Here’s the tea ⬇️
I was 52kg (114 pounds) and tall.
That’s considered thin in most parts of the world.
This photo is of me around the time I got fired for being “too fat.”
The world is full of insane beauty standards, especially in Asia…
But what’s even crazier?
Not only was I fired, but I also faced humiliation from my own agent.
Instead of taking my side…
He was furious.
And he punished me by sending me to the worst castings in London.
One day, my phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
The legendary makeup artist, Mr Shu Uemura, had seen my pictures and booked me for his campaign.
I flew back to Tokyo, and suddenly, my career took off.
And the agent who punished me?
He tried to book me again but had to buy stock images instead.
But it’s not just about me.
Countless women face similar discrimination based on arbitrary beauty standards every day.
It’s part of why I focus on empowering women to find inner peace so they can embrace their unique qualities…
Regardless of external pressures.
About Kelly Prehn
Kelly's journey began unexpectedly when a Models 1 agent spotted her in Covent Garden during a ballet rehearsal. Despite landing a six-figure Japanese contract immediately, upon arrival in Tokyo she was deemed 'overweight', fired and sent back to London.
Her breakthrough came when Mr. Shu of Shu Uemura recognized her potential, launching her acclaimed career as a beauty and fashion model across Asia—from Japan and Korea to China and Singapore.
A leading cultivator and producer of cultural collaboration and exchange between East and West, Kelly leveraged her industry expertise and transitioned from modeling to sharing beauty insights as a columnist, becoming a highly recognized advocate for niche traditional wellness modalities. She was the first to bring numerous transformative practices to a wider audience. Her influence grows rapidly: 1.4 million books in print, tens of millions of women reached through her teachings on social media, she currently impacts 11 million women monthly—and growing.
HARPER’S BAZAAR
“Kelly Created a Life Changing Method”
MARIE CLAIRE
“Kelly Is A Pop Culture Role Model”