Desert Wanderlust
Briana Skye (23) 5 ft. 8’ was born and raised in Palm Springs, CA. Her distinctive beauty can be attributed to her mother who is Filipino/Spaniard and her father who is Italian/German. Her dark hair and big eyes instantly stuns you under her gaze. Once drawn in, you discover that she is a trained dancer in jazz, tap, ballet and gymnastics — her nimbleness and graceful moves accent her feline frame and sultry allure. Her worldly travels have taken her all over, from Vancouver, to New York, to Sicily. But what stands out the most about Briana is her total confidence — her determination to mark her own path in life. “In eighth-grade I wanted to be a Victoria’s Secret model — some students laughed and others thought it was okay,” Briana recalls.
By the age of 18, she moved out of the Coachella Valley and attended community college in Santa Barbara. She started modeling while hanging out with friends at Brooks Institute, where photography students were looking for models. In 2011, Briana’s first editorial was featured in Cielo Magazine and published internationally. “I’ve always been a creative person. That’s what I love about modeling. I love expression and being able to evoke emotion. I’m very sociable, I like human interaction — everything about modeling and photography is chemistry,” Briana explains. “There’s something about modeling that makes you become a different person.”
But Briana’s ambitions do not stop there, her next move is Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Her plan is simple: “I’m going to audition to get into acting school — there is no plan B — just that.” It comes as no surprise that her favorite filmmakers are bold and visionary, such as Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson and Angelina Jolie, “what I love about her [Angelina] is that she’s so badass.”
In person, Briana can quickly dispel any preconceptions you might have about her — exhibiting a strong sense of confidence (she’s a Leo, of course). She’s independent, sexy, polite, feminine, philosophical, yet cool as the breeze. By choice, Briana does not have a manager because, “I like creative liberation — to do what I want, to do creative collaborations of my own,”Briana explained. In conversation, she captivates you not just by her outward beauty (albeit she exudes plenty) but through total composure. She waxes poetics about: “I’m really into metaphysical — everyday I think about existentialism. I think we are entering an age of realization where people are becoming more aware of the actuality of the universe — a heightened awareness — people are becoming more in tuned with their reality,” Briana mused. “Art is all emotion and acting. Art in general is perception. I’m an incredibly spiritual person. I submerge myself with nature,” Briana added.
Overall, Briana defines beauty as, “I find beauty in flaws. We are all flawed beauty.” The best quality she sees in herself is: “Strength.” But what Briana Skye wants most out of life is, “to be able to love and be loved,” she confides. On embracing being a woman, Briana succinctly says: “Being a powerful creature — confidence.”
ARTIST / MODEL / WANDERLUST/ FELINE/ MYSTIC MORTAL:
BRIANA SKYE
HOMETOWN: PALM SPRINGS, CA
INSTAGRAM: XXBRIANASKYE