Anya
Agencies
Mother Agency (MA): Peggi Lepage
toronto: ciotti Models
Montreal: forward mgmt
milan: abc models
korea: d2nd model
Answers to Q&A
Why did you become a model?
I started modeling at 17 years old after being introduced to my incredible mother agent, Peggi Lepage. I've always been creative at heart, drawn to the fashion world and everything that surrounds it. Modeling quickly offered me a way to express myself, connect with a close knit community, and grow alongside people who truly believed in me.
Growing up in a tiny town where creativity and fashion weren’t popular interests, I didn’t always feel like I fit in. I was always made fun of for trying new trends, and a bit of an outcast. I knew I had to escape it one day, somehow. When I was introduced to the industry, it was the first time I was surrounded by people who shared my passions and did not judge self expression. Over the past seven years, I’ve built some of the strongest friendships I’ve ever had, ones I truly believe will last a lifetime. For the first time, I felt I had finally found a real sense of community.
My passions for art, makeup artistry, content creating, photography, and styling all came together in this one space, which made it feel like home. Alongside the chance to travel the world, the decision to pursue this path felt effortless. From sewing my own Barbie clothes and filming stop motion Youtube videos with them as a kid, to working with extremely talented production teams in designer clothes, I’ve come a long way and learned more first hand than I ever could have by just studying it!
What makes you special?
Something that makes me special and has helped me along my career is I do have strong determination when I truly want something. Despite being under the industry’s typical height requirement and coming from kind of the middle of nowhere, where nobody was doing what I was to look up to, I was able to push past the rejection and take all the criticism along the way without it shattering my spirit. I used to work 2 part time jobs while being a university student just to have enough cash at the beginning of the spring to hopefully catch a flight out of there for a contract. I am very lucky to have had a mother agent who pushed me, and believed in me more than myself at some points. Although there were many hurdles and standstills along the way, I'm forever grateful I never gave into the pressure, and all of the voices who told me it would be impossible. I definitely wanted it all bad enough to keep pursuing my goal.
What are you passionate about?
Besides the passions and hobbies I have already mentioned, I’m very passionate about self discovery and being a free spirit. I love constantly changing and evolving. I’m always the friend who wants to do something spontaneous, take a solo trip to a new country, learn about different cultures, eat new foods, never feeling trapped or close-minded. I think this is why I've always had different interests and hyperfixations on random things. I've taught myself how to draw hyperrealism, play instruments, master sports, I even bought a stickshift car without even knowing how to take it for a test drive, telling myself I'd just have to figure it out after (which I can now do basic mechanical repairs on!). I love to feel free, and not be intimidated to explore everything I can during my lifetime. I have been many different versions of myself and have dabbled in loads of different things.
When you are not modeling, what do you do on your day OFF?
On my time away from modeling, I work my day job. I majored in economics in university so now I am full-time trading and investing in the stock market in a self-directed account. Some work days are slower than others, so I typically go for a drive at some point to relax and listen to music or pick up a friend to hangout. Something my friends and I enjoy doing on a regular day is going out to eat or shop while just talking for hours. I’m definitely a night owl so I ALWAYS fall asleep to a documentary on Youtube, something my model apartment roommates have always poked a bit of fun at me for.
If you could give an aspiring model advice, what would it be?
Advice I would give to an aspiring model is to breathe and slow down. Trust the process, this is something that requires patience, dedication and your own savings upfront. Try to separate your emotions and self-image from the constructive criticism you’re bound to hear. Seriously evaluate your motives and interest for modeling, and see if they align with the reality of it. Always be sure to go in with confidence and a positive attitude, as that will take you further than your pretty face or perfect measurements. I think models sometimes forget how much hard work goes on behind closed doors to get that final image of YOU finished. The work starting from the client, the casting directors, your booker, the set designer, h&mua, assistants, stylists, photographer, retoucher etc, all leads up to creating the beautiful image of you to put on your instagram.
Be sure to also keep your ego away and any superficial feelings about being a model as you are just the finishing touch to a boatload of other people’s work and plans! Have fun and enjoy every part of your journey.
Oh and most importantly, be a good fellow model! Be the roommate in the house who claps when someone gets a booking even if you don’t. Be the roommate who will stay up all night to help someone crying about being homesick. Don’t be the other model on set who's trying to be competitive and rude or in the casting line. Know your time is coming, and wishing failure on fellow models won't get you there faster.
