You do a lot of content around styling tips. Why is TikTok a good medium to share these tips?
“The fashion industry hasn’t infiltrated TikTok quite, yet so my biggest asset is my industry experience. I’ve always said that fashion is a form of self care. Although it takes time and a lot of trial and error, figuring out exactly what works on you, and more importantly what you feel confident in, is so important. There’s no better feeling than leaving the house knowing you look hot, so if I can help people obtain that feeling from my TikTok, that makes me happy.”
Tell us about this video of you explaining your process behind styling Sivan.
“I make that content because I grew up watching Unzipped, Paris is Burning, the Marc Jacobs x Louis Vuitton documentary, and the process of how these shows or balls came together was so fascinating to me. The elitism inside of the fashion industry is what ruins the magic. I want to peel back the curtain and give this younger generation an unfiltered look at what goes into something like that. Sometimes it’s fun and glamorous, and sometimes I’m in a sex shop trying to find the perfect latex wrestling singlet.”
You use your platform for LGBTQ+ awareness. Like this video. Why is this important for you to do?
“Listen, I LOVE being gay. I cannot imagine a life outside the LGBTQIA+ community. But that is not always how it’s been and I know a lot of the young kids on TikTok are going through the same thing right now. I want them to see someone fighting for them who is confident in themselves and their queer identity. I want every queer kid who watches my videos to know they’re not alone.”
You’re very candid about modeling. Do you think there are a lot of misconceptions about the industry?
“The entire modelling industry is a misconception. I make those videos to educate aspiring models on what the industry is actually like and what they should expect. I was lucky to have had the career I did, but I was more lucky to have this sense of humor during it. It made that industry a lot easier to handle. As I said, I did it for the quality memorial video content.”
What do you think about the potential TikTok ban in the U.S.?
“Isn’t it just so funny that the kids on TikTok ruined that rally for Trump and then a week later the Trump administration talks about banning the app due to ‘privacy concerns?’ None of our information is actually stored in China, it’s all in Singapore and here in the U.S.. I do think TikTok has a lot of kinks to work out, but the ban isn’t happening.”
What is your favorite TikTok you’ve ever made? What took the longest?
“My favorite TikTok I’ve done is where I rated the names that my high school bully used to call me. It was cathartic. I’m even making ‘Faggoty Ann’ stickers, coming out in August! [As for the longest,] the Story Time videos like “How Beyoncé unintentionally started my modeling career” or “How I ended up opening and closing my first ever Paris Fashion Week runway show,” always take so long. Getting all the images and recording the voice over. I hate doing voice over. Never work with kids, never work with animals, never do voice over.”
