An Early Arrival
The twins were due at the beginning of August 2010, but they were too eager to be born to wait until then. Much to mom and dad’s surprise, Ava Marie and Leah Rose were born four and a half weeks early, on July 7th.
An Early Arrival
It Makes Sense
Jaqi Clement has shared that the girls are go-getters and have a bubbly personality. She says their early arrival made sense as it was just a preview of what they would be like and how they’re always willing to take on anything.
It Makes Sense
Natural Beauty
Soon after the twins were born, everyone from friends and family to strangers in the street noticed their striking beauty. They got compliments wherever they went. Their beautiful appearance was completely undeniable. Jaqi felt that they were destined to shine.
Natural Beauty
Their Beauty Matched Their Personalities
The twins look like they’re straight out of a magazine with their silky hair, smooth, golden skin, and smiles that light up a room. But they’re not just beautiful on the outside. Their goofy, playful, and bubbly personality is infectious.
Their Beauty Matched Their Personalities
The Constant Compliments
Everywhere they went, everyone would say the same thing. The girls were so cute and adorable, it’s hard for people not to notice and give them compliments. It started when they were born and will probably continue for a long time.
The Constant Compliments
A General Consensus
Jaqi says that strangers would walk up to her and tell her how beautiful the girls are and that she should think about getting them into modeling. So she decided to give this modeling idea for the girls a try.
A General Consensus
Jaqi Finally Gave In
After listening to everyone telling her that the twins should do modeling she finally gave in. The girls were six months old when they were signed up with a modeling agency in Los Angeles. Was she doing the right thing?
Jaqi Finally Gave In
Trying To Juggle Three Kids
The Clement’s had a two-year-old son as well. Jaqi recalls how difficult it was to even get out of the house with three kids. So the first attempt at modeling only lasted three months. She felt like it just wasn’t the right time.
Trying To Juggle Three Kids
A Normal Family Life
Jaqi felt that it was more important for the twins to lead a normal life with their family and friends before diving into the modeling scene. As the girls got older, things started to change. Would those changes be positive?
A Normal Family Life
What The Girls Wanted Is Important
Jaqi didn’t regret pulling them from modeling when she did as it was best. All Jaqi wanted was her kids to be happy. She would make sure that girls had a say whether they would go back to modeling or not.
What The Girls Wanted Is Important
How Do You When Is The Right Time?
Jaqi and her husband knew they would never push the girls to do something they didn’t want to do. Their opinion was important to them. But how would they be able to communicate what they wanted when they were just toddlers?
How Do You When Is The Right Time?
The Twins’ Birth Date Was A Sign
Jaqi’s lucky number is seven, and she believes it’s no coincidence that the twins were born on 7/7. It was 2017 and the girls’ were about to turn seven. Jaqi thought that it was going to be an extra special day.
The Twins’ Birth Date Was A Sign
An Idea For The Girls To Consider
Ava and Leah were almost seven and their individual personalities had blossomed. They enjoyed taking part in extracurricular activities like swimming and dancing. On their 7th birthday, Jaqi and Kevin told the girls they could try modeling if they wanted to.
An Idea For The Girls To Consider
Destined To Shine
The girls are very outgoing and love to perform anywhere and everywhere. They love to sing, dance, and model for neighbors, family, and friends. That’s why when Jaqi told them her idea they were jumping up and down with excitement.
Destined To Shine
Modeling – Take Two
Now that the girls were older and super excited about modeling it was easier than the first time. Their neighbor had a children’s boutique and needed models to promote her business. Jaqi could use these photos to show an agent.
Modeling Take Two
Easing Into It
The twins were still young and she didn’t want the pressure of full time modeling to affect them negatively. So they took it slow. Jaqi did their hair and makeup and used their family camera to take their photos.
Easing Into It
A Lot To Learn
The girl had a lot to learn when it comes to modeling as they had never been exposed to it professionally. They were beautiful and very photogenic. At times Leah would be staring into space while Ava would look at the camera.
A Lot To Learn
Finding An Agency
Now that the girls were ready to do modeling, it was time to get an agent. Jaqi still had the contacts from six years ago and called them. Every agency was interested but they signed with two agencies. But something wasn’t right.
Finding An Agency
The Girls’ Excitement
Jaqi shared her thoughts on the girls’ initial excitement: “I was not surprised at all when they started jumping up and down and couldn’t wait to begin.” Ava and Leah were definitely not camera shy and were excited to start modeling as soon as possible.
The Girls’ Excitement
A Dilemma They Never Expected
Jaqi thought that having two agencies would help the girls’ exposure. But it didn’t work out because both agencies were sending the girls to the same auditions. She had to explain how she’d signed with both and they fixed the problem.
A Dilemma They Never Expected
Social Media Exposure
Jaqi decided to get an Instagram account for the girls called @clementstwins. She had no idea how popular this page would become. The girls had a fanbase of over 300,000 followers and that number was rising. This is the exposure they needed.
Social Media Exposure
Learning The Tricks Of The Trade
As the number of followers continued to rise Jaqi realized something. The girl’s beauty wasn’t the only reason for their Instagram success. The quality of the pictures was paramount and it made the difference. So it’s worth spending money on a good photographer.
Learning The Tricks Of The Trade
2017 Was Definitely Their Year
Jaqi believed in signs and believed that 2017 would be a lucky year. Not only was it the year that the girls’ modeling careers took off, but she felt that it would be a fun and exciting year for all of them.
2017 Was Definitely Their Year
A Family Affair
The twins were successful and their older brother Chase proved to be a natural in modeling too. So much so that Chase was signed by the same agency that signed his sisters. He’s also good at acting and has appeared in commercials.
A Family Affair
The Job Offers Were Flowing In
It didn’t take too long to see that the girls were naturals at modeling. Not long after they started modeling, they got six job offers in one week. They were loving every minute of it and just wanted more and more.
The Job Offers Were Flowing In
The Highs And The Lows
Jaqi has a blog on which she describes the good and the bad side of the modeling industry. She was new to it but has now learned that you have to know who you’re dealing with before you let them guide you.
The Highs And The Lows
The Job Has Its Challenges
The girls are so in demand that they spend their days going from one photoshoot to another. But that’s not the hard part, L.A. traffic is. When they have to go to downtown LA, it sometimes becomes a five to six-hour-long roundtrip.
The Job Has Its Challenges
Finding The Right Person To Ask
Because Jaqi is relatively new to the industry she needs some guidance along the way. In order to assess who the right people are to ask for guidance she does some research and then asks herself one question. What does your gut say?
Finding The Right Person To Ask
Negativity Is Unavoidable
You’ll always find people that have negative things to say in any situation and this is no different. Jaqi tries to stay positive and ignore the negative comments but it’s not easy. She just wants to protect the girls from it.
Negativity Is Unavoidable
A Frequent Negative Comment
A comment that comes up often is that the girls always look sad. Implying that they’re being forced to model against their will. Jaqi replies that some shoots are more serious but if you’d ask them you’d see just how happy they are.
A Frequent Negative Comment
Makeup Or No Makeup?
The family gets asked this all the time because they’re concerned that the girls are too young for makeup. Unfortunately, this is the industry, and when they’re booked for a shoot they have a hair and makeup artist assigned to them.
Makeup Or No Makeup?
The Most Annoying Comment
What Jaqi and the girls hate the most is when people say, “Let them be kids.” What they don’t understand is that the twins love modeling and they’re not being forced into it. This is genuinely what they enjoy doing.
The Most Annoying Comment
Modeling Is Not All They Do
Even though modeling takes up a lot of their time, they’re still average little girls. They love singing, dancing, and being goofy. They loved performing in front of a camera before they started modeling, that’s why it comes so naturally to them.
Modeling Is Not All They Do
Benefits of Modeling
The modeling life is quite demanding with all the traveling involved. But it has also brought the family closer together. They say each trip is an experience they share together and they get plenty of time to chat between shoots.
Benefits Of Modeling
Added Extras
Not only do they get more time as a family, but they get to meet new people and make new friends of similar ages wherever they go. They also get new products and clothes sent to them to try out.
Added Extras
How To Get Instagram Success
Even though Jaqi didn’t quite know how to handle Instagram at first, she quickly learned some tips that helped turn the girls’ page into an absolute success. Whatever she did definitely worked because they now have over 380,000 followers.
How To Get Instagram Success
Posting Too Much Is Not The Way To Get More Followers
One thing Jaqi learned was to not overpost. You don’t want people getting sick of your account, you want to keep them in suspense, waiting to see what you’d post next. The key is to post frequently, just not too much.
Posting Too Much Is Not The Way To Get More Followers
Make Use Of Hashtags
Using hashtags is a clever way to get more followers. Jaqi discovered a way that helps the girls get more exposure by using similar hashtags to other junior models their age. This way they will come up through the other models’ accounts.
Make Use Of Hashtag
A Tag Leads To Another Like
By tagging the makeup artists, hair stylists, or the designer whose clothes the girls wore at a photoshoot you’re showing appreciation. By tagging in the picture and the comments the girls will also come up on their pages when people search for them.
A Tag Leads To Another Like
Following The Right People Is Also Key
Not only is it important to have the right followers, but it’s important to follow the right people in the industry. Jaqi soon realized that if you follow someone they’re likely to follow you too. So she followed photographers, stylists, and kids stores.
Following The Right People Is Also Key
Leaving Positive Comments
Another way that Ava and Leah’s Instagram page became so successful was by commenting on photographers and other model’s photos. Maybe after seeing Jaqi’s comment, one of them would make contact with her and it could benefit the girls careers.
Leaving Positive Comments
Follow The Trends
Certain trends became evident when reading the comments. The public seemed to like certain pictures and poses more than others. For example they liked pictures where the girls were both in the photo, and their eyes were next to each other.
Follow The Trends
Where Did Their Outfits Come From?
It wasn’t only the girls’ beauty that got people’s attention, but their outfits too. Jaqi had a win-win arrangement with her neighbor. She would borrow clothes for photoshoots and her neighbor would get free advertising on Instagram for her children’s clothing company.
Where Did Their Outfits Come From?
Honesty Goes A Long Way
If there’s anything that the whole Clement family have learned, is that honesty is the best policy. No matter who it is that you’re working with, always say what’s on your mind and communicate. It helps everything go a lot smoother.
Honesty Goes A Long Way
They’ll Continue Until They Want To Stop
It was agreed as a family that Chase and the girls would only continue modeling if they wanted to. Their parents will support this dream of theirs for as long as they want to because they want the kids to be happy.
They’ll Continue Until They Want To Stop
Making New Friends
Not only do the girls love modeling, but they love meeting kids their age that share their passion for modeling. This is another up-side to having the kids in the modeling industry. They get to make friends while doing what they love.
Making New Friends
A Pricey Industry To Be In
The girls have many booking jobs, but that doesn’t mean they’re suddenly rich. There are many expenses to take into account, like gas for the car to get around. Regardless, Jaqi considers the money spent as an investment towards the kids’ future.
A Pricey Industry To Be In
Who Can You Trust?
Jaqi has learned to be cautious when it comes to blindly trusting those in the industry. You have to choose your agent carefully as well as the other professionals you’d be working with. She’s learned many lessons the hard way.
Who Can You Trust?
Blessed With Good Genes
Looking at a family picture you can see where Chase, Av, and Leah get their looks from. Jaci has modeled with the girls before but it looks like dad would do great in front of a camera too.
Blessed With Good Genes
What An Adventure
The idea that the girls are unhappy because they’re being forced to model couldn’t be further from the truth. What is it that draws them to modeling? The girls see modeling as an adventure because everyday brings something new.
What An Adventure
Bonding Time With Mom
Jaqi says that she feels privileged to be the girls’ manager. That means she gets to spend a lot of time with them. They get precious girl time, which gives them an opportunity to form a strong, life-long mother-daughter bond.
Bonding Time With Mom
Taking It In Her Stride
Some people have criticized the girls, but the one person that get the brunt of the negative comments is Jaqi. She just takes it in her stride, holds her head up high and doesn’t let the negativity get to her.
Taking It In Her Stride
In Fact, Negative Comments Are Welcome
Jaci not only ignores the negative comments, but she welcomes them. Whether comments are good or bad, they’re just comments. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion after all.
In Fact, Negative Comments Are Welcome
Keeping Quiet May Not Be The Best
Jaci has learned throughout all this that sometimes she needs to speak up. At first she was scared to because she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the girls’ career. Now she realizes that sometimes something needs to be said.
Keeping Quiet May Not Be The Best
Facing Some Backlash
While the Clements twins are thriving as models and influencers, many people complain that their parents are using their children. Several people took to Reddit to share their concerns. One user asked, “Why do people do this? Is social media everything? Why take away their childhood?”
Facing Some Backlash
More Criticisms
One Reddit user even went as far as saying: “This is so gross. I have an eight year old. Couldn’t imagine exploiting her like this for money or Instagram likes. And all that make up and Photoshop. Ew.” Clearly, other mothers out there are questioning whether this is the right thing to pursue for children.
More Criticisms
Jaqi Opens Up
Jaqi’s response to many of their critics by explaining that the girls really adore modeling. She said: “I presented my idea to the girls that if they were up for it, in addition to their dance classes and swim team practices they had every week, they could give modeling a try.”
Jaqi Opens Up
Not A Cheap Lifestyle
Jaqi continued to explain: “I was not surprised at all when they started jumping up and down and couldn’t wait to begin.” She also said that: [One] not so amazing thing about this new life are all of the expenses associated with it!”
Not A Cheap Lifestyle
They’re Not Raking It In
Many people assume that the twins’ parents are making tons of cash off of their girls’ modeling careers. Jaqi explains that it really isn’t the case: “A lot of people assume parents are making money just because they see their kids working a lot. FALSE! I know in our case and probably in most cases the parents are putting out more money in order to support their kids.”
They’re Not Raking It In
A Long-Term Investment
She even made the argument that this is an investment towards their future. She said: “But I guess if you really put it all into perspective, the money we as parents put out now to support our kids in something they love doing, will allow them to make their own money they can use towards College or a car or a house in the future. So if you think about it, it’s really not so bad after all!”
A Long Term Investment
Hitting Back At The Haters
One thing Jaqi doesn’t tolerate is people claiming that the girls look sad or unhappy. She fought back by saying: “Making that comment about my girls implies that you know them, our family, their hobbies and friends and what makes them happy in life. Did you ever stop to think that maybe modeling actually makes them happy!? If not, let me be the first one to tell you… it DOES!”
Hitting Back At The Haters
On Their Happiness
In fact, Jaqi insists that the girls couldn’t be happier. She refuses to back down, and explains: “Although I appreciate your concern, just know my girls are fine! They are happy! They have an amazing childhood with lots of friends that they get to play with everyday! A single pose does not define their personality or their quality of life.”
On Their Happiness
What’s In Store For The Twins
Ava and Leah are only in elementary school, and it doesn’t look like their modeling career is slowing down at all. In fact, it looks like this is just the beginning for these beautiful girls. Maybe they’ll take up acting too.
What’s In Store For The Twins
Things Are Quite Exciting
The twins’ mom, Jaqi, shared in an interview with Buzzfeed that, “This past year has been really fun and exciting for Ava and Leah. Whether it be private shopping experiences, gifted merchandise from brands all over the world, or taking pictures with fans, the girls have had an amazing ride so far.”
Things Are Quite Exciting
Over One Million Followers
Presently the girls have over one million followers on Instagram. It looks like in a few years time the girls will have as many followers as celebrities like Lady Gaga, Vanessa Hudgens, and Gigi Hadid with over 30 million followers.
Over One Million Followers
A Remarkable Portfolio At The Age Of Eight
The girls are such a success that many clothing brands and fashion publications want to work with them. These job opportunities have allowed the girls to create remarkable portfolios with photos taken using the industry’s top photographers, hair stylists, and makeup artists.
A Remarkable Portfolio At The Age Of Eight
Officially Professional
Since the girls entered the modeling scene at a professional level in 2017, they have had much success. Jaqi had said how she felt that it was going to be a lucky, fun-filled year for them, and it truly was.
Officially Professional
Mini Moguls
The girls have formed a partnership with Canadian kids clothing company Hudson + Hobbes. They shared the exciting news on their Instagram page, saying, “We really wanted the collection to be girlie, yet sporty, comfortable and stylish.” It looks like they did a great job!
Mini Moguls
More Business Endeavors
In September 2019, the girls collaborated with Nail and Bone, a cruelty-free and vegan nail polish brand that donates 20% of their profits to charities, particularly ones that support pet adoption and rescue. The girls helped come up with two new colors, appropriately named Hope and Courage.
More Business Endeavors
Their Workload
The girls are quite successful, and that means that a lot of time and effort must be put into their modeling careers. Their parents shared that by December 2017, the twins signed up for up to six modeling jobs in the span of a week! That certainly is a lot of modeling.
Their Workload
A Bit About The Girls
Just because they’re identical twins, doesn’t mean that they like the same things! Ava’s favorite color is pink, while Leah’s is blue. Ava loves eating pizza, and Leah’s favorite food is breakfast for dinner. Meanwhile, Ava’s favorite subject in school is math, and Leah prefers writing.
A Bit About The Girls
Family Time Is A Priority
Despite the fact that the girls’ schedules are quite busy, especially considering their age, their parents still prioritize family time. Their modeling endeavor has given them incredible opportunities for travel, and they make the most of these by spending time as a family by exploring these new places.
Family Time Is A Priority
Identical Or Fraternal?
As we all know, Ava and Leah are twins, but for the longest time, they and their parents were not sure if they were technically identical or fraternal twins. They decided to test the big question and they took a twin zygosity test and shared the results in a YouTube video. The results? They’re genetically identical!
Identical Or Fraternal?
What An Incredible Ride So Far
The girls have definitely had an amazing ride so far. They’ve had the opportunity to go on a private shopping experience where they could choose whatever they want. And famous brands from all over the world have sent them merchandize as gifts,
What An Incredible Ride So Far
Mom Was Always There
Ava and Leah have enjoyed every minute of the past year. Especially because their mom has been by their side every step of the way. She has been there to guide them, but most of all she was there to love them.
Mom Was Always There
A Bright Future Ahead Of Them
With the support of their mom Jaci, their dad Kevin, and their brother Chase, the girls future looks bright. The girls were definitely born to shine and they will leave their mark in the modeling world for many years to come.
A Bright Future Ahead Of Them
Other Child Models: Anna Pavaga
The Clements twins aren’t the only internet famous child models out there! Anna Pavaga, from St. Petersburg, Russia, began modeling when she was just three years old. Since then, she has been featured in a wide variety of fashion campaigns and even appeared in Vogue Enfents, the French edition of Vogue for kids.
Other Child Models: Anna Pavaga
Anastasia Knyazeva
Another child model hailing from Russia, Anastasia Knyazeva started her venture into modeling when she was only six. She has appeared in numerous campaigns such as Russian brands Chobi Kids, Amoreco Kisabiano, and even was the face of Mischka Aoki’s children’s line, Little Miss Aoki.
Anastasia Knyazeva
Thylane Blondeau
French model Thylane began modeling when she was four years old. She became well-known after posing for Vogue Enfents in a photoshoot that was deemed quite controversial. Now a teenager, she is still modeling and has been featured in campaigns for L’Oreal and Dolce & Gabbana. She has a very active social media presence as well.
Thylane Blondeau
