Nigerian-American fashion model, Joseph Walters has unravelled plans to establish a modelling agency in his home country.
“I plan on starting it in the nearest future and it would be in Nigeria so I could help people to be comfortable with their body,” he disclosed in a recent interview.
Joseph Walters, whose real name is Babalola Otitoju Joseph, has worked for major brands such as Walkfashionshow, John Casablanca, Bndhouse, Afrimma, Krave Magazine, & Slay Magazine to mention a few.
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The rising fashion model during the interview reminisced about the devastation of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, especially how his plan for a whole year was disrupted.
His reminiscence: “Last year was tough for me because I got booked for some shoots, runaways gigs, which I couldn’t go for due to the pandemic. Fashion models like me rely on runway gigs and campaign photoshoots in exotic locations for much of their income.
So with the pandemic, fashion events were curtailed, plus brands having to scale back on their photoshoots. In fact, some experimented with replacing professional models with influencers and their own employees.
“The New York Fashion Week, which I always like to attend every year, I couldn’t go due to the pandemic as well. So, in short, I was not getting paid as a model during the lockdown.”
For aspiring models, Joseph Walters offered some nuggets of advice. A model, he avowed, must consider a lot of factors before putting his signature to a modelling contract. “For example, before I consider signing a modelling contract, I would love to know about the modelling agency and their rules and regulations,” he stated.
A model, he also instructed, doesn’t have to take every modelling contract that comes his way.
“I would definitely reject a contract if the commission rate from the contract on their end is too high. Also, I would reject contracts if they feel racist; for instance, a casting call for 200 models and picking 120 white models to 80 models to me feels racist,” he said.
