The modeling industry is evolving in step with the growing influence of social media. Ashley Smouter, a Canadian model and a vet by industry standards, is expertly riding the social media wave that brings out the best she can offer her nearly 600K—and growing—Instagram following. “In the beginning, I found it hard to navigate. It took me a minute to find my voice on the platform. It was also very different from what I was used to. I had to shoot my own content, instead of having photos taken of me,” she explains of learning the ropes of a social media presence. “It was a learning experience. I like where we are now with social media. I think it gives models the opportunity to showcase more of their personalities, interests, and other skills. We can show our workouts, meals, fashion tips,” elaborates Ashley.
Ashley uses her social media platform to promote not only her looks but to champion the ideas and principles that are dear to her. She speaks about her love for animals and animal welfare, veganism, and provides her audience with her own vegan recipes. Although her long modeling career has been an enriching experience so far, she hopes to eventually create her own fashion line of faux-furs, merging her love for fashion and animals into one project.
Ashley calls modeling a “creative space,” where one can meet with other creative minds—stylists, makeup and hair artists, photographers, clients. “I also really love the feeling of doing something ‘new’ every day. Whether it’s a new location, new style (editorial, beauty, castings etc), a new team, there’s quite a variety and change in each day,” she notes.
Since she is always up for something new, Ashley says that she has “never been stuck in a single place, or with a narrow thought of who I am—I’m constantly moving and finding new ways to build my brand.” In a bid to do something new, and expand her presence, Ashley is about to launch her YouTube channel. She is promising a lot of fun stuff on the channel and is inviting her followers to stay tuned to the latest developments on her Instagram @ashleysmouter closer to the launch date.
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