You probably know her as the "Cunty Barbie" of TikTok or the trailblazing face of Victoria’s Secret. Maybe you’ve seen her causing a bit of a stir on Bravo’s Next Gen: NYC. But the version of Emira D’Spain you see today—polished, unapologetic, and dripping in luxury—didn't just appear out of thin air.
There’s this weird assumption that influencers just wake up one day with a million followers and a brand deal. Honestly? That’s rarely how it works. For Emira, the "before" wasn't just a waiting room for fame; it was a five-year grind in the trenches of the New York media world.
The UAE to Dallas Pipeline
Emira’s story starts way further away than Manhattan. She was born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 1996. Her background is a total global mix—her mom is Eritrean and her dad is Polish.
Life wasn't always high-rise luxury and front-row seats. Her family moved around a lot. They lived in Kansas City and Tampa before finally settling in Dallas when she was about nine years old. Dallas is where a lot of that "Texas pageant" energy comes from, but Emira always had her sights set on something bigger.
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She eventually headed to New York University (NYU). While most college kids were just trying to pass finals, Emira was busy setting the stage for a career in marketing. She actually lived in Paris for a year during her studies, which is where she says she really started to find her voice in fashion.
The PAPER Magazine Era You Didn’t See
If you want to understand Emira D'Spain before the viral GRWM videos, you have to look at her time at PAPER Magazine. This wasn't some "influencer-lite" job. It was a 9-to-5 career that lasted five years, starting with a humble internship.
She graduated magna cum laude from NYU with a degree in Marketing and Communications. That's no small feat. She stayed at PAPER after her internship, working on the marketing and agency side of the business. Basically, she was the one behind the scenes telling big brands like L’Oreal which creators they should hire.
Talk about a full-circle moment.
One day, the editorial team noticed she came into the office "looking cunt" every single day—her words, and honestly, we believe it. They asked if she wanted to lead the beauty department. She ended up splitting her time:
- Two days a week doing marketing strategy.
- Three days a week running the beauty editorial wing.
She eventually became the Beauty Director at just 24 years old. She was writing trend reports, interviewing industry heavyweights, and running SNATCHURAL, the magazine's Snapchat beauty show. While she was building PAPER’s digital presence, she was quietly testing the waters on her own socials.
Breaking the Victoria’s Secret Barrier
In February 2022, everything shifted. Emira posted a TikTok titled "Single Girl’s Guide to the Perfect Valentine’s Day." It was a partnership with Victoria’s Secret.
The video was simple: she wore a red VS corset, grabbed brunch alone, bought herself diamond earrings, and talked about how self-love is the only love that matters. It blew up.
This wasn't just another sponsored post. It made her the first Black transgender model to ever work with Victoria’s Secret. She followed in the footsteps of Valentina Sampaio, but Emira brought a specific kind of "it-girl" relatability that the brand desperately needed during its rebrand.
She later admitted that as a kid, she only dreamed of being part of that world. To go from a kid in Dallas to a history-maker in NYC is the kind of arc people usually only see in movies.
Transparency and the "Quiet" Transition
One thing people get wrong about Emira is that they expect her platform to be only about her trans identity. She’s been very vocal about the fact that her "transness" is just one part of her life.
She didn't document her entire transition for the world to see in real-time. In fact, she vacillated for months about whether or not to share her gender confirmation surgery online. When she finally did, she was met with a wave of support, but she remains firm that she’s a beauty and fashion expert first.
"I never want my page to solely be about being trans because it’s just one part of my life," she told Galore Magazine.
That nuance is important. She’s navigating a space where POC and trans creators are often pigeonholed, and she’s flat-out refusing to stay in that box.
Why the "Hustle" Matters
If you’re looking to follow in her footsteps, the takeaway isn't just "be pretty and post videos." Emira’s advantage was knowing the business from the inside out. Because she spent years as a Beauty Director and a marketing agent, she knew exactly how to pitch herself to brands.
She wasn't just a talent; she was her own manager, editor, and strategist.
What You Can Learn from Emira's Path:
- Master the "Boring" Side: Learn marketing or the business side of your industry. It makes you indispensable.
- Stay Loyal: Emira is still in touch with the people she interned with. In NYC, your network is your net worth.
- Consistency Wins: She was building her personal brand for years while working a full-time job.
- Identify Your "Hook": Her "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) series wasn't just about makeup; it was about the storytelling and the "big sister" advice.
The "before" version of Emira D'Spain was a marketing whiz with a killer work ethic. The "after" is just that same person with a bigger budget and a global platform.
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If you're trying to build something similar, start by looking at what you can do behind the scenes. Mastery of the craft usually precedes the spotlight. Keep your eyes on the business side of beauty, and the rest tends to follow.