Meet Trailblazer Tayler Caffee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tayler Caffee.

Tayler, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a young girl, I was always the tallest in my class. It wasn’t until I was 12 or 13 when I realized that I could put that to use in modeling. Ever since, I dreamed of becoming a model and traveling the world. I’d spend all night researching how to become a model, what the job entails, how to pose, and look at a million photos of models. When I was 15, I was scouted at a mall by an agent and my parents brought me to a test shoot, but at the time I had braces and was in love with playing water polo at my high school so the timing didn’t work. When I got to college and finally got my own car, I took advantage of my newfound freedom and submitted my pictures to every agency I could. I ended up meeting with a few agents and eventually, I was signed to Willow Model Management in spring of 2018.

Signing a contract with a modeling agency was one of my biggest dreams and to finally be able to say I did it was extremely exciting. I did a number of test shoots to build my portfolio and get comfortable in front of the camera, and let me tell you it’s definitely not as easily as it looks. Juggling a part-time job and a full load of units in school, I squeezed in modeling as much as possible over the past couple years. Since I’ve been signed, I’ve been booked for runway shows, been featured in a magazine, had a shot of me displayed in a gallery in New York City, and have met and collaborated with so many lovely and talented individuals. At this point, I feel like I’m at a cross-road: I have one more semester of college left and it’s time to figure out how I’m going to make a living for myself. Do I find a career related to my studies and get a full-time job? Or do I aggressively pursue my dream of modeling while I’m still young?

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yes and no. I’ve never had any modeling horror stories, for example dealing with a creepy photographer or tripping on a runway, but having a job that focuses on your appearance can get a little mentally exhausting at times. I’m grateful that I didn’t start modeling at age 15, as many successful models do, even though I so badly wanted to. Starting at 19 gave me time to gain maturity and a sense of who I am as a person and I think if I had been younger, I would have been eaten alive by the pressures of the modeling world. In my journey so far, I’ve met agencies and gone to countless castings for jobs and had been rejected. Whether the rejection was directly to my face or passive by not getting a callback, it doesn’t feel good. I’ve learned that you can’t take it personal. I’m a tall blonde, maybe the client was looking for a sassy brunette or a more athletic build for their campaign. It’s important to be resilient and keep putting yourself out there– I have to remind myself to keep doing what I’m doing.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’ve done a lot of work for bridal, so I’ve worn dozens of gorgeous wedding dresses. However, I love collaborating with photographers in my spare time, this way I get total creative control with the setting and the wardrobe of the shoot and I get to make it my own. It’s fun to share ideas with people and see what you come up with rather then worrying about making a client happy.

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
I don’t think anything in particular played a huge role but rather a combination of having supportive and encouraging friends, my own self-determination, and the organizations I’ve been involved in along the way that have helped me build my own confidence and have shaped me into who I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @taylercaffee

Image Credit:
Cesar Uribe, Howard Min, Curt Nordling, Makeupbyshay_a, Aroos Magazine, Marc Colcer

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