Jag Models,[2] Ford Models,[1] Mother Model Management (mother agency)
Jennie Runk (born Jennifer Darci May-Corsini;[4] November 2, 1988) is an Americanplus-size model. She is best known for appearing in H&M's Summer 2013 beachwear campaign, which was featured on the front page of H&M's United States website in late April 2013.[5][6][7][8]
Early life
Jennie Runk was born in Georgia and later moved to Chesterfield, Missouri. Runk became a Girl Scout at age 5.[9] As a teenager, she was involved with her high school drama program and worked as a Girl Scout leader. Her family rescued and fostered dogs.[10] She volunteered for the cat adoption center for Open Door Animal Sanctuary at Petsmart in Chesterfield, Missouri.[9]
Runk was discovered in 2003 at 14 in a PetSmart in Chesterfield, Missouri by Mary Clarke of Mother Model Management while she was volunteering for the cat adoption department.[10][11] At the time, she was a size 8, in between straight size and plus-size modeling.[9] The Clarkes told her she needed to either lose weight or gain weight to model. She chose to gain between 10 and 20 lb (4.5 and 9.1 kg) to a size 10–12 to become a plus-size model.[9][11][12]
She initially signed with New York agency Wilhelmina Models in March 2004.[13] She later switched to Ford Models.[9] Runk starting modeling full-time in 2011 after she moved to New York City.[9] Her first major editorial was Body Language in US Vogue's April 2005 Shape issue, which was photographed by Steven Meisel.[9]
Her beachwear appearance in H&M's Summer 2013 campaign was featured on the front page of H&M's US website in late April 2013 and received extensive media coverage and spread rapidly through blogs and social media.[6][7][8][9] As a result of the coverage, Runk wrote an op-ed piece for BBC on size diversity in fashion and her experiences as a model in May 2013.[7]
Runk has modeled for many plus size retailers, including two Marina Rinaldi campaigns in 2012.[15][16] Jennie has also walked in several Elena Miro runway shows.
Personal life
Runk lives in New York City. She owns a one-eyed cat, Jasmine.[9]
References
^ abc"Jennie". fordmodels.com. Ford Models. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
^Jones Townsel, Lisa (March 31, 2005). "No matter what size". highbeam.com. St Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2013.