: ‘I couldn’t believe they actually wanted me’
When representatives from Rihanna’s lingerie brand reached out to Steven Green for a modeling opportunity, he thought it was a fluke.
“I presumed this was just a mistake and I wouldn’t hear from them again,” the plus-size model, also known as Steven G, told In The Know. “I was floored. I couldn’t believe that they actually wanted me to model for them.”
And that they did. Green posed for photos for a Savage X Fenty collection, and the rest is history.
On October 2, the internet took notice of his presence on the brand’s website — and the high-profile visibility of a plus-size model immediately began to make an impact.
Countless commenters gushed about what a joy it was to finally feel “seen” — and thirsting after him a bit.
“Never in my adult life have I seen a male model that has a similar body to mine,” one Twitter user said. “I feel . . . almost emotional? Like I finally can buy something I saw and want and KNOW it was made for people like me in mind.”
“I want you to throw me through the wall, respectfully,” one Instagram user wrote.
Green has been exceptionally humble about his newfound fame.
“Never in a million years would I have considered myself a sex symbol, but to see the responses definitely confirmed that my size wasn’t much of a factor,” he told In The Know. “Of course, with the positives, there are always those negative and ignorant people who state their opinions which in turn highlights some very problematic issues within society.”
His response to critics who say the brand was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle was succinct.
“Health doesn’t have a size,” he said. “We all have different builds and our own physiques.”
The model has long had an eye for the creative side of things. He’s a fashion photographer and creative director who has been in the game for nearly a decade.
When Green started showing off his wardrobe styling services on his Instagram, he gained the attention of scouts who reached out to him for castings. His experience as a photographer gave him an advantage, since he knew what they’d be looking for.
“If all of these scouts are reaching out then there must be something to this modeling thing for me as a bigger guy,” he told In The Know.
He didn’t get any of the initial castings, but that inspired him to take matters into his own hands and start reaching out to agencies the saw representing curve and brawn models. Weeks later, he signed a contract.
“I was honestly speechless. I couldn’t believe that this is actually happening,” he said.
COVID-19 restrictions hit immediately after his big break, but he kept creating content in his own photography studio with a little help from his wife, Jasmine Green, who took many of his photos.
Days before his big Savage X Fenty shoot, Green admits he got “super nervous.”
“This was my very first modeling gig, and I would be shirtless in underwear,” he told In The Know. “I have literally never been shirtless online ever in my life and to break the ice I have to be shirtless for the entire world to see. That’s pressure!”
He said that knowing he was working with Riahnna’s brand, knowing how “innovated, talented and truly authentic” she is, helped him go through with the shoot — which, in turn, went smoothly.
“One thing about the Savage team that I loved is that it was fully diverse,” he said. “This spoke volumes to me and honestly made me 10 times more comfortable.”
-In The Know
