The self-empowering life of a female influencer

The self-empowering life of a female influencer
woman in brown blazer and denim shorts

Jamie-Lee, creator of @mademoisellejaime, believes in the power of social media to empower women and smash preconceived pressures about how a woman should look. Being an influencer gives her a voice to express herself creatively and empower others as a result of forging her own path. Jamie-Lee has worked with Vamp on many campaigns including with brands like Estée Lauder, OPSM and La Mer. 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

I see International Women’s Day as a celebration of the women’s movement, and the achievements and progress that we’ve made to date. 

Why did you opt in to be part of Vamp’s charity campaign with Dress for Success (#EmpowerHour)? What about the campaign resonated with you? 

I think it’s really important for women to support other women, particularly in their time of need, and what better way to do that than to be involved in a campaign which encourages others to empower women to achieve success and independence. Dress for Success has long been a charity which has resonated with me, as the work that they do goes a long way to support women, and assist those that are on welfare to get into the workforce, and being able to do something so small such as contributing one hour of your wages is the ultimate way to pay it forward.

How important is it to give back to the community with pro-bono posts and support women empowerment initiatives? 

There’s no denying that it’s incredibly important, and having built a strong community across my different social platforms, it presents a unique opportunity to bring greater awareness to social causes and initiatives such as #EmpowerHour. 

How can social media help women to feel more body confident? 

It only takes one look at what was considered the ’traditional ideal’ of beauty 20 years ago, to see how far we’ve come in the body positivity movement, and celebrating women for who they are, flaws and all, and I think that social media has played a huge role in shaping our attitudes towards feeling confident in our skin. It’s given women a medium to express themselves, and empower others through a ripple effect, by reminding us that we are all beautiful, regardless of our shape or size. 

What advice would you give to a woman who is nervous about going for a job/promotion/pay rise/starting a business?

Do your research, and be confident in where your strengths lie. 

Does being an influencer/content creator empower you? How? 

Absolutely, as it gives me an opportunity to not only forge my own path but to also express myself creatively. 

What and/or who inspires you? 

I find a lot of inspiration in the success of other women, whether they have created a successful business of their own, battled adversity to champion a cause that they believe in, or supported the advancement of women’s rights as we chase equality between genders.

What key challenges do you face as a woman? How do you overcome them? 

As far as we have come with the women’s movement, I still notice inherent biases and discrimination – no matter how slight – as a result of being a woman. It’s encouraged me not only to seek greater independence, but to connect and build communities with other like-minded women.

Your proudest moment?

From a career perspective, this would have to be when I was approached to collaborate on a pair of earrings with a Canadian-based jewellery brand. The earrings were set to be a three-month limited edition piece, however they’ve gone on to be one of the brand’s best sellers, and that was not only  a career defining moment for me, but one that filled me with an immense sense of pride. I like to think that anything is possible, if you set your mind to it!

If you could say one thing to your younger self what would it be? 

Always believe in yourself and don’t let others get you down.

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Download this free Vamp guide and learn how to succeed on the world’s most viral platform.