Follow the Model : Miss J's Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power

How does a six-foot-four, Bronx-born black gay male become Queen of the Catwalk? In one word: attitude. Beloved by millions of fans for his outrageous wit, spot-on critiques, and irrepressible flair, J. Alexander, affectionately known as Miss J, has helped groom hundreds of wannabe models as a runway coach and judge on America's Next Top Model, as well as coaching such supermodels as Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, and Kimora Lee. But his empowering, no-nonsense advice applies far beyond the runway. And in this inspiring guide he shows women not just how to walk, but how to live the Miss J way -- fully and fabulously.

As witheringly funny in print as he is in person, Miss J recounts a remarkable life and career that began with creating couture knockoffs on his grandmother's sewing machine and took a brief detour while he considered becoming an accountant (yes, really). But it was a public casting call for a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show that led him to take his first impeccably clad step on the catwalk and confirmed his conviction that he belonged in the world of high fashion. In Follow the Model he reveals his secrets to succeeding at what you love most, shares life lessons and colorful (to say the least) anecdotes, provides a multitude of invaluable grooming and style tips, dishes on the celebrities he's worked with so intimately, and offers a glimpse into the world of ANTM.

Not everyone is born to be a supermodel, but every woman can acquire confidence, self-esteem, and the determination to realize her dreams. You've got to want it, work it, and walk it -- and Miss J is ready to show you how.

Born in the Bronx, J. Alexander (known also as Miss J) originally trained to become an accountant.  But a chance encounter at sixteen—while dressed in drag—with the impressed President of Elite Model Management got him signed to the agency and off to walk runway for designer Jean Paul Gaultier. There he met fresh model Tyra Banks and began to give her walking lessons. Banks coined his title Queen of the Catwalk. His accidental career as a backstage runway coach took off—coaching such future supermodels as Naomi Campbell and Kimora Lee (Simmons)—and led him around the world casting and coaching models for countless top-name designers. Now J. Alexander is a television personality, well known for his work as the runway coach and a judge on America’s Next Top Model. He currently lives in Paris.