Paloma Elsesser

“I originally went to school for writing, for non-fiction. I'm specifically a poetry major within literature, but I don't know.”

“New York has influenced me a lot in terms of my own independence. I'm really struck by the idea of authenticity, and I think New York embodies that idea, even though people are like, 'I miss the old New York.' But at its core, it has this natural, authentic energy. L.A. lacks that idea; it's painted over.”

“My parents always supported me and complimented me on other things, not just my looks. They told me I was capable, that I was smart, that I was creative.”

“I moved to New York for school right after I turned 18, but I started getting into trouble - so I went home to L.A. to regroup.”

“Wearing too much makeup definitely makes my skin worse.”

“Having a multi-cultural background has granted me access into different ideologies, cultures, and ways of living. It has shaped who I am and how I participate in the world.”

“It's not that that I'm not comfortable being naked, but when you grow up fat, you can't take away the shame or embarrassment even though you're a model. It's not just erased.”

“It's not fair for little kids to feel bad about themselves for how they look.”

“Growing up, people would always say, 'You have such a pretty face.' It's kind of backhanded. That's the kind of things we have to stomach.”

“I'm happy to sparkle like a glazed disco ball.”

“The International Girl Crew isn't supposed to be super exclusive - that's a really important part of our brand and message. It's not just our crew - it's a lifestyle. It's for everybody to know how empowering it is to be surrounded by friends who motivate and support you and who you feel like you can exchange ideas with and do projects with.”

“It's really hard not to fall into that trap of insecurity when you're a model. Beforehand, I never looked at myself in a huge monitor with 30 people around it every day.”

“I think self-love isn't some destination you get to and you are then incapable of feeling those feelings, but a journey in which you adapt your experiences to make for a happier life.”

“I have to remind myself when I'm on a job and I'm feeling a lull in attitude or confidence or whatever, I'm there for a reason. I have to constantly remind myself of these almost corny Pinterest mantras, like 'You are worthy.'”

“My version of makeup is a really intense skin regimen. I just think it's a healthier way to look at beauty.”

“We have to tokenize in order to normalize.”

“I remember going to the Gap when I was in the fifth grade, and I desperately wanted a pair of blue jeans. I was with my dad, and I remember picking up the jeans, looking at them, and thinking that they had to fit me. But there was nothing that fit me. This was before the age of stretch, so I was trying on adult Gap.”

“It took a lot for me to be able to say that I'm a plus-size model or a model at all without feeling terror or this kind of panic, because it was something so unplanned.”

“The Internet really offered a space for me to thrive.”

“I went to private school my whole life. Growing up in Los Angeles, you're surrounded by not just Connecticut privilege but, like, your-dad's-a-movie-star privilege.”