A flare for fashion is crucial, but it is a minute detail to the extravagantly selective industry of modeling. For three months in the first semester, junior Simone Adams lived in Tokyo, Japan to begin building a modeling career. Faced with a foreign language, unfamiliar street signs and an oceanic barrier from home, she adapted with grace and serious consideration to fun.
“I loved the freedom that I had and responsibility;” said Adams. She found out about the opportunity four days after school began in September. In a two-week whirl, she was on a plane bound for the Narita airport. Fast forward the fifteen-hour flight duration and one is immersed in an entirely different culture. In movies and quirky documentaries, Tokyo may seem westernized, but is experientially not. Karaoke is just as much Japanese as sushi may be a national food anthem. Walking the streets of Tokyo with friends, Adams recalled how people would ask them to come sing karaoke in luminescent restaurants.
“Before going there, I wish I knew more about what to expect,” said Adams, “I thought it was going to be easy to communicate with people.” Tokyo avenues are winding and there is little effort required to getting lost. Broken or awkward English does not even graze street directions. Through eyes untrained in Japanese symbols, simple tasks carry a heavy possibility of turning into a maze. To briefly solve the dilemma, her group was provided with a driver to take them from the apartment to casting, with occasional trips around Tokyo. “Other girls came and went,” said Adams. She roomed with models from Canada, Poland and the United States.
In comparison to large American cities like Manhattan Island, “people are more to themselves,” said Adams. One is not constantly bombarded with street vendors trying to sell fake Louis Vuittons. The atmosphere is elegant, historic places and simple homes that have become the aesthetic of Japan blend with the modernity of city skyscrapers. A photo taken by Adams captures this evolution in Japanese culture: a young woman in a cream shaded trench coat, high heels and a black dress looks intently at her cell phone while a girl standing adjacent is dressed in a pink kimono and wooden slippers, also holding a cell phone, but gazing into the distance.
“Principle Allred was really nice and worked with us,” said Adams, “without his help, I would’ve had to drop out.” Adams’ activities range from the swim team to the National Honor Society. Academics came first; maintaining credits by taking online courses was a challenge she achieved during her three months in Tokyo. She returned second semester where hard work is rewarded by being in no way behind in the most important year in high school.
Getting into the door requires dedication, an optimistic attitude and a number of supportive people. For a week in May, she will take an opportune trip to Paris in an effort to meet with agencies, hopefully shaping her future n the competitive industry. Tokyo was not the end for Adams, but instead, a launching pad for new adventures and worthwhile challenges.