Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Watkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Audrey. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey as an influencer and model really began with my time as a dancer. I grew up training in all styles of dance: ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and everything in between. I danced on my high school drill team, followed by my time as a Texas State University Strutter, and then I had the honor of dancing professionally as an Allen Americans Ice Angel. Throughout my years spent as a dancer, I modeled for many dancewear companies, my personal favorite being DallasWear and Waitressville Uniforms. I had modeled print and commercial when I was younger but took a break while I was focusing my time on dance. In college was when I started getting “brand deals” as an influencer through Instagram. Some of the partnerships I have done include Fashion Nova, Pretty Little Thing, Kinilife Swimwear, Bumble, Shoe Dazzle, Palm Beach Tan, FIVE Palm Jumeirah Resorts, The Tower Club Dallas, Licor 43, and many more. These partnerships opened doors for other opportunities for me as a model, such as being flown to Turks & Caicos with The Mermaid Experience photography event, working with Ignite International and Ignite VIP, and finally getting to live my own fairytale and go to Phuket and Dubai with Maxim Magazine! I have some upcoming shoots in the works that I can’t wait to be able to announce!
A little bit about me personally, I actually graduated high school early and began college at Texas State when I was 17 years old! I was a member of Alpha Delta Pi and studied Marketing. Animal rights is a cause very close to my heart as I also grew up fostering dogs with the Flower Mound Humane Society and the DFW German Shepherd Rescue. My family has fostered somewhere around 75 dogs, and we have helped with the adoption coordination of over 100 others! I also currently work full time at the Aston Martin / Pagani Dallas, and on weekends you can find me doing bottle service at One Sette or Bottled Blonde.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not, but that’s the beauty of it all! If everything was a smooth road with no bumps, the rewards wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying. Every model knows that you will be told “no” significantly more than you will be told “yes,” and it can be hard to keep your head up because of that. My appearance is part of my job, and it can be tough sometimes to remember that not getting casted doesn’t mean anything negative about my looks or my body: it just means that I wasn’t the right fit for that particular job. I remember going to a casting for a major brand that I was excited about the prospect of working with, and not getting the job. I was extremely disappointed about it at the time, but then two days after finding out that I didn’t get that one – I got the call that I was going to Thailand with Maxim! Had I been casted for the clothing shoot, I wouldn’t have been able to go with Maxim because the dates would have overlapped. I do my best to keep in mind that everything happens for a reason.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
It sounds silly, but I guess I am my business! I specialize in social media marketing as an influencer and print/commercial as a model. My niche tends to be swimwear and lingerie, but I also do a fair amount of lifestyle as well. My accomplishment I am most proud of as a model would be Maxim. I love what I do, and while the money is great, I do it because I truly enjoy it and I appreciate the artwork that goes into photography and fashion. I’ve met some incredibly talented and intelligent people along the way, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Hmm, this is a tough one! Sometimes I look back and think about where I would be if I could change some things, but then I remember how proud I am of myself. I wouldn’t change a thing! I am a huge believer that everything happens for a reason. I think if anything, I would tell my high school age self to stop being too harsh on herself. I was a perfectionist and honestly, I had a bad habit of comparing myself to others. If I had to start over, I would try my best to learn to love myself much sooner than I did, and I would want to help my friends do the same. Life is so much better when we’re all uplifting both ourselves and others.
Contact Info:
- Email: audreyywatkins@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/audreyywatkins
Image Credit:
@rockybachelor @dallaswear @mermaid_tci @afallastudios
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Meet Central Dallas Series Sponsor:
Pink MahogHany: Pink MahogHany is a niche fragrance house that creates olfactory courtships by way of Eau de Parfum, ambiance room sprays and diffuser blends. Most recently, PM has added moisturizing hand sanitizers made with organic 190-200 proof alcohol, organic jojoba and essential oils. With the founder (Chavalia) being a musician and educator, the brand thrives on educating and informing consumers about ingredients, their purpose and benefits outside of just fragrance usage. Each composition is created with uniqueness and individuality in mind. A good fragrance calls; an exceptional fragrance whispers™️
- Website: pinkmahoghany.etsy.com
- Instagram: pm_fragrances
- Linkedin: Chavalia D Mwamba
- Facebook: facebook.com/PMFragrances
- Other: (We are currently located in Longview, Texas but originated in Arlington.) Our products can be found online.
