A biography for Paloma Elsesserhasn’t been written yet.
“A huge part of my career and how I want to participate in the world is being unapologetically myself and being honest and vulnerable.”
“I wasn't scouted in the mall as a kid; it just kinda happened naturally 'cause of Instagram and New York and being visible, which is cool. Things just started rolling in. Timing was in my favour 'cause the Internet acted as a catalyst for the fashion industry to change and be more open 'cause people demanded it.”
“I had seen images of Crystal Renn and Sophie Dahl growing up, but I didn't really know about the plus-size fashion industry or how lucrative it was or, like, that it was changing or that I was even invited.”
“I think I felt pretty alienated, being bigger, being mixed race, being of lower socioeconomic standing.”
“I am trying to be the girl I didn't have. That's important to me. I have to be conscious of that. In this weird, dark, small, very intimate way, there's a girl out there who relies on me. And that's super important to me, and I don't want to let her down.”
“The more and more I got into writing, the harder and harder it became for me. I still love it, but it became much more problematic than I thought it would be.”
“It's important for people to understand where things come or what they represent.”
“Embrace the grease, if any, and look fresh and human. I like to look like a glazed doughnut.”
“I like looking wet, sweaty, dewy, fresh.”
“I hope that in 50 years I can look back and say I made my most fervent efforts to provide visibility for the unseen.”
“I die wearing a bootie for three hours. I'm like, get these off of me!”
“It's important to see color. We are not the same. We have very different experiences.”
“For makeup, I swear by a base of Embryolisse, Nars concealer, that Bobbie Brown foundation stick, Pat's highlighter, a brow fill-in with dark brown eyeshadow and angle brush, a groom with Anastasia brow gel, an eyelash curl, and two swipes of drugstore mascara.”
“At times, the curve/fat/plus convo tends be this 'out of the dark' story, like, 'I used to be insecure, but now here I am.' But that is not my reality, and for most of the people, that isn't their reality, either.”
“I went to small liberal schools my whole life, and I was also a bad girl in high school; I went to, like, five schools.”
“You're dealing with all these foreign agents, foreign brushes, and different time zones. So, you have to put just as much work into taking that makeup off as you do into putting it on.”
“When I started Instagram, I kind of just did what I like to do or to show the things I like, whether it be sneakers or weird flowers, have the little drops of myself and my style kind of fluidly throughout. That was really helpful in starting and carving out my own place.”
“You don't want to be too hot in the club. And ambience is important - no fog machines.”
“Beauty means expression and being your most authentic self.”
“My parents are artists and have always instilled great pride in understanding of various backgrounds.”