Ashley Graham Was the "Before" in Your SkyMall Magazine Before Supermodel Fame

-You're on the cover of "New York" magazine.
-Today. -And there go, today.
-Look at that. -Today.
-There you go. [ Cheers and applause ]
It's a fantastic photo shoot.
There is one photo I want to show, because I've heard
you say that this was a -- This was difficult.
-This was one of the hardest positions
I've had to be in for a photo shoot.
-And I will say, looking at it, you realize,
oh, you look very relaxed, but that does...
[ Laughter ] I -- I don't know
if I would be comfortable in that position.
And also, no one would want to see the resulting photos.
[ Laughter ] -You never know, you never know.
-Yeah, you never know. That's true.
-So I like, first of all, that this looks like lips.
It's really cute, right? -Yeah.
-But my knees were probably, like, this far
from my shoulders, and I was bending all the way down.
Kind of like these steps right here.
And I had to push my neck up and I was like --
And I was trying to model. [ Light laughter ]
It was very difficult. -How many -- How many shots
do you think it took? -It took 30 minutes.
-30 minutes? -30 minutes for the one shot
so -- It was worth it.
-But you've been working your whole life for this.
-I have. -Because you've been
doing modeling a long time. We have some early photos,
because it's not all -- It's not all glamorous
butt in the air photos. -No, no.
It doesn't start there. So, this is actually --
What was this in? -Okay, so this was in "SkyMall."
-"SkyMall," so there you go. -So, any of your airlines.
You just pick up the magazine, and you would see the "before."
-Yeah. -And the "after."
-And it's -- I guess in the beginning modeling days,
you start as a "before," and there you go.
"Before... [ Laughter ]
Frizzy and curly." -Frizzy and curly.
-Did they at least let you also be the "after"?
I was, but they just popped a wig on me, though.
-Oh, no. -So, I knew, like, the --
The product probably didn't work.
I am starting to think I'm going
to stop trusting "SkyMall."
-Yeah, right. But you know what?
That's 17 years in the making, and look at me now.
-Yeah, look at you now. [ Cheers and applause ]
How -- How far back does -- This is J. Lo's fashion line.
-J. Lo! So, this is when J. Lo had
her first line out with Macy's.
I think I was about 14 or 15 years old here.
-There you go. -And I share many of
these photos in my book, "A New Model,"
because it's really fun to go back and see
where you've come from. -Yeah, of course.
And one of the things, where you came from
and what you've sort of grown into, is not only a model,
but you sort of described yourself as a body activist.
-Yes. -Tell us what brought you to,
like, giving yourself that title or using that term
and where you are today on it.
-Well, social media plays a huge role in everything
that I do, and I was just posting normal photos of myself,
not retouching cellulite, not retouching back fat,
and girls were saying, "Oh, I have a body just like yours!"
And I realized that I had a voice, and I had a reason
for women to say, "Oh, I don't have to compare myself
to the skinny, regular girls that media portrays
as perfect all of the time."
So I was, like, you know what?
I'm a body activist. -Well, there you go.
-And so now, I talk to young women.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I talk to young women, older women,
but one of the best stories that just happened to me
recently was a man e-mailed me and said, "Thank you,
I'm finally having sex with my wife with the lights on.
She feels sexy in the lingerie that you created for her."
'Cause I also have a lingerie line.
And it's like, "Yes!" -Great.
-Because women should feel sexy in bed, too.
-That's great. -Yes.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Right? -Yeah.
-Yeah. You can wear some lingerie, too, Seth.
-I know. I'm just thinking about it.
Lights on. I feel like the reason
the lights are off is 'cause my wife's not into my body.
[ Laughter ]
So, but you mentioned this lingerie line,
and now I know that you actually -- Now you're on the other side
of the casting table. -Yes.
-And so, now you're finding the models for your line.
-Yes. -Is it more relaxing
to do it that way? -Well, just today I had
a casting for my runway show that's happening during
New York Fashion Week, and it was bringing back all
these crazy memories... -Sure.
...of showing up to a casting. There we are, behind a desk,
just waiting for you to fall and trip on your face.
But I was, like, "No, girl, its okay.
Just come on in. I know it's raining outside.
You look beautiful." [ Laughter ]
And I really had to -- I want to book all of them.
They're so pretty, but you can't.
-It's very helpful, once you've been on one side.
-Yes. -I think it makes you very...
certainly a lot more sympathetic being on the other side.
-And then, I make them take their clothes off,
put on my lingerie, and then we have a party.
-Well there you go. That sounds great.
You also have "The Ashley Graham Show."
What is it called? Sorry. -"The Ashley Graham Project."
-There you go. -It's on Verizon go90.
-And your husband directed it. -My husband directed it
and shot it. I know, he's such a sweetie.
-Was he a good director? Did you enjoy working with him?
-I mean, I love working with him.
-That's great. -Yeah, yes.
[ Laughter ]
-Not only... -And the whole film is shot
with the lights on, which is great.
[ Laughter ] That's a good sign.
Congratulations on everything. -We do like the lights on.
-All right. Thank you so much for being here.
-Thank you, Seth. -Congrats on the book,
the show, the line. -Thank you.
-Ashley Graham, everybody. "Ashley Graham Project"
is available on go90.com and through the go90 app.

Ashley Graham Was the "Before" in Your SkyMall Magazine Before Supermodel Fame

Latest Posts