Catherine Li is from California and she studied at University of California Santa Barbara, where she received her B.A. in Art. She interned with notable entertainment companies, such as BET Networks, Nickelodeon and Dick Clark Productions. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Public Relations specializing in music and television programming. She then worked on the Golden Globes, Grammys, BET Awards, VMAs, So You Think You Can Dance, Food Network programming, Oxygen Network programming and many more. In the midst of her growing PR career, eventually modeling became more demanding and now she works regularly in New York City, Los Angeles, and London. She is signed with the agency, Wilhelmina. She is also the Head of Marketing and Advertising for The Shade Room, one of Instagram's third most engaged accounts hitting 732 million plus hits.

Tell us about yourself.
My name is Catherine, and I am a model/content creator. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, but now live in Los Angeles.

How did you get into modeling? Was this a job you always dreamed of?
I got into modeling when I bought a sofa from Craigslist. I was a year out of college, and just moved into a new apartment. My roommate and I were searching for a sofa, and she found the listing. When picking it up, I found out the seller was a model. She mentioned she was a plus size model, which I did not know existed. I asked her how to become one and she helped me with a message on FB on how to submit. The rest is history. I had no idea modeling was in my cards, so it was definitely a dream.

What has been one of your favorite photo shoots, and why?
Every photoshoot has been a blessing. I have worked with so many of my dream brands. As a kid, I never thought I would be able to work with them. Some of my favorites are Nike, Kerastase, and Women's Health.

What does body positive mean to you?
Body positive is accepting you for you at any and every point of your life. It is not always easy, but it is a journey!

What are some things you do to practice self-care?
Doing things I love that make me happy. Also, just taking a moment to enjoy things that I am doing that make me happy. I love creating routines as well, whether that is a skin routine, morning routine etc.

What does a typical day in your week look like?
A typical day currently looks like:

Wake up + get ready for the day
Pick up quickly around the house or start laundry loads
Walk the dogs
Make Breakfast
Meetings/ Plan content
Shoot Content
Clean my mess I made during making content
Make dinner
Relax with my husband

How would you describe your Instagram platform?
Authentic. I aim to be real and authentic with my page.

How would you describe your fashion style and what are some of your favorite brands to wear?
My fashion style really embraces staple/statement pieces. I love Julia Vaughn for vintage jewelry.

Which other social media influencers would you collaborate with?
So many! There are so many that are so nice and honestly it is so fun to collaborate with others and do fun TikTok's!

Tell us about your marketing and advertising brand, The Shade Room, what is it? Why did you start it?
The Shade Room is a celebrity news outlet and I focused on the marketing and advertising of the brand itself. A lot of people think I reported the news, but I didn't. My majority focus was brand deals and I worked with well-known brands on advertising on the platform.

Growing up, whom did you look up to?
I looked up to family members the most, my parents and grandmothers. They worked so hard for me to have opportunities.

What are your plans for the future?
My plan for the future is to keep growing as a content creator and spread authentic vibes, fashion and hope to inspire those around me!.

Social Media.
Instagram: @catieli

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
Talent: Catie Li
Fashion Stylist: Melvin Sanders
Hair: Ana Estela
Makeup: Raquel Moreno
Photographer’s Assistant: Ozzie Gutierrez
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Associate Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Sienna Ropert, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Location: FD Studios