MISS NOVEMBER 2008

VELVET D’AMOUR

Photo by Christopher Parry

Velvet d’Amour is a model, an actress, a photographer and a filmmaker. But she isn’t your typical trendsetter. In fact, Velvet is helping to tear down more trends than setting any. The 41-year-old makes her own rules and believes in herself and has done so en route to a successful career as a 300-pound fashion model. She is best known for having appeared in an October 2006 Jean-Paul Gaultier catwalk show in Paris and for her role as the title character in the French film “Avida,” which was distributed by Cinema Epoch.

So how did it all begin for this sexy American model in Paris and what is her advice to aspiring models and others that struggle with size discrimination? PollyStaffle.com decided to find out. We caught up with Velvet and here is what she said in this empowering edition of Polly’s Pinups.

VELVET GOLDMINE

Photo by Maya Guez

CCF: I know your big break was in 2006, but prior to that you were a model and also a photographer primarily. So to start things off, why don’t you talk about the photography side. How did you first get started?

VDA: I started shooting when my college, School of Visual Arts, insisted all fine art majors take photography, back in 1987, I believe. They had us shooting on Pentax K1000’s and I was screamingly terrified of all things techno so more or less ‘put the line in the middle’ and shot loads of black and white, which I then developed and printed myself. That gave me a great basis to work from, so despite my initial reticence I now appreciate having done so. I have about three Pentax K1000s and still love to work with them when shooting film.

CCF: And at what point did the strong love affair with photography emerge?

VDA: I guess being the youngest of five kids, with an 18 year age difference between myself and my eldest brother, made for my love of photos since he of course had several thousand pics of his every move and by the time they got to me I have like one techno color Sear’s portrait, but beyond that I exist not in visuals, so I suppose I made up for lost time. My parents were much older when I was born, my Dad was 56, and thus I was captivated by the boxes of photos which highlighted the 40’s and 50’s, and have never lost my love of black and white, or shoulder pads for that matter.

CCF: At what point did you start modeling? How did you get your start there?

VDA: I started modeling in 1985 just on my own for the artwork I was creating at the time. Everyone kept asking me if I was a model, and thus I eventually went to one of those suburban mall things where several agencies scout. I received some interest from a Toronto based agency, but had to be in Toronto, and I was in Rochester, N.Y. at the time. Thereafter, the scout from IMG showed interest, but said I would need to lose a lot of weight. Thus my dieting began. I was on a swim team and also track (shot-put and discus), so I weighed around about 140 sporty pounds, but did crazy 80’s diets to get down to my smallest at 117-pounds (I am 5’8). When they told me I was still too fat at 117-pounds, after all that obsessive struggle, I was pretty disappointed. I didn’t feel I could conceivably get any thinner, especially as I wasn’t partaking in the most popular form of weight loss at the time, cocaine. That began the yo-yo dieting phase of life, which only served to get me fatter and fatter. I ended up working on loving myself, since I had done my head in with so much dieting, which led to failures, which led to self loathing. As a part of my process of undoing that self hate, I started to have friends shoot me. Long story shorter , when France opened it’s first plus size model agency, PLUS by Contrebande, I decided it would be fun to shoot, and sent along a pic of me stating that I wanted to test some chicks, when they saw my pic, they asked me to sign on as a model! They have me in the “plus division,” but as I am by far bigger then the average plus size model, they also included me in their “wanted division,” which has more of the “freaks,” and as I have always embraced my inner freak, I feel right at home there.

CCF: How is it behind the curtain of a catwalk? It seems like it’d be a bit crazy with people running all around, somebody getting dressed over here, naked person over there, etc. What is it really like?

VDA: You pretty much nailed it. It is organized hectic, and chock full of creative vibes. A lot of beauty, and the process to “beauty,” which is always interesting, witnessing the artistry behind the “product,” all that goes into a fleeting moment of magic. The amount of time and talent is not always appreciated by the general public as they aren’t at the midnight fittings, chit-chatting with the international crowd of folks sitting behind sewing machines into the wee hours of the morning, or astride a table laden with cosmetics, watching some killer coif come to life through the hands of people who all start out with a wig and a prayer at Susie’s School of Beauty, these are the people who make the magic. Though models being the end “product” score the kudos, much like in film where as an actress, I do my lines and delve into the role, but the dude’s behind the scenes, on scene at 6 a.m. and off set after midnight, are the one’s who certainly deserve equal credit, yet more often then not do not get it.

Photo by Ted Ottavio

CCF: Yeah, speaking of movies, you have a little film career you are working on. Why don’t you talk about some of the projects you’ve been involved in so far.

VDA: The main project that I worked on was “Avida,” I scored a role in a film thereafter where I would play a double personality, but it ended up that they were asked by the UGC to do a rewrite, and I haven’t heard since. I hope it eventually comes to light, as it is a very juicy role which I would love to do! I began more with contemporary dance and ended up making two videos, which are included on the U.S. DVD of “Avida.” The songs are original as well with me on vocals and having done lyrics and Phil Broikos making the tunes.

CCF: I read that you turn down a lot of roles as well because of the content and context, is that right?

VDA: I do receive other offers and more often then not they involve dissing fat folks, so I won’t take them, which limits me a lot. But if you don’t do what you believe in, then you are more about the recognition then the product, and I need to believe in what I do.
So given the roles are more often then not stereotyped, or derogatory, I decided to just make my own films. (LOL)

CCF: Good for you. Before we talk about your own projects, what kind of roles do you look for and what do you try to avoid?

VDA: I look for roles period (LOL). Sadly, there are not a plethora of pieces be that on stage, in film, or televised, which call for a 41 year old, 300-pound charmer. If anything is offered 99.9 percent will be for roles which perpetuate the mythology that fat people are ugly, clumsy, lackadaisical, gluttonous jesters. I refuse any such offers no matter the wide recognition and money they may involve as I can’t partake in what I don’t believe in. I do have a few storylines in mind that I will tackle in the future. And I will continue to create my own videos so as to open positive opportunities up to other disenfranchised actors/models.

CCF: Yeah, as far as your videos, tell me a bit about the stuff you’ve done so far?

VDA: I have made my first short film titled “Cest Quoi la Mode?” and entered it into You Wear It Well, so we will see if I make it in, otherwise I figure I can pop it onto You Tube. I like the process of making everything on my own even if again techno-wise I am a fawn lost in the woods. Thank Heavens for forums, ay? I have another song completed which I hope to have Phil help me equalize and already shot footage to marry to it so I am on my way. It’s great giving people who are often neglected by modern media the chance to be in the limelight, even if it’s admittedly my own home baked stuff. I love to create and share my vision of how beauty can be found in so many more places then the media would like to allow.

CCF: That is a great way to go about your career. Take charge and create the things you want to be a part of. Now, as far as modeling and acting, you very much are a pioneer as there isn’t a lot of size acceptance in our society.

VDA: Why thank you kindly.

CCF: How does it make you feel to be one of the people breaking down that oh so idiotic barrier of size discrimination?

VDA: It feels pretty darn logical in fact. (LOL) The more you get away from Western notions of beauty, and particularly away from TV, the less sense all that makes. People find it implausible that they could ever see a 300-pound woman, or a little person, or an older person, or an “impaired” person, etc. attractive or desirable and those living outside the standards of accepted beauty norms are certainly effected by being disempowered through imagery both blatant and subliminal. Yet museums can offer solace, as they allow us to travel through the ever changing “beauty” ideal and see that it may not be “our” time to be celebrated, but heck there maybe once was a time, and we can just as easily create that time. I think everyone is an artist, its merely a matter of harnessing that energy, expressing it, and by using creative energy to dispel these oppressive, ever more exacting standards of “beauty,” we as individuals can utilize the power, the web in particular, allowing for a broader outreach and through this expression we are empowered.

CCF: As far as your path to empowerment, how hard a road has it been?

VDA: The road to self acceptance was far more challenging then the road to the runway because the sparkling truth is that once you do the arduous, cerebral work on your psyche, which slowly gets you across the bridge to self acceptance, you reap so many rewards it is at times unimaginable. But I like to keep it all in perspective because the fact is, it is an immense luxury to perceive self acceptance as a “hard road,” when there are millions of people across the world who struggle just to survive on a day to day basis.

CCF: Good point. But as a whole do you feel society has become more or less accepting since you first started?

VDS: It’s a mixed bag. People who are labeled as different have often been awarded this perception from a very early age and thus we may struggle through the formative years, as it tends to be strife with a yawning embrace of conformity, but once we break out of adolescence the tables seem to turn and our differences can end up our greatest strengths. The ability to reach out to more people via the net has made the world a smaller place and thus we have a greater sense of connection with others who may be less accepted for differences, and by virtue of that recognition we are empowered. So that sense of revolution generates greater acceptance. Yet Western society is drowning in advertising, which saturates our consciousness both blatantly and subliminally, this markets the ideal in such a powerful fashion that people begin to lose touch with more integral preferences, as they become awash with what is sold to them, versus what might touch and move them more innately. This strong capitalistic hypnotism coupled with the pungent desire for fame/recognition drives people to judgment. And judgment itself is now celebrated via programs which feature humiliation as entertainment. So we have people struggling for fame with a very definitive ideal road mapped out for them via media saturation and this struggle to be worshipped/loved necessitates them to conform. The trend to glorify judgment highlights a less accepting atmosphere. One has only to peruse the responses to a recent interview I gave to Patty Huntington to witness the powerful feelings generated by my appearance. When we consider the number of fat people out there, versus the pittance of inclusion in modern media, it drives home the less accepting aspect of society. But I believe that the more we take action, the more power we have to push towards a more tolerant culture.

CCF: I read there was an interesting story of how you got the name Velvet. Can you share that with us?

VDA: Certainly! I was volunteering at an HIV/AIDS organization to work their safe sex hotline and we had to make practice calls which other volunteers would listen in on to further help everyone learn. They started joking about my sultry voice being well suited for a different type of phone work and nicknamed me Velvet which stuck.

CCF: (LOL) I bet you kept the hotline ringing off the hook. (LOL) Switching gears, something that I personally am very much against is gastric bypass. You hear of lots and lots of people of plus size getting this surgery these days. What is your take on it?

VDA: My take on gastric bypass is that I personally wouldn’t choose to do it, but I don’t judge others who might. Very public bypass patients have thereafter gained the weight back, so the notion that it is a guarantee to good health is questionable, since many studies show that the gaining and loss of vast sums of weight is in fact more “dangerous” then maintaining one’s weight. Additionally, the side effects are not often appreciated, yet the desire to conform so tantalizing, that caution can be thrown to the wind and all the false promise that thin conjures up drives people to perceive it as an “easy way out.” But I am sure there are those who make that choice and love it, so more power to them.

CCF: Right. That’s sort of how I look at it. If people want to do it, that is their choice. Hopefully, they go in knowing all the complications that can come with such a surgery, but if it’s what they want to do, good luck with it and hopefully it makes them happy. Tell me, as a model, a photographer and an actress, what do you personally hope to accomplish career wise?

Photo by Frank Anthonio

VDA: A good time! (LOL) I suppose my work is driven by witnessing the suffering borne out of a bias media and realizing that if each individual takes action towards integrating a more encompassing beauty ethic then we can make a difference, even if initially on a small level, towards helping people to feel better about themselves. The talk is always of HEALTH! HEALTH! HEALTH! and how dare I drag my fat ass down a runway, when my purported clogged arteries are enticing young impressionables to power pack Dingdong’s down their throat, whilst resting idle in front of the boob tube, yet when is mental health questioned? When do we take into account the oppression suffered daily by not just fat people but thin, short, old, “ethnic,” differently-able, etc. etc. etc. Even people we see as “pretty” can be suffering, because they don’t feel “pretty.” It’s not as much about the theory of pretty, as it is about coming to revel in the unique wonder that each individual is. If we accept ourselves, we also can move away from such self involvement and better help others. The millions of people across the world right now holding conference with their mirror, ensconced in a purgatory of self repulsion when their lives are passing them by, is rather scandalous when you think all the good that could come from the power of their thought being transferred to other issues. So I hope to get people questioning themselves and digging beyond what may seem obvious, I hope to empower people to appreciate what an immense gift they are - as they are, and I hope that their acceptance might free their mind to explore and help make a difference. Lastly, I hope for a tight purple corset, nights in white satin, and a recreational room with pink cotton candy walls, a Seychelles beach floor, topped with dancers on the ceiling. Quirky, ay?

CCF: Sounds like fun. To wrap things, I was hoping you could share some advice. The stereotype of who can be a model – male and female - has always been tall and skinny. What advice could you give for our readers out there that are aspiring models, whether they fit that stereotype or not?

VDA: My advice is that anyone can partake in the activity of modeling, especially with the advent of digital photography. There isn’t a question of who “can” model, there is the aspiration that doing so will give you power through money and recognition/kudos. That said, invest in good photographers. Study magazines for poses and open yourself to emoting. The number of people who proclaim they want to model, who then stand blank faced holding a pose akin to that they did for the free plastic comb back on school picture day, is actually quite extraordinary. The funny thing is the advent of “America’s Top Model” has done some good, as people have become more cognoscente of what modeling involves beyond getting backstage passes at concerts, and cutting ahead of the cue at nightclubs. Lastly believe in yourself. I was told by a model agent that my chin was too long, my nose too wide, and my eyes were to close set for me to be a model. I laughed. How ridiculously exacting a standard. Happily I thought differently and thus (John) Galliano, (Jean-Paul) Gaultier, (Ellen) Von Unwerth, etc. followed.

CCF: And even more will follow. Thanks Velvet. It was a pleasure having you.

- CCF, November 2008