Essex-born model, Jasroop Singh’s unique beauty was spotted online by an agency during lockdown. Less than four years later, she goes to Pilates with supermodel Naomi Campbell and Winnie Harlow is a fan...
Jasroop is having her nails manicured when we meet, musing over the success of her appearance on Channel 4’s New Model Agency back in March.
Since the three-part documentary series aired, interest in Jasroop has soared, complementing a career that had already seen dramatic transformation, since clocking off from her job as a sales assistant at Lakeside shopping centre.
Working in fashion retail, Jasroop would cover up her body following a decade of intense bullying at school, due to developing the condition vitiligo. Thought to effect 1 in 100 people, it is triggered when a lack of melatonin causes a loss of pigment, and milky white patches to form on the skin.
Moving to college to study for A-levels in maths, business and English, did little to improve her confidence, but the cruel start has been the making of her.
At 22, her face has featured in campaigns with top brands such as Burberry. The motto she now lives by is poignant and powerful; ‘make them stop and stare.’
'It’s been amazing, I’ve had such good feedback,' smiles Jasroop.
'I didn’t care if anyone had anything negative, but it’s been so positive.'
The confidence Jasroop now possesses is infectious. Yet she remains composed, gracious and humble. A young woman who has left her days being stigmatised behind, a life of torment outside the security of her close family in Grays, and is no longer hidden or ashamed.
While holed up at home in the heatwave of the first lockdown like millions of others, she decided to post a picture of herself online, throwing caution to the wind and revealing the vitiligo on her face and body minus thick camouflage foundation, for the first time.
Soon after the post, she was spotted and snapped up by global agency Zebedee, who specialise in representing disabled and “visibly different” models, breaking down barriers. Or in Jasroop’s case smashing them.
'I’ve only been in the industry for three years, which isn’t long at all.
'It happened out of nowhere. In June 2020 I went out for the first time in a t-shirt and shorts, and decided to post.'
Jasroop had posted online before, but not ‘in the flesh.’ She’s now archived all the images from her former life.
'I had watched Winnie Harlow (Canadian supermodel with vitiligo) on America’s Top Model, but I’d never thought about the job for myself. It’s so important what Zebedee are doing and I was overwhelmed when they reached out to me.
'I didn’t sign my contract until May 2021 because my lawyer had an accident, but they were willing to wait. They saw a lot of potential, which means a lot.'
Jasroop certainly doesn’t miss shifts on the shop floor.
'I was working in Zara and one day my booker confirmed me for a Primark worldwide beauty campaign. I had to keep calling in sick for castings, as they weren’t understanding about the modelling side of it.
Then I got chosen for Vogue and thought, "I have to leave!"
'I went full time in my first year of being a model at only 18. In lockdown I was in my last year of college and thought I’m going to have to go to university and doing something I don’t want to do like accountancy. When you’re so young you have to pick something.'
Jasroop has spoken about her family being at a loss of how to help when she was first diagnosed with vitiligo at four years old. Many in the community expressed pity at what had happened to their daughter and saw it as nothing more than a plight. Her desperate parents flew to India several times where the condition is often taboo, and fell victim to unscrupulous dermatologists offering expensive faux cures.
Eventually, aged 11, she’d had enough of false hope and asked to stop taking herbal medication, drinks and sherbets. They supported her decision and are now thrilled with her new career, never pushing her to pursue a certain path.
'My parents aren’t your typical south Asian family. Mum was born in England. She’s Indian, but grew up in Dagenham in a British culture and my dad’s from India, but I still know my roots. They’re very understanding. I’m blessed that they’ve never encouraged me to be a lawyer or anything.
'They weren’t worried about the modelling world, as I’d been through such a lot and they’d seen what it had done to me.'
Jasroop has no plans to hang around in the UK, her sights firmly set on the other side of the Atlantic. And with zero hesitation or homesickness.
This is a woman with no need to wait. No longer stifled or cocooned, her next move feels far more than embarking on a new chapter. Part of a movement to shift mindsets, she’s determined to do it justice.
'My plan is to move to America in the summer, which I talk a lot about in the documentary. In five years I want to be their permanently.
'I’ve always loved Hollywood and the modelling scene out in America is huge, bigger than London. I do believe in myself a lot and I see endless growth out there.
'I can’t do model apartments, I need my own space. I’ll go back and forth between L.A and New York.'
Covid altered the lives of many, but was also when the world woke up to the Black Lives Matter movement and effects of the MeToo campaign. Discrimination was very much bubbling under the surface, and voices for change became louder, which made it a fitting time for Jasroop to start her journey spreading awareness of vitiligo, promoting self-acceptance and making people question true beauty.
'If lockdown didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now. It might have been another ten years before I got to this point,' reveals Jasroop, who was thrilled when Winnie Harlow made contact.
'I was in Manchester for a shoot in my hotel room and she reposted one of my Instagram pictures on to her story with love heart eyes. That’s the first time she ever interacted with me, and then she posted another video of my collaboration with Burberry and put, “I love you.”
'I’ve been in contact with her management before and they’ve said they’d like to meet me in L.A. She’s been an inspiration since when I was seven years old. I see us working together too.'
Being signed as a model, has brought Jasroop not just a career, but a loyal social circle that didn’t exist before.
'A lot of my friends are industry people. I don’t like using the word ‘celebrity’ because I’m not that type of person, but I’m really good friends with Alec Maxwell, the husband of Edward Enniful (former editor of British Vogue).
'In terms of advice they’ve been very supportive to me. I also go to Pilates with with Naomi Campbell. She’s an icon, but I don’t like to make a big deal of it.'
It’s quite a turnaround from her network four years ago.
'I genuinely don’t speak to anyone from my school. A couple of people from the past have got in touch, but if we weren’t friends then, why do you want to be friends now? I tend to not pay attention to that, just the people that really care about me.'
The strong bond between the young talent on Zebedee’s books was clear on New Model Agency, celebrating their unique camaraderie, the agency itself only founded in 2017.
'Every job I’ve done is special in its own way,' continues Jasroop who has worked all over Europe flying the flag for diversity.
'I was shooting on a motorbike in the middle of Barcelona for ASOS and recently I did some pictures at the National Gallery. I do see myself going into acting as well. That’s very much on my list!'
New Model Agency is available to stream on Channel 4
