Conversations with Q Nard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Q Nard.

Hi Q, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up on the west side of Macon, Georgia. Starting as a child all the way throughout my teenage years I was always artistically and creatively, active in school and in church regularly. Ever since I could remember, I was always singing and into clothes and hair and fashion altogether. No matter where I went i was often told I should be on a show or become a model. I hit the end of my sophomore year of highschool and I decided I would actually take a chance at runway modeling and eventually print. I would always look at the supermodels like Iman, Naomi Campbell, Tyson Beckford, Tyra Banks, Boris Kodjoe, Yasmeen, and Kate Moss. As a child and teen just in awe of their catalogs and runway shows specifically Iman, Naomi, and Tyson. Mainly because they look like me the most, and they just seem to have the most star power and quality covers that I just really admired and sought after even as a child and still to this day. A lot of my power in my strut on the runway is centered and structured from always watching Naomi and a mix of Tyson runway shows. As far as my fashion/style influences, I feel like it’s always been rooted in the artist and actors that i looked up to as a child. I quite literally blame Prince Beyoncé and Rihanna for the edgy yet Cunt, but also fashion forward every day style that I have. Another strong influence in fashion for me has always been Teyana Taylor. Even as a teenager I would try to mimic or try to re-create a lot of her looks. Although I may not have been very successful, but she’s always been a staple on how to really be expressive in fashion and be versatile.
I got to where I am today with simply me just jumping out on faith and trusting in myself to literally eat this shit up. I’m not gonna lie, it was a bit hard to start growing up and making because it wasn’t much of a fashion outlets in my own town. Luckily there is an immense amount of untapped and undiscovered talent in making that I was lucky enough to come across my sophomore year of high school going into my junior year. There’s this girl in my city. Her name is Destiny (chokeltd) and we both went to the same high school, but she was a few years older and I always remember seeing her come to school in her own (no shade) Raven Baxter originals. Although I don’t really remember how I heard about it, but she was doing a fashion show and reached out and encouraged me to basically come and walk for her. It was my first runway show which basically kick started the encouragement to do other shows and branch outside of Macon, more specifically once I went to college at Alabama State University.
Keep in mind that although I would have these different examples of models, male and female. I never seen anyone on the runway or even print and cover campaigns who actually embodied androgynous aura male models beyond Prince being my main example. I tried my best to kind of keep it on a full masc aura when I first went to school and went out for the modeling organization there. Now I stated before my main examples were primarily females with a few males sprinkled in. So you can only imagine that my walk did not fully give full masc in which ultimately I was rejected by the modeling organization the first time. I’m not gonna lie it did discourage me a bit for a while and had me scared to really try again.
Around 2020 when Covid happened, I decided to focus more on building my portfolio in which the previous year in 2019 I worked on my first real editorial and print shoot with this amazing photographer from Macon that I met while we were in high school named Eric Hart. I will always be grateful to him for giving me the extra encouragement and believing in me at a point where I quite honestly knew nothing about how to really model and pose in front of the camera. I honestly just learned everything I know on my own with no hands on help, basically learning by videos and examples in the media. The result of that shoot got me my first publication in men’s health magazine, of course under Eric Hart‘s project. I have always and will always hold that near and dear to my heart and still have the first copy that I could find near me at my house.
From that point on I basically just hit the ground running to every opportunity that I could find with it be print, runway or quick show in my city or a local talent. Throughout the years, I definitely still play tug-of-war with myself when it comes to my presence in my aura on the runway and even in some photo shoot that I still have to today as far as being masc or feminine presenting or being able to blend the two.
Nowadays, I feel like my prime examples/role models are now Alton Mason, Anok Yai, AduTech, Alex Consani Kit Butler, Bella Hadid and still Naomi of course she’ll never go anywhere. The goal now ant this age is just to keep going and keep building and keep pushing.. I’m always trying to outdo myself. I don’t really look at my peers or anything as competition, more so as motivation to not be so consumed with time than I am quality.. Since I have officially relocated to Atlanta at the end of 2024 I feel like I’ve been making a bit of a mark here in the area. There is a few more people that I would love to work with that are in Atlanta, but for the most part, I’d say I’m doing a pretty good job at getting myself out there and putting out quality work and content. I was super elated and kind of adopted a bit of impostor syndrome when I seen that you guys reached out to me. The VoyageATL has always been on my radar ever since i went off to college. I’ve always admire the constant discovery and uplifting of new talent and also underrated artist and creatives in the Atlanta areas being able to showcase and get themselves out in the public.
I am currently a free agent model with the goals of ultimately securing a lucrative agency. I want to walk the biggest fashion weeks and also achieving my goals of gracing. Various magazine covers that I’ve dreamed of being on since I was in my adolescent years. I used to believe there was no space for males or anyone that basically exuded such of an androgynous yet versatile vibe that I do. Frankly it’s damn sure time that we get more examples for the kids that were like me growing up and even some adults now who are afraid to fully express themselves. I know that I have so much to offer to the fashion industry and the model world and I just pray that God continues to guide and give me the creative insight and leadership that I need to connect me with open doors and put me in rooms before I never imagined I would be able to enter.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not always been a smooth road. I’ve always been pretty much of a think forward think straight type of person, but of course, life and growing up comes with his own difficulties. I feel like I went through a sense of identity crisis just trying to really find my sense of individuality during my high school going into college years. It was also very hard to maintain and keep up with social norms, but also academically and economically being successful while in college was a very, very hard test for me. Getting casted and doing shows and actually hear about the different opportunities that would be going on in the modeling world is a bit of a hush-hush who you know type of situation sometimes. I’m still kind of maneuvering and figuring out the best paths to take in this industry. I’m kind of getting adjusted and gaining a niche going. The fashion industry and the modeling world is constantly changing and evolving which can be a good and bad thing, depending on the type of lane and path that you take. I think that’s my most challenging standpoint as of right now because I feel like the modeling world is becoming very oversaturated with trends and most people just trying to gain a quick buck which is hard to differentiate.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I currently work in property management as a leasing consultant in going on three years now. Of course, with leasing and property management you come across a diverse individuals. It may seem very cut and dry, you do make a lot of connections and hear a lot of people’s everyday struggles and stories on why or how they got where they are. Sometimes it brings opportunities for you outside of work.
I would say that I am most known for my great fashion sense, my charisma, my charm, my smile and hair believe it or not. Being able to bring the light and people’s life and keep everything lighthearted and funny. I think I’m most proud of being able to just maintain my sanity and being able to stick to my individuality and morals while navigating my young adult life in this crazy adult world that we live in today. My friends often tell me I don’t give myself enough credit for just simply achieving the little things in life so I’m trying to do that more.
I know what mostly sets me apart from others is my mentality my confidence, my discernment, but also my strong touch of reality in which I feel my Aquarius traits play part in that as well lol. If you know, you know, Aquarius are literally the best sign on the planet and the most intellectual individuals there are..

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I feel like this might be common knowledge for people I grew up with, but it does kind of surprise people that i am really very quiet/observant at times. I feel like most outgoing or uplifting great spirited people are though. I can say two. fun facts that most people who know me might not know is that I love to sing and interior design. I’ve always been a music lover, growing up in church growing up in a very musical household pretty much instilled a natural ear for music. I always song in programs and different talent shows at school and one day. I do hope to have my own recording catalogue. A big dream of mine has always been to seeing background for various R&B artists that I adore, especially in today’s timing, but that’s a whole Nother story for a whole Nother day.At some point in life, I want to open an interior design company or figure out a way to make that a part of my everyday life remodeling/building homes, architectural spaces.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/q.nard?igsh=azFqMWd5Y3g4NGVy&utm_source=qr
• Twitter: https://x.com/qt_nard?s=11