User:Model Events/sandbox

Sharon Grobben
Sharon Grobben (born June 22, 1992) is a Belgian plus-size model [], body positive advocate, autism activist and influencer [] .

Early years
Sharon is born on June 22 1992 in Mol, Belgium. She is an only child. Already as a baby, Sharon has been posing for local photographers. She loved being in front of the camera. At age 3, she started ballet and tapdance classes. When she was about 6 years old ,she had her first real modeling experience. She walked in a fashionshow together with her mom, who at the time was a plus-size model herself. A little bit later Sharon was booked for fittings for different labels. Meanwhile she was also following hip hop classes. Once a year she joined the big show from the dance academy. But these big events where not really her thing. She always seemed a bit shy and it was hard to socialize with new people. Finally, at age 14 , after a series of tests , she was diagnosed with AUTISM [] [] . All puzzle pieces fell into place. Sharon started a therapy and was coached at school. But not all teachers saw the problem, so school wasn’t always a positive experience. At school she got bullied for her bigger hips. Sharon graduaded as a hairdresser. As interacting with new people was still difficult, the hairdresser job was not the best solution. So she started doing different jobs. She worked hard in every job she did (factory, retail, cleaning …) but she didn’t find the job that really fit her. So after 2 years jobhopping, she started studying again , focussing on her strong points : she’s very accurate in administration and handy with computers and social media. After 2 years Sharon finished her studies as an allround secretary. Meanwhile she continued her modeling, mainly posing for local photographers and doing some smaller fashion shows. At that time, Sharon had an EU size 38 , which was always a struggle , as she didn’t fit in as a “regular” model , but she was too skinny to be a plus-size model. At age 23 she decided to finally accept her curves and to no longer strive to get that size zero. Sharon started working out, eating more varied and living a healthy lifestyle. She gained weight and was then a size 40-42.

Career
Sharon is signed with Curves Model Agencyin Belgium (motheragency) Instagram @curvesmodelagency In 2016 Sharon was selected to walk in Paris Pulp Fashion Week (curvy fashion week), it (re)launched her model career as a curvy model. She signed with her first international agency : Agence Plus in Paris. In August 2016 Sharon walked at the Curvy & Plussize Fashion Week in Belgium. Meanwhile Sharon is also signed with some of the major modelagencies in Europe, South Africa and USA. Includes : Rothman Models Germany,  Francina Models Spain , D&A Model ManagementSouth Africa , Ego's ModelsNetherlands , Perfect ModelFrance. One of the highlights so far was summer 2019 when Sharon was featured in an artistic editorial for Vogue Magazine. In September 2019 she joined Paris Fashion Week to walk for a Canadian designer. Sharon did runways for brands & designers like Devotion Designs, Geert De Puysseleyr , Adam Brody Zurich , Gaïa Italy , Georgedé Paris , Bellma Paris , Masaari , Xandres Gold , Marina Rinaldi [], MS Mode and many more. Campaigns, e-commerce jobs and collabs include brands like Mac Cosmetics, Poolday Paris , Prima Donna lingerie , Marlies Dekkers [], Hunkemöller [], Marjolaine , Lisca Lingerie , Cosabella lingerie , Lady XL , Happy Size , Decathlon [], Kiabi [], Aldi [] , C&A [], Xandres Gold , Fox Factor , Bristol , Bel & Bo , La Maison Victor , H2O , Ladybird Bridal , Eurostar Equestrian and many more. Sharon signed with True Model Agency in New York in February 2020, but due to Covid 19 the trip to New York got postponed. She signed with True Model Agency in New York in February 2020, but due to Covid 19 [] the trip to New York [] got postponed.

Publications
Since 2015 Sharon got published in various newspapers, national and international online magazines and print magazines. She featured in videoclips, TV commercials , talkshows and editorials. In publications she is often called the Flemish Ashley Graham [], which Sharon considers as a big honour as Graham is her big example. Publications include various articles in newspapers like Het Nieuwsblad [], Gazet Van Antwerpen [], Het Belang Van Limburg [], Het Laatste Nieuws [], but also some international newspapers. Publications in many online magazines. Publications in magazines include Urban Nails Magazine, Clint Magazine , Curvy Magazine , TV Familie [], Nina Magazine , Sjiek Magazine , Citta Magazine. Published 6 times in Flair Magazine [], including the cover in May 2018. In May 2019 she was the first plus-size model to feature in P Magazine. In July 2019 she was published in Vogue Ukraine [] for an editorial shoot. In March 2020 she was “Woman to watch” in the famous Marie Claire Magazine []. Television appearances include regional television ATV [] and national television VRT [], Canvas [] and VTM []. In November 2019 VTM “Wat een dag” followed her during a whole day of modeling.

Body Positivity
Since many years Sharon Grobben is a promoter of body positivity. Through her Instagram @sharongrobben she reaches and inspires many people to accept and love themselves. Many messages reach her daily to thank her to be such a role model. Nowadays at an EU size 44 Sharon feels better in her skin than ever before and shares her (body) positivity with the world.

In 2019, Sharon founded the Diversity Project ® (Instagram @thediversityproject) This project includes photoshoots, showing diverse people in their lingerie (no matter what size, length, weight, ethnicity, look, …), usually with some body positive quotes marked on their body or on a piece of paper. The first Diversity Catwalk took place in Antwerp []in August 2019. In the middle of the main shoppingstreet Meir [], nearly 40 people in all sizes and shapes took off their clothes and did a little catwalk in their lingerie, to show visitors that it is OK to be who you are. They made it to the national television in prime time, regional television and national and regional newspapers. In January 2020 the Diversity Catwalk crossed the Belgian border to Eindhoven [] in The Netherlands [] . Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Diversity Catwalks planned in spring / summer 2020 got cancelled. Summer 2020 Sharon added a new part to the Diversity Project : Diversity Talk. She invites diverse people for a short talk about different subjects that are often still a taboo. Sharon participated in many international body positive catwalks : The Body Positive Catwalk by Laura Brioschi in Milan [](2x), Paris [], Berlin [], Barcelona []. The Real Catwalk by Khrystyana Kazakova []in London []. In 2019 Sharon was chosen for the Mac Cosmetics Love Me lipstick campaign to stand for body positivity.