By Kailyn Thai
Junior Samantha Bernal walks down the runway in the spotlight. As cameras clicked and the audience stared in awe, Bernal realized how much she loved her job. Growing up, Bernal was always starstruck by people on TV, inspiring her to become who she is now: a runway model.
Bernal started modeling when she was only nine years old, participating in photoshoots with an agency. Years later, Bernal became a model for Moda2000 Inc., known to be the number one formal wear showroom boutique in California. In the four years working with Moda2000, Bernal has been modeling in Quinceañera dresses from new collections and appearing in fashion shows that occur every few months.
“When I was shopping for my [Quinceañera] dress at Moda2000, they offered me three free months of modeling and it sounded like fun, so I said yes,” said Bernal. “I took part in a model casting for Moda later on that year and I ended up becoming an M2kModel.”
Whether she’s improving on the runway or finding a second family, becoming a model was definitely life-changing for Bernal. It was a nerve-wracking experience for her at first, but with hard work and practice, she overcame her lack of confidence and grew to enjoy it.
“I didn’t think [modeling] would change me the way it did,” said Bernal. “It has given me opportunities that I never thought I could have ever reached.”
Before fashion shows, Bernal and her friends practice weeks in advance to prepare as much as possible. On the day of the shows, backstage becomes crowded and busy, which can become stressful for Bernal. However, it’s worth the stress because Bernal notices improvement after every show, making her incredibly grateful for her coach, Javier Ortega.
“[Javier] has taught me everything I know and has given me the confidence and motivation to do better,” said Bernal.
Last year, Bernal and her friends worked hard enough to appear on AwesomenessTV’s “My Dream Quinceañera,” and even got the opportunity to have their own reality TV show, “Model Material” where people can watch what happens behind the scenes of the Moda2000 models. With one season of the show so far, Bernal has had a lot of fun filming it with her friends.
“My experience with the show was really amazing. I was glad I was doing something really fun with my best friends and we made a lot of great memories on and off camera,” said Bernal.
Even though Bernal is very experienced, she believes that anyone could become a model regardless of looks. As long as there’s dedication, practice and confidence, Bernal encourages those who would be interested in modeling.
“There are a lot of girls who ask me if they need to be pretty, skinny, or tall to be a model, [but] I feel like it’s really important to have confidence in ourselves for who we are,” said Bernal. “Every person is beautiful in their own way no matter what anyone has to say.”
Over the years, Bernal became more passionate about modeling and decided that she wanted to turn it into a career in the future. Though she knows that college would be a good path for her, Bernal believes that modeling is too much fun to let go of.
With that, Bernal is thankful to have her managers and family at Moda2000 and hopes to help those who are struggling with self-esteem and confidence.
This story was originally published in the 2020 RED Magazine.
