Meet Michael Andrews Jr. | Fahsion & Commerical Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Andrews Jr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
A habit that has helped me succeed is visualization. Visualization has really been a tool that has helped me tremendously and has provided me with greater clarity and focus as I pursue my dreams and achieve success in all aspects of my life. I first start with a question: “What do I want to portray? What do I want to get across to my audience? What impression do I want to leave?” As begin to think about and contemplate the answers to these questions, I begin to form an image in my head. This image becomes a goal to work for and gives me a clear and distinct outcome that I wish to achieve. If the image in my mind is fuzzy or incomplete, then that means I still have more thinking to do. Once I have a clear goal or image in my mind, I can then work backward to determine how I can get there, and then that’s where the fun really begins.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a model, it is very easy to get caught up in the glamour of the everyday hustle-bustle of the high fashion modeling world. Societal beauty standards can often be exacerbated within the fashion industry. When I was first starting out, I was very insecure. I wondered “what if I’m not tall enough? What if I’m not fit enough? What if I’m not stylish enough? What if I’m too dark?” I quickly realized if I was going to be successful in this industry that I had to change my perspective. I first had to believe for myself that I was good enough: good enough to be seen, good enough to be heard, and good enough to be present. After my internal dilemma was resolved, I turned my attention to how I understood fashion. I had to go back to the basics. Fashion doesn’t necessarily mean having the latest clothes, or the most expensive jewelry, or the best studios and photographers- fashion is a way of life. Fashion happens wherever you are, whenever you are. Style is an attitude; it’s how you want to present yourself to the world. It’s another extension of your life! Fashion only happens because we as people make it happen. I see fashion not only as a way of expressing myself but also as a way of enjoying life. Being in quarantine has really helped me hold onto this ideology as I was forced to do more shoots at home. It reminded me that fashion exists because I do! We all have something unique to bring to the table, we just have to be willing to show it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am an Atlanta native so it’s hard to pick just one favorite place in the city but I am an outdoors person, so I love visiting Piedmont Park with my family as well as going to different hiking trails on the outskirts of the city. I’m also a big seafood lover, so I love the food from the Crab Pot Lounge located in College Park. The atmosphere is fun and inviting, and the food is delicious!! I could eat there everyday.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I really want to give a shoutout to my support system i.e. my family, my friends, and love ones. It’s because of their love and support through the years that I have known great success and have remained unyielding when faced with great challenges. They are constantly pushing me forward and reminding me of who I am and the eccentric qualities that I possess. They are always holding me accountable and calling me out when I’m being hypercritical of myself. Because I know I have their support, it allows me to be the best version of myself at all times and to pour myself into my work wholeheartedly, so they know that their support is not in vain. I want to give a special shoutout to my mom Nina Andrews who is my biggest cheerleader and who actually started me on my modeling journey. She was the first person to encourage me to pursue it as she once did, and she continues to be an amazing role model, and I want to be able to follow in her footsteps even more.

Website: https://koalamodelsagency.com/profile.php?michael_andrews_jr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelaandrewsjr/

Other: email: michaelaandrewsjr@gmail.com

Image Credits
Tuki Daily (Black and White Photo)