourage others to do to help them to remain positive? Remember that you are a product of the universe that took billions of years to perfect, that atoms that make up the individuals come from the stars. The hard times that people go through are the moments that define us. Be there for yourself, love yourself, and don’t ever give up.

How important is it for you to continue to grow and evolve? It’s the most important thing for me. I don’t ever want to be perfect, i think that’s inherently a stupid and dated concept because it sets a limit on how much there is to grow.

What is the best advice you would give to your former self? Don’t give up on yourself, don’t isolate yourself and let go of the past.

What is one piece of advice can you give to encourage and inspire others? Leave the past where it is and move forward.

What is one thing you could never live without ? My friends

What advice would you give on how to live your best life? Stop caring, stop worrying, just go for it whatever  “it” is.

Do you feel different? Oh hell yes. Without a doubt.

Is being different okay? Of course.

What inspires you to move through the difficult times? I lost my closest friends to suicide, addiction and some are alive and are jaded and hollow at 20. That’s what pushes me, they live through me because I hold their memories.

Are you confident in who you are becoming? Yeah I am now.

What makes you so confident? Because I can look back to where I was going.

What impact do you want to leave on the world? I want to help people who’ve been through what I’ve been through. I want to inspire a new generation to go out and do their “it”.

What are some things that you have accomplished that you once thought were impossible? Living. I’ve attempted suicide and put myself in horrible situations because I didn’t value myself. The fact that i’m here is a miracle that I appreciate a lot now.

How did you accomplish those things? By being forced to face all of the pain I didn’t want to acknowledge.

What motivates you? My friends that are with me and those who aren’t. My family too, especially my mom and my brother.

What is the last thing you do before you sleep? Listen to some good music

Do you think we will be better, worse or indifferent as a society? I think after we’ll be better but I don’t think it’s going to be worth the cost it takes to get there.