Downey High School Sophomore and aspiring model Christian Giraldo is following his dreams of becoming a model one step at a time by attending a school of the arts, Bellas Artes, which is Spanish for the Beautiful Arts. There, instructors skilled in dancing, modeling, acting, and singing train students in achieving their goals. Though he says he hasn’t had much experience, Giraldo has been modeling for almost a year and hopes to become more famous by creating his own fashion line, which he plans on modeling for the world. Giraldo considers modeling a hobby of his, but he began getting more serious about it after he began modeling clothing from his mother’s clothing store over the summer.
“Lady Gaga was one of the people who inspired me to model and motivated me to chase my dream,” says Giraldo. “She’s amazing; she’s not afraid to put herself out there and I think she has great style.”
Though Giraldo doesn’t like to think negatively, he says that if he doesn’t make it far, with his fashion line, then he plans to pursue his career choice by modeling for other companies and designers. If he doesn’t make it at all in the modeling business, he plans on going into graphic design.
“I really like graphic design, and on my senior exit project that was one of my choices,” said Giraldo. “I also got being an international businessman. I don’t mind it. I like making money and I like doing business.”
Giraldo really wants to work with Vogue magazine. He also wants to work with the people who inspired him the most: Lady Gaga and Madonna.
Jacqueline Possie, also a sophomore is an acquaintance of Giraldo’s and has been modeling for almost two years. They both enjoy it very much.
“I feel amazing and marvelous,” they said together.
Giraldo has advice for those who want to pursue a career in the entertainment business: “I believe that everybody has inner beauty. It’s there; you’ve just got to find it and bring it out. Even though they’ll put you down and tear you down, you’ve got to keep on doing it. It’s all worth feeling good about yourself.”
Eager for more information, a friend told him about the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and he now plans on attending to launch his clothing line.
