Jaqi and her husband Kevin Clements delivered their twins earlier than expected, but they were healthy and beautiful. The family welcomed twins Ava Marie and Leah Rose Clements in 2010, and as with any parents of newborns, their lives would end up drastically changing. The young girls are undeniably beautiful and with the help of their mother, have already become professional models. Here are the photos of the Clements twins that captivated the internet.
The Twins Arrived Early
On July 7, 2010, Jaqi Clements had a surprise visit from her newborn babies Ava Marie and Leah Rose. The twins came four and a half weeks early, but as time went on, Jaqi understood why.
"They came four and a half weeks early but knowing their personalities now it makes total sense that they would show up early, unannounced, and ready to take on anything," Jaqi said.
Stars From The Start
After the twins were born, it didn't take long for family and strangers to notice how striking their appearances are. There's a reason they always get compliments.
All babies are beautiful in their own way. But these twins are especially so. Since birth, their natural beauty is undeniable, their skin is smooth, their hair keeps its silky texture, and their utterly symmetrical faces make them look like they're straight from a magazine.
Everyone Said The Same Thing: They Should Be Models!
With kids this adorable, it's hard for people, even complete strangers, not to compliment them. From the time the twins were born, Jaqi continually heard the same statement over and over.
Jaqi says strangers would always mention one thing: "Wow they are so beautiful, you should really think about getting them into modeling." After hearing it so many times, she decided to take a shot at starting the girls' modeling careers.
Modeling Was Too Much To Juggle With Three Kids
After being pushed to get the twins involved in modeling, Jaqi finally did it. Once the kids reached six months, they were signed up with an agency in Los Angeles.
Jaqi already had a two-year-old son to take care of so this was added pressure to her parenting regime. "It was hard enough to get out of the door most days so my attempt back then was short lived and I decided it just wasn't the time," Jaqi said. The first attempt only lasted three months.
Leading A Normal Life
Helping guide her children through a life of modeling is enticing, but it wasn't the right decision at the time. Jaqi felt bringing up the twins alongside their peers would be the right thing to do instead of pushing them into something so different.
There were no regrets in pulling the children out of modeling. As time went on, things slowly started to change. Can you guess what happened next?
What Do The Girls Want?
While her busy schedule as a mom of three pulled her away from the idea of modeling, the twins weren't ready to let it go. Their three months of modeling were over, but Jaqi thought of an important factor, the twins' dreams.
Aiming to keep the children happy, Jaqi didn't want to pressure them into something they didn't want to do. So she made sure that Ava and Leah had a say.
Waiting For The Right Moment
The only issue with Jaqi's idea of asking the girls is that Ava and Leah were still just toddlers. They weren't old enough to help make their own decisions or clearly voice their opinions.
Because the only language the kids spoke were tears and squeals, Jaqi and her husband were stumped. They thought hard about how and when it was the right time to allow the twins to decide on their own.
Lucky Number Seven
One thing that needs to be noted is how much Jaqi believes in signs. She says seven is her lucky number, so she sees it as more than a little coincidence that the twins were born on 7/7.
The girl's seventh birthday was fast approaching. The thought of them turning seven on July 7, 2017, set Jaqi's brain ablaze. If she was going to make a move, this was the time to do it.
Giving The Girls The Idea
By the time Ava and Leah grew to be seven, they had each developed unique personalities of their own. They were involved in several extracurricular activities such as dance and swim.
On their birthday, Jaqi 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."
Ready For Action
Jaqi says the girls love to perform for anybody and everybody. Friends, neighbors, and strangers have welcomed audiences for Ava and Leah and their many talents. Jaqi claims she doesn't know where they got this trait from to perform.
Jaqi said, "I was not surprised at all when they started jumping up and down and couldn't wait to begin!" The twins were all in for modeling, and their lives would change.
And The Modeling Kicks Off Again
Now that the kids were older and excited about modeling, the process would most likely go much smoother. Luckily, Jaqi's neighbor had recently opened a children's boutique. She needed some models to help market the new business.
The twins got the job. "Plus, I needed some new photos if I was going to get them an agent so I figured this would be a great opportunity for all of us," Jaqi said.
Starting Off Slow
The girls were still young. Having them put on loads of makeup and wear a collection of pretty clothes could be detrimental to their development, so Jaqi took things slow.
Jaqi took matters into her own hands at the beginning. "I dug out my 10-year-old Nikon camera from a bin in the garage, put a few waves in the girl's hair, dabbed on a little blush, and out we went to take some pictures," said Jaqi.
Some Wrinkles To Iron Out
Naturally, Ava and Leah have the stunning looks, but that doesn't mean they intuitively know how to model. Some things take time. Jaqi learned that first hand during her first photo session with the twins.
"Ava would look at the camera while Leah would stare off into space... Leah would accidentally bump into Ava who of course thought it was on purpose and would shove her back," Jaqi recalled. They're young, and she had to cut them a lot of slack.
Getting Back With An Agency
Now that the family was all aboard the modeling train, Jaqi had to get the girls back with an agent. She worried that it would be hard to find one since six years went by after the first attempt.
"I still had a handful of contacts, so I decided to start there," she said. "To my surprise, I heard back from almost every single one asking to set up a time to meet the girls." They ended up signing with two agencies but trouble was brewing behind the scenes.
The Double Agency Dilemma
Jaqi assumed having two agencies representing her daughters meant more opportunity and exposure for them. Everything was going fine until one of the agencies gave her a call.
"Hi, we wanted to let you know we were able to get the girls straight through to a callback for a Barbie Audition tomorrow," the agent told Jaqi. She panicked because the girls had just gone to the same audition with their other agent. She revealed the truth and matters got fixed in a few hours.
Social Media Explosion
Jaqi started an Instagram for the girls called @clementstwins. She did this in July of 2017. At the time, she had no clue what she was doing or if 300,000 followers is a lot or a little. Lo and behold, the page started to blow up.
The goal of the Instagram account was to serve as a portfolio for agencies and to gain a fanbase. It ended up becoming all that and then some.
Jaqi's Instagram Learning Curve
The beauty of the twins was only partly the reason for the success their Instagram account. There were some tactics that Jaqi had to use to help gain all the followers she did. She spilled the beans on a few secrets.
"Now, a little over five months later, the girls have over 380,000 followers," she started. "One thing I know for sure if it’s ALL about the pictures... so don’t settle for an average photographer because you want to save a few dollars." You hear that folks? Take quality pictures.
Why 2017 Was Their Year
2017 was an excellent year for the twins and their whole family. Outside of Ava and Leah opting into modeling, Jaqi had a hunch 2017 would be lucky, regardless.
"Aside from the fact that I'm a huge believer in signs and have been told by almost everyone that 7 is a lucky number, I just had a feeling that this year was going to be a fun and exciting year for them," Jaqi explained. A mother's intuition is often correct.
All In The Family
Ava and Leah were becoming successful, but their older brother Chase proved to be a talented kid as well. (Is it any surprise that talent runs in the family?) Chase signed with the same agencies as his younger sisters and has a little extra on his resume.
Not only does Chase model, but he also knows how to act. He has been in a few commercials as well. Not a bad start!
Job Offers Everywhere
It wasn't very long before everyone learned that the girls had the nature for modeling. Soon after they decided to give modeling a try, they already had six jobs in the span of a week.
While this might have tired most little girls out they couldn't get enough of it and wanted to do more. They were quickly getting used to the modeling life, and were clearly good at it.
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Jaqi is relatively new to the industry. She had no prior knowledge before diving in. As time goes on, she is learning more about the business and says there are highs and lows.
On her blog, she lists the good, the bad and ugly aspects of this modeling world. She says the most important thing she's learned, "is before trusting someone to guide you, make sure you know who you are getting involved with."
One Of The Hardest Challenges
For the girls and their mother, one of the hardest aspects of their new lives in the modeling world is just dealing with the Los Angeles, California traffic.
They go into downtown LA several times a week which can sometimes turn into five to six-hour-long roundtrip drives. Although this may sound brutal, it's the name of the game, and they've learned to deal with it even though they don't like it.
Finding The Right Guidance
Since Jaqi needs guidance but wants to make sure she's getting the right advice from the right people, she has a series of questions that she asks herself before she commits to working with someone.
She believes that if anything ever seems off, to go with your gut feeling and to always do thorough research, because it will pay off in the long run. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Trying To Ignore The Negativity
Jaqi also discusses the struggles of dealing with negative comments or backlash that is directed at her daughters or her family. Although she knows to ignore the negativity and focus on the positive feedback, it isn't always easy.
She feels a lot of pressure to protect her beloved family and fight back against the haters but reminds herself that "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all."
"They Look Sad"
A comment that the girls frequently receive is that they look sad all the time. Some even take this to mean that they're being forced to model and that they aren't having fun with it. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth.
The twins respond by saying that some photoshoots are supposed to be more solemn than others and that if you ever met them, you'd know that they are far from sad.
Stance On Makeup
One of the biggest questions that the family gets is if the girls are wearing makeup. Not everybody thinks that it's a big deal, except some of them think that the girls are a little young to be exposed to it at such a young age.
However, Jaqi comments by saying "ln most every job the girl's book through their agency, or any professional photoshoot they attend, there is a hired hair and makeup artist on set. Why!? Because that’s how the industry works."
Jaqi's Biggest Pet Peeve
Although there's endless backlash from the public about the girl's modeling careers, the comment that she hates the most is when people say "Let them be kids".
This annoys her as well as the girls because they haven't been forced into modeling, it's genuinely what they like to do and how they want to spend their time. Not all kids have the same upbringing, after all. Everyone's life is different.
They Do Other Things Than Just Model
Although modeling now takes up a fair amount of their time, the two twins are still average little girls. They still like to goof around during photo shoots, make music playlists in the car, and even get on each other's nerves.
However, the two have always liked to dance and used to do it in front of the camera before they started modeling. Maybe that's why they have a knack for it!
The Benefits of Living The Modeling Life
Although the life of modeling can be exhausting with all of the traveling and scheduling, it has had the surprising effect of helping to bring the family together.
They describe each trip as being a new experience that they get to share and they spend more time together than most families because of it. They meet new people and make new friends all the time which is part of the experience.
Extra Benefits
In addition to spending more time as a family and meeting new kids their age with similar interests, the benefits go beyond that.
The girls are frequently sent new products and clothes to try out for other companies and love testing them out at photo shoots. They then help out the companies by tagging them in their photos or giving them a shoutout on their popular social media accounts.
Steps For Instagram Success
You don't get 300,000 Instagram followers in such a short amount of time without knowing what you're doing. Even if you had to teach yourself the ropes.
Luckily for us, Jaqi has a few tips that turned her little girls from Instagram novices into total superstars. Even Jaqi herself went from knowing very little about social media into an expert of sorts. Continue to learn some of Jaqi's personal secrets.
Don't Overpost
In order to make sure that people don't get sick of your account or forget about it, Jaqi recommends that post in moderation but still frequently.
However, if you overpost, people are more likely to unfollow you because you're taking up their entire timeline. This is the key to gaining and maintaining followers, you have to find that sweet spot between posting regularly but not so much that people grow tired of it.
Hashtags Are Crucial
Another important thing to make note of when it comes to the girls' Instagram account is the use of hashtags. They are extremely useful! Jaqi has discovered a formula that helps to get the girls as much exposure as possible without being too aggressive with the hashtags.
She uses similar hashtags to other models their age so they can be found through other models' accounts as well. See, there are many benefits to using hashtags!
Tags Lead To More Likes
For the success of the girls' Instagram, tagging people is also incredibly important. Not only does it show their appreciation for their makeup artists, photographers, designers, and more, but it also brings up their Instagram page when someone searches those particular people.
Jaqi also makes sure to tag both in the picture and in the comments to make sure that the tag doesn't go unnoticed. She's really become a pro at this.
How To Follow The Right People
Of course, when you're running a popular Instagram, you want to follow some people so that people are more likely to follow you. Jaqi learned to follow everyone at first including all of the other kid models, photographers, kids stores, and more. She gained many followers this way.
Then, after the twins had grown a big following, she went back and kept following only the pages they wanted to follow.
Comment, Comment, Comment
Another way that the girl's Instagram became so successful was by taking advantage of the comments section. Jaqi said that she would comment on other model's photos, photographers, and other accounts to maybe make contact with them and spark up a conversation.
This also helps to establish relationships and familiarize yourself with others. People like to feel that they're getting to know the girls' real personalities, not just seeing their photos.
Trends That Work
As it turns out, certain types of pictures are more liked by the public than others. This is probably no surprise to anyone who's ever posted to social media.
The family began to notice that they got more likes on pictures where the two were both in the picture and similar features such as their eyes were next to each other. This draws people into the picture and makes the images so unique.
Where They Got All Of Their Outfits
When the girls were just starting off, it wasn't only their looks and likeness that got the attention of so many people, it was also their outfits.
So, to make sure that the girls had the perfect clothing, she would borrow clothes from their neighbor who ran a children's boutique and in turn, would promote the store for he on their Instagram. Clearly, it worked out for the both of them!
Honesty Is The Best Policy
With the Clements still learning the ins and outs of the whole modeling world, one of the big things that they've learned is that honesty is always the best policy.
Whether it's working with an agency, photographer, or other models, saying what's really on your mind helps keep things clear between everyone and makes you a likable person in the business. It also leads to stronger partnerships and better outcomes.
They Will Only Continue If They Want To
For the two girls and their older brother, the family came to an agreement that they will only stay in the modeling business as long as everyone is happy.
Their parents are more than happy to continue supporting their dreams as long as they want to keep doing it. The second they want out is when they'll stop because their parents just want them to be happy and to be doing what they truly want.
The Twins Make A Lot Of Friends
Mom Jaqi says that one of the upsides to having her girls in the modeling industry is all the friends they make along the way.
"[They] meet a new 'friend' for 10 minutes at an audition or a [photo session] and are already asking me if this new friend can be their cousin, because a simple friendship just doesn't quite express the love they have for their new friend," Jaqi writes on her blog.
On To The Future
The Clements twins show no signs of slowing down in their careers now. They may still be in elementary school, but with the success they're seeing, they'll probably be modeling well into their high school years and maybe even beyond that!
You might even see them acting one day, too. The twins have their own YouTube channel where they will be posting vlogs. Who knows where their lives will go from there?!
Jaqi Says That This Industry Isn't Cheap
The twins' mom also would like to make clear that just because the girls are constantly booking jobs, doesn't mean that the family is suddenly rich. If anything, it's costing the Clements family in gas, food, and headshots to keep up with the job.
"But I guess if you really put it all into perspective, the money we as parents put out now... will allow them to make their own money they can use towards college or a car or a house in the future," she writes.
Be Wary Of Who You Trust
"This by far has been one of the most stressful, upsetting, mind-boggling, and biggest lessons I've learned in this industry so far," Jaqi writes on her blog.
She is referring to the fact that you should be cautious when choosing an agent and other industry professionals to work with. Find someone who has yours or your kids' best interest in mind and maybe do a little research on the person.
They Must Have Good Genes
In case you were wondering where the Clements twins and their brother got their stunning looks from, look no further than the parents!
It might be a common opinion that this is one good-looking family. We've seen Jaqi model sometimes with her daughters, but we're pretty sure the father of the family could work the camera as well! The family is sure to get lots of comments when they're all out together.
Modeling Is An Adventure
The claims that the twins are being forced to model are unfounded. They actually like the job, but what is it that's so appealing?
Jaqi writes on the blog: "They like the new adventures we go on every week, never knowing where we will end up but looking forward to a new experience." This might sound appealing to many people, the idea of doing something new every single day at work. We understand why they like it!
It's Perfect For Bonding With Their Mother
With Mom as their manager, the twins are able to spend a lot of time with her, forming mother-daughter bonds that will last a lifetime.
Jaqi writes that another aspect of modeling the girls enjoy is that "They like spending time in the car with each other and with me... having some girl time together." It's great to see that there are so many positives involved with the lifestyle that the family has chosen.
Mom Is Taking Negativity In Stride
While the twins get criticized, their mom often finds herself the object of negative comments as well. But Jaqi doesn't really pay mind to it even if she was tempted to in the earlier years.
She keeps her head up when responding to hateful or rude posts. "I definitely don't give any light to negative comments because I know myself that they are untrue and that's really all that matters," Jaqi replied to a commenter on her blog.
Jaqi Makes No Effort To Stop The Negativity Either
Even though Jaqi ignores the negative comments, it doesn't mean that they don't stop coming. If anything, she welcomes them.
Jaqi writes, "i welcome people to comment... good or bad. I don't plan on deleting anyone's comments even if they are negatively directed towards me because everyone is entitled to express how they feel." This is a refreshing outlook that many of us could use when dealing with negative people.
Speaking Up Is Worth It In The End
In an industry like modeling, it can be hard to speak up without worrying about your position. Jaqi wrote back to a commenter who, like her, has kids in the industry and was scared to say something at first.
She writes, "I don't want to do or say anything that will jeopardize anything for my kids but at the same time, enough is enough. If I can prevent others from going through what we have been through then it's worth the fight!"
1.1 Million Followers
Today the Clements twins have 1.1 million followers on Instagram. Wow. Here's how their following compares to the most followed women on Instagram. Lady Gaga has 35 million followers, and Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has 28 million.
Vanessa Hudgens has 33 million, and Gigi Hadid has 46 million. In comparison to all these women who are top actresses, models, and artists, the Clements twins are well on their way to becoming two of the most followed females on Instagram.
8-Years-Old With An Incredible Portfolio
Now that the twins are a bit older, more modeling opportunities are available to them. Fashion publications and clothing brands are reaching out to have the twins model for them, and the results are stunning.
The girls now have a solid portfolio of beautiful images taken by top photographers. That, paired with their huge Instagram following, gives the girls great opportunity to book even bigger modeling gigs for the future.
Their First Official Year As Professional Models
Since they became professional models at seven years old, the last year has been extremely exciting for the Clements twins and their mother Jaqi. After they "went pro" on July 7, 2017, the Daily Mail wrote an article about the girls that launched their careers even higher.
"It was at that time that DailyMail.com published an article on them," Jaqi said. That was December of 2017. "This past year has been really fun and exciting for Ava and Leah."
An Incredible Life
So what's a day in the life like as a young professional model? Jaqi says, "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."
Luckily for the twins, their mother is always there beside them, looking out for their best interests and making sure they're enjoying every step of the way.
How They're Using Instagram To Help Save Lives
After learning that their father Kevin had been diagnosed with leukaemia and lymphoma, and needed to find a bone marrow donor, the twins knew they wanted to help others like him find a donor. (Thankfully, Kevin's brother was found to be a match.)
Using their Instagram account as their platform, Ava and Leah partnered with DKMS to raise awareness on how easy it is to get tested and see if you're a match to be a donor for someone in need. The twins hope their effort can help save lives, just like their dad.
