Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Walker.
Ashley, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
MsBeYouDoYou was born after I helped my friend and owner of The Dream World in Beaumont Texas, with some images for her online store and launch of her storefront. After images released and we had a few small fashion shows at the location to introduce the collections, people thought we were doing big things in the industry and sought us out for help to start careers too. I knew we couldn’t help anyone without going a part of this distance ourselves, so I made the decision to step into the modeling world to obtain the tools needed to help. The times we live in now are filled with such judgment and hate that I can hardly stand it, and people are genuinely walking around miserable trying to fit into the little boxes society forces us to conform to, so my goal took a bit of a shift. As I searched for my lane in this industry and what message I wanted my brand to deliver I knew that because I didn’t fit the mold of your stereotypical model I would have to just be me in all that I decided to do and pray that it was enough. With the help of Alfred Beverly of Charissolutionsphotography at www.charis-
I have been fortunate enough to grace the pages of QueenSize Magazine out of New York, BTFL Magazine, a magazine based in Baltimore Maryland, Snap Model Magazine, a California based magazine and walk the stages for Ashley Stewart in New York, The TCFStyle expo in Atlanta, 1426 Curves Fashion Week in Florida and Houston, National Curves Day Honors in Washington DC, was crowned Miss Fashion Week Plus Model of the year in Miami, District of Curves in Washington DC, shot with Lane Bryant in NYC during FFFWeek, and was able expand across international waters for my brand and voice to reach and empower as many souls as I could while walking for The Curvy Fest in Cancun Mexico.
I am also a published Fashion and Lifestyle blogger that launched my own blog in January 2017. Msbeyoudoyou.com
I launched and am still building Fortify Talent, a consulting agency which is somewhere people of the Golden Triangle here in Texas, can come out to get resources and tools to cut their learning curves in half when working to build in the industry. We focus on building the talent from the inside out and then allowing them to take those resources and tools to actually go out and establish real relationships and resumes through the art of networking and investing in themselves first to build their industry start.
I recently expanded my original MsBeYouDoYou merchandise released two years ago, to include my latest comfy-cozy-chic fashions that now makeup Apparel by MsBeYouDoYou! I decided to start an apparel line because I always wanted the MsBeYouDoYou line of products to be more than a glorified “t-shirt line”! I’m not a seamstress or a designer from start to finish, but I see my ideas holding so much more value than pieces to be stuffed into someone’s t-shirt drawer. I’m also a person who loves the authenticity and realness that comes with the messages and brands people choose to place on their bodies, and quite frankly I want my message to extend with the greatest reach and impact. What better way to empower and inspire the masses than to have your message on people’s bodies as they walk around? So, I chose something as universal as fashion paired with my message in order to reach the people. My apparel line consists of those everyday pieces people love to pair with other fashion in their wardrobe. I’m offering everything from a crop top all the way to a full-on jumpsuit, delivering comfy-cozy vibes with a touch of chic through the ability to dress each piece up or down as desired. Paired with the right pieces and accessories, Apparel by MsBeYouDoYou can take you from work at the office in a blazer all the way to a hot T-shirt dress with heels to have an after five cocktails with your girlfriends. I am still creating and I intend to have something for everyone, but for now, my guys, babies, and kids can enjoy T-shirts, sweatshirts and onesies as I cover all of my bases in your typical fashion forward household. I recently decided to leap and dive head first with it and did just that when I put 10 of my looks on the runway of my very first show on January 26th in my hometown of Beaumont Texas, An Iconic Night in Fashion.
Throughout my journey, I have found a passion and a niche for motivational speaking. I have been a speaker for a year now starting with my appearance to share the significance of “self love” in order to have a successful life in front of the attendees and members of the Nakid Foundation, which is an outreach organization to help build up young girls and young women of the community of SouthEast Texas. I was a speaker/panelist for the Curvy Summer Scene event in Galveston Texas where I shared my take on “Walking Beyond the Standard” as it relates to the fashion industry. I was a model panelist for the Netwerq your Curves off event at the end of 2018 in DC, speaking on the do’s/dont’s of the industry. I am booked for two Speaking engagements so far for panels in 2019, so that is something you will see me working to develop and execute to seal the deal for Msbeyoudoyou to be considered a real triple threat or should I say a quadruple threat in the industry!!! My mantra is to always “shoot your shot” while “walking beyond the standard”, for your goals and dreams and anything is possible.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a model, model consultant, fashion blogger, and motivational speaker, I am someone who has found a passion for aiding in the success and happiness of others. I’m here to empower, uplift, inspire, promote self-love, exude body positivity, innovate, transcend beauty standards while fueling you to simply be you and do you as you Live and Love every minute of your life while doing the same for mine of course!!! I hope to inspire others along my journey and with my art, to go after the things that they even when their dreams seem impossible to obtain.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Invest, invest, invest!!!! Don’t wait for someone to feed you if you’re hungry. Be willing to sacrifice, travel, establish and nurture relevant relationships and understand that your network absolutely equals your net worth. Once that is understood a hungry dreamer is unstoppable. Our cities and communities could provide more variety to the events offered for exposure giving all artists the opportunity to be visible. Certain restrictions in the city sometimes makes it difficult for artists to execute projects, so lifting a few of those restrictions on time and locations could help. What worked for me on my journey so far was realizing early on that I had to step outside of the box, maybe due to the fact that I don’t fit into the mold for the part I’m seeking and it made me more open to the grind necessary to make things happen, I’m not exactly sure. What I do know is that there’s absolutely nothing that is off limits to a person willing to put in the work and stay the course, no matter how rocky to go the distance. This is what fuels me daily.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.msbeyoudoyou.com
- Phone: 4094553695
- Email: msbeyoudoyou@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/msbeyoudoyou - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ashleywalker - Twitter: https://www.twitter.
com/msbeyoudoyou
Image Credit:
Charis Solutions Photography, The Dream World, Shein, Ashley Stewart, Charismasboutique
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
