Modeling is considered as one of those fields, which seems glamorous, attractive and tempting. But the struggle to get into this field is experienced only by models. The hard work, the pressure and the ability to work for long lasting hours are qualities of a true model. Today we are having a model with class and elegance Gabriella Leonardi Welcome 🙂
Nelly: How exactly did you come to model, that particular thought which popped up your mind telling you yes modeling it is?
Gabriella Leonardi: I was in Hastings, the town where my family lives and I was with my mum watching the famous pram race when a man came up to me with a card and said he’d love me to model for him. We looked up his work and it was great so I decided to do the shoot. My mum had told me that when I was 7 scallywags spotted me but she didn’t let me do modeling when I was younger. Anyway, I did that shoot loved it, then went off to drama school and then in the summer holidays, a year after the shoot I just mentioned, in July 2016 I did a shoot for local photographer Conrad Lee and it’s been a year now since then and things just developed and it’s been a year now.
Nelly: Have you always dreamed of becoming a model?
Gabriella Leonardi: I haven’t actually no. I always looked at magazines when I was younger and clothes adverts and online clothes stores and loved it as I always loved fashion and was always a little embarrassing poser but I never thought I’d be good enough to ever model mainly due to my crooked teeth, which the dentist won’t fix for free. My passion always lied with acting. Ever since I was 3 I was putting on performances for my family and I now attend East 15 Acting School in Southend where I study BA HONS In Acting and Community Theatre. I always wanted to be an Actress for Film and TV or a TV or Radio presenter.
Nelly: up till now for how many brands have you already worked?
Gabriella Leonardi : I’ve worked with quite a few, some I can’t mention as of yet until it’s released. Unfortunately, I haven’t worked with the top well-known ones such as Chanel, Versace or Topshop etc, however, this is one of my goals and aims, especially Topshop. However, there is one independent designer I work with quite regularly, Lacry Couture. Lacry’s designs are just so elegant and beautiful and you can see some of her clothes in a lot of my images. She’s a great contact to have and took me to the royal Ascot this year where I wore her designs. It was an amazing experience which I’m so grateful for.
Nelly: What kind of profession did you learn?
Gabriella Leonardi: I have learned to stay humble. I have learnt to grow thick skin and remind myself that you’re not going to be right for everything you go for and not everyone will like your work. I have learned how to maintain diet and skin and drink water – I don’t eat extremely healthy and I am not on a strict diet but I must eat the right foods to supply energy and keep up good health. I have also learned to not beat yourself up about rumors, comments or hate. A lot of things can get mixed up in this industry and a lot of people talk and gossip and not everything is true. Stick to your gut, stay humble, remember there’s always going to be people better than you, be kind, be friendly, be tough, do what you want to do and don’t worry about losing friends, as I find you do in this industry but you lose some and you gain some. Also, only measure your journey and success with your ruler, no one else’s – you don’t know when or how others started and there is no use comparing yourself to others. If you’re fun to work with and have a personality hopefully you’ll do well.
Nelly: How can a man inspire you? So you want to get to know him?
Gabriella Leonardi : This question made me giggle. Erm, I guess they have to have a sense of humor and can have some banter. They should be ambitious and hardworking but also love adventures. I love adventures, I really want to travel but haven’t yet. Hopefully, I can within modeling and acting. They also have to love food, as I am always hungry.
I guess the main thing for me is someone who is ambitious, wants to do well, supportive with the career I have as boyfriends in the past haven’t understood why I want to enter this industry and obviously the given thing is they have to be loyal.
Nelly: Describe yourself in 3 words
Gabriella Leonardi: Ambitious, Determined, Compassionate
Nelly: What do you do in your free time?
Gabriella Leonardi: Asides from drama school, modeling and searching the internet and social media for jobs I tend to; Read, visit friends and family, work in a bar to earn some money to help fund everything. I go on mini adventures, whether that be to the beach, or find a new quirky place to sit. I often go out at night as I love looking at the stars. When I can afford it, I go on meals out as this is one of my favorite things to do. Especially breakfast, I love going out for breakfast – fruit on pancakes or Nutella croissants!! I love looking around quirky shops as I collect snow globes and postcards.
Nelly: where do you see yourself in this profession in future? Please comment on this
Gabriella Leonardi: I have no idea, this is a question that lingers in my brain every day. I have a lot of goals I want to achieve and keep a journal with a list of these in. I’d love to shoot for some big designers, eTopShop and I’d love to get into Vogue UK or Elle Magazine. I’ve had a publication in Vogue Italia which is hopefully a good start. I’d also love to be an Actress for TV and Film and star in the type of films that inspire people. Some examples of films that inspire me are; Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, The Theory of Everything and there’s loads more but I’ll be here forever. I also would like to think in the future I’d have travelled abroad to help and inspire kids that don’t get the chance people here have. I do stilt walking and aim to link this in with this so I can entertain the children in a weird, wacky way.
Regarding your question, I have no idea where I see myself or what will happen but I just know I’ll keep trying to achieve what I’d like to achieve. It’s mad what can happen in just one year so who knows. Keep applying and searching for jobs and meet new creatives.