DaShoot Spotlight Featured Model May 2015

DaShoot Spotlight had the distinct pleasure of working with one of Chicago's newest models for our May 2015 Featured Model photo shoot.  Currently, Yve is making her presence known in the full figured modeling industry.  Watch out Chicago.. Yve is on the Chicago modeling scene .

@Dean Reid Photography

Name: Yve Yva Francois

Age: 36

Industry Age [You know everyone has one]:  30 plus.

Nationality: African American and Native American

Place of Birth: I was born right here in the city of Chicago

Where do you rep / reside? Well, I represent Chicago.

Height: 5 feet 10 inches

Weight: 225 pounds

Website:  Still in the works

Twitter:  N/A

Facebook: Yve Yva Francois at yve.francois.9@facebook.com

ModelMayhem:  N/A

Profession: Full Figured Model

Relationship Status: Single

Measurements: 40-30-44.

@Dean Reid Photography

Favorite Sport: My favorite sport to play is basketball. My favorite sport to watch on T.V. is “Dancing with the Stars.” And, the Chicago Blackhawks make me like watching Hawky.

Favorite Movie: I recently watched a short internet movie on YouTube called “BaadASSSSSS PSYCHO PRIEST” by Christopher Dockens. It was very creative.

Favorite Artist: Well there is an artist from the Cherokee Nation named Martha Berry. She is a bead artist. And my all-time favorite musician is a young lady by the name of Kayla Jazmin. She is a beautiful saxophone player. I have her album and I listen to it almost every night.

 Favorite Food:  My favorite food is navy beans, because it is so easy to make. I can put navy beans with anything: rice, vegetables, or just make it into a soup.

Astrological Sign: According to astrology, I am a Gemini.  Its’ sign is linked to the planet Mercury. The symbol is of twins (dual natured). If being a Gemini is representative of affectionate, courteous, kind-hearted person, I can subscribe to that then (smiling).

Have you ever walked in a fashion runway show? If so when and what fashion show?  I have done some local shows in this great city. I was very blessed to work with some fabulous people. In April, was in the fashion show for the 2015 Chicago Fashion Week Spring Fashion Event. In March, I walked in the fashion show for the Black Women’s Expo 2015 wearing clothing from Jessica Blair’s Chic Boutique. This February I walked in the Black Fashion Week show presented by Mark Anthony. I worked with awesome designers such as Sultry Moon by Danielle Mays, Michelle’s House of Design (MHOD) by Meme Rollins, and 2 B Continued Jeans by Conchita E. Marshall . In June of 2014, I walked in the “Women of Confidence Fashion Show” presented by Neisha Bibbs. In this show I loved modeling clothing from Jessica Blair owner of Blair Chic Boutique.

What do you dislike about the modeling industry? Well I would have to shine light on the discrimination that still exist among full figured or plus size models.  The people who put together some of these fashion events, still are reluctant to share their runway vision with us more curvy models. I can’t begin to tell you how many offers I was turned down for because people have told me “Oh, you are very beautiful, but….!” I even had one guy say to me he is looking for “runway-size” models.  I was like, “I am a runway size model.” But, at the same time, there are designers who embrace us and welcome us just as we are. And those are the people I want to work with. Those willing people are the future of fashion and they can help spread the word to little children of all sizes that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

What do you like about the modeling industry?

I love, love, love meeting new people. I love meeting designers and their creative teams. I like meeting the makeup artist and photographers. Everyone I meet always have their own interesting story about how they got into their line of work.  It’s just one of many things I like about this industry. I also like (in a low whispering voice) getting to keep the clothes from the designers. Some of my outfits were tailor made. The red sexy dress is from Sultry Moon. My Blue jean jumpsuit is from Meme’s House of Fashion.

@Dean Reid Photography

What modeling genre(s) are you targeting? I am targeting print, editorial, runway, commercial, beauty, and hair.  I want to be more versatile.

Do you think there is value in having comp cards? If so what value do comp cards provide?

I think there is value still in comp cards.  They are a means of getting my information to a prospect, like a business card. In fact, some agencies and events still require a submission of a comp card. So they are still relevant, even in the era of videography and digital picture advertisement.

Are you represented by an agency? If so what agency? Not at this time. I am learning a lot about the industry working independently.

What body part of yours attracts the most attention? 

I would have to say my lovely face.

What would you like people to be attracted to? 

In this business body image is important. I hope people are attracted to my personality, my face, my body-the total package.

What do you consider a great night on the town? 

A great night on the town for me is going to any ballet or Broadway musical performance, after that eating at a good authentic Korean restaurant. Maybe attend a dance club, because I love to dance. If I end up at home soaking my feet, then I know the day spent in my heels was well worth it.

Sleep or sex?  

Definitely sleep. In this industry, the hustle is real. So I need all the sleep I can get.

Tell us a funny, but dirty joke. 

Well I can’t recall any dirty jokes. But I can tell you a joke I think is funny. Why did Sally throw the clock out the window?  Because she wanted to see time fly.  I still laugh at this joke. Back in the days, I remember reading something similar to this on the inside of the Bazooka bubble gum squares. Remember those? Oh feeling nostalgic right about now.

The person I would most like to meet:

Good question. The person I really wanted to meet was Nelson Mandela, but he passed away, may his soul rest in peace.  Of course, I would like to meet our First Lady Michelle Obama. Then, I would like to meet Duchess Kate Middleton. Yes I like a little bit of the royal family.  

Can you cook? If so, what’s your signature dish?  Can I cook? Hmm, does making a salad count as cooking, joking. Yes, I can cook. Well my new favorite dish is a dish I picked up when I visited my relatives in the beautiful country of Haiti, Bannann Peze fried plantain, and Sauce Pois Noir-black bean sauce served with rice. Yummy, I am salivating just thinking about it, let me call my cousins.

What were you doing five minutes before this interview? 

 I was preparing for this interview.

What is the most important issue in the world today and why?

The most important social issue for me is dealing with all things concerning the future of the youth. I think it’s so important to empower the children of today. Some of the children of this generation are facing a lot like, poverty, broken homes, bullying in school, low self-esteem, and so on. I think it’s important for them to know just because you start out in a dysfunctional environment, doesn’t mean you have to stay there. I would like them to know, they have the power to change it. But they first must, must, absolutely must believe that they have the power. Then, then we can move mountains.

How old were you when you had your first kiss and paint us the picture?

I know I was young, but I don’t remember. How’s that for contradiction. But I do remember my sort of first boyfriend in kindergarten. He sat across from me at recess. He said something to me like “You want to use my crayons?” I fell in love instantly, because I loved to color. But that was short lived. Like two days later, we broke up because he tried to take my Michael Jackson Thriller-jacket, and I had all the MJ buttons on the front too...no sir, I wasn’t having it. I remember being very protective of that jacket. I wonder where it is now. Anyway, after that, he never shared his crayons with me again. Sometimes it’s like that, you know.

When did you know you could be a model?   I am a beginner model. I remember looking in newspapers and magazines thinking to myself “If this person can be a model, so can I.” And that’s pretty much how I got serious about it.

@Dean Reid Photography

If someone wanted to buy you a drink, what would you order? 

Hands down, it would have to be some real ginger-beer. I love that stuff.

If you were president what would you change? 

If I were president, I would change all work days to a 5 hour maximum, not including lunch. I would implement mandatory paid vacations and a universal standard of living for all people….and they lived happily ever after!

A persons behavior or action that will put on my short list.  

I am genuinely tolerant of people and who they display themselves to be. But if I had to pick one I would say, I don’t like people who don’t stand in their own truth-like a person who isn’t aware of themselves. Oh and all people who bully children.

Lights on or lights off?  

Lights on; I love to read. I can’t read in the dark. It’s bad for your eyes.

What is the biggest misconception about you?  

Well I have been told, I can look very serious almost a little mean. But once a person talks to me, they will see I am actually quite friendly and approachable.

Tell us something your parents don’t know about you. 

I absolutely can’t think of anything that my mom and dad don’t know about me. I guess on my off days, I secretly watch a little bit of reality TV. That’s the best I can do. I try not to do anything that I can’t tell my parents about (um anymore that is).

What is the most creative thing a guy has said or done to approach you? 

Well I have a best friend. We have been friends since college. Since I am not rich, I have a go-phone. And every month I have to add money to my account. Well one month, there was some extra money added to my go-phone account. And I absolutely did not know where it came from. I even called the company, to see if they made a mistake. But they did not. Then my friend called me, some days later, and told me he added some extra money to my account.  I was so appreciative. I could not stop saying thank you.

@Dean Reid Photography

If money was not an issue what would you be doing?

If money was not an issue, I would like to travel across the world and help all the children subjected to impoverished and unhealthy environments to live in a more nurturing environment.

What’s your fetish? At my leisure I like to look up the etymology of words. Sometime I get so lost in it; I don’t realize hours have passed. I started doing this when I first started to play the game of scrabble. I realized the little two and three letter words are worth a lot of points. So I would look through the dictionary and thesaurus to find them.