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Model: Skye Townsend

Model: Karrine Steffans

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Model: Asia Dee

Beauty & Brains

Images: Brandon Hicks for GrungeCake

After speaking with this young woman on the phone, we felt the challenge and motivation to do more than we already do! Yes, 23-year-old LaRayia Gaston, a bicoastal businesswomen, surpasses one of the most cliché ideals of humanity daily: Beautiful women are stupid. Originally from New York City (Lower East Side, Chelsea, and Midtown as dwelling places) and now doing business in Los Angeles, Ms. Gaston is the perfect blend between grit and glam. She has the tenacity and drive of a New Yorker and the sweetness and popularity of a California girl. At 8-years-old, she attended theatre and dance classes. She practiced ballet for ten years, and participating in sword fighting, cycling, runway modeling, and so much more. She gets bored easily. At 5’9″, she’s a killer on the runway but it’s never been her focus. Once upon a time, she professionally ripped the runways of New York City and dabbled into acting and music. However, she says, “If they’re paying, I’m taking.”

Perhaps, it is her African-American, Irish and Creole, Puerto Rican and Italian bloodlines to blame. We think because of it, she’s full of creativity and culture and she needs to express it as it comes, or we could be wrong. When asked to list 3 women that are naturally beautiful to her, she replied, “Johnnie Gaston because she taught me how to love under all conditions and the meaning of forgiveness. Mother Theresa, because through her life, I witnessed someone self-sacrificing and selfless and it was all in the name of love… with no reason outside of living up to love’s profound definition” and last but not least, she chose Anais Nin.

“Her writings inspired me to never hold my tongue. She taught me to find courage within all my decisions, to decorate my life with mistakes I learned from, and to embrace the depths of which my soul resides. Those truths resonate and complete me.”

Isn’t this woman deep?

In addition, LaRayia has volunteered with The Ethiopian Foundation for Child Education, The AIDS Foundation to spread awareness and raise money for research. 10% of the money she earns through her business goes towards feeding the homeless on Skid Row in Los Angeles.

“Our community is our extended family,” she says. “We must reach out and help one another.”

Nowadays, she wishes to build an empire as a successful artist through her acting, singing and designing. Currently, Apuletown brand is growing and she plans to witness international success. We know she’ll get what she wants. Above all else, LaRayia aspires to inspire.

“My goal is to bring forth vision and perspective to people who have never experienced art, and its language but can feel something that comes from an emotional place that is relatable without the context of words. I want to work and create for the rest of my life, in art, [and] in love.”

We chose LaRayia as our Cake Girl, because she embodies what it is to be a true artist, then businesswomen, without bounds or limitations. Last time, we had Aunjoli in our presence to sit and talk on video but this time we didn’t have the luxury of doing so with LaRayia so, she recorded these great messages for you. You’ll love her voice! * Click the headlines below to listen.

Starting theatre and why she’s multifaceted and does not limit herself as an artist

On being successful as an artist, and the importance following through and completing a project

On what motivates her

On belly dancing, harem pants and meeting MC Hammer

On the inspiration of the “Neon Galaxy” shoot as seen in the photographs above

Who or what inspires her most

On what she thought about the word “GrungeCake”

Her take on “Cake Girls”

As LaRayia stated during our conversation:

I follow up with everything I want to do. I work very hard. I follow my dreams. I came from sacrifice and work. That’s all I do. I just like to create things in art and it doesn’t matter the medium. I knew what I wanted at a young age. I’m newsworthy because I go for my dreams. I am young, aggressive, and deliberate and I don’t sellout.

So, are beautiful women stupid? We think not. At least not all of them. For more about LaRayia Gaston, visit her website. It is a website that showcases her products, clothing, and it links to her Tumblr in which you will see breathtaking images and gifs of your highness. You can also follow her on Twitter and on Instagram at @LaRayia and @Apuletown.

Eburns (Stylist) Nimai Marsden (MUA) Destinie Warren (Designer) Brandon Hicks (Editorial Photographer)