11/06/2025
To the parents, the young models finding themselves, the designers, stylists, photographers, directors, everyone who helps shape what fashion becomes:
I’ve been in this industry for years. I’ve grown here, learned here, failed here, healed here. I’ve met people who pour love, creativity, and soul into what they do… and I’ve also seen how easily we can forget the human inside the art.
Recently, I heard of a designer/show director call out a 13-year-old boy for being “overweight.” A child. Still growing, still forming confidence, still figuring out where he fits in this world.
And that moment reminded me exactly why I grew into the person I am today.
Because fashion is supposed to be about expression, identity, transformation. It’s supposed to be where we explore who we are and who we’re becoming, not a place where we shrink to fit someone else’s idea of “acceptable.”
EveryBODY has the right to express themselves. Every body is art. Every story deserves space.
I’ve done a lot of self-work over the years. I’ve had to examine how I show up, not just in my work, but in my presence, my words, my intention. And from that growth, I understand this:
We don’t elevate art by breaking people down. We elevate art by creating safe space, by encouraging expression, by guiding rather than shaming.
To the young models: You belong here because of who you are, not because you match someone’s measurements.
To the parents: Support your children, but also protect their hearts. Remind them that their value is not defined by any single voice in the room.
To the designers, directors, stylists, and creatives: We shape culture. That is not small. That is not casual. How we speak to people, especially children, matters.
And to my fellow photographers and artists: We are not just capturing images. We are capturing identity, spirit, and becoming.
I want to help shift this industry. I want to help build spaces that are safe, expressive, bold, inclusive, and real. Spaces where growth is nurtured. Where art comes from truth. Where people are seen, fully seen.
Let’s remember why we fell in love with fashion. Let’s return to creation, not criticism. Let’s create rooms where people leave taller than they arrived.
That’s leadership. That’s legacy. That’s the future of fashion.
“We rise by lifting others, especially the ones still becoming” ~ Javi
Javier AlmeidaCEO, Almeida Studios LLC Partnered with Forever K. Michael