Kara Del Toro is an American model, actress and social media sensation who rose to fame for her role in a commercial for Carl’s Jr TV. She is the face and spokesmodel for some of the world’s most recognizable brands and has a huge social media presence with more than 4.3 million followers in social networks.
Born from a small town near Houston, Texas, she has made a name for herself in the world of fashion, beauty, lifestyle and content creation. Kara is best known for her work as the face and advertising model in several campaigns for GUESS Jeans and has graced the pages and covers of GQ, V Magazine, Marie Claire, Maxim, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and now Miami Living Magazine.
We caught up with Kara to learn more about her life story, her modeling career and also her work in the crypto world.
Miami Living: Tell us how you started your career as a model?
Kara Del Toro: I actually went to a modeling school in Houston. We thought it would be a scam, but it ended up working out! I started modeling in high school, from there they sent me to Milan, Hamburg, LA and NYC and finally I moved to LA. It’s been a long, crazy journey. It does not necessarily happen overnight like you see on TV, but it was worth it.
ML: What about your inspirations? Is there one person who inspires you?
KDT: I am constantly inspired by the women around me. I try to surround myself with positive and supportive women. My mother is the kindest person I know. She is a reiki, Oneness, certified sound healer and an amazing artist. She inspires me to be a better person every day, to be kinder and to focus on what makes me happy. She also motivates me to work hard because I want to support her and give her some of the blessings I have had in my career, such as traveling the world, etc.
ML: How do you balance work, travel and life?
KDT: It can be a struggle sometimes, but I am a very metaphysical person and I believe that my spirituality has helped me a lot. Meditating and being in nature are two things that help me the most. It helps me feel clear and reminds me of what is really important in life. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I take the time to go to the beach, do a nice meditation and say some affirmations that really help me to regenerate.
ML: Can you tell us about your work and your experience in Miami?
KDT: Miami has a special place in my heart. My career started shooting my Guess campaign with J Balivn in Miami. That is still one of my favorite shoots today. As well as walking in Miami swim weeks of course! So many key moments early in my career took place in Miami.
ML: What are your favorite things to do and places to go in Miami?
KDT: Miami has the best beaches, (sorry LA) but the water in Miami is always the perfect temperature. I practically live in the ocean when I am in Miami... haha!
I love the One Hotel Miami, it’s probably my favorite hotel, so I usually stay there. Hotel Faena also has a super cool vibe. And dinner at Komodo is a must. Miami has a very special energy. It’s one of those cities where you can meet friends everywhere and have a good time.
ML: We have heard about your NFT project. Can you tell us more about it?
KDT: I did a shoot with one of my best friends (photographer) Megan Batson. I added some digital graphics and minted some of the photos last year as NFT. It was super fun and kind of an experiment. I minted it just before mainstream media was really aware of NFTs and used it as a way to express my creativity. In the modeling world, you do not usually have the opportunity to creatively direct your own shoot. So with my NFT, I was able to do just that.
ML: What sparked your interest in NFT?
KDT: We are in the beginning stages of NFTs right now, so it’s really fun and exciting. The possibilities are endless. I think NFTs will soon enter more and more areas of our daily lives, like social media, so I figured why not start now.
ML: And how did you go about developing your own NFT?
KDT: I spent many hours listening to podcasts and participating in chats in the clubhouse. I really wanted to understand what it was before I got into it. Other than that, it was pretty simple. I came up with a concept and teamed up with a photographer friend to shoot the images, edit them, add some digital graphics, and mint my first token on Opensea. You will need a crypto wallet and some Ethereum to mint your own piece.
ML: The NFT market is still very new and has yet to be fully exploited. How do you think the industry will evolve?
KDT: Who knows, the possibilities with NFTs could be endless. The cool thing about an NFT is that it can never be duplicated. The image can be copied, but the token can not. It’s like having a unique signature or bar code. Some collectors use them as a store of value, others hang them in digital art galleries, while other NFTs give you unique access to a concert or club. They could be part of our future and who knows....maybe we will buy houses as NFTs? Or maybe they’ll just be a huge meme. haha, we will see.
Connect with Kara Del Toro
Instagram | @karajewelll
TikTok | @karajewel
