Thylane Blondeau has been modeling for most of her life.

The 15-year-old model began her career as a toddler when she walked in a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show at the age of four.

Since then, she's appeared in numerous campaigns and was officially signed to IMG, but she's also been embroiled in some controversy.

She might be young, but she's well on her way to a superstar career.

Get to know the teen model below:

Thylane Blondeau is a 15-year-old French model who has been modeling for more than a decade.

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She's first modeled at the age of four, when she walked in a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show. Here she is at six.

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"My favorite part of the job is meeting new photographers and makeup artists," she said in an interview.

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Source: Teen Vogue 

Kaia Gerber takes after her mom.

The 14-year-old is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, and the two look exactly alike.

She signed to IMG Models in 2015, and has appeared in campaigns for Miu Miu and on the pages of Vogue. Her older brother Presley is also a model. Clearly, good genes run in the family.

Kaia may be following in her mother's footsteps, but she's taking the fashion world by storm fine on her own.

Get to know her below:

Kaia Gerber is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and former model Rande Gerber.

The resemblance between Kaia and her mother is uncanny.

The 14-year-old and her older brother Presley, also a model, grew up in Malibu, California.

For years, Breanne Rice made a living as a model— so when she was diagnosed with a rare skin condition, she did everything possible to cover it up. Now, she's finally decided to come clean, TODAY reports. 

Rice, 31, recently revealed on Instagram that she was diagnosed with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that attacks the skin's pigment-producing cells, when she was 19. She quickly learned to hide the condition with expert makeup application.  

"I got really good at doing my makeup, and I didn't want anyone to know about it," Rice wrote on Instagram. "It's taken me a very long time to be able to go public with this, and to walk around publicly without any makeup...Although I would like to say I am super confident and it never gets to me, sometimes it does."

Here's what she looks like with makeup on: 

 And here's the emotional makeup-free post she shared with her followers:

But since the initial diagnosis, Rice, who's now a holistic nutritionist, has learned to own her condition. She hopes her story can inspire other women to embrace the qualities that make them feel insecure.

"There's not much I can do about it. I can only love myself, and not let my circumstances define my value or self-worth," she wrote. Perhaps you have a circumstance or something about yourself that you are insecure about. Don't let it define you. You deserve love, and you are beautiful."

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Ashley Graham is not here for your body-shaming.

The professional model became the first plus-size model to land on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and is going to be a judge on the 23rd season of "America's Next Top Model," but she has dealt with negative comments her entire career.

In an essay she wrote for Lenny Letter, Graham explained that even though she is confident in herself and her body, she had a hard time facing some criticisms after posting a recent Instagram.

The photo showed Graham in a white skirt, matching crop top, and a Balmain leather jacket. She said she loved the photo and had no doubts about sharing it to her social page. But she instantly received backlash from people saying they were "so disappointed" in her and "you don't make plus-size dollars anymore, you make backstabbing dollars."

She was thrown off.

"To some I'm too curvy," Graham wrote. "To others I'm too tall, too busty, too loud, and, now, too small — too much, but at the same time not enough. When I post a photo from a 'good angle,' I receive criticism for looking smaller and selling out. When I post photos showing my cellulite, stretch marks, and rolls, I'm accused of promoting obesity. The cycle of body-shaming needs to end. I'm over it."

As an activist who promotes body postivity, Graham explained that tearing each other down over sizes accomplishes nothing.

Graham said she wants women to feel comfortable with their own bodies, and that means not shaming anyone for looking different.

"I am more than my measurements," Graham said. "I'm not Ashley Graham just because I'm curvy."

She added that tbat she is using her social media platforms to raise her voice in an effort to enact change and perceptions of body image.

"We can't create change until we recognize and check our own actions," she said. "If you see another woman taking a selfie or a photo in her bathing suit, encourage her because she actually feels beautiful, don't give her the side eye because you think she's feeling herself too hard."

Women need to focus on their own bodies rather than tearing each other apart, she added.

"My body is my body," she wrote. "I'll call the shots."

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Amber Rose is sick of women comparing themselves to stick-thin supermodels. Instead, she thinks it's time ladies embrace their curves.

In a new interview with The Cut, Rose slammed the unrealistic ideals of beauty portrayed in the media and fashion.

"People have to realize that the supermodels we see represent 5% or 3% of women in the world," Rose told The Cut.  "It's not realistic. It’s very realistic to have cellulite and saggy boobs — it’s part of just being a human."

However, Rose also acknowledged how hard it is for women to not fall into the trap of comparing themselves to the beautiful stars they see in the pages of a magazine.

"When you see these images, you think, 'I don’t look like that.' Embrace the skin that you are in," Rose said.

And for women who truly feel insecure about the way they look, Rose encouraged them to take proactive steps to become healthier — and to try to accept that they'll never have a "perfect" body.

"If you really do want to change, put your mind to it," Rose said. "Try to work out and eat better."

The media personality admitted that she loves cheeseburgers and tacos — which are her "two favorite things" — and that she knows she'll never look like a supermodel.

"I’ll probably never have the perfect body and I’m okay with that," she said.

Check out the full interview here.

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NOW WATCH: Here's how LeBron James reacted when he learned Kevin Durant was joining the Warriors

Franco Noriega is a jack of all trades.

He's been a professional swimmer, a clothing designer, a model, a creative director, and now a chef and restaurant owner.

Noriega recently opened Peruvian restaurant Baby Brasa in NYC's Lower East Side, and has two more similar restaurants in the works.

We sat down with the chef/model to see how he ended up in the food world.

SEE ALSO: Why many super-successful people follow a simple rule created by Benjamin Franklin

Noriega was in the midst of opening his original restaurant concept, Brasa, when he discovered the space that is now Baby Brasa. He stepped into the former barber shop and decided it would be the perfect place for a small takeout spot.

Two weeks later he had the demolition permit, and three months later Baby Brasa was officially open.

Less than a year before the restaurant's opening, Noriega had been attending a one-year chef program at the International Culinary Center.

Thylane Blondeau has been modeling for most of her life.

The 15-year-old model began her career as a toddler when she walked in a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show at the age of four.

Since then, she's appeared in numerous campaigns and was officially signed to IMG, but she's also been embroiled in some controversy.

She might be young, but she's well on her way to a superstar career.

Get to know the teen model below:

Thylane Blondeau is a 15-year-old French model who has been modeling for more than a decade.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BHzoioCh5Og/embed/
Width: 800px

She's first modeled at the age of four, when she walked in a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show. Here she is at six.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BDIP00ItTSG/embed/
Width: 800px

"My favorite part of the job is meeting new photographers and makeup artists," she said in an interview.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BBI4X8INTWy/embed/
Width: 800px

Source: Teen Vogue 

Two years ago, Pietro Boselli was teaching maths at University College London. His students posted pictures of him on social media and branded him the "world's hottest teacher." Now Armani has chosen him for their modelling campaigns.

Produced by Claudia Romeo. Original reporting by Aly Weisman and Alana Yzola

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Melania Trump was paid for 10 modeling jobs in the United States worth $20,056 that occurred in the seven weeks before she had legal permission to work in the country, according to detailed accounting ledgers, contracts and related documents from 20 years ago provided to The Associated Press.

The details of Mrs. Trump's early paid modeling work in the U.S. emerged in the final days of a bitter presidential campaign in which her husband, Donald Trump, has taken a hard line on immigration laws and those who violate them.

Trump has proposed broader use of the government's E-verify system allowing employers to check whether job applicants are authorized to work. He has noted that federal law prohibits illegally paying immigrants.

Mrs. Trump, who received a green card in March 2001 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, has always maintained that she arrived in the country legally and never violated the terms of her immigration status. During the presidential campaign, she has cited her story to defend her husband's hard line on immigration.

The wife of the GOP presidential nominee, who sometimes worked as a model under just her first name, has said through an attorney that she first came to the U.S. from Slovenia on Aug. 27, 1996, on a B1/B2 visitor visa and then obtained an H-1B work visa on Oct. 18, 1996.

The documents obtained by the AP show she was paid for 10 modeling assignments between Sept. 10 and Oct. 15, during a time when her visa allowed her generally to be in the U.S. and look for work but not perform paid work in the country. The documents examined by the AP indicate that the modeling assignments would have been outside the bounds of her visa.

It is highly unlikely that the discovery will affect the citizenship status of Mrs. Trump. The government can seek to revoke the U.S. citizenship of immigrants after the fact in cases when it determines a person willfully misrepresented or concealed facts relevant to his naturalization. But the government effectively does this in only the most egregious cases, such as instances involving terrorism or war crimes.

The disclosures about the payments come as Mrs. Trump takes on a more substantial role advocating for her husband's candidacy. She made her first speech in months Thursday, in which she spoke of her time working as a model in Europe and her decision to come to the U.S.

"As a young entrepreneur, I wanted to follow my dream to a place where freedom and opportunity were in abundance. So of course, I came here," she said. "Living and working in America was a true blessing, but I wanted something more. I wanted to be an American."

The documents obtained by the AP included ledgers, other accounting documents and a management agreement signed by Mrs. Trump from Metropolitan International Management that covered parts of 1996 and 1997. The AP obtained the files this week after seeking copies since August from employees of the now-defunct modeling firm, after Mrs. Trump made comments earlier this summer that appeared inconsistent with U.S. immigration rules.

A New York immigration lawyer whom Mrs. Trump asked to review her immigration documents, Michael J. Wildes, also reviewed some of the ledgers at AP's request. Wildes said in a brief statement that "these documents, which have not been verified, do not reflect our records including corresponding passport stamps." He did not elaborate or answer additional questions asking for clarification. Wilde appeared to be referring to Mrs. Trump's arrival in the United States on Aug. 27, 1996, one day after the ledgers list a charge for car service to pick up Mrs. Trump from the airport. Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks also did not answer additional written questions from the AP.

Since questions arose earlier this year, Mrs. Trump has declined to publicly release her immigration records. Wildes, the immigration lawyer, released a letter in September that laid out the details of what he said Mrs. Trump's immigration records show, including a seven-week window in which Mrs. Trump was in the U.S. before her work visa was issued.

During that seven-week period, the ledgers list modeling work for clients that included Fitness magazine and Bergdorf Goodman department store. The management agreement, which said it was not an employment agreement, included a handwritten date of Aug. 27, 1996. The top of the document said it was "made and entered into as of this 4th day of September 1996."

Many of the documents were part of a legal dispute related to the dissolution of the firm in the late 1990s and found recently in storage. The accounting ledgers for the firm's models were listed on hundreds of pages of continuously fed paper that appeared yellowed with age. They were authenticated by a former employee who worked at the firm at the time. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity because this person feared retaliation and threats from Trump's presidential campaign.

Exhibit markings with the records were also consistent with documents filed in New York state court, including a deposition of one former partner that referred to the same exhibit number. The sworn testimony describing the exhibit's content matches the documents obtained by the AP.

A former partner, Paolo Zampolli, who previously told the AP that he recruited Mrs. Trump to come to the U.S. as a model, confirmed that the contract language was used by his firm and his signature appeared on the document. Mrs. Trump's signature on the contract resembled her signature on her marriage license recorded in 2005. Asked about the two dates on the document, Zampolli said he usually vacationed in Europe each August and likely arranged for the contract to be formally executed when he returned to New York after Labor Day, even though Mrs. Trump had signed it eight days earlier.

Zampolli previously told the AP that Mrs. Trump obtained a work visa before she modeled professionally in the United States. He said the ledgers for Mrs. Trump were consistent with printouts used by his firm at the time, but he would not personally vouch for them because he said money matters were handled by the company's chief financial officer, who has since died.

Zampolli said he did not recall Mrs. Trump working without legal permission. "Honestly, I don't know. It's like 20 years ago," he said. "The contract looks (like) a real one and the standard one."

Foreigners are not allowed to use a visitor visa to work for pay in the U.S. for American companies. Doing so would violate the terms of that visa and could prohibit a foreigner from later changing his or her immigration status in the U.S. or bar the foreigner from the United States again without special permission to come back. The E-verify system started in 1997— after Mrs. Trump came to the country— and was dramatically expanded after 2007.

Some ledgers obtained by the AP identify Mrs. Trump by her professional name and detail her involvement with the modeling agency from July 18, 1996, through Sept. 26, 1997. Other documents from the same accounting ledgers identify Mrs. Trump as Melanija Knaus and list $20,526 in gross earnings for the period before she was granted her work visa on Oct. 18, 1996. The documents also show the modeling company paid for her rent, lent her money and paid for her pager.

Some ledgers were first made available to True.Ink, an online lifestyle publication, and then independently obtained and verified by the AP.

Metropolitan International Management managed the careers of about 65 women in 1996 and 1997, according to court records. It paid the women as independent contractors, collecting a 20 percent commission and deducting expenses. The ledger shows that the firm also deducted federal taxes from the models' gross earnings, including Mrs. Trump's.

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Benjamin Melzer and Loiza Lamers are two transgender models to grace the new campaign for Diesel's collaboration with About You.

From Andreja Pejic modeling for Reformation and Kenneth Cole to Hari Nef modeling for H&M and Camper x Eckhaus Latta, transgender models continue to make tremendous strides in the fashion industry.

To keep that momentum going, two transgender models, Benjamin Melzer and Loiza Lamers, have teamed up in a new campaign for a collaboration between the denim brand Diesel and the German clothing company About You.

"Diesel contacted me for a campaign around the same time Loiza and I were planning on doing a concept shoot to raise awareness to create more opportunities for transgender models in campaigns for major brands," Melzer said in an interview. "Diesel heard the idea and loved it." 

Previously the pair had already made history, Melzer as the first transgender man on the cover of Men's Health in Germany and Lamers as the first transgender model to win Holland's Next Top Model. 

In the campaign video, which dropped on Monday, Lamers and Melzer are seen posing in casual denim and separates in a typical urban scene, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the campaign itself, which can partly be seen on About You's website. 

"Transgender models Benjamin Melzer and Loiza Lamers were chosen because they perfectly support the brand's attitude: free-spirited, against all odds and fresh young minds," a Diesel spokesperson said. 

What Melzer hopes to achieve with this campaign is to generate visibility for transgender people and particularly models, and show that they're not just some fad that's going to come and go like a trend. 

"Well, as you know, the transgender community has been getting a lot of attention the past few years which is a good thing, but it's so important right now that we continue to strive and work hard to break through that glass ceiling so transgender men and women are not seen as a fad or hype. We are real people with real professions and should be allowed the same opportunities as everyone else," Melzer said. 

What Lamers also hopes is that when people see this campaign, they see "two hard-working models," but also acknowledge that they have an important story to tell. She hopes people realize that being transgender "is just normal" and wants it to "really open peoples eyes and bring a change, acceptance and awareness." 

Transgender models are in an interesting position right now. Although some are regularly booking work, there's still plenty of models who aren't yet being accepted into mainstream fashion at all. And for that progress to happen, Melzer says that fashion needs to wake up and give transgender models opportunities. 

"Someone needs to give somebody a chance, and once that chance is given, that person needs to deliver," Melzer said. "We are proud and honored to be just two of the many given this opportunity and responsibility." 

You can watch the entire campaign video below: 

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Model Jazz Egger starting posting a hashtag #TruthBehindThisShot.
• She explained the background behind her Instagram pictures.
• Egger is setting out to show her followers what's behind these "perfect" shots.

We all know by now that on Instagram, it's best not to completely believe what you see. There are the filters and the slimmers and the lighting and so on. Nothing you see is real. 

But still, there's something awfully refreshing about a professional model wanting us to know this truth as well. 

Take model Jazz Egger, for instance. She competed on Germany's "Next Top Model" and has a budding modeling career in London. Over the past few weeks, though, she's been going back into her Instagram captions and editing them to reveal the truth behind each shot with the help of the hashtag #TruthBehindThisShot.

For instance, on one professional picture of her posing in lingerie, she wrote, "My agency told me on that day that my hips were way too wide and that I needed to lose weight in order to have a chance at London Fashion Week. I already was underweight so I decided to not lose any weight. I still got confirmed for LFW." 

On a mirror selfie on a bed, she wrote, "This took me like 15 minutes to take and I was close to falling off my bed because I had to make my legs look slim."'

On a picture of herself posing in a sweater in the sun, she wrote, "I spent about an hour thinking about whether I should post this or not because my nose makes me feel uncomfortable." 

On one image at London Fashion Week, she wrote, "I didn't sleep much the night before because fashion week is pure madness. I didn't eat/drink salt, sugar, fat and alcohol for months to prevent my skin from breaking out. Didn't work. Makeup artists covered it up."

Egger's insights continue for more than 33 months back in her account, with notes on selfies and professional pictures and even behind-the-scenes snapshots. Obviously, she is committed. 

In an interview with Distractify, Egger said it all started with wanting to caption just one image truthfully a week ago in a rebellious attempt to reveal the less glamorous side of fashion and modeling. 

"Casting directors started asking me how many followers I have so they can decide whether they want me for a job or not," Egger said to Distractify. "So today, I decided to post a selfie with a different caption than usual. I was honest. I'm so sick of people pretending to have a perfect life because I know their Instagram feed is full of lies which support stereotypical standards.

"I think no one shall feel bad if they don't live a life everyone is pretending to have so I started #TruthBehindThisShot to show the real stories behind my pictures. I edited my captions and added the truth."

According to one of her latest Instagram post, there's no signs that she'll be stopping anytime soon either. 

"Who would've thought my story would go viral I am so happy," Egger wrote. "Millions of people read about my story and it's so heartwarming that so many of you thanked me for speaking up. I will keep sharing the truth behind my future shots. And remember — this is just the start." 

Egger isn't the first blogger and model who's attempted to pull back the curtain on her own Instagram pictures for the greater good. With a few simple pictures and sometimes a hashtag, workout bloggers have disproved the myth of the before-and-after photo; curvy models have debunked the deceptive power of digital altering and good posing and makeup artists have gotten real about FaceTune. Back in 2015, there was model and social media star Essena O'Neill, who told the brutal truth behind many of her paid posts and the effort that went into that perfect shot. 

So clearly, not only is Egger in good company here, but she's also part of an important movement to bring a sense of reality back to Instagram. 

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm swears by fitness program Body By Simone to get runway ready.
• Some of her favorite moves are simple, but require a resistance band and ankle weights.

The models who grace the runway of Victoria's Secret's annual fashion show work hard to stay in shape.

Bridget Malcolm, who has modeled for household names such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, is no exception.

Malcolm, who will be walking the VS runway in this year's show, swears by Body By Simone, a fitness program she describes as "dance cardio mixed with toning and weight bearing exercises."

Here are some of her favorite moves:

Malcolm does a lot of work with resistance bands.

"I like to put on a great song, put the band around my ankles, squat and move like a crab in either direction (without leaving the squat)."

"When it feels like my hips are about to catch fire, I like to add in squats to the sequence."

"Then I like to straighten up and do single leg kicks to the side and back."

Malcolm also likes to use ankle weights while doing leg work. They're a great way to take donkey kicks to the next level.

Her next move is usually a "pulse," which is a smaller version of the prior movement. "I find ending each exercise with a pulse helps get your muscles really feeling it."

Malcolm also uses the ankle weights for straight leg lifts.

And if you think she only does leg work, think again. She does plenty of arm work with resistance bands, as well as ab work like sit-ups and oblique crunches. Malcolm is also a fan of boxing.

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Gigi Hadid recently revealed that she's battling a condition called Hashimoto's disease. 
• It's an autoimmune condition in which the body attacks the thyroid gland. 
• Hashimoto's causes a litany of unpleasant symptoms — but it can be treated. 

Supermodel Gigi Hadid is a celebrity of titanic proportions: It seems like everywhere you turn she's on the cover of a magazine, and more than 26 million people follow her every move on Instagram.

But last week, as part of a panel discussion for Reebok's new Perfect Never campaign, Hadid revealed something the public never knew about her, Elle reports: She has a thyroid disease. 

"My metabolism actually changed like crazy this year," she said during the panel. "I have Hashimoto's disease. It's a thyroid disease, and it's now been two years since taking the medication for it."

And she's not alone: E! reports that a handful of other celebrities have gone public about their battle with the disease, including Zoe Saldana, Kim Cattrall, Gina Rodriguez, and Victoria Justice.

So what, exactly, does this Hashimoto's disease do to the body? Here's a quick overview of the condition Hadid has been dealing with.

What is Hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto's disease (also called Hashimoto's thyroidism) is an autoimmune condition, which broadly means that the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. There are dozens of different types of autoimmune diseases, according to the NIH. 

In Hashimoto's disease, the immune system makes antibodies that specifically attack and inflame the thyroid, a gland that sits at the base of your neck. The thyroid may be small, but it's massively important: It makes hormones that regulate metabolism by controlling breathing, heart rate, digestion, and body temperature. 

Doctors still don't know for sure what causes the disease, but there are some risk factors. According to the Mayo Clinic, you're more likely to get the disease if you're female (it's 10 times more common in women than men), middle-aged, have had exposure to radiation, you have a different autoimmune disease, or you have a family history of autoimmune disease. 

What are the symptoms?

Hashimoto's disease usually progresses slowly over the years. Eventually, the thyroid stops working properly and doesn't produce enough of the hormones it's supposed to. This causes a number of unpleasant symptoms, including tiredness, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, pale skin, brittle nails, hair loss, swelling of the tongue and a puffy face, unexplained weight gain, muscle aches and weakness, joint pain, long and heavy periods, depression, and lapses in memory. 

The symptoms alone aren't enough for a diagnosis, though: Doctors need to perform blood tests that measure thyroid function to know for sure. 

How is it treated?

The good news is that the standard course of treatment— taking pills that contain a man-made version of thyroid hormones — can reverse the symptoms of the disease. (In Hadid's case, they appear to be working — she looked healthy on the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion show in early December.)

The bad news is that people with the disease need to keep up this hormone therapy for life, and need to keep regular appointments with their doctors in case they need a dose adjustment, the Mayo Clinic explains. In some cases, the thyroid needs to be surgically removed. 

Starting treatment as soon as possible is crucial, by the way: If Hashimoto's is left untreated, a whole bunch of other medical issues can develop, including goiter, dangerously high cholesterol, heart problems, mental health issues, and even a scary life-threatening coma called myxedema. Untreated Hashimoto's disease in mothers can also affect the development of babies. 

Think you might have a thyroid problem?

Thyroid issues are more common than you might think. The NIH says about 1 in 100 Americans has an overactive thyroid (that's the opposite of what's happening in Hashimoto's) while around 1 in 20 have an underactive thyroid, whether that's caused by Hashimoto's or something else. 

The best course of action is to set up an appointment with a doctor. This list of questions from the Mayo Clinic might be helpful to bring along, too. 

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NOW WATCH: Gigi and Bella Hadid's 16-year-old brother is the next 'it' model

The INSIDER summary:

• Barbie Ferriera is a model who has worked on Aerie campaigns.
• She recently posted a picture of her stretch marks.
• She followed up with a darker look at how the fashion industry treats models.
• Ferriera named-checked Photoshop and microagressions against women's bodies.

Barbie Ferriera is quickly becoming a household name thanks to her gorgeous Aerie campaigns, a brand of clothing from American Eagle Outfitters, and hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

And now she's speaking out about the body shaming women face in the fashion industry, and her post is going viral.

On Monday, the 19-year-old posted a picture to Instagram showing her stretch marks around her waist. Ferriera called them "mi lil stripes," and told her followers she moisturizes them "with vitamin E oil."

People began thanking her in the comments for sharing a picture of her stretch marks and being so body positive, saying she gave them courage and that she looks amazing. Teen Vogue saw the Instagram and wrote a story on it.

After the story though, Ferriera posted another empowering message to Instagram, this time thanking Teen Vogue for their coverage, but also pointing out all the issues she still faces in the fashion industry as what some consider to be "plus-sized."

"After I posted the picture of my stretch marks, not even a few hours later I was stood naked at work in front of strangers (super vulnerable position) and got asked what was wrong with my hips," she told her 373,000 followers. "Pointing at my stretch marks. By a woman. I'd be lying through my teeth if I didn't say micro-aggressions like this don't happen on the daily for me in this industry."

Ferrari said she had to hold back tears after the incident and that she pretended it didn't happen. But now, she's calling out the people who work in the fashion industry for being able to take such ownership over her body and treating her, and other models like her, as though she were an object.

"Grown a-- adults commenting on my teenage body needing Spanx, bra cutlets to make me look 'better,' or Photoshopping my body to be 'smoother' right in front of me — most of the time by plus clients," she said. "If you think my abuse is bad, ask a runway model who went from a 34- to a 35-inch hip. They will tell you they flat out get told to starve and that they're looking fat."

The whole message is a big wakeup call that despite body-positive ad campaigns and some designers championing diversity, the fashion industry is still an incredibly flawed business that takes advantage of young women and treats them as mannequins, and not people with their own thoughts and feelings.

As Ferriera so accurately sums up: "Not only [is] the consumer being told they're not good enough — even the girls in the pictures are given the same sh--."

Here's her message in full:

Thank you @teenvogue for this write up. After I posted the picture of my stretch marks, not even a few hours later I was stood naked at work in front of strangers (super vulnerable position) and got asked what was wrong with my hips.. Pointing at my stretch marks. By a woman. Id be lying through my teeth if I didn't say micro-aggressions like this don't happen on the daily for me in this industry. And like I always do, I choke back the tears and keep going like nothing happened. Grown ass adults commenting on my teenage body needing spanx, bra cutlets to make me look "better" or Photoshopping my body to be "smoother" right in front of me- most of the time by plus clients. This industry is not cute, never has been. I don't want to sell you this idea that all these brands are so body positive when it's so few that actually represent what women look like not just an idealized version of a thick girl (like they try to do to me.) girls are not treated like people in this industry !! At all !! If you think my abuse is bad, ask a runway model who went from a 34 to a 35 inch hip.. They will tell you they flat out get told to starve and that they're looking fat. Shit isn't as pretty as it looks but.. I'm here to infiltrate from the inside. I truly don't know how much we can do as curvy models when we're still thought of as mannequins- just ones who are cursed to only wear peplums and tunics all day to cover our "flawed" bodies n show just our usually thin faces. Anyway, just wanted to rant because I am so privileged to be here but the flaws in this world make me feel like absolute garbage at the sake of getting paid and trying to spread my message. Not only the consumer is being told they're not good enough- even the girls in the pictures are given the same shit. But y'all got me trapped cuz I need to make a living and enjoy tf out of representing curvy girls all over !!! Jokes on me.

You can follow Barbie Ferriera on Instagram here.

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The INSIDER Summary:

• "America's Next Top Model" is coming back for a 23rd cycle. 
• The show will be on VH1 instead of The CW. 
• Tyra Banks is stepping down as the host and head judge of the series, but she is still an executive producer and promises to make surprise appearances throughout the season.
• Rita Ora, Ashley Graham, Drew Elliott, and Law Roach will be judging the 14 contestants. 

I don't know about you, but this fall TV season has been a rough one for me. That's because it kicked off without a new season of one of my reality show staples, America's Next Top Model. Luckily, that's all about to change now that America's Next Top Modelwill be back on its new home of VH1 after it ended its run on The CW following the conclusion of Cycle 22 in December 2015. So a new season on a new network means a new America's Next Top Model cast full of fresh faces.

Yes, ANTM has been completely reimagined as it makes its move to VH1, and that includes show creator Tyra Banks stepping down as host and head judge of the series. Luckily, Banks' fierceness and smizing won't be completely absent from the new ANTM. She's still an executive producer of the series, along with Ken Mok, and will make surprise appearances throughout the season, VH1 announced in July. "I won't be here, but I will be watching you," Banks tells a roomful of ANTM hopefuls in a preview clip of the new season on VH1's website. "And it is up to you all to go into that judging room every single week and make me proud."

Tons of celebrities will also be making surprise appearances throughout this cycle of ANTM. Expect to see the likes of Zendaya, DJ Khaled, Tinashe, Jason Derulo, Amber Rose, French Montana, Chanel Iman, Jasmine Sanders, Director X, and Stacey McKenzie help decide which aspiring model will reign supreme, VH1 announced in November.

But who will be vying for that grand prize that includes, among other things, $100,000 and the title of America's Next Top Model? And which fashion experts are going to decide who stays and who goes? Get to know the full ANTM cast below.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora will be stepping into Banks' stilettos as the host and a judge in the all-new ANTM. You're probably familiar with Ora's showbiz resume as a singer and actress. But ANTM won't be the first time she's ever lent her expertise to a reality competition. Ora has served as a coach for The Voice and as a judge for The X Factor, both in the United Kingdom. She's also no stranger to the fashion world as an ambassador for Rimmel London and a designer for Adidas, according to her bio on VH1's website. Ora will show the ANTM contestants that to be a star in today's world, you can't be a one-trick pony.

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham is one of the most famous supermodels today, so naturally, she'll be lending her expertise to the judges' panel. The ANTM contestants can only hope to be as successful as Graham, who has appeared on the cover of magazines like Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Maxim and has modeled in campaigns for H&M, Lane Bryant, and her own lingerie line with Addition Elle, according to her show bio. Graham is also the first plus-size model to be featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. This supermodel is sure to inspire the contestants and the audience alike with her talent and activism.

Drew Elliott

Since one of the prizes for winning this cycle of ANTM is a fashion spread in PAPER magazine, the contestants are really going to want to impress judge Drew Elliott, who is the chief creative officer of the publication. He's also responsible for spearheading the magazine's now-iconic "Break the Internet" Winter 2014 cover featuring Kim Kardashian, according to his ANTM bio. Elliott oversees everything when it comes to creative for PAPER, Papermag.com, and the in-house agency Extra Extra. It certainly looks like Elliott is on the pulse of what's going to rock the fashion world next.

Law Roach

Rounding out the judges' panel is Law Roach, a celebrity stylist and "image architect," his show bio says. Some of his famous clients include Celine Dion and Zendaya, according to the New York Post. And if this preview for the new season is any indication, the ANTM ladies better always bring it with their personal style or risk being called out by Roach.

Binta Dibba

And now onto the contestants! First up is Binta, a 25-year-old who hails from Seattle, Washington, but she was originally born in Gambia, according to that aforementioned ANTM preview featuring Banks. She's also multilingual and speaks English, Mandinka, and Wolof, her show bio says. Binta is a model, activist, and entrepreneur, so clearly she's coming to ANTM already armed with an impressive resume.

Cherish Waters

Is it just me, or does Cherish Waters already sound like the name of a star? Well, she must know a thing or two about the business of show since she's from Los Angeles, California, according to her show bio. Cherish, 25, reveals in the preview clip showing the first moments of the new season that she was bullied in school for being the only redhead. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but b*tch, you don't even faze me," she says in response to her haters. Sounds like someone already has a catchphrase!

Cody Wells

Before joining the cast of ANTM, Cody was a server at a Jamaican restaurant, her ANTM bio describes. But it looks like this 27-year-old from San Jose, California has been dreaming of a fashion gig.

Cory Anne Roberts

Cory Anne, 19, came all the way from Bali, Indonesia to compete in this season of ANTM, according to her show bio. But as someone who attended the University of California, Los Angeles, she's no stranger to the United States. With the ability to speak English, Italian, and Indonesian, Cory Anne is sure to bring some international flair to the competition.

Courtney Nelson

In addition to modeling, this 25-year-old from San Francisco, California has a creative side with spray painting and collaging among her favorite hobbies, her show bio says. From one of the previews of the new season of ANTM, it certainly looks like Courtney is going to make an impression as strong as her eyebrows.

Giah Hardeman

Giah is a 21-year-old from Bryan-College Station, Texas, and she is a self-proclaimed country girl, according to the preview clip of ANTM. Giah works as a server and part-time gymnastics coach, her show bio says, but she started modeling at age 8 when her grandma would put a book on her head, create a makeshift runway by making a path out of dirt, and have her walk on the property, which also features horses, chickens, and pigs. This country girl also said she never imagined that she'd be in the big city of New York, let alone competing for the title of America's Next Top Model.

India Gants

India totally looks like Gigi Hadid's doppelganger to me, and she'd be lucky to achieve a fraction of the success that fashion's latest It Girl is enjoying these days. This 20-year-old from Seattle, Washington has some prior experience in fashion, as a bridal consultant at a bridal salon, according to her show bio. Before ANTM, she worked in marketing and promotions for a local radio station. India's branding expertise could actually come in handy during this cycle of ANTM.

Justine Biticon

Justine explains in the preview for this season of ANTM that she comes from a very strict background where her parents never let her go anywhere by herself. Well, this 18-year-old from Panorama City, California is all on her own now as she competes on ANTM, a show she has been watching and has dreamed of being on since she was a little kid.

Krislian Rodriguez

Krislian also says in the preview that she has been watching ANTM since she was 13 years old. She's now a 26-year-old from Los Angeles, California, who studied fashion design at the International Academy of Design and Technology, according to her show bio. She now works as a server at a nightclub but previously worked at Hooters.

Kyle McCoy

Kyle, 23, hails from New York, New York, where this cycle of ANTM takes place. She now works as a bartender, but her background is also literary as she majored in English with a concentration in poetry at Rollins College, her show bio says. She's giving me some serious Ruby Rose vibes, which could be a good sign for how she'll fare in the competition.

Marissa Hopkins

Marissa is a 19-year-old from Houston, Texas, according to her show bio. She calls herself the "Mouth of the South" in the preview for this season of ANTM, which means it's probably going to be a very entertaining cycle.

Paige Mobley

This 22-year-old is from Birmingham, Michigan. She's currently a senior at Loyola Marymount majoring in theater arts, according to her show bio. Let's hope Paige is just as theatrical on ANTM.

Tash Wells

Yes, you are seeing double. Tash is the twin sister of fellow ANTMcontestant Cody, so she's also 27 years old, calls San Jose, California her hometown, and is also a server at a restaurant, her show bio says. This news definitely gives me flashbacks to Cycle 7's twins Amanda and Michelle Babin (twins Terra and Chris White also competed in Cycle 15). Amanda and Michelle ended up in fourth and fifth place that season, respectively, so we'll have to wait and see if Cody and Tash can do even better.

Tatiana Price

This Queens, New York native attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and became a licensed esthetician, according to her show bio. Tatiana, 22, has done various commercial print work as a model, she says in the preview clip of ANTM, and she is also the owner of her own skincare line, Skin Buttr. It sounds like she's already the boss that Banks wants all of the ANTM ladies to be.

With all of these qualified candidates, I don't know how the judges are going to be able to pick a winner, but as we all know, only one aspiring model can be on top.

Images: VH1 (17)

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The INSIDER Summary:

• The fashion industry is notorious for hiring underweight women and often editing the photos to make them appear even smaller.
• A recent study found that models have an above-average risk of developing an eating disorder.
• Thirty-seven models, including several curve and plus-sized models, penned an open letter to the fashion industry as a whole asking that healthier women be portrayed on the runway so as to "prioritize health and diversity."

Ahead of New York Fashion Week, a group of 37 models, including curve models Iskra Lawrence and Sabina Karlsson, have written an open letter to the fashion industry in support of not just more racial, size and age diversity but size as well. 

The letter itself, which is posted on the National Eating Disorders Association website, is in response to a recent study proving that the greatest prevalence of eating disorders is among models. According to the letter, given how eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any other mental health disorder, it should be taken seriously.

"As models, we care about each other’s health and well-being," the letter begins. "As we look toward New York Fashion Week, we strongly urge you to prioritize health and celebrate diversity on the runway this season."

"Together, we are challenging you to make a serious commitment to promote health and diversity on the runway," the letter continues. "Through our social media platforms, which collectively reach millions of people, we will recognize the industry leaders who step up to this challenge. Specifically, we will keep an eye out for diversity of race, size, age and gender status, and we hope to see diversity within and across all of those categories." 

"Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to send the message that diversity is what makes us strong," the letter concludes. "We sincerely hope that all of you — from designers and editors to agents and casting directors — will collectively harness the industry’s creative power to be forward thinking, inclusive and do the right thing." 

The letter itself ends with "in solidarity," and then a list of the 37 models who have signed on, including — in addition to Lawrence and Karlsson — models of color like Ashley B. Chew and Yomi Abiola. 

Already on social media, the models are showing full support, with Lawrence, who has 3.1 million followers on Instagram, posting about the letter and the call to the fashion industry to change. 

 And Karlsson, who has over 30,000 followers on Instagram herself, posted about it too. 

This open letter comes a week after the Council of Fashion Designers of America issued an email in the lead up to NYFW stating that the organization “will continue to grow its health and wellness initiatives through the CFDA Foundation and Equinox Coalition for Health as Beauty.” 

CFDA's Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb also highlighted another key initiative: the diversity coalition. “New York Fashion Week is also a celebration of our city’s diversity, which we hope to see on the runways.”

With New York Fashion Week set to begin Thursday, Feb. 9, and castings for shows well under way, we'll just have to wait and see if these letters make any impact at all. 

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