Shailah Edmonds
New York, NY — Former High-Fashion Runway Model, Shailah Edmonds, reveals all in her captivating autobiography entitled Wild Child to Couture Style: The Shailah Edmonds Story.
When we watch a model with her polished, to-die-for glamour walk the runway, it may not look to us like she’s taking many steps. But for Shailah Edmonds, the runway she’s walked in life to reach the heights of her profession might be measured this way: How far is it from Portland to Paris?
Her brave and often daring journey from her hometown of Portland, Oregon, and how against all odds, she went on to become a most sought-after couture model in Paris and around the world – it’s all contained in her new book, Wild Child To Couture Style: The Shailah Edmonds Story, now available in paperback and Kindle on Lyons Publishing.
“This book is a must-read for any young woman who dares to venture into this most demanding and high-paying profession of modeling,” writes Walter Jones, playwright-in-residence at the Public Theater in New York. “Ms. Edmonds shows how a novice can survive daily rigors…to stay focused to make this their lifelong profession.”
And if anyone would know about this, it’s Shailah Edmonds.
In her book, Shailah shares her personal account of her life’s story, with her humble beginnings in Portland as a teenage African American mom which she thought would put an end to her dreams of becoming an actress or model. Then fate stepped in and through her own hard work, perseverance and personality, she skyrocketed to a wildly successful international high-fashion runway model career that spanned two decades.
Shailah walked runways in Germany, Italy, Paris, Tokyo, London, Africa, and the US for Yves St. Laurent, Dior, Valentino, Bill Blass, Versace and all the other top designers. She dominated magazine covers around the globe from Time Magazine Europe, to Women’s Wear Daily (six times), and was featured in French Elle, L’Officiel, Vogue, Versace catalog among many others. Shailah also reveals her incredible social life with celebrities, the many loves that came and went, her wild Studio 54 days, and even her success as a backup singer for Fred Schneider of the B52s!
Of course the road was not always so smooth. In her book, Shailah shares the many challenges she faced and overcame through the years, including being told “no” due to her race, sexual predators, divorce, balancing her family and career, surviving the drug scene of her industry as well as some harrowing life threatening situations…all which she learned from and continued moving forward. Through her colorful storytelling, Shailah shares the many life and career lessons that anyone – especially women – can appreciate.
After a very successful and lucrative career in Europe, she switched scenes back to New York City, where she is now based. Retiring from the runway, it wasn’t long before Shailah Edmonds produced a top-selling instructional DVD called, The Runway To Success. This only heightened the demand she continues to be in these days as a Modeling Coach, working with models from premiere agencies as well as beginners.
The book has historic pictures and chronicles the era when Black models were the rage in Paris, not only focusing on Shailah, but also paying homage to all the Black models who became expats because of the lack of work in America. It appeals to young adult and adult fashionistas, both male and female, and ends with a tutorial for aspiring models.
Shailah is currently gearing up to shoot her first music video for her original song “The Native In Me Is Gettin’ Restless”, released a new jazz CD, “Happiness Is” and also shopping her story around New York and Los Angeles, because according to the masses, it could easily be a movie or 8-10 episode mini-series.
The serendipitous and adventurous path of a woman who’s lived it to the hilt, with talent and style, and who has traveled the globe in a dream profession – it can all be experienced in Wild Child To Couture Style: The Shailah Edmonds Story by Shailah Edmonds with Chester J. Fultz.
For more info and/or to order an autographed copy, visit www.ShailahEdmonds.com
Wild Child To Couture Style is also available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com (ISBN #: 978-0-9712338-4-3) in paperback and e-book.
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