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How Saying Yes to an Exciting Opportunity Led to a Successful Unexpected Career
By Samantha Skelton
Madi Fogg managed to turn an opportunity to travel into a successful modeling career, all by saying 'yes' to life-changing opportunities.
An established globe-trotting, world class model, Madi talks all about what It's like when you're thrown into a new career just starting out, navigating body image and confidence issues, and how she wants to give back with her new passion for living a balanced lifestyle.
Can you tell me about your background and how you got into modeling?
I grew up in Australia in a small town about an hour and a half away from Sydney. It's a little town on the beach where no one wears shoes, it was such a nice way to grow up!
When I finished high school, I went on holiday near Byron Bay for New Years and one day on the beach this guy came up to me and said I should model. I had no interest in modeling and knew nothing about what being a model was like. But when this guy said I should be working overseas doing modeling, something clicked for me.
He took some photos using just his iPhone and two days after that, I had a phone call with this guy in New York. He said he wanted me to do fashion week and truly for me at the time, I saw that as an opportunity to travel. I didn't even really think about it as a job I just wanted to see the world!
I was thrown in the deep end. I didn't have a portfolio and had never done any castings. I started doing castings for all these major brands and these other girls that were also there for casting had their books and everything prepared.
It was a hard way to start because I didn't have the confidence and didn't feel as prepared as the others.
At what point did you think this could be a career for you?
When I first started, I was still so young, in another country, surrounded by agents and everyone around me was an adult. I went with what I was told to do, and everything was happening so fast.
They were telling me, 'You're going to London then Paris for Fashion Week,' it was a true whirlwind. It didn't occur to me until maybe after the first three to four years.
Every year, I always thought I was going to stop the following year, but work and travel opportunities kept coming and it was hard to say no!
Tell me about working with PAIGE Denim?
In 2018 as soon as I permanently moved to New York, my agents set me up with a fitting for them. Before I moved to New York I was working for Tom Ford in London doing fit modeling for their shoes.
So, when I got to New York they wanted me to do the same thing for Paige Denim. That's how I started with them, by working behind the scenes. After a few times, they wanted me to model for them.
It was a bonus that I fit their shoes, and because I was 5'10 they wanted me to model for them. That eventually turned into a longtime working relationship! Since then, I work with them every month in Los Angeles.
What was your favorite thing about going from behind the scenes to in front of the camera?
The whole experience was so exciting! At first, I was only working in their showroom in New York so when I first got booked for their look book they flew me to Los Angeles and that's when I saw their production of Paige.
Now, when I do their internal meetings I go in there, but you also see my face in their billboard in their office. My face is everywhere, it's so fun!
Besides having amazing clothes, the founder of PAIGE denim and her husband are the two nicest people I've ever met. Especially transferring from high fashion modeling and doing all the shows, it's such a different energy and atmosphere and I'm so grateful I could meet people that are so lovely.
What's one of the biggest things you've learned in your modeling career?
Confidence. The reason I think that I was drawn to modeling was to learn self-confidence and trust; trusting in the universe, trusting that everything will be okay.
As a model, a lot of people forget that these girls are young. You have to learn how to navigate the cities, talk to agents, determine your fees and schedule, and have a voice for yourself at seventeen or eighteen.
Learning that I can do whatever I put my mind to, was a huge lesson in confidence for me.
What advice would you give to a young aspiring model?
I would tell anyone else to have fun! If I could tell myself anything when I first started out, it would be to have fun. Especially with body image and comparing yourself to other girls, it's an easy way to get lost and it can break you down if you don't have a positive mindset.
Did you ever want to be on the fashion design side of things?
I used to use my mum's sewing machine when I was little so in my head, I thought it would be fun to make clothes and sell them.
I never wanted to be a fashion designer, but it was something I enjoyed. Especially once I started modeling and saw how the designers work, I realized I didn't want to do that, it's so stressful. It changed my perception of the fashion world.
What's next for you?
I do have such a big passion for healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle. Having to always stay in shape and look good and have good hair and skin for modeling has become my life.
I always had a strong mind personally but seeing girls around me who were new to modeling suffer, created a passion in me to help them live a balanced lifestyle and not compare themselves to each other.
I have this strong desire to help people learn how to eat healthy easily. I've learned how to make healthy dishes that are affordable and easy to make, so I want to help other people, especially moms and just women in general.
Where can people find you?
A few years ago, I was obsessed with Instagram, thinking all about social media. Then when my instagram was hacked and deleted, it felt so refreshing to not have it!
It was a blessing in disguise and I was never going to get it back, but after a while my agency forced me to have a page as it is important for clients to see girl's profiles.
I'm not that active on there, but I still keep a couple photos if people want to see me. I would stress this to any up-and-coming models: keep your social and work page separate.
It's hard as a model to post photos of your work when it's not your own hair or clothes, everything is fabricated to sell - it's not the real you!
You can find me on Instagram here: instagram.com/madifogg/
You can also check out my agency portfolio here.
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