(drums)
- I'm Zach Miko and I am the first
Brawn model for IMG models.
Yeah, I was big all growing up.
I actually still have nightmares
about being dragged to the husky section
when I was a kid.
I don't know why but for all big guys
that's a word that will mean
something different for the rest of our lives.
When I was growing up I felt like I didn't belong
because of my size.
And I learned to compensate in other ways.
I tried to funny, I learned to play guitar.
You kinda find other reasons for people to like you
other than the way you look.
I'm an actor and one day my acting manager
was talking to a friend who was actually
a makeup artist who worked at a studio
and they said they were looking
for a plus size guy and they couldn't find one.
I got a text message from my manager saying
how big is your waist?
And I was like why would you wanna know that?
(laughs)
And then I told her
and then I was in there
for a test shoot an hour later.
And then later that week I had my first gig.
And it was fun.
It was great.
I enjoyed it.
I got a lot of press for being
on the Target website.
It was the first time my body type had been shown.
Not just by them but by a mainstream retailer.
So a lot of people got very excited
and started talking.
And I was very lucky that I've embarked.
IMG models actually found me on Instagram
and sent me a message.
A couple days later I was in the office
with not just Ivan but the head
of the men's and woman's fashion board
and different managers and PR.
And I was like this is incredible.
I guess this is for real.
And I still was very overwhelmed by it
until Ivan started talking about diversity,
and inclusion, and evolution,
and his dreams for not only for IMG models
but for the whole fashion world.
It hit me right in the heart and I knew
that it wasn't fake.
This was a real movement that we're trying to do
in the fashion world.
Brawn is the new distinction for big and tall men.
It's all about taking the positive aspects
of what being big and tall is and highlighting that.
The same that the women's division is Curve.
Before this you kinda find pieces
that you really like and then you wear them a lot
because you know they fit.
You see your typical male models
and everybody has a washboard stomach
and a perfect V shape.
You grew up thinking that was the only thing
that it actually can be.
And I learned to love myself and my body through modeling.
And I'm really hoping to do the same for others.
I think my main message as a model
is that if I can get even a couple people
to feel good about the way they look,
not what they think other people want them to be,
but how you look right now is beautiful,
is attractive, and is valid.
Cause I know that's a feeling I didn't have for a long time.
(guitar music)
(static)