Hi, my name is Emma Pantling! I am a 23 year old model, artist and bartender, based in London.

When confronted with the question of what got me to this point in my life, I honestly would say that I fell into the modelling world. I was scouted through social media, on Instagram, during lockdown back in late 2020. It was never something that I actively sought out, however when I was presented with the opportunity to learn and explore this path, I jumped at the chance. I love photography and everything visual, so I was intrigued to see what it would mean to be on the other side of the lens. I have always been creative, for as long as I can remember. I have fond memories of sitting on my living room floor, in Luton at this time, ripping apart and sticking together magazines and scribbling on absolutely anything I could get my hands on. My parents always encouraged me to experiment and develop these passions during my childhood, and I can’t thank them enough for this support. I studied Fine Art at Kingston University, which excelled and nourished my passion for film photography. It was at this time that I got my first job in a pub, which taught me a plethora of lessons and skills: how to small talk with people like a pro, our human need for companionship and of course how to pull a pint. Hospitality work has opened me up to being the most chatty and bubbly person I’ve been in my life and has built my self-confidence which has served me so well in other aspects of my day-to-day life.

I have a natural curiosity for the world around me. Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to know the little details of how things work and why things are the way they are. It fuels my passions and creativity immensely. When studying at university, I would lean into subjects that focussed on human nature and relationships. It’s the same reason I like to listen to music and to read. I think we can learn so much about ourselves by seeing what others put out into the world and finding the, maybe minute, ways in which we can relate to them. There’s a quote that I read recently, not in an academic context but most likely from a TikTok, that said “To be seen is to be loved.” I think the phrase rings somewhat true.

Art, in its many forms, is something at the forefront of my mind on most days. Whether it be capturing the world around me, or the going over the lyrics of the latest earworm in my head, I am always creating or consuming some form of art. At my core, I believe that art is one of the crucial parts of a happy society. Not in the sense that it is vital for a functioning society, but in the way of being something that brings joy and life to the spaces we occupy. Art can be functional and purposeful, but it can also exist just for the sake of existing. I think it’s beautiful that in a modern society where we, as humans, are often placed into boxes and led down paths that tell us we need to fit a criteria or serve a purpose and be “useful” that art can continue to exist and be appreciated by the masses and exist just for vanity’s sake or for the purpose of being admired. 

On the other hand, I also massively appreciate the freedom that art provides me, to express my creativity. Art can be a method of communication. From protest songs to awareness films, and it can be the product of thought and belief. It’s something that I will always hold very close to my heart, not only for the enjoyment I’ve found in various creative processes but for allowing me to express myself when I couldn’t find the words to.

As someone with undiagnosed ADHD I benefit AND suffer from a few “symptoms” which sounds kind of silly to say, because it gives so much negative weight to what are sometimes really useful traits to have. The first notable one being the H of the acronym, “hyperactivity”. It serves me very well in situations, such as when I’m on set shooting something, eg. a day of e- commerce, or a campaign shoot, I’m pretty much always buzzing and ready to go. It serves me well in the sense that, I feel as though I’m floating around all day like a fairy, I honestly sometimes will forget that I am actually working. I’ve also been told that my energy is infectious, which I will always take as a compliment.

Another notable impact that ADHD has on my creative process is that I get into periods of intense hyper-focus. This can be a pro and a con, depending on the situation. When managed well, I can use it to my advantage in thoroughly exploring ideas and completing tasks with genuine enjoyment and a lack of mental stress or strain. However, these periods of hyperfixation can largely contrast the periods of lack of motivation and procrastination I can find myself falling into. Sometimes, I can find the idea of what may be a small task very overwhelming and find myself saying, for example, “I’ll start it at this specific time” but once the clock passes that time, I have to wait until the next allotted allowed start time (set by myself). Or I will irrationally place fear onto simple tasks and build anxiety within myself by leaving it until the last minute, when I all of a sudden miraculously find the motivation and can complete the task with ease. It’s a fun double-sided coin that I flip most days!

Another trait I’ve been gifted with is that, at times, I can be an absolute chatterbox. Ever since childhood, I’ve always been the talkative and high energy girl. When I was young, my family coined me “Tigger”, the tiger from Winnie the Pooh. And of course, along with many other “neurospicy” baddies, I’ve been described at many a parents evening as “distracting”. I do sometimes find myself going onto tangents and losing my train of thought mid-sentence, however, I know that I can hold a great conversation with a wide range of people. I am a chameleon, and a social butterfly. I only really started feeling this way in more recent years, when I started to accept who I was a bit more and stopped suppressing the quirks that I thought would make people label me as “weird”. Now that I’m living my truth and not masking who I truly am, I’ve never felt more free and liberated. I don’t feel like an imposter, I just feel like ME.

I hope that when people see the work I do, it sets an example for others like me. You can be any type of person and take up space, especially in such an ever-changing industry such as the modelling world. There is beauty in everyone and everything, and slowly, but surely, the industry is learning to adapt and celebrate that. It is brands such as Lucy and Yak who have shown that inclusivity works wonders in so many ways, whether it be in your team working behind the scenes or in the models you see onsite. We all have our differences and strengths, and it is diversity that makes us stronger.

Style is something that I have such an interesting and complicated relationship with. I would say that there are so many aspects of my identity that play into how I dress. I am a plus-size woman, so wearing something that makes me feel confident in myself hasn’t always come easy to me, but it is at the forefront of my style. Body positivity is something that I have had to actively work on, especially as someone in the industry I work in. I love to wear something that makes me feel good in myself! Comfort is the other crucial factor to what I choose to wear. I am a person who prioritises comfort in my day-to-day. On the right occasion, I will overlook that and don a heel which I know I will be feeling the consequences of shortly after I take them off. However, when resting, travelling or working behind the bar I like to wear something that I don’t feel too physically restricted in. For example, if I can do the splits (or attempt to anyway) in the bottoms, they have a higher chance of making it into my rotation.

If I had to give advice to anyone who is looking to pursue their passions, it would be to just go for it. Give it all you’ve got and be unapologetically you. Don’t be half-arsed with the things you care about. Your “why” is your motivation so go out there and get what you want because no one else is going to do it for you. Also, give yourself grace and have patience as small steps in the right direction are always better than standing still. I’d like to quote Ella Fitzgerald – “It isn’t where you came from. It’s where you’re going that counts.”

Hi, my name is Emma Pantling! I am a 23 year old model, artist and bartender, based in London.

When confronted with the question of what got me to this point in my life, I honestly would say that I fell into the modelling world. I was scouted through social media, on Instagram, during lockdown back in late 2020. It was never something that I actively sought out, however when I was presented with the opportunity to learn and explore this path, I jumped at the chance. I love photography and everything visual, so I was intrigued to see what it would mean to be on the other side of the lens. I have always been creative, for as long as I can remember. I have fond memories of sitting on my living room floor, in Luton at this time, ripping apart and sticking together magazines and scribbling on absolutely anything I could get my hands on. My parents always encouraged me to experiment and develop these passions during my childhood, and I can’t thank them enough for this support. I studied Fine Art at Kingston University, which excelled and nourished my passion for film photography. It was at this time that I got my first job in a pub, which taught me a plethora of lessons and skills: how to small talk with people like a pro, our human need for companionship and of course how to pull a pint. Hospitality work has opened me up to being the most chatty and bubbly person I’ve been in my life and has built my self-confidence which has served me so well in other aspects of my day-to-day life.

I have a natural curiosity for the world around me. Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to know the little details of how things work and why things are the way they are. It fuels my passions and creativity immensely. When studying at university, I would lean into subjects that focussed on human nature and relationships. It’s the same reason I like to listen to music and to read. I think we can learn so much about ourselves by seeing what others put out into the world and finding the, maybe minute, ways in which we can relate to them. There’s a quote that I read recently, not in an academic context but most likely from a TikTok, that said “To be seen is to be loved.” I think the phrase rings somewhat true.

Art, in its many forms, is something at the forefront of my mind on most days. Whether it be capturing the world around me, or the going over the lyrics of the latest earworm in my head, I am always creating or consuming some form of art. At my core, I believe that art is one of the crucial parts of a happy society. Not in the sense that it is vital for a functioning society, but in the way of being something that brings joy and life to the spaces we occupy. Art can be functional and purposeful, but it can also exist just for the sake of existing. I think it’s beautiful that in a modern society where we, as humans, are often placed into boxes and led down paths that tell us we need to fit a criteria or serve a purpose and be “useful” that art can continue to exist and be appreciated by the masses and exist just for vanity’s sake or for the purpose of being admired. 

On the other hand, I also massively appreciate the freedom that art provides me, to express my creativity. Art can be a method of communication. From protest songs to awareness films, and it can be the product of thought and belief. It’s something that I will always hold very close to my heart, not only for the enjoyment I’ve found in various creative processes but for allowing me to express myself when I couldn’t find the words to.

As someone with undiagnosed ADHD I benefit AND suffer from a few “symptoms” which sounds kind of silly to say, because it gives so much negative weight to what are sometimes really useful traits to have. The first notable one being the H of the acronym, “hyperactivity”. It serves me very well in situations, such as when I’m on set shooting something, eg. a day of e- commerce, or a campaign shoot, I’m pretty much always buzzing and ready to go. It serves me well in the sense that, I feel as though I’m floating around all day like a fairy, I honestly sometimes will forget that I am actually working. I’ve also been told that my energy is infectious, which I will always take as a compliment.

Another notable impact that ADHD has on my creative process is that I get into periods of intense hyper-focus. This can be a pro and a con, depending on the situation. When managed well, I can use it to my advantage in thoroughly exploring ideas and completing tasks with genuine enjoyment and a lack of mental stress or strain. However, these periods of hyperfixation can largely contrast the periods of lack of motivation and procrastination I can find myself falling into. Sometimes, I can find the idea of what may be a small task very overwhelming and find myself saying, for example, “I’ll start it at this specific time” but once the clock passes that time, I have to wait until the next allotted allowed start time (set by myself). Or I will irrationally place fear onto simple tasks and build anxiety within myself by leaving it until the last minute, when I all of a sudden miraculously find the motivation and can complete the task with ease. It’s a fun double-sided coin that I flip most days!

Another trait I’ve been gifted with is that, at times, I can be an absolute chatterbox. Ever since childhood, I’ve always been the talkative and high energy girl. When I was young, my family coined me “Tigger”, the tiger from Winnie the Pooh. And of course, along with many other “neurospicy” baddies, I’ve been described at many a parents evening as “distracting”. I do sometimes find myself going onto tangents and losing my train of thought mid-sentence, however, I know that I can hold a great conversation with a wide range of people. I am a chameleon, and a social butterfly. I only really started feeling this way in more recent years, when I started to accept who I was a bit more and stopped suppressing the quirks that I thought would make people label me as “weird”. Now that I’m living my truth and not masking who I truly am, I’ve never felt more free and liberated. I don’t feel like an imposter, I just feel like ME.

I hope that when people see the work I do, it sets an example for others like me. You can be any type of person and take up space, especially in such an ever-changing industry such as the modelling world. There is beauty in everyone and everything, and slowly, but surely, the industry is learning to adapt and celebrate that. It is brands such as Lucy and Yak who have shown that inclusivity works wonders in so many ways, whether it be in your team working behind the scenes or in the models you see onsite. We all have our differences and strengths, and it is diversity that makes us stronger.

Style is something that I have such an interesting and complicated. I would say that there are so many aspects of my identity that play into how I dress. I am a plus-size woman, so wearing something that makes me feel confident in myself hasn’t always come easy to me, but it is at the forefront of my style. Body positivity is something that I have had to actively work on, especially as someone in the industry I work in. I love to wear something that makes me feel good in myself! Comfort is the other crucial factor to what I choose to wear. I am a person who prioritises comfort in my day-to-day. On the right occasion, I will overlook that and don a heel which I know I will be feeling the consequences of shortly after I take them off. However, when resting, travelling or working behind the bar I like to wear something that I don’t feel too physically restricted in. For example, if I can do the splits (or attempt to anyway) in the bottoms, they have a higher chance of making it into my rotation.

If I had to give advice to anyone who is looking to pursue their passions, it would be to just go for it. Give it all you’ve got and be unapologetically you. Don’t be half-arsed with the things you care about. Your “why” is your motivation so go out there and get what you want because no one else is going to do it for you. Also, give yourself grace and have patience as small steps in the right direction are always better than standing still. I’d like to quote Ella Fitzgerald – “It isn't where you came from. It's where you're going that counts.”