Today we’d like to introduce you to Hunter Hanna Yox.
Hi Hunter, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hinesville, GA, circa 2017: I initially started modeling in to boost my self-esteem. I didn’t think I was beautiful because I wasn’t curvy in the right places.
Leesville, LA circa 2017-2018: After about 2 years, I noticed my self-esteem wasn’t improving because the models around me were busty and getting more photoshoots than I was. The shoots that were mostly sought after were boudoir-type shoots, so, I went into an “imposter syndrome” type mindset. After taking some months to reevaluate/rebrand myself, I realized my passion was fashion/avant-garde/self-expression. So, I started focusing on what I liked and my visions, and I started getting more interest from photographers. I’ve even helped photographers pose other models, help with recruiting models for their concepts, help with styling models, and even some set design. All of this to say—brace yourselves—as a hobby. That’s right, folks, I do not get paid for my modeling. I just have a passion for it and love to accomplish the overall goal: creating art. Art I can be proud of. I have been back in Georgia for about 3 years now, and today, I am looking into attending fashion school. I want to use what I’ve learned with my modeling over the past 10 years and what I will learn from school and see where that takes me!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh, it definitely has not been a smooth road. I had low self-esteem and depression for years in my modeling career. I am very flat-chested, and that may be great for runway; it’s very challenging being flat-chested in a studio space with freelance models/photographers. But I found my own style, and I’ve been in therapy. I rebranded myself, and reinvented what modeling can look like in a freelance space. I work with models who feel the same way that I’ve felt in their own right.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think I’m most known for my ability to “go there.” I once did a honey photoshoot. I was in a leather bodysuit, leather thigh-high boots, and drenched in gallons of honey. This was a studio shoot, so I had to pose through the sticky, the slippery, and the burning honey in my eye! I’m also known for working with animals; I’ve shot with snakes, tarantulas, opossums, dogs; my motto is: do it for the shot! I am very proud of the diversity I have in my work.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t believe luck got me to where I am. I got to where I am by networking the hell out of myself, being a good person a good friend, and being great at what I do. I’ve worked tireless hours perfecting my poses, making my own props/headpieces/outfits a lot of the time; I’ve booked shoot after shoot to the point where I was getting sick from stress. When I lived in Louisiana, I’d drivel to Shreveport, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, I’d drive over to Houston, Austin, etc., just to created connections or to make my connections stronger. And the connections I did make, we are all still friends to this day. We message each other about advice on shoots, concepts, and outfits.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @kisses_and_lace
- Other: TikTok: @kisses_and_lace
Image Credits
Matthew Roberts
Joseph
Jay Ke’dar
Isac Brown
Nino Batista
Charles Smith
