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Ever since the inception of the talent agency more than a century ago, the standards of the modeling agency have remained rigid and stagnant. These antiquated ideals have forced fashion models to maintain uber-small sample-size hips for their towering heights, matched with a generally svelte physique, standing in stark contrast to the diverse range of bodies present across the globe’s population.
Now, model Marilyn Melo is shifting the goalposts of the modeling industry herself, opening up a whole new era of representation for the petite and curvy women of the world.
Standing at 5’4, Melo is well below the standard 5’9-and-up usual of fashion models, likewise sporting curves far outside the conventional boundaries of the profession’s usual measurements. Still, her undeniable good looks and inherent photogenic quality has landed Melo in high demand for her talents, gaining the stunner representation by acclaimed agency Wilhelmina Los Angeles and starring in campaigns for megabrands like True Religion.
Setting the stage for other voluptuous women to follow in her footsteps, Melo has likewise subverted the usual expectations of a petite model by walking the runway in major events like Miami Swim Week and L.A. Fashion Week, occasions once dominated by women towering close to six feet tall.
A jack-of-all-trades, Melo spends her time off-set working on her entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors. Running a charity with her family, the Melo Rodriguez Foundation, Melo helps positively impact the lives of underprivileged children and families living in her native Dominican Republic and other third world countries, bolstered by funds earned from her cause-forward virtual thrift store, The Hand Me Dwn.
The beauty also owns and operates her self-founded beauty salon, Diosa, in Philadelphia, filled with Melo’s signature beauty line filled with high-quality hair and lip products.
Between her barrier-breaking modeling career and keen mind for business, it’s no surprise that Melo has garnered a huge following of more than 825,000 users on Instagram, setting up the social media star as one of the most exciting faces to watch of the moment.
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