Emma Brooks graces the cover of A-list Nation's September Issue!
For the cover story spread Fashion Editor Jazmin Whitley created some fun and vibrant looks. Makeup artist Chelsea creates a stunning natural glow. Photographer Joey Costa captures Emma’s carefree personality. Check out the full cover story on Page 62
Initially you planned on a career in dermatology , when and how did your trajectory change?
I wanted to start a career is dermatology because it was all about making people feel beautiful in their own skin. After I attended LEAP, a leadership camp at UCLA, when I was in high school, I realized that I was settling with my career path, instead of pursuing my actual dreams. LEAP inspired me to change my path and go after what I actually wanted which is modeling, acting, and being a mental health advocate.
Did you have a viral moment or did your following grow slow and steady?
At first, my growth was slow and steady on TikTok and Instagram but once I found my niche within the apps, which was high quality/4K content, I started growing at an extremely rapid pace.
Tell us a little bit about your passion for discussing mental health and sharing your personal journey
Mental health has played a big part in my life ever since I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 7th grade. Once I entered the pageant world, I was given a platform to spread awareness and help contribute to breaking the negative stigma surrounding mental health and normalize talking about it. I have had my own experiences with being in a psychiatric facility during high school, and I dealt with bullying and harassment well before I had a public platform. It’s been one of the most important goals for me to build my career around being able to help people battling mental illness and normalize the conversation surrounding it.
What has been a highlight of your career so far?
I’ve been blessed to have so many amazing things happen this early on in my career but the most recent highlight has to be the opportunity to walk in New York Fashion Week for Sherri Hill… a brand that I’ve had a long term relationship with before I started building my platform.
Do you like living in LA? How is it different from being back home?
Living in LA has changed my life and given me the opportunity to start the career that I have now. It’s also a place where I was able to start figuring out who I am and be apologetically myself without having to deal with the critiques of others that I felt growing up in Louisiana. People are very open-minded in LA and being different is rewarded and respected. It is a bittersweet feeling moving away from my family and the southern culture that I admire… I especially miss the food a lot.
Tell us about the clothing line you’ve been working on
I first started working with Princie Apparel when they DM’d me on Instagram back in February of this year. Our relationship started with them gifting me free products, then I started shooting for their brand with my friends and they started to name products after me. The natural next step after that was to collaborate on a clothing line. They gave me the creative freedom to work with existing pieces in their collection that I already love and wear often, and to design new pieces with my favorite styles, colors, and patterns. The Princie x Emma Brooks line dropped last week and I feel so lucky and blessed to be working with such an amazing brand and have all my friends show up to support me.
Where are your favorite places to shop?
I feel like my style is always evolving and changing but currently my favorite places to shop are Urban Outfitters, JADED LNDN, Princie, StockX, Princess Polly and just about any vintage store you can find… especially the ones in New York.
What is your favorite social media platform & why?
I often go back and forth between Instagram and TikTok. I feel like on TikTok I can be more myself and it’s easier to connect with people and promote my message but on Instagram I get to show my work, which I’m extremely proud of and finf a way to reach a lot of people.
How do you choose what you share on social and what you keep private?
I’m a very open person so it’s not too difficult to filter out what I want to speak about online. One of the things that I am most conscious about is not speaking about other people’s experiences and situations. I try to only speak from my own experience.
What are you currently working on?
I feel very lucky to have so many amazing things happening with my career right now… as you know, I just launched my first clothing collaboration with Princie Apparel, I am starting to build my presence on YouTube, I am working on my first brand called 50/50, gearing up for New York Fashion Week where I am walking in a runway show for the first time and developing my podcast which is launching soon.
What is your favorite song at the moment ?
Tell Em by Cochise & $NOT makes my brain tingle in all the right ways… but Billie Eilish will forever and always be my favorite.
Do you have any fun plans for the holiday season?
I’ll be traveling to see my family over the holiday season and I am so excited to finally see my grandparents who I’m extremely close with and haven’t seen in over a year because of COVID.
BTS of the cover photo shoot
Alist Nation Magazine September 2021
Emma Brooks @emmabrooks
Fashion Editor @jazminwhitley
Photographer @joeysshots
Photo editor @photosbyJJS
Glam @archangelachelsea
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