No Sugar Coating with the gorgeous AliMarie Stepka

We met AliMarie Stepka last week and fell in love with the edgy girl who seems to know a lot at 19.  She is an international model having walked in Comme Des Gracons in Paris, shot for Elle Italia, and walked for Chanel in Sydney. When we sat down for lunch, we could sense that AliMarie tells it as it is so we thought it would be great opportunity to get some hard truths about the life of an international model. Caution: Some Secrets can be hard to take...

The unforeseeable unglamorous aspects of traveling all the time is that I have to completely rely on myself. All I have is myself and my two suitcases. I have to have such a hard head in this industry. I manage being independent and being away from home for as long as it takes to build my book (portfolio) in each city. I have to tolerate the critiques I receive from all the agencies, to fix my hair, body, etc. It takes a huge toll on me to be judged and under a microscope 24/7, and most of the time, I feel that I have no one to turn to. While I have my family, hearing the trials that I face takes a lot out of them and it is hard for them to understand the pressures I endure to maintain "perfection" in the agency's eyes. 

One hard lesson that I have learned is how tough the world can be. People will befriend you, love you, and leave just as quick as they came. I have found that staying detached from everyone is the only way to stay sane. I have to take care of myself and protect my heart, because no one else will. I don't have friends to turn to when things go wrong. I only have the temporary friends that I have made in my short time spent in each city. While I am an open person, I can't expect them to help me pick up the pieces of my life. I have to do it alone. While it all sounds cynical, it has made me a much stronger and more mature person than most people at my age (19). To experience things at such a young age, that most people won't experience in a life time, it makes all the troubles worth it. I love traveling and I really appreciate the opportunities that have been presented to me. Despite the loneliness, I truly love my job, and I hope to continue it for quite a few more years.

If you plan to be an international model, don't let anything slow you down. Don't let relationships get in the way of your dreams, and remember the girls that are traveling are all experiencing the same thing as you, and we're always happy to lend an ear. All we have is each other and our jobs, and if you love it, truly love it, then everything that you endure will be worth it. So keep your chin up, and work what you got, and hopefully it will all pay off in the end.

You can read more of how AliMarie Stepka breaks it down in her own blog with a great title:

Allison in Wonderland

Mother Agency: Rival Management

L.A. Models - Los Angeles

IMG - NY, Milan, Paris, London.