Humans of Blair: Finding her passion on the runway

Affrata Jemal

Photo: Affrata Jemal - A model and junior at Blair.

Affrata Jemal - A model and junior at Blair. Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

“It was a TikTok trend … I saw it and I tried it out. It turned out to be something that I love.”

Junior Affrata Jemal is referring to the Vogue TikTok trend from 2020 where people would take a photo of themselves and edit it to look like the cover of a Vogue magazine. Little did Jemal know that this TikTok trend would change her life. After getting noticed by Canadian model Coco Rocha and being encouraged to contact modeling agencies, Jemal’s routine changed from that of a regular high schooler to that of a model attending fashion shows, partnering with brands, and meeting photographers across the world.

Over the past two years, Jemal has immersed herself fully in the modeling scene. While her journey has been challenging at times, she maintained her “never give up” mentality and eventually signed with IMG Models, the same agency 2022 Model of the Year Bella Hadid currently works for.

Through modeling, Jemal has had incredible opportunities to travel to various places. Last school year she traveled to New York every week to prepare for fashion weeks or work on brand partnerships. However, her favorite modeling experience so far was going to Dubai for a photo shoot, where people treated her like a celebrity and asked to take pictures with her.

From being inspired by TikToks to now traveling across the world, Jemal has gained valuable experiences and discovered that modeling is her true passion. Through this journey, she learned that the most important message was to “not give up” on her dreams, even in the face of challenges.