Conversations with Shane Matias

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane Matias.

Hi Shane , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, a place known to appreciate and celebrate individuality. Growing up, I had always been drawn to the uniqueness of everyone around me. No two people carried themselves the same; everyone had their own sense of style and identity.I have lived in New York my whole life, with a brief move to Cape Coral, Florida, for middle school. It wouldn’t last very long, so I moved back to the city for high school up until college, which would change everything for me.I decided to go to Georgia State University, and this is where my true passion for modeling officially began. I had always been into fashion and did a photoshoot during my high school years, but I could never quite find my niche. It wasn’t until I was approached by a modeling organization on campus and was told, “You look like you could model; you should join our organization,” that everything finally clicked.
This was all the spark of motivation I needed to take a shot.
Eventually, I would join the organization, and to this day, I still work with the same organization, now serving as the current Vice President/Male Model Coordinator. This would lead to joining multiple modeling organizations, working with various fashion groups between New York and Atlanta, and officially getting signed in New York City, which had always been a dream of mine.I always take pride in the fact that I’ve worked to get to where I am now, and through that hard work and nonstop effort, I’ve been in over 50 editorial and brand shoots, walked in over 10 runway shows, and now coach male models on how to be runway-ready.Doing all of this while being a biomedical science major hasn’t been easy, but through discipline and careful time management, I’ve managed to make it all work and plan to keep pushing forward until I graduate in the spring of 2027.Staying multifaceted has been one of the biggest things I’ve preached to people when it comes to individuality and standing out. This is why I started my photography page, @Matislenz, and now edit on occasion for @InfiniteAppeal, while also creating content myself. Giving tips on modeling, confidence, styling, and growth within the industry is what my page is all about.To any aspiring models who come across this, just remember one word: individuality. Standing out doesn’t come from being what others want—it comes from fully being your true self.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Beginning my journey, confidence had always been a big issue for me. I was looked down upon for being bigger growing up, so I had lost a bunch of weight by the time I was in high school; however, I was then underweight and had to figure out a healthy middle ground for myself. Loving yourself is a necessity when it comes to doing anything creatively, but especially modeling. Knowing you’re going to be judged by many different people can be discouraging for a lot of people, but at the end of the day, if you love yourself and stay true to yourself, you will find exactly what is meant for you. I believe that’s just the way the universe works. The numbers game of social media was also be a big one. I used to be scared to post or discouraged if a post wouldn’t perform as I intended on my socals, until realizing that not everything is going to perform. Not everyone is going to like what you like or love what you love. You need to post for yourself, forget about the numbers, they will come naturally the more authentic you are. Everyone has a community that will support or appreciate their art, you just can’t rush the process.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I model full-time between New York and Atlanta. I can do runway, editorial, commercial, anything that you need, I can do. I specialize specifically in editorial and runway, but anything in between i’m very open to and more than happy to work with any inquiries. I would say I’m known primarily for my editorial/brand shoots. I would say I am most proud of being selected to walk in NYFW multiple times, as this is a huge goal for most aspiring models. What primarily sets me apart from others is the fact that I don’t just model. I can take pictures and edit them. I can record Content for all creators and edit videos too long or short. I actively put myself out there every day, but stay consistent so people know I’m working and I don’t look inactive. I’m always trying new things creatively to stay multifaceted. I don’t believe in putting all your eggs into one basket.

Any big plans?
For the future, I plan to continue modeling full-time while also being a full-time student, working towards finishing my degree and obtaining my master’s.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanemmatias/ @Shanemmatias @Matislenz

Image Credits
@Shotbyquise