The Bella Petite Hour (with host Ann Lauren) will feature a look from above in the modeling and entertainment world, special guest Jillian Rabe. Jillian is a business woman, entrepreneur and an “industry standard” 5’9″ model. She is the prototype of a young, intelligent, self-motivated woman in today’s competitive business and entertainment market. Ladies, if you want to be successful you have to be more than a pretty face! Jillian is going to talk to us about how she has found success in business, entertainment and the modeling industry in the Portland area.
Plus, she’ll discuss the importance of self marketing and how to get involved working your local events. Rabe will tell us why she doesn’t work as a model in the LA market, though is a professional working model and a fashion events coordinator in places ranging from Portland, Oregon to China. We’ll get personal with Rabe and find out what life is like as a tall model and if she feels height discrimination is as prevalent for taller women as well as petites. In an effort to be fair and balanced we will cover the business from all angles!
CAREER CHOICES
Jillian Rabe graduated Cum Laude from Oregon State University with a degree in Speech Communication and Psychology. By the Winter of 2006 Rabe was working in corporate marketing and accounting, although not the ideal position or environment working in a corporate structure, she appreciated the rapid pace and developing client relationships through extreme project management working with companies; Nike, Intel, HP, Cisco, On Point Credit Union, Semper Fashion, SmashCut Studio, Columbia Sportswear and Venables Bell & Partners. In the Spring of 2008 Rabe had an epipthany and left her corporate career in the midst of a recession, deciding to pursue her independent endeavors as a part time model and contract event planner.
PORTLAND FASHION SYNERGY GROUP
Rabe is now working as an independent contractor through out the creative communities in Portland, Oregon. She’s currently part of “The Portland Fashion Synergy Group” shown above, the premiere organization showcasing Portland’s very own fashion community. Rabe works regularly with a network of photographers, producers, clothing designers, stylists, talent, agencies, public relations and advertising firms, production crews, city officials and non-profit organizations.
In fact, Rabe tells Bella Petite she books petite models and actresses as often as possible on many of her projects. She even has a favorite 5’2″ petite model chinese model Shai. The 5’2″ Shai is featured in the photo to the right.
Portland Fashion Synergy Group: Portland Fashion Week
Portland Pop-Up Stores
JILLIAN ON CHINA
In affiliation with The Portland Fashion Synergy Group, Rabe is working with the Henan Fashion Association (China),
China Fashion Week, which recently afforded her the opportunity to travel to China. Portland’s independent designer clothing was the star of the show in the exotic locale. This was another step in showing the world the passionate, innovative, design-driven talent Portland is offering to the fashion world. Over fifty Portland designer’s outfits were packed into two suitcases, featuring twelve designer lines, for China Fashion Week and then held center stage at an exclusive press conference, designer meeting and runway showcase.
While in China Rabe worked with a 5’2″ Chinese model Shai, and went to a school in for a speaking engagement to interfaced with local Chinese students. Rabe told me that the girls were extremely insecure about their height and were even apologetic for being petite! It’s interesting to hear the fashion world in China joining in on the misconception that “height equals beauty,” considering 95% of the chinese population is petite and mainly comprised of exquisitely elegant petite women, in Bella Petite’s opinion.
CHINA DESIGN NOW
Bella Petite Hour Radio Show
Next Tuesday, December 22nd at 10:00 am PST and 1:oo pm EDT, LIVE on AmericasWebRadio.com we’ll feature fascinating guest Jillian Rabe. If you have any comments and questions for Rabe, leave them here and they’ll be discussed during the show.
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There's a cultural issue here too. The girls at the high school, by saying that they're "not pretty enough," may very well be showing a sign of modesty. It is considered gauche/in becoming to go around saying how gorgeous one is. People tell you that you're pretty. You don't tell others that. What you may think is negative is really their way of being modest/proper. Just a thought.