Today we’d like to introduce you to Deja Janai.
Hi Deja, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I got started with modeling in college after a girl in one of my classes approached me about joining an organization dedicated to giving creatives a platform on campus. After being a part of the org for about a year a friend of mine had the idea to start her modeling organization, Femme Fatale, dedicated to helping people looking to grow their skills and get more modeling opportunities off-campus. I was appointed co-founder along with another friend of ours, and we worked together to teach walking classes, produce fashions shows, and design our clothes to showcase. During my time as a co-founder I met a lot of great designers that I have continued to work with and watched grow, walked in a lot of great shows including Fashion House Spring Rush, and my last year as a co-founder I attended my first New York Fashion Week. It’s crazy to think my first shoot was just four years ago (February 28, 2018). Now, in 2022, I’ve worked with some big brands, to name a few: Amazon, ShoeDazzle, Nasty Gal, and BuffBunny. Closer to home, I’ve worked with some of my favorite people, brands, and designers right here in Houston, There are honestly too many to name, but I wouldn’t be where I am without the support from so many of Houston’s BEST creatives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Living in Houston I don’t know that I’ve ever met a smooth road, but a bump in the road has never and will never stop me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in doing the most and I can’t help it. The first behind-the-scenes videos I filmed were just to show to my mom so she could see me at my shoots. Of course, they had to be whole productions and not just videos from the shoot. Now, people reach out to me specifically for these videos. It’s feeling real full-circle around here. My need to be different and unique, to be “other” is my driving force and what sets me apart. My main goal is to inspire black women to be different. We’re so multifaceted, so 4 dimensional, we are the original muses and we deserve to be unique and pursue whatever unconventional path we choose. We’re constantly being put in boxes that don’t resonate with who we are. I want every black woman that finds my content/work to kick those boxes over and build their own out of this world box on the remnants of the mediocre, stereotypical boxes. I don’t want to be anything other than proof that whatever you want to do you can do it. And for any black woman or girl out there that feels like no one will support them while they reach for the furthest, brightest, biggest star, I’m here cheering you on every step of the way. I’m most proud of the little black girl that never took no for an answer. Never let anyone tell her she was doing too much, talking too loud, dressing too crazy. She’s my biggest fan and first role model. I hope she knows I’m so proud of her.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I’ve never been able to answer the “where do you see yourself in 5 years” question. I don’t know where I’m gonna be in the next five minutes, five days, weeks. I just do what feels right and hope I have a good time doing it. The future is too bright for me to focus in on what exactly I’ll be doing, but I know what I want and I always have what I need when I need it.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Cameron Reed (@camsvisualart)
Jamal Ferrel (@killerlens)
Katie Charlesworth (@katiesphotolife)
Rome Goodson (@romegoodson)
J. E. Marble (@jermarble)
