Hot Off The Press!
Hey look everybody! it’s Julie Gems, the irresistible & intriguing femme fatale, equal parts old time glamour and modern day charm. Who says you can’t have it all. Take a sneak peak into how this girl found and formed herself into a modern day Pin-up, Julie Gems and her life through the lens. Let her tantalize you through a series of high glamour and American Pin-up photography from classic cheesecake to vintage bondage and couture fetish fashion.
Where it all started!
As a teen I was interested in fashion and beauty of all sorts. I would save my pennies for fashion magazines, inspired I would design with textiles from local thrift shops. Standing out was the name of the game and that I did. Early on my fashion sense followed in the footsteps of iconic starlets such as Marilyn Monroe, Veronica Lake, Betty Garble, Catherine Hepburn, Bridgette Bardot, Betty Page, Mimi Von Duran, Lana Turner, May West, Grace Kelly, and Marlene Dietrich. There were modern day alternative models and performers gave me a completely different inspiration to glamour, such as Dita Von Teese, Heidi Van Horne, Bernie Dexter, Jaime Deadly, Sabina switch blade Kelly, Darenzia ,Mosh, Masuimi Max, Kumi Monster, Emily Marilyn, Eden Wells, Go Go Amy, and Dayna Delux. I can go on, they are all so amazing. Being first scouted as a young teen for commercial modelling was certainly a kick start to enjoying the spotlight. As time passed I soon realized I wanted to be an alternative model specializing in Pin-up and Fetish fashion modelling. Those city lights couldn’t have been brighter.
Big City Light’s!
I knew if I wanted to model in the scene, I had to be in the Big City! With that in mind I left my small town and sought after my dreams in Toronto. I needed a job, it had to be only the best. One day in Toronto I was attracted to the sight of stiletto’s and bondage gear, complimented by the scent of leather and rubber – I had discovered Northbound Leather, Canada’s largest Fetish boutique. I knew this was the place for me and was working there by the end of the week. In time I worked in several alternative clothing shops including Canada’s best vintage bazaar, Kensington Market. These experiences helped me form my own idea’s. Spending a lot of my time nose deep in Fetish fashion magazines like Marquis and surrounding myself in the Fetish culture was good practice to what soon became the making of Julie Gems. But not without thanks to Betty Page.
The Betty Page Days!
Box#21 Loreal Starry night. Yes that’s right Betty in a box, what girl wouldn’t be complete without her raven black locks and perfect cropped bangs, red pouty lips, black seamed stocking’s paired with French lace lingerie worn with her deadly cinched waist. Her faithful crop, and last but not least her to die for 6 inch spike patent leather stiletto’s . Ah, the Betty Page Day’s. It all started in the small town I grew up in, finding myself ordering all my fetish clothing attire online including my custom made red patent leather Smeg boots courtesy of Siren – which was the only place to shop if you where in the scene in Toronto. You couldn’t buy anything Goth or any crazy footwear anywhere else in the city at that time.
Anticipating a monthly held fetish night, taking a bus to Toronto, staying at the classic Rex Hotel. Primping and cinching, shining and beautifying, topped all off with a glass of champagne, I was ready and dressed to kill. My world of fetish nights where filled with dancing goths to men in baby clothes and dominatrixes ordering their desires away. There were WW2 soldiers with doctor’s and sexy nurses by their sides, and below my my heels lay a submissive man named Matt, who worshipped women’s heel’s – and mine especially. I loved being surrounded by creative well dressed fashion forward people who were all their for the same reason I was, to feel sexy, free, to express their differences, to give orders, to receive what we choose, and to celebrate individuality.
I loved being surrounded by creative well dressed fashion forward people who were all their for the same reason I was, to feel sexy, free, to express their differences, to give orders, to receive what we choose, and to celebrate individuality.
One particular Fetish night stands out the most to me, the night I was asked to model for a fetish photo shoot. I loved it, and knew I wanted to do a lot more of these shoots. Soon after I was featured in a local fetish magazine spread which lead to several fetish fashion shows. Soon enough I was directing and styling all my own photo shoots. This was when I started to realize there were far too many Betty’s. I wanted to find a little more of me and not focus on just one of my inspirations but many of them.
The Making of Julie Gems!
I needed a pen name, after-all every femme fatale need’s an alias, it’s all part of that old world glamour and charm. I crystallized who I am and what beauty meant to me, to shine amongst the stars, to inspire those around you, to intrigue and most of all to pervade ultimate beauty, and so came the name Julie Gems. I needed a pen name, after-all every femme fatale need’s an alias, it’s all part of that old world glamour and charm. With a love for makeup artistry and design, and not much of a budget, I was left with being creative and using what I had at the time. I always felt those shoots turned out being the most creative and interesting. Having constraints was never a limitation for me, in my mind it’s never only one aspect of a shoot that creates something great, it’s how all the elements work together. I have been lucky and fortunate enough to have many talented and creative friends and family throughout my journey’s. Having them as inspiration and all their support helped me a lot to achieving my dreams.
Formally known as Julie Gems & Finding Your Inner Pin-up!
People always ask me why and for what reason are you doing this, and I simply say why not. It seems most women today don’t have much self esteem and self worth and allow society and the media to determine whether they are beautiful and have what it takes to be in the now. I think all women should have a photo-shoot taken of them dressed to the nines and in sexy attire, to give them a sense of how it feels to be amazing and see yourself shine. First and foremost you need to find beauty in yourself. Find Your Inner Pin-up, celebrate femininity and all it’s worth.
“There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I’am not going to worry about them. I’m dreaming the hardest.”
– Marilyn Monroe.
I hope you all have enjoyed a peek into my personal diary, a snapshot of my life and hope that I have left you with some insight and motivation to doing what you want to do in life no matter how hard and impossible it may feel no matter what the challenge or competition you may encounter. Always remember there is a star in all of us, it just needs to sparkle.