By Olivia Miller
Models have the unique ability to take a designer’s piece and bring it to life. But what is the true job of a model? To Pittsburgh-based model Janea Barlow, it’s much more than just strutting down the runway.
Barlow’s first introduction to modeling was in high school when her mother found a modeling class at a local church that taught posing and walking.This sparked her interest in building a career as a model which led her to seek out opportunities like Pittsburgh Fashion Week.
To put it simply, Barlow believes the job of a model is “to inspire.” She believes that no matter the nature of the project, a model’s mission is to show others that they can be in the same place and achieve the same things.
In her career as a model, she hopes to achieve just that. Her most important career goal is to “not only make a mark on younger girls but also start a movement.” She wants to encourage young girls and boys interested in modeling “that if you have the thrive and the drive, you can do it.”
She acknowledges the lack of modeling opportunities in Pittsburgh and hopes to create more by establishing a modeling school or agency in the future.
By bringing more modeling opportunities to the city, Barlow hopes to be an agent of change in enhancing the Pittsburgh fashion scene, which, in her opinion, is “overlooked.” She believes that the city is full of talent; all it needs is “the right opportunity to have the right eyes on us,” to turn the city into that of New York City or Paris. However, Barlow clarifies that Pittsburgh’s goal is not to be New York City. Instead, Pittsburgh needs to “pave its own lane” to create a fashion scene as unique as the city itself.
For more information about Janea, visit her Instagram @itsamoradiamond.
