As a young West Indian girl growing up in Baltimore County’s Randallstown community, Liris Crosse knew her calling. Music and pop culture influenced her from the beginning, including icons such as Whitney Houston, Brandy, and Jody Watley.
She was determined not to let the bad things people said about her hometown stop her. She paid no attention to the naysayers, the kids who bullied her in high school, or the people who said she wasn’t going to make it. Crosse just knew she was going to be a model.
“Instead of listening to what people said, I took it and used that as fuel to go to New York and be passionate and follow my dreams,” Crosse told the AFRO on Dec. 4
She passed up going to Bowie State University as originally planned, and worked two jobs the summer after graduating from Randallstown High School. Soon after, she moved to New York City at age 18 on Christmas Day.
In “The Fashion Capital of the World,” Crosse has realized her dreams. Currently signed to IPM Models, she is the model competition winner of the Project Runway Season 16 TV series, and has been described as the “Naomi Campbell of Plus” by bloggers and fashion insiders.
Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart, and Pelle Pelle are just a few of the labels she’s worn, and she’s previously appeared in Glamour, American Vogue, Essence, British Cosmopolitan, and other magazines. The Holiday Issue of Marie Claire currently features Crosse in make-up looks with Avon and “Project Runway.”
“I credit my father for his entrepreneurial spirit,” Crosse said of the early days of her career. Her father, The Rev. St. George I.B. Crosse III, is well-known in Baltimore’s political, church and civic arenas. “He didn’t want me to say ‘woulda coulda shoulda.’ Neither did I.”
Crosse’s mother Delois Crosse and older sister are also supportive.
Well-versed in the industry, Crosse hopes to incorporate what she’s learned throughout her career in a new book. Titled “Make the World Your Runway,” Crosse describes her book as a mix between runway tips and life coaching.
“My book was birthed out of women and men saying, ‘I love your confidence on the runway,’” she explained.
Scheduled to be released in the spring, the book discusses common industry themes, such as posture and poise, and translates them into skills for everyday life.
Despite Crosse’s success, she says she still gets nervous.
“People think I don’t get nervous, but I still do,” Crosse says. “I think this is a good thing. It proves I am alive, I am still hungry, and I am passionate about what I do.”
Hometown hero, fashion leader, and top competition winner, Crosse is an inspiration. Amid negative press and stories about the Baltimore area, Crosse’s ambition reminds many that, sometimes, in order for things to change, all you need is determination, faith, and a dream.