Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Manana Arakelyan
Due to a tricky biology class and a change in her college major that didn’t work out, Manana Arakelyan found herself on a different path. Fortunately for her 600,000-plus followers, she set her sights on a career in content creation. Arakelyan talked to NYOTA about sharing her life online, collaborating with 437, and learning when to pivot.
Have you always been interested in fashion and beauty? When you were in your teenage years, what did you envision as your career?
I’ve always been interested in fashion and beauty! Growing up, my mom and I would pick out my outfits together for school the night before – even in high school! I got “best dressed” my senior year and I love mentioning it any chance I get! Even so, career-wise, I actually was always interested in becoming a dentist. Funny enough, my boyfriend Juan is currently in dental school, and my older sister is a dentist! I thought this would be my path until freshman year of college when I wasn’t grasping the material in my biology classes even though I was studying forever – it just wasn’t for me. After that, I changed my major to hospitality and worked in Las Vegas hotels. Long story short, I hated it. I started working in social media, creating content and running brands’ accounts. I’ve always loved social media and started growing my following. I actually quit my full-time job right when my agent reached out to me. I signed with Lulu Creative, and one thing led to another, and here we are! The rest is history.
It takes a certain amount of gumption to start sharing your life online and open the door to social media’s good and bad sides. What motivated you to take the leap?
I’ve been sharing every aspect of my life since Snapchat was the “cool thing” in middle school. I would always ask my friends if I was posting too much. They were great friends and said, ‘Yes, absolutely.’ Haha, but that didn’t stop me—the story of my life. I enjoy sharing my life solely because it’s what feels most natural to me. I know it sounds so silly, but it’s true. I love that I can connect to someone on the other side of the globe by just sharing my day – how incredible is that?
A refreshing part of your content is that you take your followers along as you work, which allows them to see the ins and outs of how you prepare for campaigns, time block your day, etc. When you first set out to create content, was being transparent with your followers an essential factor?
Always! I genuinely don’t know any other way to film and share. Something I take pride in is when people tell me that I’m the same person in real life as the one I share on social media.
Your relationship with Juan is an important part of your life, and over time, he has become a fixture in your videos across platforms. How do you balance sharing your life and relationship while keeping certain parts of your relationship private?
As transparent as I am online and as much as I share, you’ll never see all the ins and outs of someone’s life. Their inner thoughts, internal conversations, arguments, breakdowns, etc., some things aren’t always meant to be shared. With all that said, Juan and I have navigated a very healthy relationship, and social media doesn’t get in the way. We never ever force anything! For example, if I need his help filming a campaign and we start to bicker, it’s an immediate, ‘Let’s put a pin in it and film this later.’ It doesn’t matter to me if there’s a deadline that day or not. My relationship with Juan comes first!
When I first came across your TikTok videos, I was immediately drawn to your sense of style. Are you someone who is scrolling Pinterest and reading Vogue? Where are you looking for style inspiration?
Wow, that’s a great compliment! I appreciate that. I find myself “decompressing” in bed by scrolling on Pinterest. Believe it or not, Juan is a huge inspiration and has given me a new eye for fashion. He’s quite literally my stylist, and I trust his opinion more than anyone else’s!
What are classic or essential items you believe everyone should have in their closet?
- Cashmere sweater (I’m a firm believer this will keep you warmer than any thick jacket you own – believe me).
- Dark denim, of course. Acne Studios has an incredible selection!
- Skin-tight tank tops and shirts. Throw it on with a good pair of jeans, and it’s game over!
- Fun belts! This will spice up your fit in the most perfect way.
- A daily suit. Helsa and Acne have some of my favorites. A suit is always such a chic and comfortable outfit.
You recently launched a collection with 437. What was it like collaborating with 437 founders Hyla Nayeri and Adrien Bettio, and was it surreal to see a one-off video take on a life of its own?
It’s surreal. When exciting opportunities like this happen, I cannot express how unbelievably grateful I am. It usually doesn’t hit me until way later, once we start posting it on social media months later and seeing everyone’s lovely reactions. That’s when I really get pumped because it finally feels real.
On YouTube, a follower commented, “The best part of your videos is you are not trying to make them ‘perfect looking’ they are perfect the way they are.” This comment underscores how your authenticity shines through in your videos. From your perspective, is the pressure to look “perfect” and post “perfect” content on social media fading?
I loved that comment; I remember seeing it, and it put a huge smile on my face. To be honest, I’m never 100% sure what people are thinking; I just share what I want and how I want. So when I see comments and DMs like that, I’m just grateful for how many incredible and kind people there are in this world. To answer your question, I hope the pressure to be “perfect” fades away forever! I like to believe that people can see through others when it looks like a “perfect” life. Unfortunately, people won’t stop trying to have a “perfect” image and for that, we have to give everyone grace on the daily! We all fight our own daily battles.
Through this journey of creating content and building your following. What have you learned about yourself?
I’ve learned to stay in my lane. Comparing yourself to others in the same industry is inevitable; however, your time will come when it’s meant for you. I always like to remember that I don’t want to achieve everything all at once because then there’s nothing to look forward to. In this industry, you meet so many people who (online) look like they have it all together, but we all have our struggles. It’s just reality! Another major lesson I’ve learned is that you have to be flexible in life. One day, everything is working out for you; the next, something unexpected happens (ex., TikTok goes away), and you have to learn to immediately pivot. As a content creator, that ability is what separates you from the others!
What advice do you have for aspiring content creators?
The moment you’re not having fun, pivot! *cue Friends theme song*
This story first ran in Issue 39: The Digital Issue. Read more from the issue here & buy a print copy here
