Em Davies: Venem designer and Perth influencer for engagement, following, and authenticity

“People have this assumption about me, but I’m not the way they think I am.”

As one of Perth’s original influencers, Em Davies is used to making baseless opinions about his every move.

And while it may have annoyed her at times, she’s learned to drown out the noise because being true to herself is what matters.

Davies has built a personal brand backed by about half a million followers on social media platforms, who may initially hit the “like” button for her unique style but get stuck. stuck for her outspoken honesty.

Now 28 years old, she has been in the social media game for over a decade and runs the popular fashion label Venem 1.0 and the newly opened photography space Studio Precinct in addition to entering into partnerships there is a fee.

The idea of ​​”influence” wasn’t an issue when Davies first started posting pictures of her outfits and it took 5 years before she saw any real money from the pure hobby. drug.

Instead, she says it took a lot of work and time to build the foundation she has today.

“The way people see influencers is stereotyped as we give everything to ourselves and all we do is take a picture and we get paid thousands, thousands of dollars,” says Davies. , but that’s not how it works at all.

“If people could see a day in the life behind what I do, maybe they would understand. And no day is the same; I can read contracts all day or organize logistics for Venem.

“I don’t have a left, right and center that does everything for me, I have a full-time employee and a few seasonal employees but we don’t have the financial capacity to hire a large team. And I also love being super hands-on and getting involved in my own businesses.

“People have this view of us that we’re just pretty faces, but that’s not the case at all.”

And there’s more to it than eye-catching Davies’ aesthetically curated feed.

In her videos, she often shares her experiences with mental health, grief, and bullying, and is refreshingly open about the aspects of her life that public figures. other things remain tight-lipped, such as the cosmetic procedures she’s had.

Davies says authenticity is at the core of everything she does. She would rather turn down a paid opportunity if it doesn’t match her values, than fake it.

Davies explains: “A lot of my followers have been with me from the beginning and they trust me.

“When I injected fillers into my lips and filmed the whole journey, people said they really appreciated it. And they need to be aware of this. I don’t want them to think that I was born to look like this. I want to be honest about what I did because the lips I used to have were not normal.

“Young girls go on social media as soon as they wake up and they see women looking a certain way, but that’s because they get the job done. If you’re an influencer, I think it’s important to be open about what you do with your body because it has an impact on how others see themselves and their decisions.”

Part of the reason why Davies opened the Studio Precinct content creation center in Osborne Park is so she can connect directly with her local followers, rather than through a screen.

Suffice it to say, this loyal group was the first to respond to Davies’ announcement that she was engaged to partner Joel Gambin, after he questioned him during a recent trip to New York.

Gambin hosted a photographer to capture the moment he got down on his knees, knowing how shocked the bride-to-be would be to recall that memory.

“Our engagement day was definitely the most magical day of my life,” said Davies.

“I was completely taken aback by this proposal. Joel had always emphasized his intention to save to buy a house before we discussed getting engaged, so I was completely clueless.

“Even to this day, I still find myself in awe of all the events that have led up to this point. The complex plan that was put into the proposal was perfect, and so was I. I really have no idea.”

Even so, wedding dresses may have to wait a while in favor of tracksuits.

After selling out of the previous limited edition Venem 1.0 products, Davies has focused on this year’s winter collection of comfortable sets, now out.