I first found Kyra Santoro through a Jimmy Tatro YouTube video, the camera loved her. Since then I have been hoping for Kyra to land on New York soil and finally she did. She grew up in Los Angeles and built up her modeling career over the last few years. Now she is landing major campaigns and LA’s fashion scene is in love with her!

Model: Kyra Santoro (Newmark Models, One Management, Osbrink Talent)
Words, photographer, stylist: Lauren Engel
Wardrobe: Maison Close
Flowers: Flora Brook

Tell us about your upbringing and how did it shape the person you are now?
I was born and raised in LA which I am so grateful for because I have been fortunate enough to have my entire family here as a support system while I’m pursuing modeling. I always grew up doing extreme sports with my family, they never really pushed for team sports it just wasn’t our thing. I grew up dirt bike riding, wake boarding, surfing, and snow boarding. I think all of that made me grow up very tough and now it helps with my job because I have tough skin and a backbone. Growing up I never thought I wanted to be a model I always thought I was just going to end up in college with all my friends and go that same route they did. When I was 17 almost 18 was when I decided I was going to try and pursue a career In modeling, and here I am 5 years later:)

How were you scouted/how did you begin modeling?
I was never scouted for modeling I built my career from the ground up with all my own ambition. I was told “no” a lot because of my height (5’7”) but I knew that someone would eventually say yes. I started out building a book by shooting with different photographers and then I went to open calls at almost every agency in LA. when I signed with my first agency I didn’t feel like I was reaching my full potential with them and I still had to hustle for jobs that I wanted. After my contract ended with them I left and didn’t renew. I’m now with someone else and am much happier. Honestly I feel like my modeling is partially where I want it to be as of 2 years ago. I just now am starting to feel like I’m truly a successful model.

Outside of modeling, what passions do you have?
I absolutely love working out, it keeps me grounded and feeling good inside. I also love wake boarding in the summer I try to go as much as I can. My only other passion is reading, I have a soft spot for romantic poetry.

“I think true love exists, obviously with my love for poetry I am deep down a hopeless romantic. I think there are so many people in this world and there is someone out there for everyone.”

Has social media changed you as a person? How has social media influenced your career?
I don’t think social media has changed me as a person, but I think social media has helped boost my career to a higher level. I think it has helped put my pictures out there for new brands to see me that wouldn’t have before. I think of my instagram as a second portfolio and a place to show my personality.

What were you like in high school? What would you say to your younger self?
In high school I was a social butterfly and had friends in a lot of different groups, I was always kind of a tomboy and never super girly. I was never really the “hot” girl growing up and I think it was partly because I was a tomboy and partly because I was a late bloomer. I wasn’t really comfortable with myself until I started modeling which sounds crazy because I know that modeling can make some girls very insecure because you are constantly being analyzed by everyone. I am now more happy and comfortable in my skin than I have ever been, and I would tell my younger self not to worry and to be happy and confident.

What is your perception about true love?
I think true love exists, obviously with my love for poetry I am deep down a hopeless romantic. I think there are so many people in this world and there is someone out there for everyone. At times I feel like people jump into marriages and relationships and ignore certain signals that show that those 2 people don’t belong together. I think true love should be equal parts communication and trust. I think true love isn’t the kind of relationship where 2 people are fighting and making up all the time, it should be fun and happiness.

Model: kyrasantoroxx newmarkmodels one1management osbrinkmodels
Words, photographer, stylist: engelauren
Wardrobe: maison_close
Flowers: florabrookny