Meet Jake Anthony

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Anthony.

Jake, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
From a young age, I’ve always had big dreams and big hopes set for myself. I remember being around age 7-10, reading Vogue Magazine religiously. I was so obsessed with everything about it. The glamour in the magazine- the looks, the stories, the fashion. Then America’s Next Top Model came around, suddenly giving me a look at the “behind-the-scenes” craziness and hardwork that occurs while creating these beautiful campaigns and photos that I was seeing. I was now able to witness what it takes to get the final execution in the end. This is what made me fall in love instantly. Who would have thought that would spark the fire of my passion that I had only scratched the surface of?

Fast forward 10+ years, I enrolled in college to study Fashion Marketing and Management. I had no idea what exactly I was going to do after I left school. All I knew was that I had a passion for the fashion industry and that I wanted to do something in it. I was presented with so much opportunity and knowledge of the fashion industry that I never even knew existed, including insights on specific job roles in the industry. I had the opportunity to network and meet some amazing local creatives that shared similar passions to mine, thus sparking an opportunity for collaborations! What I truly loved about the Art Institute of Phoenix (before it closed) was the community it brought. That school was home to so many creatives. It gave us a place to feel like we belonged. We were constantly surrounded by other people that we could connect with and evolve with. We essentially developed a little sort-of “fashion family” in there. From the mentors/instructors to my colleagues, I met some pretty amazing people there that I will have so much love and respect for forever.

In the midst of my being in fashion school, I was on a personal journey of my own. I was working on bettering myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I knew this was something I had to do if I wanted to make my dreams happen for myself. During the holiday season of 2015, my family and I took photos together. I saw the photos afterward and tears immediately fell from my eyes. It was the first time I realized I hated who I was. I grew up always being heavier and made fun of for my weight. I was told by my peers in high school that I wouldn’t make it in the fashion or modeling industry because of being a heavier-set person. This caused a lot of internal pain that I carried with me for years, even after graduating high school. It was holding me back from enrolling in a fashion school or even looking into what it took to step foot into the modeling industry. I remember looking at the photos thinking, “Wow, I am only 19 years old. I am just entering adulthood, and I already don’t like myself? This isn’t right.” I knew I had to do something about this. Those photos ignited a fire in me. That following January of 2016, I began my weight-loss journey. I lost a little over 80 lbs. during that year and discovered a sense of self-confidence and self-love I never knew could exist. I was learning to love my skin. I was learning what made me happy and what made me feel good about myself. This pushed me to finally make the courageous decision to enroll in fashion school and finally start making my dreams a reality.

While in school, I began to dive into the underground “trends” and “communities” within the fashion industry. I stumbled across “genderless fashion.” I did more and more research on this and saw that it was such a sort of “taboo” topic to discuss and was such an underground thing. However, my first thought was, “This is too innovative and powerful to be this lowkey.” I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world, but this also seemed like such a far-fetched goal.. until now. I analyzed and pondered ideas for a good while of what I could do and how I could do it. Finally, I had it. I launched the first project from my #GENDERISDEAD movement in 2017. A movement that I knew could make an impact not only on the fashion industry but on the LGBTQ+ community as well. Most people didn’t understand it or get why I was doing what I was doing, but I knew my purpose and my plan. That’s all that mattered to me. I knew eventually, my work would speak for itself. It’s now 2019, and my movement is going so strong. I have released several projects/series from the #GENDERISDEAD movement that has spread even further than I imagined. The movement is now reaching people in other states and even countries! I get the privilege of running into supporters locally and receiving heartfelt messages from all kinds of people through social media, thanking me for my work and the messages I am sending to the general public. Releasing projects, such as “LET BOYS WEAR PINK” and “SELF-DISCOVERY” really hit home with certain people. Each project has a message to convey, whether it’s breaking down the basic stereotypes of colors to learning who we are within ourselves and OWNING it.

I am so grateful to be able to create art that not only expresses who I am but touches the hearts and souls of others around the world. Giving the LGBTQ+ youth someone to look up to and just know that it’s okay to love themselves fully. It’s okay to be unapologetically YOU, regardless of what anyone has to say or think about it. THAT is my purpose. That is what I am made to do. I have so much more to come that I cannot wait to share with the world. As my supporters keep on expanding, the movement will continue to revolve around the world and start the conversation that so many are scared to have.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest struggles of being a “starving artist”, as they say, is trying to balance life, while still pursuing your dreams. I had to juggle working full-time while being in fashion school full-time. On top of all that, I was trying to keep myself healthy and in the gym and booking myself for photoshoots and fashion shows on my down time.

In my entire portfolio, I am not only the model, but also in charge of the creative direction, the wardrobe styling, and the hair/makeup/grooming. Every project is 100% by me, minus the photography of course. From mood-boarding a concept to the final execution, it is definitely a process.

Please tell us about your work.
I am most proud of my #GENDERISDEAD movement and where it is today. I have built such a strong following on social media and have had a few amazing conversations with people of importance in the industry, showing love to my work and motivating me to continue to move forward. Having conversations with people around the world that support me fully, hearing them thank me endlessly for being a voice for them. That is the most warming feeling.

The thing is, I’m not just trying to be another pretty face in the fashion industry. I want to make a difference in this world. I want to push society out of its comfort zones in fashion, to see there’s so much more out there. I want to show the world that- YES, men can wear skirts. YES, dresses are for anyone that wants to wear them. It’s okay to let people be who they are and to wear what they want to wear. Clothes have no gender. They are simply just that clothes, garments. We are the ones that dictate what they represent. We cannot continue to let old, expired stereotypes of what a traditional “man” or “woman” should exist any longer. There is no set of rules of how I am expected to be as a man, and even if there was, I’d break the rules anyway.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I, honestly, don’t believe that I would have done anything differently. I am very proud of the path that I am on and the direction that it’s headed in. I feel like I had to go through what I went through to get to where I am today.

 However, I will say that I do wish I took on a few more opportunities that were presented to me that I felt I was too busy to handle at the time.

Contact Info:

• Email: itsjakeanthony@outlook.com
• Instagram: @itsjakeanthony
• Twitter: @itsjakeanthony_

Image Credit:
Photographers: Tammy Hodges Photography (@tammyhodgesphoto), Crystal Maldonado Photography (@crystalmaldonadophotography)
Mural by: Nyla Lee (@nyla.lee)

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