The Rise of a Habesha Model | Fashion, Culture and Controversy

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Simon, an Ethiopian model, fashion content creator, streamer, and college student to talk about creativity from a personal angle. Michael talks about his relationship with fashion, how it shapes his confidence, the way it influences how he shows up creatively, and what it’s like to build a personal brand while still balancing real life.Throughout the episode, Michael reflects on growth, self expression, and the lessons he’s learned while building confidence in both his work and himself. It’s an authentic look at growth, style, and learning how to stand on your own as a young creative in today’s digital space.SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST: https://www.youtube.com/@thebriefdivepodcast/videos?sub_confirmation=1LISTEN ON:SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cPd9uVZqjmEmM9VF0zuGg?si=ef2246bd89c34b4APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brief-dive/id1551664039FOLLOW ON:INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thebriefdive?igsh=cm5iaWEyazRvMnpySNAPCHAT: https://snapchat.com/t/zzap27fGTIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebriefdive?_t=8qIJLtOvM0l&_r=1INTRO MUSIC: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/valmaddoxaero?igsh=MWJraWRoYmE4aXN6Mg==TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@val_maddox_music?_t=ZT-8yRqOSfTGFj&_r=1DISCLAIMER: "The Brief Dive" Podcast represents the opinions of Filimon and his guests who are also not licensed professionals. The content provided should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, or any sort of medical treatment. This content is meant for informational and entertainment purposes only.Michael's Socials:TIKTOK:https://www.tiktok.com/@yung.michael?_r=1&_t=ZT-91qhTbCsXYThttps://www.tiktok.com/@thatgmikeyclips?_r=1&_t=ZT-91qhetVGSAYINSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/michaelsimonx?igsh=MXgya3VwMzRtenljcA==Timestamps:00:00 Preview0:31 Intro2:54 Who Is Michael?5:42 Fit Of The Day6:43 Why Start Content Creation?7:35 Why Get Into Fashion?8:47 How Did You Start Having Good Taste In Fashion?11:16 Are Designer Clothes Worth It?12:30 Why Manipulate Your Clothes?13:20 How Do You Find Your Own Sense Of Style?15:24 Does Attractiveness Override Drip?18:52 Fashion & First Impressions22:03 What's Your Favorite Flic?22:57 The Photoshoot Process25:45 Gaining Confidence During Photoshoots27:34 Habesha Community And Fashion???31:53 Habesha Restrictions On Fashion33:40 Being Habesha In The Fashion Industry34:04 The Problem With Creators In The DMV37:21 What Are Creators You Look Up To?39:08 Is This A Passion, Hobby, A Job?39:40 Taking Photos In Addis Ababa41:57 Do You Believe In Gatekeeping?43:32 What Is Your Dream Shoot/Collab?46:36 Michael's Advice For Future Content Creators47:20 Dive & Deliver50:58 Outro