Bubbly and bright, it’s common to see high school cheerleaders with perfect makeup and enviable fashion skills. However, junior Madison Ackley, who goes by “Maddy” in her industry, has a unique reason for her flawless appearance: modelling for Studio B Portraits as a Brand Influencer.
“As an Influencer, I come in before senior pictures are taken. I get my hair and makeup done, and they take pictures to use as advertisement,” Maddy said. “Studio B created Brand Influencers to get more awareness, so there’s a link for the modelling and Brand Influencer program on my Instagram.”
Studio B uses models like Maddy to advertise their photography rather than to advertise a certain product, so in some ways, there’s more freedom for the models themselves.
“I don’t consider myself a fashion or makeup icon, but I do love experimenting with makeup,” Maddy said. “Studio B was an opportunity to express myself in fashion and makeup, and I got to know a little bit more about the industry.”
Maddy, who plans to explore the fashion industry, is grateful for the opportunity to explore the creative products of her potential career, but credits DECA with the technical knowledge of business and marketing.
“I’m interested in fashion and the business side of design, so DECA has been a bigger influence because I do Apparel for competitions,” she said.
Apparel and Accessories, a competitive event of Marketing for DECA competitions, deals with companies advertising clothing and related articles for personal wear; essentially, it’s the business side of fashion. Maddy found her interest in the creative side of fashion—modelling—by a happy accident: her mom discovered the model program for high school seniors graduating in 2020 on Facebook.
“I’m not a super outgoing person, and I didn’t know how to model at first, but Studio B made me feel comfortable,” Maddy said. “I wasn’t embarrassed or worried to model in their pictures.”