Taylee De Castro is a plus-size Latina (Puerto Rican), a fashion model and entrepreneur.
Taylee De Castro launched her very own top of the line false eyelash company “Curvy Lash” this past February 2019.
From being a cover model in magazines to being the face of international body positivity and modeling events, Taylee has so much more work to do in the industry to make sure there’s inclusion and space to represent and inspire women like herself. 2020 is looking very bright for this powerhouse!
View the December 2019 Editorial Featuring Kaylee!
Maddy: I remember doing a feature on you a few years back on a body paint project you did with photographer Jose Pagan. How has life changed for you since then?
Taylee: How can I forget that feature in PLUS Model Mag on January 1st, 2019! It was surreal to see myself in the magazine and most importantly talking about a part of my life story and struggles. It also gave me all the hope in the world to continue working towards my goals in the modeling industry. If I had only dreamed about being featured on the magazine’s Instagram and being seen by many… imagine being one of the featured stories! It was surreal and I’m forever grateful to you for sharing a story many women can identify with.
As your career has evolved, what has been the most challenging?
Sheesh! To this day I continue to struggle with being booked by brands because I am a tattooed model. I have battled with that ever since I started my modeling career. I have learned that a plus female model with tattoos doesn’t book as frequently as a tattooed male model and to be honest it bothers me a whole lot. I have promised myself to continue working towards changing that. There are lots of beautiful, talented, professional, and deserving models that are tattooed.
Modeling seems easy when you are looking in, can you share your experience from the business point of view?
Modeling seems like its all glitz and glamour and although it definitely can be both, it is very far from only being that. There is a lot to educate yourself about in order to be able to make the “appropriate” choices for your brand. There are also lots of financial investments and personal sacrifices that have to be made in order to try and have a successful career.
So we spent some time together at The CurvyFest. How did this experience move you?
The CurvyFest makes me feel so proud to be Latina. I’m moved by how powerful we become when together in a space that has no room for judgment or criticism. It’s so fulfilling to see how we are learning to love ourselves and our bodies no matter what! It’s truly an honor and a huge privilege to be surrounded by so many amazing women.
In your opinion, why are The CurvyFest and other events such as this one important?
Events like The CurvyFest give women like my self the opportunity to meet individuals, who like many of us at some point in life, have had struggles with who we are and what we want to become. We also have the opportunity to gather thoughts and ideas that would benefit everyone in our industry.
What’s next for you in 2020?
I want to work towards breaking that barrier that has kept me and many others from booking jobs. I want to be a voice for those that have worked hard to educate themselves as models and that are very committed and professional about our work in the industry.
And yes, I am an intelligent, hard-working, female plus-size model WITH tattoos!
Follow Taylee De Castro on IG @Curvy_model_tay_
Visit online at iamcurvymodeltay.com and mycurvylash.com
[divider]PHOTO CREDITS[/divider]
Photography
LucasPicturesnyc.com
Makeup and Hair
dollhousexpress.com
Makeup
@honybeautystudio
Hair
@cosmobeauty87
Stylist
@mocstyling
Production
@Plusjones
All Dresses Available at generose.mx